Plugging a guitar straight into a mixing console and creating the now referred to as "Direct-In Distortion" is one of the most recognizable and unique guitar tones of the last 60 years and was one of the inspirations for the JHS Colour Box. The Crayon is a more streamlined effect for the one basic application of a dirt box. No XLR function, no 3 band EQ... It has just 4 controls: Master controls the overall output, Pre works as a drive or fuzz control like turning up the pre-volume on a preamp to send it into overdrive and will begin to gate out over 75% as you pick the strings harder, Tilt acts as an active tone control which will boost bass and cut treble simultaneously when below 50% or boost treble and cut bass when above, Hi-Pass is a toggle switch to choose from 200Hz or 750Hz as the frequencies over which the frequencies will pass. The Crayon also cleans up with your guitar's volume better than any other JHS drive pedals.