The Centavo and Warmdrive units look to make the tones championed by the likes of John Mayer, Jeff Beck, Eric Clapton and Robben Ford more affordable for the masses
(Image credit: Warm Audio)
For many pedal collectors, the ultimate endgame of their quest is ownership of the Klon Centaur – a cult classic overdrive pedal that has seen its reputation and price sky-rocket over the past few decades as a result of its mythical nature.
A similarly sought-after pedal is the Hermida Audio Zendrive, which, while not quite on the same level as the Klon Centaur, still commands a price that is simply out of the budget for most guitar players.
Warm Audio claims to have the answer, though, having introduced two replicas of the totemic stompboxes that promise to provide “true-to-original” tones at a fraction of the price.
Leading the way is the Warm Audio Centavo. Priced at $179, the pedal is a far cry more affordable than original Klon Centaurs, which can often command up to six figures. For its sub-$200 price tag, the Centavo vows to deliver an “accurate recreation” of the Centaur’s tone.
(Image credit: Warm Audio)
A quick glance and you’d be forgiven for thinking it’s the real deal, save the Warm Audio logo that lines up next to the inch-perfect-positioned bypass switch. The control layout is also identical, featuring three parameter knobs for Gain, Treble and Output.
In terms of operation, the Centavo’s circuit is said to be capable of harnessing the John Mayer and Jeff Beck-style tones, operating as both a boost pedal and higher gain amp-pusher. It’s also got a MOD switch – as requested by Beck on the original – which extends the bass response.
To say it’s a “true-to-original” replica is a bold claim indeed, with the Centavo recruiting TL072 op amps – the same ones that can be found in the original Klon – vintage-style diodes and a charge-pump voltage regulator to help it achieve its goal.
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Whether all this amounts to a convincing Klon clone is up for debate, but you can check it out in action above to see for yourself.
Joining the Centavo is the Warmdrive, which sets its sights on serving up a “true reproduction” of the Zendrive amp-in-a-box that has been used by the likes of Eric Clapton, Robben Ford, John Mayer, Cory Wong and many more.
Again, the aesthetics are spot on, with Warm Audio’s iteration retaining the Yin and Yang symbolism present on the Hermida Audio original.
(Image credit: Warm Audio)
As for tone, the pedal recruits a bypass footswitch and four control knobs that are in charge of Volume, Gain, Tone and Voice. With these four parameters, the Warmdrive promises to deliver everything from warm rhythm tones to fuzzy lead solo sounds. Specifically, Voice and Tone modifies the frequency range before and after the clipping stages.
More premium components can be found in the Warmdrive, which recruits 2N7000 MOSFETs, a NE5532 op amp, carbon resistors and both 1N34A germanium and Schottky BAT41 diodes.
The Warmdrive is available now for $149.
To find out more about each new pedal, head over to Warm Audio.
Matt is a Senior Staff Writer, writing for Guitar World, Guitarist and Total Guitar. He has a Masters in the guitar, a degree in history, and has spent the last 16 years playing everything from blues and jazz to indie and pop. When he’s not combining his passion for writing and music during his day job, Matt records for a number of UK-based bands and songwriters as a session musician.
