The Damnation Audio Dirtmixer is an analog bass blender, a pedal that splits your bass signal so you can mix a parallel dry signal back in with the output of a dirt pedal running in its loop12. It is an update to the original True Bypass Loop Blender, and Damnation Audio says it expands on that design by adding a selectable Dry Blend Contour to maintain bass clarity in any mix1. For bass players, that is the classic problem a blender solves: keeping the low-end fundamentals intact under distortion instead of losing them in the fuzz.
Damnation Audio pedals do not accept 9V batteries, and the maker warns that going above 9VDC may damage the pedal and void any warranties1. Plan your power supply accordingly: this is a boss-style center-negative pedal only.
Controls and connections
The Dirtmixer's signal path is simple: bass in, dirt pedal in the loop, dry signal blended back against it1.
| Jack or control | What it does |
|---|---|
| IN | Bass guitar input1 |
| SEND | To the input of the pedal in the loop1 |
| BLEND | Adjusts the level of the parallel dry blend signal1 |
| Dry Blend Contour switch | Selectable voicing for the dry signal; the up position is the Damnation Contour1 |
To use it, run your bass into the IN jack, run the SEND jack to the input of a dirt pedal such as a bass distortion, and bring the pedal's output back to the Dirtmixer. The BLEND control then sets how much of the untouched dry signal sits underneath the dirt1.
The Dry Blend Contour
The Dry Blend Contour is what separates the Dirtmixer from its predecessor. In the up position, Damnation Audio says the Damnation Contour "emphasizes punchy low-end while removing unwanted clank"1. In practice, that means the dry portion of your blend can be voiced to sit cleanly in a band mix rather than simply passed through flat, which is where parallel blends often pick up harsh upper harmonics from a distorted signal.
Dirtmixer vs. the True Bypass Loop Blender
The Dirtmixer is an update to the original True Bypass Loop Blender12. The core idea carries over: a parallel dry blend loop for bass. What the Dirtmixer adds is the selectable Dry Blend Contour, which Damnation Audio describes as a way to maintain bass clarity in any mix1. If you already know the Loop Blender, think of the Dirtmixer as the same blending tool with a voicing switch on the dry path.
Where it sits in the Damnation Audio range
Damnation Audio builds its line around bass dirt, and the Dirtmixer is the utility piece that pairs with any of it. The maker's range includes the Curmudgeon 2 bass amp distortion, the MBD2 MOSFET Bass Distortion 2, the Bass Fuzz Enforcer, the Retro Bass Distortion, and the Pet Symmetry BIG Pedal fuzz, among others. Any dirt pedal with its own output can sit in the Dirtmixer's loop1. For more on the wider category, see Bass Pedals.
Questions
Is the Dirtmixer analog or digital?
The Dirtmixer is an analog pedal. It works as a parallel blender: your bass signal is split so a dry signal can be mixed back in with the output of a dirt pedal connected in its loop, which is how bass players keep low-end definition under distortion.
What is the Dirtmixer's Dry Blend Contour?
The Dry Blend Contour is a selectable voicing for the dry blend signal. In its up position, the Damnation Contour emphasizes punchy low-end while removing unwanted clank, which Damnation Audio describes as a way to maintain bass clarity in any mix.
How do you connect the Dirtmixer to a distortion pedal?
Your bass plugs into the IN jack. The SEND jack runs to the input of the pedal you want in the loop, such as a bass distortion, and that pedal's output returns to the Dirtmixer, where the BLEND control sets the level of the parallel dry signal against it.
What is the difference between the Dirtmixer and the True Bypass Loop Blender?
The Dirtmixer is an update to the original True Bypass Loop Blender. Damnation Audio says it expands on the original's legacy by adding a selectable Dry Blend Contour to maintain bass clarity in any mix, on top of the same parallel dry blend loop design.
Sources (2)
- Dirtmixer, Damnation Audio
- Dirtmixer by Damnation Audio, RockBoard PedalPedia, 2026
