The Bardic Audio Devices Rival is an amp-in-a-box distortion pedal from Bardic Audio Devices, inspired by the Mesa Boogie Mark V line of amps. Delicious Audio, covering its launch in September 2023, called it "possibly the only mark V in a pedal," and described its approach as modeling each vacuum tube stage of the original amp through JFET op-amps rather than digital processing1. It was handmade in Niles, Illinois, and listed at $200 when Guitar Pedal X covered it in December 20232.
The Rival is a small-builder pedal, handmade in Niles, Illinois, with top mounted jacks and a list price of $20023. As with pedals from small makers, availability can be limited compared with mass-produced units.
The controls
The Rival's front panel carries the usual amp-style knobs plus a five-band graphic equalizer. Delicious Audio describes the EQ as having a +/-15dB range at 80, 240, 750, 2.2K, and 6.6KHz, and says it "opens up a vast array of tonal possibilities beyond the standard" amp-in-a-box arrangement1.
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| Gain | Distortion gain control1 |
| Vol | Normal channel volume1 |
| Solo | Solo channel volume1 |
| Presence | High end roll off1 |
| EQ | Five bands, +/-15dB at 80, 240, 750, 2.2K, and 6.6KHz1 |
Guitar Pedal X's year-end listing gives the same control set, describing the pedal as a "Mesa Mark V style Preamp / Distortion"2.
Footswitches
The Rival has two footswitches, which is what sets its layout apart from a single-channel dirt box12:
- Solo FTSW: enables the Solo channel, whose level is set by the Solo knob1
- Bypass FTSW: activates or bypasses the effect1
In practice that means a player can set the Normal channel as a rhythm sound, dial the Solo channel louder with the Solo knob, and move between the two with a stomp, while the second switch handles bypass. The bypass switching is soft-touch true bypass, so the pedal stays out of the signal path when off1.
How it works
The Rival is an analog pedal that uses JFET op-amps to model each vacuum tube stage of the Mark V amp it draws from, according to Delicious Audio1. Amp-in-a-box pedals aim to reproduce a specific amplifier's voice in a stompbox, and this one targets Mesa Boogie's Mark V. Delicious Audio characterizes the result as "authentic modern tube amp tone"1.
What reviewers said
Guitar Pedal X included the Rival in its 2023 best new distortion pedals roundup, with Stefan Karlsson writing: "I love most everything about how this pedal came out - while I think it definitely need a little more output volume"2. That reservation concerned the output level, particularly in the default mode's output volume2.
Related Bardic pedals
The Rival sits in a crowded field of amp-in-a-box designs, and it overlaps several effect types at once: it is a distortion pedal with a preamp-style circuit and a built-in equalizer1. For other circuits in the same territory, see the site's pages on Distortion Pedals, Preamp Pedals, and Equalization Pedals.
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Questions
Is the Bardic Audio Devices Rival true bypass?
Yes. Delicious Audio's writeup lists the Rival as having soft-touch true bypass switching, so when the pedal is off, your guitar's signal passes through without the distortion circuit loading it. The bypass function is handled by a dedicated footswitch, separate from the Solo footswitch that calls up the pedal's second channel.
What voltage does the Bardic Rival need?
The Rival runs on a 9 to 15V center-negative power supply, according to Delicious Audio. That range means a standard 9V pedal supply works, but the pedal also accepts higher voltage within that window. As with any center-negative pedal, it should not be powered from a battery or an incorrect adapter.
What amp is the Bardic Rival based on?
Delicious Audio describes the Rival as an amp-in-a-box inspired by the Mesa Boogie Mark V line of amps, and calls it possibly the only Mark V in a pedal. Rather than digital modeling, it recreates each vacuum tube stage of the original amp using JFET op-amps.
What does the Solo footswitch do on the Rival?
The Solo footswitch enables the Rival's Solo channel, which has its own volume control set by the Solo knob. The other footswitch activates or bypasses the effect. Having both on footswitches lets a player keep a louder lead sound one stomp away from the normal channel.
Is Bardic Audio Devices still in business?
No. A Guitar Pedal X roundup from November 2025 notes that Bardic Audio Devices has ceased trading, with one of the company's pedals now available only second-hand. The Rival was handmade in Niles, Illinois, and was listed at $200 when Guitar Pedal X covered it in December 2023.
Sources (3)
- New Pedal: Bardic Audio Devices Rival Distortion, Delicious Audio, 2023-09-29
- Guitar Pedal X, Guitar Pedal X, 2023-12-17
- Guitar Pedal X, Guitar Pedal X