The KMA Audio Machines Logan is a boutique low-to-mid gain overdrive pedal built in Berlin by KMA Audio Machines1. What sets it apart from a standard drive box is that it is divided into two parts: an overdrive and a Mid Boost, with a parametric mid EQ you can cut or boost by up to 12 dB and sweep with an expression pedal21. KMA classifies it as a "Low-Mid Gain Overdrive"2.
The pedal was announced in September 2019 and was available immediately at $219 in the US, £175 in the UK and €189 in the EU3. Press coverage used both "Logan" and "Logan Transcend Drive" for the same pedal, and a limited Desert White edition followed in May 202045.
An overdrive and mid boost in one pedal
The Logan's core is a drive circuit that MusicRadar described as looking "to offer all kinds of ways you can shape your gain stage"7. On top of that sits the mid section: a footswitchable parametric mid EQ that can act as a level boost, a cocked-wah-style filter, or a preamp-like shaping tool12.
The mid EQ can be routed either before or after the drive stage. A PRE/POST toggle in the center of the pedal makes the choice: in PRE, the mids are pushed into the drive for a more saturated tone; in POST, the selected mid frequency becomes more present and you get a level boost4.
KMA describes the sound as smooth and harmonically rich, gaining "more hair, grit and sizzling depth" as gain is added, fitting anything from clean boost and amp-like breakup to indie clang and a full-on rock machine2. That description was echoed by Pedal of the Day in 20238.
A second trim pot under the base plate blends clean signal in with the overdriven tone, which the maker says makes the Logan usable for bass, drums, synths and vocals, not just guitar4. Guitar.com also noted an adjustable Mid-band Q control that helps the pedal get along with bass guitars9.
The controls and expression input
The control layout covers the drive side and the EQ side, with the internal trim pots accessible by removing the base plate41.
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| Level | Sets the overdrive's output level17 |
| Drive | Sets how much overdrive you get7 |
| MCB (Mid Cut/Boost) | Cuts or boosts the selected mid frequency by up to 12 dB21 |
| Low and High | Active 2-band EQ, each up to 15 dB16 |
| PRE/POST toggle | Places the mid EQ before or after the drive stage4 |
| Internal trim pot | Blends clean signal with the overdriven tone46 |
The mid frequency itself is set by the EQ, and the expression input on the side of the pedal moves that center band with your foot1. KMA says a regular expression pedal gives "control of the midrange frequency for fast and quacky wah-like sounds, to slow and envelope-style sweeps"2. MusicRadar called the results "on-the-fly filter sweeps and throaty wah tones"7, and Gearnews found that, together with the internal controls, it "can get you close to true wahwah functionality"1.
The clean blend and other internal adjustments live under the base plate. Guitar World's reviewer counted the internal adjusters as a drawback, "although to be fair, these would clutter things up if they were on the outside"6.
Versions: the Logan Desert Transcend Drive
In May 2020 KMA released the Logan Desert Transcend Drive, a limited edition of the same circuit in a Desert White colorway with matching anodised red knobs510. Only 100 handmade units were made available worldwide1011, at an RRP of €1895. Gearnews described it as a "super touch-responsive" overdrive design based on the Logan drive pedal5, and MusicRadar called it "a versatile tool for your pedalboard"11.
What reviewers said
Guitar World's Trevor Curwen reviewed the Logan Transcend Drive and summarized:
"A nicely responsive drive that excels in the role of adding dirt to clean amp."
His plus points were the wide range of drive tones, the naturally dynamic feel, and the attention to midrange detail; the internal adjusters were the minus6. Gearnews' 2019 review called it "a genuinely interesting drive pedal with lots of possibilities, not all of them for just the guitar," finding its flexibility in setting up gain stages appealing1.
Videos
Pete Thorn
The Pedal Zone
Rabea Massaad
Questions
Can the KMA Logan work like a wah pedal?
Yes, close to one. The Logan has an expression input on the side, and a regular expression pedal moves the center of its mid EQ band with your foot. KMA describes results from fast, quacky wah-like sounds to slow, envelope-style sweeps, and reviewers found it gets you close to true wah functionality.
Where is the KMA Logan made?
In Germany. The Logan is a boutique overdrive built in Berlin by KMA Audio Machines, and the maker says every pedal is designed, assembled, silkscreened, tested and numbered by hand in its small workshop, using externally manufactured PCBs.
How much does the KMA Logan cost?
The Logan launched in September 2019 at $219 in the US, £175 in the UK and €189 in the EU. Guitar World's 2026 review of the Logan Transcend Drive still listed it at $219, and the limited Desert edition carried an RRP of €189.
Is the Logan the same pedal as the Logan Transcend Drive?
Yes. The pedal launched in September 2019 and press coverage used both names, Logan and Logan Transcend Drive, for the same overdrive with the parametric mid section. A limited Desert White edition of the same pedal followed in May 2020, limited to 100 handmade units.
Sources (11)
- KMA Audio Machines Logan: A flexible boutique drive pedal with a secret, gearnews.com, 2019-09-06
- LOGAN - Transcended Low-Mid Gain Overdrive | KMA Machines, KMA Machines
- KMA Machines seeks to “transcend the well-known boundaries of overdrive” with the Logan, Guitar World, 2019-09-06
- KMA Audio Machines Logan Trascend Drive, Delicious Audio, 2019-10-10
- KMA Logan Transcend Drive: A super-flexible mod in a limited edition, gearnews.com, 2020-05-19
- KMA Machines Logan Transcend Drive review, Guitar World, 2020-04-01
- KMA looks to transcend the overdrive pedal with the Logan Drive, MusicRadar, 2019-09-05
- KMA Machines Logan Transcend Drive, Pedal of the Day, 2023-05-25
- KMA Audio Machines unveils a Desert White edition of its Logan Overdrive, Guitar.com, 2020-05-20
- KMA Machines launches “versatile and vibrant” limited-edition Logan Desert Transcend Drive pedal, Guitar World, 2020-05-19
- KMA Audio Machines reveal the Logan Desert ltd ed Transcend Drive pedal, MusicRadar, 2020-05-19
