Xotic Soul Driven Allen Hinds vs Xotic AC Booster

This video is a comparison between the new Allen Hinds Signature pedal from Xotic called Soul Driven AH and the Xotic AC Booster.
Full demo of the Soul Driven pedal here: • Xotic Soul Driven Alle...

[@petergraham9267]

What a great demo, thank you! I own the AC and like its darker, chewy gain structure, but it's plenty dark enough for me. As the Soul Driven is darker again, I'll stick to the AC (and BB, RC, EP.........yes, I do like Xotic stuff!) 😎👍

[@Joelfeldman1]

As always - a killer demo, Simon! Both pedals sound so good.. It's really not fair :) Xotic really nails it with each product

[@SimonGotthelfMusic]

Joel Feldman absolutely Joel, Xotic is killing it every time. This AH is superb. Cheers

[@mattgilbert7347]

AC - rhythm or boost SD - smooth, violin-like lead

[@martinferreyra1538]

I love AC Booster & the BB Preamp... Great demo!

[@ianjensen7989]

The AC to me sounds cleaner with less bass, too much bass in the soul driven pedal which makes it sound muddy.

[@alexisalescio1562]

Two great pedals I love this brand I have the Rc

[@steveburroughs7343]

I liked the Soul Driven but found it just didn’t cut through in a stage mix. AC is much better in this respect. I’ve also been using the Oz Noy for quite a while now and that’s a great pedal too.

[@tricko2286]

Own an AC plus and not sure more people don’t know about this pedal - awesome

[@SimonGotthelfMusic]

I agree, it is a killer pedal.Cheers

[@billsstudio2528]

I own both BB od's and also RC and AC. Just purchased Soul Driven. I think you can use the Soul Driven more across the board on a lot of songs as it seems like it just takes your amp into more overdrive. More versatile. Ac is good too though. Can't wait for S D to arrive!

[@SimonGotthelfMusic]

Bill's Studio I agree, the SD is very versatile because of the mid knob. The pedal can be almost clean boost, mid boost, overdrive, and distortion depending on how you set the knobs. Cheers

[@mike1967sam]

Simon the AC Booster Comp has much more gain than the regular AC Booster. I had them both.

[@SimonGotthelfMusic]

Purple Haze You are probably right. I has been a long time since I tried the ACcomp. Cheers

[@ptrisonic]

I bet that was loud through the Komet 60! Reminds me that I must get in contact with Hogy........ Best, Pete.

[@SimonGotthelfMusic]

ptrisonic I think it was 😀

[@stanesposito2664]

I wish the low end was tighter and there was less gain at lower level on the gain control; just my opinion. For what is, I think it has great tone.

[@joaoelbert_]

nice demo. i have an euphoria by wampler but the soul driven might replace it because of the mid boost. i find the euphoria a little bit scooped.

[@SimonGotthelfMusic]

João Elbert The mid boost is really nice and works very well with the tone knob . Cheers

[@Bognerman14]

Don't forget the internal bass controls.

[@gottfriedbrux]

Great demo! I own the AC Booster and AC Comp. I'm wondering if the Soul Driven would be much different from the AC Comp.

[@SimonGotthelfMusic]

Well, the mid and tone knobs are different and very usefull on the AH, I think. You can probably get close with the AC Comp, but I have not compared them side by side. Cheers

[@Bognerman14]

The Soul Driven is very bright. I have one and have to run the tone at 10:00 or lower! Very fat and creamy mids, cuts thru a mix well. I use my Friedman Golden Pearl and Dirty Shirley more.

[@SimonGotthelfMusic]

You think so? Not with my guitars and amp. What amp are you using?

[@Bognerman14]

@@SimonGotthelfMusic For me yes, I can't run the tone above 9:00 or so or it's too bright and hard on the ears. I love it with the tone down low. I use high gain amps and mostly singlecuts such as LPs and PRS Singlecuts. Who knows, everyone is different and we hear things differently. Plus I haven't used it with the band yet, so that could change things. I like the Soul Driver but I'm preferring my Golden Pearl and Dirty Shirley. Like em all. Amps: Bogner Shiva 20th, 2002 modified Mesa Dual Rec, Friedman BE and Revv Generator Mk III.

[@Bognerman14]

How do you like the internal bass boost set?

[@SimonGotthelfMusic]

@@Bognerman14 I can’t really remember. It has been a long time - in this video it is stock setting

[@MrPatdelisle]

Soul Driven seems much "creamier" kind of drive. Nice video, now i wan't to get another drive pedal -_- haha

[@SimonGotthelfMusic]

Thank you. The SD is a great pedal and the Mid Boost knob is the key to killer tones. Cheers Simon

[@MrPatdelisle]

@@SimonGotthelfMusic i mainly played BB preamp wich i love, and a Maxon OD808 . How would you sit the SD in those two ? smoother ? thanks man !

