I tried the input pad and found that it expanded the amp gain on the amp models for me as I found them to be a little too sensitive and I had to keep the gain really low to be usable with the pad off. This was especially effective with clean tones. With the input pad engaged you have to readjust the settings to get the effects of this change. It's nice that we can now do this by patch and take advantage of it without too much bother. I use regular humbucker and single coil pickups and it made a positive change in some if not most cases having the pad on.