Twin Theory – dual parallel distortion

Two in a trenchcoat

So how does it work exactly? How does a dual distortion circut only have one set of controls? Well, the pedal’s circuitry takes the input signal and splits it in two, sending each to a separate distortion circuit. One of them is designed to have less gain than the other, and to accept less bass. It results in a clearer nad brighter distortion, with a more saturated and bassier background. The two signals get mixed, and sent to the tone control and volume control circuits. Gain control is different – the dual potentiometer controls the gain of the two stages at once, but however you turn it, the gain imbalance between them will always be there, preserving the pedal’s unique distortion quality. The pedal also has a boost switch. Engaging it will turn the red indicator light white and kick the both stages’ gain up significantly.

The pedals take regular 9V power. If you want more headroom and are willing to accept a little bit more noise, feel free to power it up with 12V.

Here’s the theory behind its workings explained:

And here’s that theory put to practice: