The Damnation Audio DIRTRIPPER is a two channel bass blender and EQ, and the maker describes it simply as "a mixer for your pedalboard"1. It sits between your bass and your amp and gives you two effects loops, each running in parallel with your clean signal, so you can blend a pedal's output against your dry bass tone instead of choosing one or the other. It lists for $349.00 USD as of 26 October 20261.
A mixer for your pedalboard
The idea behind a blender like this is familiar to bass players: some effects, distortion chief among them, can thin out your low end when they replace your clean signal entirely. Running a loop in parallel means the clean bass keeps going while the effect is summed alongside it, and the LEVEL knob sets how much of the loop signal comes through. Damnation Audio puts it this way: "This is a tale of two loops. Each one in parallel with your clean signal. Turn them on or off at will."1
The jacks cover a straightforward signal path:
- IN - bass guitar input1
- A SEND - to the input of the pedal in loop A1
- A RETURN - from the output of the pedal in loop A1
- B SEND - to the input of the pedal in loop B1
- B RETURN - from the output of the pedal in loop B1
- OUT - to the input of your amp1
The controls
Each channel carries the same three controls, applied to the effects loop signal on that side1:
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| BASS | 100Hz boost/cut on the effects loop signal1 |
| MID | 800Hz boost/cut on the effects loop signal1 |
| LEVEL | Adjusts the output level of the effects loop signal1 |
So each loop gets its own EQ shaping and its own blend level, which is what makes the DIRTRIPPER usable as a mixer: you can set loop A as a lightly blended drive and loop B as a fuller, louder effect, each with its own tone shaping1.
Footswitches and bypass
Three footswitches control the pedal:
The maker states that both loop footswitches require bypass to be engaged first: LOOP A and LOOP B each carry the note "BYPASS MUST BE ENGAGED"1. In practice, the BYPASS switch has to be on before the loop switches will bring a loop in.
Running it as a standalone EQ
One detail worth knowing if you are not ready to dedicate pedals to the loops: when nothing is plugged into a loop, the send and return are connected to each other. That means each channel can run as a standalone EQ, with the BASS and MID controls working on your signal even with no pedal in the loop1. It also means you can add a pedal to a loop later without changing how the EQ section behaves.
Power
The DIRTRIPPER takes a 9V center negative DC input, and the maker specifies 9V only1. That rules out running it at the higher voltages some pedals accept, so keep it on a standard 9V output of your power supply.
Who is behind it
Damnation Audio designed the DIRTRIPPER in conjunction with Ron Petzke of the bands Bongripper and Seaxes1. The maker's range also includes pedals such as the Curmudgeon 2, the Dirtmixer and the Dirtfixer, with the DIRTRIPPER sitting alongside them as its blending and EQ take on pedalboard routing1.
Videos
Ronripper
Ronripper
Ronripper
Questions
What voltage does the Damnation Audio DIRTRIPPER need?
The DIRTRIPPER runs on 9V DC with a center negative input, and the maker specifies 9V only. Use a standard 9V center negative pedal power supply and do not feed it a higher voltage.
Can the DIRTRIPPER be used as an EQ without a pedal in the loops?
Yes. When nothing is plugged into a loop, the send and return jacks are connected to each other, so each channel can run as a standalone EQ. That means you can use the BASS, MID and LEVEL controls on the loop signal even with no pedal in the loop.
Do I have to engage bypass before using the loop footswitches?
Yes. The maker's product page states that both the LOOP A and LOOP B footswitches engage their effects loops only when bypass is engaged, so the BYPASS footswitch has to be on before the loop switches will do anything.
Who designed the Damnation Audio DIRTRIPPER?
Damnation Audio designed the DIRTRIPPER in conjunction with Ron Petzke of the bands Bongripper and Seaxes.
Does the DIRTRIPPER run in parallel with my clean bass signal?
Yes. Each of the two loops runs in parallel with your clean signal, and you can turn them on or off at will. That lets you blend the effect signal with your clean bass tone rather than replacing it.
Sources (1)
- DIRTRIPPER, Damnation Audio
