Palmer

CONTACT: TC Electronic PHONE: [phone] WEB: www.tcelectronic.com
CONTACT: Aria UK PHONE: [phone] WEB: www.ariauk.com
132 Guitarist March 2010
QUICKTEST
MISCELLANEOUS
Quicktest
Welcome to Guitarist’s regular round-up of the best of the
rest of the gear that’s passed through our hands this issue
The Nova Drive is an overdrive
and distortion, each with its
own footswitch and parameter
knobs, in a single pedal. But it
also adds digital control to the
equation for flexibility, plus
onboard memories to save the
overall sound of the pedal with
a single effect (or both) active.
Sounds
You can use the sounds
separately or together, two
selector switches determining
how they interact. In toggle
mode only one of the two can
be on at once, while in normal
mode one or both can be active
– either with one chosen effect
driving the other, or with the
signal processed in parallel.
The overdrive and distortion
sound in both of these modes
can be either saved in a preset
or be derived WYSIW YG-
style from the positions of the
parameter knobs. Bank mode
allows the footswitches to
select the two presets stored in
whichever of the nine onboard
banks is selected.
Both the overdrive and
distortion are high quality with
plenty of variation on tap, but
can be nicely transparent,
preserving your core tone,
especially as the overdrive can
be mixed in proportionately
with your dry sound. With all
its options, the Nova Drive has
the widest range of dirty tones
you’re likely to hear in one non-
modelling pedal.
Verdict
The most flexible way that’s
so far been invented to put
analogue overdrive and
distortion at your feet. [TC]
The Bottom Line
We like: A great range of
sounds, boost function
We dislike: Battery access
The Bottom Line
We like: Sounds; routing
options; mix facility
We dislike: 12V power
GUITARIST RATING GUITARIST RATING
TC Electronic
Nova Drive
£319
Aria Series
10 Overdrive
£44
Upmarket overdrive at a competitive price
The latest Nova is two effects in one – and more
Although best known for its
guitars, Aria also produces its
own effects pedals and the
latest Chinese-made Series 10
stompbox line spans nine
funky-looking models,
including this Overdrive.
The rectangular metal casing
is sturdily workmanlike, while
rear-mounted input and output
jacks save on operating space.
The accompanying 9V power
input is a better bet than using a
9V battery, because the latter is
awkwardly located inside the
four-screw baseplate.
The Overdrive employs a
quartet of controls: gain
governs the overdriven signal,
while clean determines dirt-
free boost, tone operates on the
overdrive side only and level
sets the overall volume.
Sounds
Having independent overdrive
and clean boosts means each
can dominate completely or
both may be progressively
blended to offer a hint of either
upwards. Adding clean boost
to the dirty side injects bags of
beefy dynamics and reversing
the process provides anything
from a chewy, gritty break-up
to smoothly singing sustain.
The controls interact very
effectively, while the level
control ensures plenty of
output and tone increases the
upper mid-range attack.
Verdict
The dual boost ability is
unusual to find on such an
inexpensive pedal. It provides
impressive sounds and very
versatile performance, making
this a real bargain. [PD]
GIT326.rev_quick 132 29/1/10 10:39:53 am