The Aurora Overdrive is an overdrive pedal from Kauffman Audio Appliances, a maker of compact guitar effects. It sits in the low to medium gain corner of the overdrive field: Pedal of the Day's review describes it as smooth and transparent, with a range that runs "from a really nice boost to a pretty meaty drive, all the while adding just the right amount of oomph to your to"1. That breadth means it can double as a boost pedal at the low end of its Drive control, adding "a nice layer of boost and slight crunch to your guitar signal, not coloring it too much"1.
Controls
The Aurora keeps things to the standard three-knob overdrive layout. Pedal of the Day: "Drive, Tone and Level are the knobs you have to work with on the Aurora"1.
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| Drive | Sets the amount of drive, with what the reviewer calls a nice range; the tone turns fairly aggressive when cranked1 |
| Tone | Focuses on the higher end of the sonic spectrum when turned up1 |
| Level | Sets the output level1 |
One layout detail worth noting: the controls sit up the right side of the pedal rather than on top, which is where most drive pedals put them1. On a crowded board that can matter for finger room and for how the pedal fits next to its neighbors.
Circuit and character
The circuit is based on vintage effects' preamp sections, and the reviewer says "it gives the whole pedal an old school feel and sound"1. In practice that shows up as the smooth, transparent voicing described above rather than a heavily colored drive, and the pedal "responds to your picking attack and technique well, too, acting extremely responsive to all your playing nuan"1. Players who like an overdrive to follow their hands rather than flatten them will find that described here; those after a saturated, compressed sound would look at distortion or fuzz designs instead.
Availability
Pedal of the Day featured the Aurora Overdrive on Monday, October 27, 20142.
Videos
Andrew Kauffman
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Questions
What circuit is the Kauffman Aurora Overdrive based on?
According to Pedal of the Day, the circuit is based on the preamp sections of vintage effects, which the reviewer says gives the pedal an old school feel and sound. It is not a copy of a single named pedal, but a design drawn from those older preamp circuits, voiced as a smooth, transparent overdrive that can also serve as a boost.
Can the Aurora Overdrive be used as a boost?
Yes. Pedal of the Day describes its range as going from a really nice boost to a pretty meaty drive, and notes that at lower settings the pedal adds a layer of boost and slight crunch without coloring the guitar signal too much. Players looking for a clean volume push with a touch of grit can leave the Drive low and use the Level to push the amp.
Sources (2)
- Kauffman Audio Appliances Aurora Overdrive, Pedal of the Day (www.pedal-of-the-day.com), 2014-12-04
- Kauffman Audio Appliances Aurora Overdrive, Pedal of the Day, 2014-10-27