[@SimonGotthelfMusic]

@@MrPatdelisle BB is my personal favorite but the DS is a close runner up. BB for lower gain tones and SD for a little higher gain and a great midrange for cutting through the mix. I haven´t used the 808 as much but it is a cool pedal for those bluesy sounds too. I prefer the more open sound of the Xotic pedals. Cheers

[@stuartangel8212]

exactly. I actually just got a Wampler Pantheon a couple weeks ago and am not jiving with it at all. I think the soul driven is my next stop

[@mattiv1]

It seems like you have a good guitar-amp combination plus skills it sounds great. I don't hear much of a difference between these two pedals

[@SimonGotthelfMusic]

mattiv1 Allen used the AC for many years before this was released. Difference in mids and tone control. The AH is a little less compressed to my ears

[@braddietzmusic2429]

That base tone was "basic clean tone"? Interesting.

[@SimonGotthelfMusic]

Brad Dietz well for me it is :) clean on singlecoils and edge of breakup on humbuckers. Works for me :) Cheers

[@Erickchicas]

"Clean tone"

[@joaoelbert_]

forgot to ask - were you using any of the bass boost dipswitches?

[@SimonGotthelfMusic]

João Elbert no, I prefer the pedal stock. I have tried the bass boost setting and it might be great through a Vox but with my Komet amps I have plenty of bass. Cheers

[@arsstelling1965]

Hi Simon!!! Which one will work better to pushing my cranked Friedman Marsha for solos? Thanx.

[@SimonGotthelfMusic]

Hi Andre. I think both will work great but I would go with the SD-AH because of the mid boost. Really good if you want your solos to punch through. Cheers

[@arsstelling1965]

Thank you Simon. I think will try one and by the way, you have an awesome "grip" on you playing.

[@SimonGotthelfMusic]

Thank you very much :)

[@jackcummingsmusic5267]

At 10:38 is how I have mine set. A fat tubescreamer is the best way to describe it, it comes alive in live scenarios and it almost feels, at least through my Hotrod DLX, like someone put another speaker into the amp.

[@AMusicalPsychosis]

How do they stack?

[@justinsmith9683]

can you tell me the differences between the soul driven and the soul driven ah ?

[@SimonGotthelfMusic]

I am not sure but I think they are the same pedal. AH was the Signature run and the regular SoulDriven the production model from what I know. I could be wrong though so you might have to research a little to be sure. Cheers Simon

[@lpjammer]

What’s the difference between the AH and the non AH version of the Soul Driven?

[@bwj8]

They are the same.

[@christocaster]

Hi is it normal when i play Soul Driven on clean amp to hear my clean sound behind ? Like OD fx not totaly wet or Like OD with mix Control at 50%. Great comparaison here between thèse two modèle. Thx

[@DarkoP9.13]

I was thinking my rockbox boiling point(hand made from a local guy) was broken or something, turns out all pedals based on tube screamer structure pas the clean with the distorted signal in parallel (not 50%/50% necessarily but still noticable) Pete thorn has a video explaing how to PROPERLY use tube screamer just because of that. I dont know bout the soul driven but soundlike the same thing

[@christocaster]

@@DarkoP9.13 hi Thanks yes lol i understood lately that the gain structure works like TS od or Carl Martin Hot drive boost etc...

[@dnipllr4057]

I have the sd and it gives me a great variety of tones. Which other od pedal would.go well with it if I want to stack them? A higher gain one? Any suggestions? Thanks.

[@paulvsmith]

Hi Denis, I own the Xotic BB preamp mid boost (now discontinued, but similar to these pedals in the video), and use it with an Xotic SL drive. I thought that two pedals of the same brand might well work together, and so it has proved. There are many ways of working with them but I tend to keep the BB on with gain at 10 o'clock, and then add the SL drive with gain set at 2 o'clock for high gain sounds. Between them there is very good EQ flexibility. Turning down the tone on the SLD and cranking the mids and top on the BB makes for a pleasing sound across the spectrum. Hope this helps.

[@joserodolfospin4756]

Nice demo man! I have a TS 9 and I want to get close to some SRV/Hendrix/Sayce kinda tone...do you think with the Soul Driven and a TS I can get it? Greetings from Brazil!

[@mattgilbert7347]

AC is better for that Depends on the amp, ofc

[@andremellao4882]

I don't like when you guys demo pedals playing with fingers instead pick because 95% of guitar players use just pick and the sound is very different!!

[@andremellao4882]

AC is a shit, the worst of all Xotic drives !

[@TheNoncritical1]

What is the difference between the standard Soul Driven and its AH counterpart?

[@SimonGotthelfMusic]

TheNoncritical1 I have not tried them side by side, but from what I know, the soul Driven AH was a limited run that is now in production as the Soul Driven with a new colour. It is a great pedal either way :)

[@Molnboman]

Xotic replied to my exact question to confirm “ apart from the obvious colour design and AH signature, nothing.”.