The Darkglass ADAM (Aggressively Distorting Advanced Machine) is a digital distortion and compression pedal for bass, made in Finland by Darkglass12. Its distortion engine blends aggressive distortion with multi-band compression for what Darkglass describes as a thick and powerful bass tone, and it packs a 6-band EQ, a cab sim, presets, a tuner and a DI into one unit13.
The pedal was developed with Adam "Nolly" Getgood. At the heart of the distortion circuit is what Darkglass calls an accurate model of Nolly's favorite vintage distortion unit, and in collaboration with Darkglass he used that as a platform for developing 5 distinctive distortion modes1.
What the ADAM does
The ADAM combines parallel distortion and multi-band compression, a 6-band EQ, and a cab sim in a single tone-shaping unit1. RockBoard's PedalPedia listing catalogs its functions as distortion, compressor, chorus, DI, tuner, equalizer, noise gate, cab sim, overdrive and preamp3.
The compression and distortion sides work in parallel and can be bypassed independently, so you can run the pedal as a compressor on its own, as a distortion on its own, or with both engaged1. The compressor offers 5 modes, with ratios of 4:1, 8:1, 12:1, 20:1 and ALL IN1.
The 6-band graphic EQ is programmed through a precision touch slider interface13. Its frequency bands are a low shelf, 250 Hz, 500 Hz, 1.5 kHz, 3 kHz, and a high shelf4.
The pedal holds three fully programmable rotating footswitch presets. Each one stores your blend of compression, distortion, impulse responses, EQ parameters, and signal chain settings, and each of the three footswitches can be assigned to a preset34.
Guitar World's review lists the controls as the touch slider EQ, three dual push button and rotary preset switches, Compression, Drive, Character, Blend and Level2.
Power and connections
The ADAM runs on a regulated 9V DC adapter with a center-negative plug only, and has a current draw of about 500mA13.
Darkglass warns that unregulated power supplies and/or higher voltages may result in suboptimal noise performance and even damage the unit, voiding the warranty1. At ~500mA, the ADAM needs more current than a typical low-current daisy chain provides.
On the connection side, the instrument input is a 1/4" mono jack, and there is a stereo aux input on a 1/8" stereo jack for playing along to backing tracks while practicing or recording1. The headphone output handles headphones with an impedance of 16 to 600 ohms, connects on a 1/8" stereo jack, and has its own level potentiometer1.
The selectable cabinet simulation offers 5 on-board IRs, and can be used with the headphone output, XLR DI output, or stereo line outputs1. There is also a MIDI input to externally control parameters1.
History and versions
Darkglass announced the Aggressively Distorting Advanced Machine in February 2021, with Bass Musician Magazine presenting it that month. The pedal came out of Nolly's work with Darkglass on the 5 distortion modes1.
The latest firmware update unlocks several new features1:
- A Chorus Machine placed before the EQ
- A new DG6BEQ tone-shaping EQ placed before the distortion
- A per-preset Noise Suppressor (NSP)
The ADAM sits in a Darkglass bass lineup that includes the Microtubes Infinity, the Alpha Omega, the Microtubes X Ultra and the more recent Kaamos. Where the Alpha Omega family is analog distortion, the ADAM is a digital pedal that adds compression, presets and a full EQ section3.
What reviewers said
Guitar World reviewed the ADAM at $499 and found the parallel design kept the clean signal intact2:
"My clean signal remained completely unaffected by any of these"
Guitar World reviewer, on the clean signal staying transparent across presets2
In Guitar World's guide to distortion pedals for bass, updated 21 October 2022, the ADAM appeared alongside the Fender Trapper and the MXR M85. The guide's verdict on the pedal:
"it's hard not to mention the Darkglass ADAM, the tones you can get from it are incredible, the six-band EQ is really us"5
Guitar World, best distortion pedals for bass guide, 20225
The same guide noted the pedal's many useful features while calling it expensive overall5.
Delicious Audio reported in February 2021 on videos of the ADAM being used on guitar, a pedal made in collaboration with Adam "Nolly" Getgood4.
Videos
Nate Navarro
Patrick Hunter
Bass Bonedo
Questions
Can the Darkglass ADAM be used on guitar?
It is designed as a bass pedal, but Delicious Audio reported videos in 2021 of the ADAM being used on guitar. The pedal is digital, so its distortion modes, EQ and cab sim respond the same way to any instrument, and players have tried it outside bass. Darkglass itself positions it as a bass tone-shaping tool.
Does the Darkglass ADAM have MIDI?
Yes. The ADAM has a MIDI input that lets you externally control parameters. That makes it workable on a larger board or in a studio setup where you want to switch presets and settings from a controller rather than the pedal's own footswitches.
Can you bypass the compression and distortion separately on the ADAM?
Yes. Darkglass states that the compression and distortion can be bypassed independently, so you can run the pedal as a compressor alone, as a distortion alone, or with both engaged. The compressor offers 5 modes with ratios of 4:1, 8:1, 12:1, 20:1 and ALL IN.
Does the Darkglass ADAM work as a DI box?
Yes. The ADAM has an XLR DI output, and its selectable cabinet simulation offers 5 on-board IRs that can be used with the headphone output, the XLR DI output or the stereo line outputs. That lets you record or go straight to a desk with a cab-simulated signal.
What power supply does the Darkglass ADAM need?
It needs a regulated 9V DC adapter with a center-negative plug, and draws about 500mA. Darkglass warns that unregulated supplies or higher voltages can cause noise problems and even damage the unit, which would void the warranty. A standard low-current daisy chain will not cover its draw.
Sources (5)
- Aggressively Distorting Advanced Machine, Darkglass
- Darkglass Electronics ADAM review, Guitar World, 2021-06-30
- ADAM by Darkglass Electronics, RockBoard PedalPedia, 2026
- New Pedals: Darkglass ADAM Distortion (on Guitar), Delicious Audio, 2021-02-08
- Best distortion pedals for bass: thicken up your low end, Guitar World, 2022-08-17
