PSA: I Found a Fatal Flaw in the BigSkyMX! Can Strymon Fix it?

Hey everyone, today we’re discussing a serious issue with the Strymon BigSkyMX (BSMX). While this pedal is fantastic in many ways, there’s a critical flaw that needs to be addressed. Before diving in, please remember that this isn’t an attack on Strymon—just a call for improvement on an otherwise great product.

The Issue: Digital Clipping in Infinite Mode

Whenever the BSMX is in infinite mode, there’s a noticeable digital clipping in every algorithm. This happens across the board, whether you’re using the spring reverb, the impulse responses, or any other setting. For those unfamiliar, infinite mode captures and sustains the reverb applied to your signal indefinitely, allowing new notes to layer on top.

Potential Fixes and Workarounds

Unfortunately, the only workaround I’ve found so far is lowering the output level to 2 out of 16, which greatly reduces the output of the reverb, making it not a real fix. This issue persists even after ensuring that the HX Stomp’s output volume is not the cause.

What’s Next?

This flaw makes the infinite mode practically unusable, especially for those into shoegaze or ambient music who rely on pristine, infinite build-ups. I’ve reached out to Strymon for support and will update this post as soon as there’s a fix.

Updates:

• May 30, 2024: Sent settings to Strymon for investigation.
• May 31, 2024: Strymon support confirmed the infinite mode can clip due to the nature of signal build-up. They mentioned this could be addressed in a future firmware update but made no guarantees.
• June 10, 2024: Strymon recreated the clipping issue based on my settings. They confirmed it’s not a hardware issue and suggested it might be fixed in a future update. They also mentioned that under “normal circumstances,” this shouldn’t happen—implying guitar into pedal isn’t “normal”!

Conclusion

For those considering dropping $680 on the BSMX, be aware of this issue. While the pedal has many strengths, this flaw can be a deal-breaker depending on your usage. I hope Strymon addresses this soon, and I’ll keep you posted with any updates. In the meantime, let’s discuss—what do you think about this issue? Have you experienced it yourself? Let’s chat in the comments!