Pushing the driver

These two go well together. In fact, I tried them both together at the store prior to purchase. They are complementary in this exact arrangement.

The NUX OD-3 is a surprisingly polished mild driver. By virtue of its colour alone, you know what the OD-3 is offering tone-wise. There isn't any pronounced midrange hump heard so if you wish for that reproduction on a budget, this might be a let-down. I view the OD-3 as a very shrewd follower of Fuch's Plush without sounding too familir. Artec's gainer boost on the other hand, is a smooth operator, not by default though, but by engaging its 2-band EQ. The gain on tap here is rather intense but in a good boost kind of way, not as a definite drive source.

Now, cascading the OD-3 into the GB is a polished affair. The OD-3 requires a booster unit that complements its silky voicing & the GB does just that if you turn the treble control down & start with the bass control at noon position. Turning the gain control Eastwards wasn't as impressive as bringing the volume up, mind the additional treble while you're at it but there's always the treble control to keep things in check. The overall voicing is one of smoothness- think Alan Holdsworth & Tom Quayle- without sacrificing saturation & harmonics richness. All for less than $160- now isn't that a steal?