First off I am no expert on these things but I can tell you in the brief period in which I have owned my DS-1 I have enjoyed playing/practicing a lot more with this pedal.  I have a Fender wannabe guitar, and a Fender Sidekick 10 which means my gear isn't the best but the pedal produces a wide variety of distortion and tone changes which keeps me interested.  I am having so much fun that I don't even notice my fingers hurt anymore.  Honestly, this is an essential buy when starting out along with headphones and a cord extension so the police don't come a knockin.