Fractal Audio DRIVE models: Tone of Kings (based on King of Tone, aka KoT)

[Ugly Bunny]

My pedal has the optional higher gain on both sides. As it can do all the standard stuff by turning the levels down, there was no reason not to have more useful gain in the top end of the settings.

See, this is what I did. I also got the 4-jack version and additional power jack (super handy). However, I mentioned this on a particular FB group and a couple swore that there is a tonal difference between the yellow channel at normal gain and if you get the higher gain version. I'm sure that even if it were true, it'd be negligible, but there's still that little part of me that wonders...

I just put myself on thier waiting list.
They are filling 2016 orders.

You know, the longer people wait to get on the list, the longer they're gonna have to wait. I got on in Ocotber or November of 2016 and didn't get mine until Feb of 2019. At that rate, man, you ain't gettin' yours until 2023 or 24. If you really want one, you might as well get one off reverb. They're really not that much more expensive than buying them direct. Mine was over $400 direct (the extra options added to the cost). But IMO, that would be better than waiting 3+ years (if I were to do it all over again). That said, it's kinda fun being a part of the ritual

 

[Rick]

See, this is what I did. I also got the 4-jack version and additional power jack (super handy). However, I mentioned this on a particular FB group and a couple swore that there is a tonal difference between the yellow channel at normal gain and if you get the higher gain version. I'm sure that even if it were true, it'd be negligible, but there's still that little part of me that wonders...

According to Mike Piera (the man in Analogman) there’s no difference, and he’d just make them all with the higher gain but for many who simply want “the original KoT” without change... he says there isn’t much useful in the very low setting, so adding something useful on the top end and losing the low portion of the travel was all win, no loss. I had both, kept the higher gain version. In my opinion, Analog Mike is spot-on in his assessment.

 

[Larry Kehl]

I have one of the very early four knob KoT versions I bought it new from Mike in November '04 - I really liked it. I still like my KoT but now I only use FX III for everything - amps (I only use/dial in clean'ish) + pedals.

I was waited listed for that original KoT so jumped on it when I got MIke's invite. However, at that time of purchase, had I known Mike was already looking at producing units with separate drive and/or tone knobs I would have waited for one of those. I did get wait listed again for a newer one, with separate drive and tone, but when I got that invite to buy I passed, by then I just had gotten use to my particular KoT and used it "as is."

When I got my FX III last August, I removed all floor "stompers" after I dialed in "stomper" tones, levels, FX "swirlys" settings, etc.