The Tonetuga FX Aegis Dual Overdrive is a pedal carrying two overdrive channels in one box, each with a different voicing, and a switch that changes the order in which they are connected. The builder describes it as "the true swiss army knife of tone capable of low, medium, and high gain, order switchable and with a simple and easy to work control layout"1. For a player, that means one pedal can cover everything from a light push to a high gain lead voice, and the two channels can be set independently and combined in either direction.
Two channels, two voicings
The two channels have different voicings and their routing order can be switched1. Each side is named and voiced differently:
- White (left side): a more amp-like voicing, with a tube-like warmth, better dynamics and a pleasing overdrive1
- Color (right side): a brighter, more defined bluesy tone with slightly hollowed mids and a chewy tone1
Each channel has four controls for Volume, Gain, Bass and Treble1, so both sides can be shaped independently before they are combined. On the White side, the builder describes the two band EQ as extremely versatile, saying that "using both controls in combination will yield a variety of organic, loud, and harmonically rich tones"1.
The order switch
The order switch is what separates the Aegis from a simple two-in-one drive box, because it changes how the two channels interact1:
- Color into White: produces a much higher gain combination that has more compression and allows tons of sustain1
- White into Color: produces more of an increase in volume as opposed to an increase in gain, as though you are pushing an amp harder1
In practice, the same two circuits give a player two very different combinations depending on which channel is first in the chain. Set both sides for moderate gain and the switch moves the pedal between a sustain-heavy high gain voice and a louder, amp-push style boost1.
Background
The Aegis is a dual-channel overdrive from Tonetuga FX. Its defining feature is that both channels are built alike: each channel has four controls for Volume, Gain, Bass and Treble, so either side of the pedal can be shaped independently rather than one channel acting as a fixed boost for the other1. For more on the effect type, see Overdrive Pedals.
Videos
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Mike Hermans
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Questions
What does the order switch do on the Tonetuga FX Aegis Dual Overdrive?
The order switch changes which of the two channels feeds the other. In Color into White mode, the pedal produces a much higher gain combination with more compression and tons of sustain. In White into Color mode, the result is more of an increase in volume as opposed to an increase in gain, as though you are pushing an amp harder. It is the same two circuits, so the switch effectively turns one pedal into two very different dirt combinations.
Which side of the Aegis is the more amp-like channel?
The left side, named White, has the more amp-like voicing. Delicious Audio's Paolo De Gregorio describes it as having a tube-like warmth, better dynamics and a pleasing overdrive character. The right side, named Color, is the brighter and more defined of the two, with a bluesy tone, slightly hollowed mids and what he calls a chewy tone.
Does each channel have its own EQ?
Yes. Each of the two channels has four controls: Volume, Gain, Bass and Treble. On the White side, the builder describes the two band EQ as extremely versatile, saying that using both controls in combination yields a variety of organic, loud, and harmonically rich tones. Because each side has its own EQ, the two channels can be set for very different voicings.
Who designed the Tonetuga FX Aegis?
The Aegis was designed by the builder at Tonetuga FX, who describes it as a long-time side project of mine, with the goal of creating my idea of the perfect dirt pedal. The pedal is a dual overdrive with two order-switchable channels, and the builder calls it the true swiss army knife of tone.
Sources (1)
- Tonetuga FX Aegis Dual Overdrive, Delicious Audio, 2021-04-26