DSM Humboldt Black Clouds

BLACK CLOUDS
The ultimate lead tone machine.

The DSM & Humboldt Black Clouds is built with a singular goal: massive, articulate high-gain tone without compromise. Designed from the ground up, it delivers crushing distortion, tight response, and surgical control—while staying impressively quiet.

AGGRESSIVE. ARTICULATE. CONTROLLED.

Black Clouds brings serious gain, but never at the expense of clarity. Its unique amp-like response keeps notes defined even under extreme saturation, making it equally suited for tight rhythm work and soaring leads.

The integrated X-Gate keeps noise in check, instantly chopping silent passages for tight, percussive stops—perfect for modern, high-gain playing styles.

NOT ANOTHER CLONE

Fully designed from scratch, Black Clouds packs a powerful 3-band EQ, extensive gain range, and a dual boost system for added saturation and volume. Three distinct operating modes ensure it adapts seamlessly to virtually any rig.

A PLETHORA OF CONTROL

• Pre Boost – Up to +30dB input boost with a slight mid emphasis for added definition and compression (active only when engaged)
• Gain – From tight crunch to full high-gain saturation
• Level – Overall output volume
• Master Boost – Up to +20dB clean output boost for solos; works even when the pedal is bypassed
• Pre Tone – Tilt-style control shaping what enters the gain stage:
  • Clockwise: tighter lows, enhanced highs (focused, aggressive attack)
  • Counterclockwise: fuller lows, smoother highs (thicker lead tones)

POWERFUL 3-BAND EQ

• Bass – ±10dB below 300Hz
• Mids – ±12dB from 300Hz to 2kHz
• Treble – ±15dB above 2kHz

X-GATE NOISE CONTROL

The X-Gate is a passive noise gate designed for precision and speed—instantly muting unwanted noise while enhancing percussive attack. It also introduces a subtle crossover distortion, adding an extra layer of texture to your tone.