The Free The Tone Direct Volume DVL-1H is a high-impedance volume pedal, built for use after high output impedance sources such as guitars and basses with passive pickups, fuzz pedals, and vintage effects units1. It was announced in December 2019 and reached North American dealers after January 20, 2020, with a suggested retail price of $360.002.
What it does
The DVL-1H controls volume with a 500KΩ potentiometer, the value Free The Tone specifies for its high-impedance design1. Free The Tone describes the pedal as controlling volume "smoothly and musically with smooth rotation and an optimized volume curve"2.
The Full-Rotation Belt-Drive System
What separates the DVL-1H from a conventional volume pedal is its drive mechanism. According to Premier Guitar's announcement, the pedal "adopts a gear and belt mechanism to drive the variable resistor linearly and link pedal operation directly to volume"2. In practice, that means the pedal's travel maps directly onto the volume change rather than working through a more indirect linkage.
High impedance, and where it goes
Impedance matching is the practical decision a player makes with this pedal. The DVL-1H is the high-impedance model in the Direct Volume line, intended to be connected after high impedance devices3. Pedal-of-the-Day's review describes exactly this placement, noting the pedal is for use "after a high impedance device often found in guitars & basses with passive type pickups, fuzz pedals, or v"3.
Sources that place the pedal in a chain point to the same list of high impedance devices31:
- guitars and basses with passive type pickups1
- fuzz pedals1
- vintage effects units1
Free The Tone also announced a low-impedance version, the DVL-1L, planned for release at a later, unannounced date4. Players running low-impedance sources, such as pedals with buffered outputs, would look to that model instead of the DVL-1H.
The two models in the Direct Volume line at announcement:
| Model | Impedance | Intended placement | Status at announcement |
|---|---|---|---|
| DVL-1H | high | after high impedance devices: passive-pickup guitars and basses, fuzz pedals, vintage effects1 | available after January 20, 20202 |
| DVL-1L | low | low impedance sources4 | planned for a later, unannounced date4 |
For comparison, other high-impedance volume pedals on the site include the Ernie Ball Mono Volume Pedal, the Xotic High Impedance Volume Pedal, and the Boss FV-500H. See the full range on the Volume Pedals type page.
Availability
The DVL-1H was announced in December 2019 and became purchasable after January 20, 2020 through Free The Tone's North American dealers2. Guitar.com reported the same window, noting it would be "available after 20 January for $360"4. At the time of Pedal-of-the-Day's February 2020 review, the pedal was available for purchase3.
Videos
Pedal of the Day
Questions
Where should the DVL-1H sit in a signal chain?
Free The Tone positions the DVL-1H as a high-impedance volume pedal, meaning it is meant to sit after high output impedance sources. That includes guitars and basses with passive pickups, fuzz pedals, and vintage effects units. A low-impedance version, the DVL-1L, was announced for players whose setup calls for the opposite placement.
What is the Full-Rotation Belt-Drive System?
It is the mechanism inside the DVL-1H that sets it apart from ordinary volume pedals. A gear and belt mechanism drives the variable resistor linearly, so pedal operation is linked directly to the volume change. Free The Tone says this gives smooth rotation and an optimized volume curve, so volume is controlled smoothly and musically.
Sources (4)
- DVL-1 SERIES / DIRECT VOLUME｜Products 商品紹介｜Free The Tone, Free The Tone
- Free The Tone Releases the Direct Volume DVL-1, Premier Guitar, 2019-12-13
- Free The Tone DVL-1H Direct Volume Pedal, Pedal of the Day, 2020-02-02
- Free The Tone rolls out the Direct Volume DVL-1H, guitar.com, 2019-12-16
