Dunlop Volume X

The Dunlop Volume X is a passive pedal that does two jobs: it is a volume pedal for swells and quick level control, and an expression pedal for controlling parameters on other effects. Dunlop describes it as a way to "create incredibly smooth volume swells or control your effect pedal parameters," with fully adjustable rocker tension and the company's patented Low Friction Band-Drive in a pedalboard-friendly housing¹. Because it is passive, it needs no power at all: no adapter, no battery, no spot on your power supply².

The line builds on Dunlop's earlier DVP1 Volume Pedal, whose non-slip grip rubber tread and adjustable rocker tension carry over, while the Band Drive adds what Dunlop calls "a smooth range of motion without the fear of breakage or change in feel"³. It comes in three sizes: the standard DVP3 Volume (X), the compact DVP4 Mini, and the 8-inch Volume (X)8.

The controls and jacks

The DVP3 and DVP5 carry four jacks: Volume, FX, Output and Tuner¹⁴. The Output jack handles the volume signal, the FX jack sends expression control to another pedal, and the Tuner output gives you silent tuning onstage by carrying a constant signal to your tuner, keeping it out of your main signal chain¹⁴⁶. The Mini saves space by combining tuner and expression functions into a single AUX jack, toggled with a switch inside the pedal⁷.

Most of the fine tuning lives inside the pedal:

The internal pot works simply: turn it clockwise to raise the minimum level of the parameter you are controlling, counterclockwise to lower it, with the factory setting fully counterclockwise². The internal switch matters because some effects pedals expect heel-down to mean minimum and others expect the opposite, so the reversal switch lets one pedal work with either convention¹³.

Volume mode and expression mode: 250k and 10k pots

The pedal has two distinct circuits. Volume mode runs through a 250 kΩ pot for your instrument signal; expression mode uses a separate 10 kΩ pot, which is the value most effects pedals with expression inputs expect²⁴. That separation is why one pedal can serve both jobs without compromise.

In volume mode, the output signal is muted when the rocker reaches full heel-down, so rocking all the way back works as an instant mute². Guitar World's Trevor Curwen, reviewing the (X)8, found volume mode "works well for instant muting, rolling things back to clean up a dirty amp or swelling to a violin-like attack for your note"⁸.

For expression use, run a stereo or TRS cable from the FX jack to your effects pedal's expression jack². On the Mini, set the internal TUNER/EXP switch to the EXP position and run the TRS cable from the AUX jack⁹. A mono cable will not carry expression control. MusicRadar's reviewer found that "plugging in a TRS cable and using it as an expression pedal works perfectly with the EHX pedals we try," and that as a volume pedal it "transitions smoothly from silence to full volume"³. Guitar World's buying guide adds that with a TRS cable you can use it to control any pedal with an expression input, "making it great for manipulating delay times and creating reverb swells"¹⁰.

Expression mode also lets you set range limits. On the DVP5 you set the maximum and minimum values by setting the toe value then the heel, and an internal pot accessed via the four-screw baseplate can set the minimum value⁸.

Rocker tension and feel

Rocker tension is fully adjustable across the line¹⁷. On the DVP3, torque is adjusted via a screw beneath the heel end³; on the DVP5, you insert a 1/4" flat blade screwdriver into the torque adjust screw under the heel end of the rocker⁴. MusicRadar's reviewer found the treadle produces no noticeable noise³, and Guitar World's Curwen wrote that the smooth treadle action from the Band-Drive "feels just right and will sit exactly where you leave it"⁸.

That review also noted a practical caveat for passive volume pedals: the DVP3 "does cause a little treble loss compared with plugging straight into your amp, but it's no worse than any other passive volume pedal"³. The internal controls are not the easiest to access, though the reviewer judged them unlikely to need much tweaking³.

Versions: Volume (X), Mini and (X)8

The Mini does everything the larger DVP3 does at half the size, in a lightweight aluminum chassis with non-slip tread, and Dunlop says it is just as durable and solidly built⁷. Gearnews describes it as "a compact, passive volume and expression pedal offering flexible control in a pretty small footprint," with an internal 50 kΩ trim pot for the minimum heel-down value plus switches to reverse pedal direction and select the TUNER/EXP AUX function¹¹.

The (X)8 was designed with Pedaltrain so its 8" housing and front-mounted jacks line up with the routing spaces of Metro Series and other popular pedalboards¹²¹³. Bass Gear Magazine reported it shipping as of February 25, 2021¹³. Guitar World's review lists it at 100 (w) x 96 (d) x 64 mm, made in the USA, with a flat rubber base and adjustable torque clutch, and notes that a curved rear end to the chassis and a complementary recess on the treadle delivers a wide range of travel, giving plenty of scope for subtlety in volume or parameter changes⁸. MusicRadar's review team found its tuner input "very handy. Simply rock the pedal back on your heel and tune up without anyone noticing"⁶.

Parts and mounting

Dunlop sells replacement electronic parts for all three pedals through its DVP3-PARTS, DVP4-PARTS and DVP5-PARTS pages¹⁴¹⁵. The company is clear about who those are for:

For pedalboard mounting, West Coast Pedalboard makes fastener plates that fit the DVP3, DVP4 and DVP5, addressing the fact that these pedals are not the easiest to mount directly; Dual Lock for the Mini plate is sold separately¹⁶¹⁷¹⁸. Dunlop also builds the XP Series expression pedals tuned for specific modelers, including versions for the Line 6 Helix and the Kemper, for players who want a dedicated expression pedal rather than a dual-purpose unit⁵¹⁹.

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