The Dharma Drive is an all-analog overdrive pedal from WychElm Effects. It pairs the standard input Gain and output Level controls of a conventional drive with a clean blend, a switchable symmetrical or asymmetrical diode clipping option, and a second footswitch that engages an optional boost. Delicious Audio's review described it as "Equally at home being utilized as a standard overdrive with boost or as a total front end to your signal chain"1.
Controls and what they do
The pedal carries a fairly full control set for an overdrive, and the two reviewers break it down the same way12:
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| Gain | Adds in the grit and grime you're seeking in an overdrive pedal2 |
| Level | Standard output level control1 |
| Constant | Basically a mix or blend control, for balancing the levels of the wet and dry signals2 |
| Lows | Separate knob for the lows in the EQ section2 |
| Highs | Separate knob for the highs in the EQ section2 |
| Clipping toggle | Mini-toggle between symmetrical and asymmetrical diode clipping options2 |
| Boost knob (4 8 15 16 23 42) | Works with The Button footswitch to produce a Boost; 4 is a slight, minimal boost, while 42 gives another level of punch and grit2 |
The Constant knob is the feature that sets the Dharma Drive apart from a straightforward drive pedal. Because it blends the wet and dry signals, it lets you keep low-level picking intact under the overdrive, and Pedal of the Day's reviewer found that "The ability to mix the Gain, Constant and Button controls together opens up the floodgates for a vast island of combinations"2.
The Button and the boost
The Dharma Drive has two footswitches: Bypass, and a second one called The Button. The Button engages the optional boost, and the boost knob next to it sets how much of a lift it gives21. The knob is marked with the numbers 4, 8, 15, 16, 23 and 42, part of the pedal's LOST theme: at 4 the boost is slight and minimal, while at 42 it adds another level of punch and grit2.
The graphics and layout are a deliberate homage to the television show LOST: the artwork nods to the show's Dharma Initiative subgroup, and the layout references its "The Button" storyline, which is where the second footswitch takes its name2.
Clipping options
A mini-toggle on the pedal switches between two diode clipping arrangements. Pedal of the Day describes it as going "back and forth between symmetrical and asymmetrical diodes clipping options"2, and Delicious Audio's review matches that, saying "the toggle switch adjusts the diodes from asymmetrical or symmetrical clipping"1. Symmetrical and asymmetrical clipping shape the overdrive differently, so the toggle gives the pedal two distinct drive characters without changing any other setting.
What reviewers said
Both reviews date from late 2015 and are positive on the same points: the blend control, the EQ and the range of tones available2.
- Pedal of the Day (Mike B, October 2015) appreciated the separate Lows and Highs knobs, saying "I like the EQ section here, too, as there are separate knobs for the Lows and Highs, which always puts a smile on my face"2.
- Delicious Audio (Paolo De Gregorio and Brandon Stoner, November 2015) called it "Truly one of the most 'toneful' and versatile all-analog overdrives to come along in a while"1.
- The same Delicious Audio review concluded that the writer had "stumbled on one of the best drive pedals I've tried in a while"1.
- Pedal of the Day also described the Dharma Drive as a flagship pedal of WychElm Effects2.
Videos
Pedal of the Day
Questions
What does the Constant knob do on the Dharma Drive?
The Constant knob is basically a mix or blend control, letting you balance the levels of the wet and dry signals. Pedal of the Day's reviewer noted that being able to mix the Gain, Constant and Button controls together opens up a wide range of combinations, which made the pedal a welcome addition to a drive section.
What do the numbers on the Dharma Drive boost knob mean?
The boost knob carries the numbers 4, 8, 15, 16, 23 and 42, a nod to the LOST television show. It works with The Button footswitch to produce a boost: Pedal of the Day describes 4 as a slight, minimal boost, while 42 gives your tone another level of punch and grit.
Does the Dharma Drive have symmetrical and asymmetrical clipping?
Yes. A mini-toggle switch goes back and forth between symmetrical and asymmetrical diode clipping options, according to Pedal of the Day. Delicious Audio likewise describes the toggle as adjusting the diodes between asymmetrical and symmetrical clipping, giving the overdrive two distinct clipping characters.
Is the WychElm Dharma Drive analog?
Yes. Delicious Audio's review describes the Dharma Drive as an all-analog overdrive, and calls it one of the most toneful and versatile all-analog overdrives to come along in a while.
Sources (2)
- WychElm Effects Dharma Drive, Delicious Audio, 2015-11-16
- WychElm Effects Dharma Drive, Pedal of the Day (www.pedal-of-the-day.com), 2015-10-18