The Dr. No effects PowerDriver MkII is an overdrive pedal from Dr. No effects, built as the maker's answer to the Ibanez TS808 Tube Screamer. Dr. No effects describes it as delivering an organic, warm overdrive, and the press release announcing it called it "the Holy Grail on steroids and his answer to green, namely….RED"1. It reached stores around April 1, 2013, replacing the earlier green Powerdriver, and the maker calls it the second and final version of his overdrive1. The product page has since listed it as sold out2.
An organic, warm overdrive
Dr. No effects positions the PowerDriver MkII squarely against the Ibanez TS808. The maker's product page calls the TS808 "the most used and most wanted overdrive pedal," also known as "The Holy Grail" of overdrive, and presents the red PowerDriver MkII as his take on that circuit2. The press release puts it more bluntly: the MkII is "the Holy Grail on steroids and his answer to green, namely….RED"1.
The sound the maker promises is an "organic, warm overdrive," a phrase repeated across both the product page and the 2013 press release21. The MkII replaced the earlier green Powerdriver, which the announcement described as "the new Vintage Green" in reverse: "The Red PowerdriverMKII is the new Vintage Green"3.
"With its organic, warm overdrive this is a must have on your pedal-board."
The pedal's enclosure is red with silver and gold hand silkscreen, a visual departure from the green TS808 lineage it answers2.
The controls
The MkII keeps the control layout familiar to anyone who has used a Tube Screamer style pedal: three knobs and a character switch2.
| Control | Position | What it does |
|---|---|---|
| Volume | Right | Sets the output level |
| Tone | Middle | Shapes the treble content |
| Gain | Left | Sets the amount of overdrive |
| Toggle switch | Side | Switches the overdrive character between two settings, authentic and aggressive21 |
The toggle is what separates the MkII from a stock three-knob overdrive. The maker describes it as a "heavy duty toggle switch" that changes the overdrive character between two settings, authentic and aggressive21. On the product page he explains the mechanism: the switch adds an extra diode to the circuit that creates a more "Tube and mid-range" sound, and he notes it only interacts with high gain settings2. In practice that means the second character matters most when the Gain knob is pushed, leaving low-gain settings largely unaffected by the switch.
Power comes from a DC 9 volt supply through a 2.1 mm jack with negative point, meaning center negative, the standard arrangement for most pedalboard power supplies. There is no battery function, so the pedal cannot run without an external supply2.
No battery function: the PowerDriver MkII requires an external 9V DC center-negative supply with a 2.1 mm jack2.
Versions and the TS808 lineage
The MkII did not appear out of nowhere. In November 2012, Dr. No effects announced that "The Doctor started working on the new version of the PowerDriver II a few months ago," and that it would be "a replacement of the Drive-0-Matic, and will include some extra features and options"4. The pedal it replaced, the Dr. No Effects DRIVE-O-MATIC, thus sits earlier in the same maker's line.
The timeline of the MkII itself:
- November 2012: work on the new PowerDriver II announced, as a replacement for the Drive-0-Matic with extra features and options4
- March 2013: the red PowerDriver MkII announced as the replacement for the green Powerdriver, with distribution to stores expected around April 1, 20133
- April 2013: press release describes the MkII as the second and final version1
- May 2013: the maker reports the Holy Wahcamoly and PowerDriver MkII sent to distribution and shops5
- Later: the product page lists the pedal as sold out2
The TS808 circuit the MkII answers has its own long history. The original Ibanez TS-808 Tube Screamer Overdrive Pro went through several enclosure versions, from narrow-box units with square switches to later versions with the registered trademark, knurled nuts on the power jack and different PCB revisions, and it was reissued in 201462. Analog Man's history of the Tube Screamer documents details such as serial 131542, a unit with no power jack nut and a 2SK44 transistor7. The PowerDriver MkII is one maker's take on that lineage rather than a clone of any single version.
The Power Driver & Booster
Players should not confuse the PowerDriver MkII with the separate Dr. No Power Driver & Booster, an earlier pedal built from 2006 until 2014. That pedal pairs a "raw but clear overdrive" for rhythm sounds with a booster for lead sounds, and carries two toggle switches: the right one changes the character of the drive tone, while the left one selects between Fat, Round and smooth drive sounds8.
After the original run ended, the maker found enough parts to build a small number more. In 2026, a series of only 15 Power Driver & Boosters returned to the maker's Labshop due to many requests8.
| PowerDriver MkII | Power Driver & Booster | |
|---|---|---|
| Built | From around 2013 | 2006 until 2014, plus 15 units in 2026 |
| Drive | Organic, warm overdrive | Raw but clear overdrive plus a booster |
| Switches | One character toggle, authentic and aggressive | Two toggles, character and Fat/Round/smooth |
| Status | Sold out | Small 2026 series of 15 units8 |
Videos
BUSCADORES DEL BUEN TONO by AlberTone
Questions
What is the Dr. No PowerDriver MkII based on?
It is Dr. No effects' answer to the Ibanez TS808 Tube Screamer, the pedal the maker calls the most used and most wanted overdrive, the Holy Grail of overdrive. The press release describes the MkII as the Holy Grail on steroids, his answer to green, namely red. It replaces the earlier green Powerdriver.
Does the Dr. No PowerDriver MkII run on a battery?
No. The maker's product page states there is no battery function, so the pedal needs an external power supply. It takes DC 9 volts through a 2.1 mm jack with negative point (center negative), the same arrangement as most modern 9V pedals.
What does the toggle switch do on the PowerDriver MkII?
The heavy duty toggle switch on the side changes the overdrive character between two settings, authentic and aggressive. The maker describes it as adding an extra diode to the circuit that creates a more tube and mid-range sound, and notes it only interacts with high gain settings.
What power supply does the PowerDriver MkII need?
It needs a DC 9 volt supply with a 2.1 mm jack and negative point, meaning center negative, the standard arrangement for most pedalboard power supplies. Because there is no battery function, an external supply is required to run the pedal.
Is the PowerDriver MkII the last version?
Yes, the maker calls the MkII the second and final version of his answer to overdrive needs. It replaced the earlier green Powerdriver, reached stores around April 1, 2013, and the product page later listed it as sold out.
What is the Dr. No Power Driver & Booster?
A separate, earlier Dr. No effects pedal built from 2006 until 2014, offering a raw but clear overdrive for rhythm plus a booster for lead sounds, with two side toggle switches. In 2026 the maker returned a series of only 15 units after finding enough parts.
Sources (8)
- DrNo-Effects PowerDriver MKII, DrNo-Effects, 2013-04-02
- PowerDriver MkII, Dr. No effects, 2021-03-08
- DrNo's PowerDriver MKII is going to replace "Green" at your pedalboard, DrNo-Effects, 2013-03-14
- DrNo-Effects PowerDriver II, DrNo-Effects, 2012-11-28
- Holy Wahcamoly and PowerDriver MkII in Stores NOW!!!, Dr. No effects, 2013-05-24
- TONEHOME, TONEHOME (tonehome.de)
- Ibanez Tube Screamer History, analogman.com, 2023
- PowerDriver & Booster, Dr. No effects webshop, 2026
