The Airis Effects Protodrive is an overdrive pedal from Airis Effects, a small builder whose custom and prototype units ship in blank enclosures, with some pedals carrying custom designs. It is built around a familiar three-knob overdrive layout but adds four switches that reshape the pedal's response, and it can run from blues through metal or act as a clean boost.1
The controls: 3 knobs and 4 switches
The knob layout will be familiar to anyone who has used a Tube Screamer-style overdrive: Volume, Gain and Tone, laid out like a traditional tube screamer or OD pedal.1
The four switches are what set the Protodrive apart. As the Pedal of the Day review put it: "the switches are a Bass response, brightness switch, clipping switch and output level for modern and vintage!"1
| Control | Type | What it does |
|---|---|---|
| Volume | Knob | Output level, as on a traditional overdrive1 |
| Gain | Knob | Drive amount, as on a traditional overdrive1 |
| Tone | Knob | Tone shaping, as on a traditional overdrive1 |
| Bass response | Switch | Shapes the low end going into the drive1 |
| Brightness | Switch | Adjusts the top end1 |
| Clipping | Switch | Changes the clipping character1 |
| Output level | Switch | Modern and vintage voicing1 |
The knobs and switches are unlabeled on the pedal itself. The reviewer noted this "does help make it more versatile but also makes it intimidating," so it is worth keeping the manual or a note of the settings handy.1
What it covers
The Protodrive is positioned as a single pedal that spans a wide range of drive tones. The reviewer described using it "for blues, metal, slight rock break up and more, sometimes even just as a clean boost!"1
On versatility, the reviewer's comparison was to owning two classic drives: "you buy a TS9 for more metal and hard rock and you will get a boss blues driver for a smoother more lead/blues lead tone." Their verdict was that the Protodrive can do almost any of it, and that they were blown away by its overall versatility, calling its tones almost unmatched.1
For context, the Protodrive sits in the wider family of overdrive pedals, which also includes distortion pedals for higher-gain sounds and fuzz pedals for a more aggressive clip.
Videos
Science of Loud
Anne, The Polar
IanVase
Questions
What do the switches on the Airis Effects Protodrive do?
The Protodrive has four switches alongside its three knobs: a Bass response switch, a brightness switch, a clipping switch, and an output level switch with modern and vintage settings. Together they shape the low end, the top end, the character of the clipping, and the output voicing, which is what lets one pedal cover a wide range of overdrive sounds.
Can the Airis Effects Protodrive be used as a clean boost?
Yes. Reviewing the pedal for Pedal of the Day, Robyn N described using it for blues, metal, slight rock break up and more, sometimes even just as a clean boost. With the gain set low it can push an amp or add level without heavy coloration.
Are the controls labeled on the Protodrive?
The three knobs and four switches are unlabeled on the pedal itself. The reviewer noted that this makes the pedal more versatile but also a bit intimidating at first, since the markings are not printed on the enclosure.
Is the Airis Effects Protodrive based on a Tube Screamer?
The Volume, Gain and Tone knob layout is described as like a traditional tube screamer or overdrive pedal, and the reviewer compared it to pedals such as the TS9 and the Boss Blues Driver when describing the range of tones it covers.
What music styles can the Protodrive cover?
The Pedal of the Day reviewer found it versatile enough to cover metal, hard rock and smoother lead and blues tones in one pedal, and said they were blown away by its overall versatility, calling its tones almost unmatched.
Sources (1)
- Airis Effects Protodrive, Pedal of the Day, 2015-06-01
