Citadel Electronics Dynazero

A modern noise gate in the lineage of metal references

The Dynazero belongs to the family of noise gates that have become essential in hard rock and modern metal, where even the slightest hiss becomes audible as soon as you stack boosts, distortions, and heavily saturated preamps. Its DNA is inspired by an ultra-fast "expander/gate" approach popularized by genre-defining models, with optimization focused on compatibility and stability for today's pedalboards.

The redesign was rethought by Santiago, the engineer behind the original model whose spirit it carries. The goal is clear: to maintain the precision of cutoff and the sought-after "tight" feel in riffs, while making integration more reliable when combining amp, effects loop, multi-effects, and shared power supplies.

Who it's for and in what situations the Dynazero makes a difference

The Dynazero is aimed at guitarists and bassists who want professional-level background silence without losing the liveliness of their playing. It excels particularly in metal, hard rock, djent, metalcore, prog, but also becomes a valuable ally when recording in the studio with lots of gain, compression, or very exposed takes.

In live settings, it helps control sharp stops, very tight palm mutes, and breaks without unwanted noise. In the home studio, it simplifies editing by limiting hiss between phrases while remaining musical enough not to create a "chopped" sensation on more nuanced passages.

Key features: simple controls, advanced integration

The interface is straightforward: a Threshold control to set the open/close level, and a Hard/Soft selector to choose the cutoff behavior. In Hard, the response is fast and firm for very percussive playing and impeccable stops. In Soft, the closing is more gradual, useful for preserving note tails, vibratos, and expressive phrasing.

Another strength is the internal architecture: the Dynazero combines adaptive detection (the pedal reacts to playing dynamics) and galvanic isolation between sections to limit interference and reduce ground loop hum risks. The result: a particularly relevant solution for the "4 cable" method, when you want the guitar signal to control the gate while applying noise reduction after the preamp saturation.

The pedal also offers relay switching and a state memory logic: at power-up, it can recall the last status (engaged/bypass), a very appreciated detail on pedalboards powered via a switcher, rack, or conditioned power strip.

The sound

A good noise gate should not "sound" like a noise gate, and that's exactly the spirit of the Dynazero: transparent noise reduction, without unwanted coloration, with a playing feel that remains natural. The gate follows the attack precisely and avoids pumping effects while maintaining a sufficiently firm closure for heavily saturated rhythms.

The Hard mode emphasizes a "surgical" rendering: sharp attacks, instant silences, ideal for low tunings and syncopated riffs. The Soft mode favors musicality: the pedal becomes unobtrusive on more subtle passages, better preserving note tails and the breathing of the playing. Overall, it offers a modern approach to noise gating, designed for today's high-gain rigs.

Technical specifications

Effects	Noise Gate	Type	sector
Technology	Analog	Use	electric guitar
Format	Pedal	Color	Grey

Wiring methods	"2 cable" and "4 cable"	Input impedance	1 MOhm
Controls	Threshold	Output impedance	1 kOhm
Selector	Hard / Soft	Dimensions	114 mm (L) x 62 mm (W) x 58 mm (H)
Modes	Hard (sharp cutoff) / Soft (gradual cutoff)	Weight	250 g
Bypass	relay true bypass, with transparent input buffer and state memory	Isolation	galvanic for a stable and interference-free signal
Footswitch	silent	Included	documentation
Function	recall of last engaged/bypass state on power-up	Not included	power supply
Input	6.35mm Jack	Required power supply	9V DC
Output	6.35mm Jack	Polarity	center negative
Send	6.35mm Jack	Consumption	150 mA
Return	6.35mm Jack