LICHTLAERM AUDIO "The Key And The Gate"
Signal Guardian | Transparent Noise Gate · Single-Knob Precision.
"Yog-Sothoth knows the gate. Yog-Sothoth is the gate. Yog-Sothoth is the key and guardian of the gate." – H.P. Lovecraft, The Dunwich Horror
In the void between your notes, chaos waits. The Key and the Gate was forged to seal that chaos without choking your sound — a hyper-responsive, envelope-controlled noise gate that keeps your tone alive while banishing unwanted noise to the abyss.
Where most gates clamp, choke, and steal your sustain, The Key and the Gate listens. It adapts. Its fully analog envelope-follower tracks your playing in real time — from sharp staccato riffing to long, singing leads. No sputter. No false cuts. Just pure signal when you play, and total silence when you don’t.
Two Modes of Operation — One Unshakable Gate
· Standard Mode
Plug into the top-mounted I/O and use it like a classic gate — only more transparent, more musical, and far more responsive.
· Keyed Mode (The True Magic)
Here’s where the spell takes hold: patch your guitar into the side-mounted KEY input/output, and your original, untouched signal becomes the reference for the gate — while your actual tone continues down its usual, distortion-laden path. The gate listens to the clean signal, not the noisy aftermath — so it doesn’t care if you’re on a clean boost or a wall of fuzz.
- Zero tone suck
- No lost sustain
- No need to re-dial for different gain levels
You can leave it always on, and it will always work — transparently, musically, invisibly.
Beyond the Gate – Creative Chaos
The KEY input also opens the door to creative mischief:
- Inject an LFO for bizarre rhythmic gating or tremolo-like pulses
- Use an external audio source for studio-style sidechaining
- Gate your dirt pedal’s output with a clean drum track for modular-style pump effects
Simplicity as a Virtue
- One knob. That’s all. Dial in the threshold and you’re done — no menus, no hidden settings, just performance-focused elegance.
The Key and the Gate is not just a noise gate — it’s a guardian spirit for your tone. Whether you summon cleans, dirt, doom, or delay-drenched chaos, it watches silently, waiting to strike — only when needed.
Features:
- Lichtlaerm Audio Smart Relay technology
- side mounted jacks for the side-chain
- top mounted jacks for the noise gate
- standard 9V center neg. power supply
- True Bypass
- fully analog circuitry
What does Pre-Order mean & how does it work?
Pre-order means that you are ordering an item that is not yet manufactured or in stock. Pre-Order items will not ship before their release date. If your order contains one or more pre-order items, the entire order will be shipped in one package once the pre-order item is released.
Product Information & Safety
Disclaimer
Vinyl Orders- Please note that we do our best to protect vinyl records ideally for shipping, using our custom made mailers and additional cardboard squares. However, we can not guarantee that no damage on the way occurs. Ordering is at one's own risk. Vinyl might be delivered unsealed as we have to open copies to check vinyl colours, if not sufficiently labeled by the distributor / label.
Product Images- Please note that most of the images in our store are not actual photos but mock ups. These mock ups are digital representations of what we expect the final product to look like - however they do not represent the final product. Final vinyl pressings, prints, etc. may look slightly different.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I pick up my order?
Yes, you can pick up your order from our warehouse in Berlin Lichtenberg. Please choose “Pick Up” as delivery method at checkout and pay for your order as if it was a regular order. You will be notified via e-mail once your order is ready for collection. Pick Up times are Monday - Friday between 10 AM and 4 PM.
Only orders fully paid in advance can be picked up. You can not shop directly from our warehouse → online purchases only.
If not collected within 7 days after being notified that your order is ready for collection, your order will be cancelled.
After receiving your ready for pick up notification via e-mail, you can find us at the following address:
Josef-Orlopp-Str. 92
10365 Berlin-Lichtenberg
Walk onto the backyard and look out for a green door with a black sign saying "EVIL GREED / EG Distribution GmbH" and our logo, next to a loading ramp. We're located on the second floor - please ring the bell.
How do I return items on my order?
As long as the items are unworn and unwashed they can be returned to the below address:
EG Distribution GmbH
Evil Greed - Returns
Josef-Orlopp-Str. 92
10365 Berlin
Germany
Please note that we do not cover shipping back to us. If you want to make sure your package arrives okay you might want to consider sending it trackable / insured. Please also include either a copy of your invoice or a brief note with your order number so we can assign the package to the right order / customer.
Please clearly mark your shipment as "RETURN" so no custom / import charges are due when returning from an non-EU country.
Once the items are with us and have been checked by our team, we will refund the amount due to your preferred payment method!
Do you have a size chart for your items?
Yes, you can find it here.
Can I combine orders / add items to an already existing order?
We are not able to make any changes to already existing orders. If your order hasn't been processed yet, we can however cancel it so that you can place a new order containing all the items you wish to purchase.
When will my order arrive / how long does shipping take?
If your order does not contain any pre-order items (see below) it will be shipped within 1-2 days after purchasing. Once shipped, depending on where you are shipping can take up to 1-3 days (Germany), 7 days (Europe & UK) and 30 days (worldwide). If you want your order to arrive as soon as possible, please select FedEx at checkout.
How much does shipping cost?
You can find our shipping cost here.