The MI Audio MI DIY Dual Drive Kit is a do-it-yourself pedal kit containing two printed circuit boards and two unique circuits: one overdrive and one distortion. Announced in September 2013 at a direct price of US$129, it lets a builder put two independent gain stages in one box, wired in whatever arrangement suits them. MI Audio describes the design as open, encouraging a number of modifications and wiring options, including alternate or stacked, series or parallel configurations1. For players curious about the difference between the two gain types, the kit covers both overdrive and distortion circuits in a single build.
What the kit includes
The kit ships with two printed circuit boards and the components for the two circuits, plus a pre-drilled blank aluminum enclosure that MI Audio calls "the canvas for artistic output"1. Because the enclosure is blank, the builder decides on the artwork and labeling. MI Audio sold the kits direct, and at launch orders were taken by email at register@miaudio.com1.
The controls on each channel
Each channel has a GAIN, VOLUME, and three-band EQ, with the voicing in the hands of the builder1. That last part is the point of the kit: rather than a fixed voicing chosen by the designer, the builder selects the components that shape how the EQ sits against the gain. MI Audio's own page on the kit's sound highlights "how the three-band EQ interacts with the drive" as a key characteristic of the design3.
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| GAIN | Sets the amount of drive on that channel1 |
| VOLUME | Sets the channel's output level1 |
| Three-band EQ | Shapes the tone; the voicing is set by the builder's component choices1 |
Running it at higher voltage
MI Audio states that the MI DIY Dual Drive can take up to 18VDC, which the company says gives "a more responsive drive section, less gain but more headroom"2. In practice that means a player wanting a cleaner, more open response can run the pedal at 18V, while a lower supply voltage leaves the full gain range available.
The 18V figure comes from MI Audio's own pages. Check the supply polarity and rating against the kit documentation before wiring power, since this is a build-it-yourself circuit.
What builders did with it
MI Audio ran a feature asking selected kit builders to add something special to share with other MI DIY-ers4. One of them, Neil Briones, built what the company calls the Valve Dual Drive: he added circuits based on two favorites from the DIY community, the Matsumin Valvecaster and the Runoffgroove 1/2W Little Gem power-amp, to the MI Dual Drive circuits5. His build also added a SEND and RETURN FX loop via 3.5mm jacks placed before the power amp circuit, with a MASTER VOLUME knob that is only active in power amp mode, placed at the front end of the circuit5.
As for how approachable the kit is, MI Audio's own demonstration featured a first-time builder: "Peter, having never built a pedal kit before, succeeded in getting it right first time"3.
Context in MI Audio's range
The Dual Drive kit was announced by Premier Guitar alongside MI Audio's Cross Over Drive, a separate factory-built pedal6. Players who prefer a finished pedal to a soldering project can read about the MI Audio Cross Over Drive, or the company's other drives such as the MI Audio Tube Zone V1 and MI Audio Super Blues Pro. For how the kit's two gain types differ in finished pedals, see Boss SD-1 vs Ibanez TS9 Tube Screamer.
Videos
Gearhead Jam
Questions
Can a beginner build the MI DIY Dual Drive Kit?
MI Audio says so. The company published a build video featuring a first-time kit builder named Peter, who had never built a pedal kit before and succeeded in getting it right on his first attempt. The kit's open design, with two separate boards and documented wiring options, is aimed at builders who want to experiment as well as assemble.
Does the MI Dual Drive Kit come with a drilled enclosure?
Yes. The kit includes a pre-drilled blank aluminium enclosure. Because it ships blank, MI Audio describes it as the canvas for the builder's own artistic output, so you can paint or label it however you like once the build is done.
Is the MI Dual Drive op-amp based?
Yes. MI Audio's press release describes the kit as allowing you to build two channels of op-amp based overdrive and/or distortion designs, with the voicing in the hands of the builder.
What happens if you run the MI Dual Drive at 18V?
MI Audio states that the MI DIY Dual Drive can take up to 18VDC, which it says gives a more responsive drive section with less gain but more headroom. Players who want maximum clean headroom can run it at the higher voltage; at 9V it behaves as a conventional drive pedal.
Sources (6)
- MI DIY DUAL DRIVE KIT NOW AVAILABLE!, MI Audio, 2013-09-09
- MI DIY Kits, MI Audio
- MI DIY DUAL DRIVE, MI Audio, 2013-10-28
- NEIL BRIONES’ MI DIY VALVE DUAL DRIVE, MI Audio, 2013-11-06
- DIY KITS, MI Audio
- MI Audio Launches Cross Over Drive & DIY OD Kit, Premier Guitar, 2013-08-20
