Origin Effects RevivalDRIVE

The Origin Effects RevivalDRIVE is an analog overdrive pedal that recreates the complete signal path of a traditional valve amplifier, not just a gain stage with clipping diodes. Its circuit includes the preamp, phase inverter, power amp and rectifier stages, plus a synthesised mains power signal and a speaker-emulating reactive load, all built with discrete solid-state components in place of valves¹². Origin Effects announced it in March 2018, with shipping expected at the end of April that year, at US $529³.

The idea behind it comes from the company's earlier compressor work: founder Simon Keats applied the same source-study approach used on the Cali76 and SlideRIG, based on the Urei 1176, to overdrive, going straight to vintage non-master-volume valve amps of the '50s, '60s and '70s as the source of great overdriven tone³⁴. The result is a pedal that Origin says accurately delivers a wide range of British and American amp tones, from clean to fully cranked¹.

Two channels: Valve Rectifier and Silicon Rectifier

The RevivalDRIVE is dual-channel. One channel is based on a valve rectifier and the other on a solid-state (Silicon) rectifier, giving the different responses associated with each, and the two channels are footswitchable⁹³. A footswitch toggles between sides, and a DIP switch lets you assign solid-state voicing to both sides if you prefer that character everywhere⁷.

Each channel carries a comprehensive array of controls for gain, preamp voicing, low-end distortion, presence and clean-to-overdriven break-up characteristics³. Two extra mini switches per channel provide further tonal options⁵. Between the two channels and the two switches of the optional footswitch, Premier Guitar counted as many as eight tones on tap⁷.

The controls: Ghost, Blend, Parametric Mids and Re-Amp EQ

Each channel is tweaked using six big knobs controlling Volume, EQ, Blend and Ghost⁵. The controls map to real amp behavior rather than generic pedal EQ:

The Ghost knob is the unusual one. It emulates the "ghost tones" generated when cranking certain vintage amps⁵: low-frequency notes occurring within vintage amp circuitry underneath the notes you are actually fretting, something heard more when soloing up the neck⁹. MusicRadar's reviewer described it as adding an extra dimension to notes⁹.

Beyond the per-channel knobs, the pedal has a Parametric Mids EQ on the left side, assignable to either channel through the Mid Assign switch, and a Re-Amp EQ on the right side that handles the cabinet emulation settings⁵. The Re-Amp EQ is what lets the pedal work into a real amp: Origin explains that this Post-Drive filter works to cancel out the tone-shaping done in your amp's preamp, so you do not have to compromise your clean tone to flatter your drive sound, or vice versa¹⁰. An optional two-button footswitch activates the Mid Boost and overrides the Blend knob for 100% overdrive⁵.

Because the pedal accepts and outputs regular pedal signals, Origin Effects says it can go anywhere in a signal chain without damaging anything¹⁰.

Power, connections and the enclosure

The RevivalDRIVE runs off a 9V power supply and uses a signal-conditioning bypass⁸. It lives in an extra-heavy folded-steel enclosure, which Premier Guitar's reviewer described as packing several amps into one box⁷.

For players with remote switching systems, Origin offers a Switcher Interface, compatible with the RevivalDRIVE, RevivalDRIVE Custom and Hot Rod pedals¹¹. It connects to the pedal's F/SWITCH jack socket with a standard TRS cable and lets you remotely toggle the active channel, bypass state, Mid Engage and Blend Override, powered from a 9VDC supply that can be daisy-chained to the pedal¹¹¹².

History and versions: Custom, Hot Rod and Compact

The RevivalDRIVE launched in 2018 to what Origin describes as universal acclaim⁶. A Custom version followed, adding extra EQ and filter controls that let you fine-tune the pedal to match almost any amplifier³¹³. Its preamp switch options are based on a Fender Twin and a Marshall 1959 Super Lead¹⁴, and it launched at US $649³.

The RevivalDRIVE Hot Rod Edition adds extra gain to the original design, emulating the mods some players in the '70s introduced by stacking an amp's two channels¹⁵. Origin says it unearthed and analyzed influential mods created by notable amp techs of the early '70s and applied them to the valve amp-style signal path¹⁵. It delivers two channels of aggressive high-gain tone with a fully adjustable mid boost, the Ghost control and comprehensive Re-Amp EQ controls¹⁵.

The RevivalDRIVE Compact condenses the original dual-channel design into a single-channel, pedalboard-friendly package using the same Analog Amp Recreation circuitry⁶¹⁶. Its all-new circuit is voiced midway between the solid-state rectifier and a GZ34 rectifier valve channels of the original¹⁷, and Sound On Sound's Paul White likewise described its rectifier characteristic as somewhere between silicon and valve². A higher-gain RD Compact Hot Rod completes the family¹⁸.

The trademark dispute

On July 10, 2018, Origin applied for registration of the RevivalDRIVE mark in the US; it was rejected on November 5, 2018 on grounds of confusion with the Revival Electric mark¹⁹. Origin attempted to negotiate a settlement, including an offer to rebrand its products, but says things escalated when Revival Electric demanded royalty fees on all sales of Revival products that Origin was unable to meet, and the refusal to register was reinstated¹⁹. Origin states there is no lawsuit against Revival Electric¹⁹.

What reviewers said

Reception was strong across the press. One reviewer praised "the sound and feel of a vintage amp, adaptable to work with any amp", along with the Blend knob's dry/dirt blends and the unique ghost notes facility, while noting the price puts it out of reach of many and it is daunting to set up at first⁸. GuitarPlayer called it "arguably one of the finest, and surely among the most expensive, front-end overdrive/amp pedals currently available"²⁰.

On That Pedal Show, Dan and Mick noted it "doesn't call it an amp in a box when it's probably the best one we've heard to date"²¹. Pete Thorn, in his demo video, said he still thinks "it's probably the best marshall in a box pedal on the planet just incredibly amp like", and that its Post EQ controls let it work into a bright amp, a darker amp, or straight into a power amp as a preamp²².

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Players documented by Origin Effects include Scott Hansen of Tycho, who uses the RevivalDRIVE as the front end for all his guitar, whether into a tube amp or a profiler, and in front of his Bogner Duende in the studio²³. Producer Mike Exeter described the Origin amp recreations as "boutique amps in small, solid state pedals that react like their inspirations"²⁴.

For a smaller and simpler take on the same circuit, see the RevivalDRIVE Compact; for higher gain, the RevivalDRIVE Hot Rod Edition and RD Compact Hot Rod. More broadly, the pedal sits among the overdrive pedals covered on this site.

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