logo

Nembrini Audio’s Clon Minotaur plugin is a completely free recreation of a mythical transparent overdrive

Nembrini Audio’s Clon Minotaur plugin is a completely free recreation of a mythical transparent overdrive

Nembrini Clon

Image: Nembrini Audio

When you purchase through affiliate links on Guitar.com, you may contribute to our site through commissions. Learn more.

Nembrini Audio is currently giving away its Clon Minotaur plugin, a digital recreation of a certain transparent overdrive pedal – all you have to do is sign up for an account on the Nembrini site.

The plugin is described as ‘transparent,’ a term often used to describe the Klon Centaur that it emulates. This effectively means that it doesn’t alter the frequency content of a guitar tone as much as, say, a Tubescreamer-style overdrive, which adds a considerable midrange hump. Instead, the response curve remains flatter across the whole spectrum.

The clipping stage of the virtual pedal digitally models a set of germanium diodes. Like the original, the ‘gain’ control doesn’t adjust the amount of clipping but instead changes the balance between the blend of clean and clipped signals. This summed signal is then fed into the volume and tone stages.

The original Klon was designed between 1990 and 1994. Since then it has become a fabled piece of guitar gear, with prices often reaching over $3,000.

Hear Nembrini’s version in action below:

The plugin is available for Mac and Windows as an AU, VST, VST3 or AAX plugin. A free demo version and a detailed PDF user manual can be found on the provider’s product page. You can also grab a free AUv3 plug-in, inter-app audio effect or the standalone app in the Apple App Store for M1 Macs, iPhones and iPads.

To save yourself $500,000 or so on getting the real deal, head over to nembriniaudio.com.

logo

The world’s leading authority and resource for all things guitar.

© 2024 Guitar.com is part of NME Networks.