Thought I'd pose this question--in regard to Barber pedals but also in general--to perhaps help figure things out a little. (I've googled several forums on this, but I was hoping for an explanation from a more reliable source.) In trying to generalize/categorize the differences, here's what I've come up with so far:
Symmetric:
Top & bottom of waveform are clipped/distorted equally
Preamp tube-like
Smoother, sweeter-sounding*
Examples: Tube Screamer, LTD, Direct Drive, ..others?
Asymmetric:
Top & bottom of waveform are clipped differently
Power tube-like
More raspy-sounding*
Examples: SD-1, Fulldrive, Small Fry (mostly), ..others?
Is this mostly accurate? Can one make such generalizations/assumptions* about the sound character of a symmetric vs. asymmetric pedal design, or is this moreso dependent on the overall circuit? Why else would manufacturers brag that "this pedal uses symmetric/asymmetric clipping..." when describing their stuff?