Xotic Soul Driven AH

The Xotic Soul Driven AH is a limited-edition boost/overdrive pedal that Xotic built with guitarist Allen Hinds and released in late 2016. MusicRadar described it at launch as "a boost/overdrive that enhances harmonics while retaining transparency," with a mid boost knob that "can add clarity in a band mix"¹. Xotic's own description of the Soul Driven line says it produces "creamy boost and overdriven tones with just the right amount of compression"². Only 1,500 units of the AH were made³.

The pedal sits in Xotic's compact drive range alongside the Xotic AC Booster and Xotic RC Booster-V2. Aion FX, which traced the circuit in 2019, found that the back half of the Soul Driven "is lifted almost verbatim from the BOSS BD-2 Blues Driver," with the bass resistor changed from the BD-2's fixed 6k8 to four selectable values (18k, 28k, 33k and 43k), so even the lowest bass boost setting gives more low end than a stock BD-2⁴.

What it does to your sound

Xotic positions the Soul Driven as a tone-shaping tool that enhances natural harmonics². The company says the "Tone" knob is "not just your ordinary tone circuit" and "can be set from a super tight bottom end to 'in your face' highs"⁷. The mid boost knob, the control that sets the pedal apart from a plain boost, "pushes the mid-range frequencies creating rich dynamics," as Delicious Audio's demo put it⁸.

On top of the external mid boost there is an internal bass boost, reached by removing the back plate². Xotic's manual gives three dip switch settings:

Xotic's product page also lists a maximum +6dB at 125Hz setting⁷, so the two maker documents disagree on the top value; the manual's settings are the ones to work from at the pedal itself. Aion FX's trace found the bass boost stage works at around 120Hz by means of a single-transistor gyrator in the feedback loop of an op-amp⁴.

The controls

Four knobs run the pedal, as Guitar World's launch report and gearnews both listed⁵³:

The internal bass boost dip switch is the fifth, hidden control, covered above⁶.

Power and battery

The Soul Driven runs on a 9V battery or an external supply from 9 to 18V DC with a negative tip, and Xotic recommends a regulated adapter⁷. Current draw is low: 4mA at 9V and 6mA at 18V⁷⁶, so it is easy on a pedalboard power supply.

Battery access means removing four screws from the bottom plate⁶. Two points from the manual are worth knowing:

• When an external power supply is used, the battery is disconnected from the circuit⁶.
• Unplugging the input when the pedal is not in use gives longer battery life⁶.

Aion FX's teardown noted the construction details: a top-side DC jack, PCB-mount pots, through-hole components, space for a battery, and high-end Switchcraft input and output jacks⁴.

The Allen Hinds limited edition

Allen Hinds is a longtime Xotic player who collaborated with the company on the Soul Driven AH as his signature overdrive pedal¹. Guitar World reported the pedal as "created by Xotic and inspired by guitarist Allen Hinds," part of a limited run⁵, and Aion FX describes it as developed in collaboration with Hinds to be his signature drive pedal⁴.

The AH shipped in a blue nickel plating finish⁵. In 2017 Xotic followed it with a regular Soul Driven in a compact chrome case, without the AH designation⁹⁴. Gearnews noted at the time that Xotic had not made any clear distinction between the Allen Hinds model and the new one, and it was unclear whether the circuit had been tweaked for the 2017 release³. Aion FX, which traced the later chrome model, put it plainly:

Aion FX tracing journal, 2019⁴

The regular Soul Driven launched at an introductory price of $189, rising to $210 after the offer expired³, and Guitar Pedal X still listed it at $225 in 2023, reporting it remained in production and available through the Xotic webstore and dealers¹⁰.

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