Yek's Guide to the Fractal Audio DRIVE Models [final ed. July 2022]

I have an updated edition of the Guide stand-by but I’m waiting for the next firmware updates for the FM9 and FM3.
A wise choice. And thank you for the hundreds of hours you put into these guides. They're an amazing source of information.
 
A couple of personal notes and observations...

I struggled with a few drive models, like Zen Master and others, until I bumped the drive block's output level. Slamming the amp's input really works well with some types.

Content on the web has exploded. It's getting harder to sift through all information. But JHS Pedals and Wampler Pedals keep delivering useful info.

Some of the newer drives are really worth checking, but use them in the right context. For example, the OD 250 and Hoodoo Drive sound excellent but only when paired with a vintage dirty amp (Plexi).

There's a lot to choose from now in the "natural overdrive" section, and in the amp-in-a-box category.

I would gladly post a list of my favorites but that would cover most models. I kinda like them all. Except TS9DX Hot and Plus, Shed, Metal Zone.

Enjoy the guide. And don't overlook the demo presets (use a Strat or Tele, or low output humbuckers).
 
Thanks @yek for keeping these documents alive. When I purchased my first FAS product, I would read your Amp and Drive guide on repeat, finding something new or interesting with each pass. They were an excellent way to pass time on the relatively frequent flights I took. Gone are those days, but the guides live on.
 
A couple of personal notes and observations...

I struggled with a few drive models, like Zen Master and others, until I bumped the drive block's output level. Slamming the amp's input really works well with some types.

Content on the web has exploded. It's getting harder to sift through all information. But JHS Pedals and Wampler Pedals keep delivering useful info.

Some of the newer drives are really worth checking, but use them in the right context. For example, the OD 250 and Hoodoo Drive sound excellent but only when paired with a vintage dirty amp (Plexi).

There's a lot to choose from now in the "natural overdrive" section, and in the amp-in-a-box category.

I would gladly post a list of my favorites but that would cover most models. I kinda like them all. Except Master Fuzz, TS9DX Hot and Plus, Shed, Metal Zone.

Enjoy the guide. And don't overlook the demo presets (use a Strat or Tele, or low output humbuckers).
Thank you for all your hard work and dedication to this community! Your guides are priceless.
 
Damn @yek - thanks for your amazing work. It is so helpful and such a joy to read. When you first did the series of amp threads, I would log on every day, read, and then proceed to dial in that particular amp on my own. I learned so much about using a fractal during those days.
 
Thanks @yek! As a very visual person it's difficult to exaggerate how helpful a resource like this is - to be able to crack open a beer, bust out the Yek's Drive Guide, and learn about pedals while trying out accurate models of all of them in my own home feels like the future.
 
Thanks guys. Keep rockin’.

  • I uploaded an updated PDF on Jan 12th which solves a minor formatting issue.
  • If you use Apple Preview or another PDF viewer, enable its sidebar for easy navigation between sections.
  • Some blank pages exist because the document is formatted to start each description on an uneven page.

Demo presets: I made a couple of stupid mistakes, as usual. If you've downloaded the presets before Jan 12th 13:00 (European time), download them again!
 
Last edited:
Back
Top Bottom