A Pint-size Imperial Packing Boutique Tube Tone
Powered by a trio of 12AX7 tubes, the Tone King Imperial Preamp condenses the essence of Tone King’s beloved Imperial MKII amplifier into a pedalboard-friendly package. This pedal is uncompromisingly faithful to its amplifier inspiration, boasting the exact preamp and phase-inverter circuitry as the full-size Imperial MKII along with tube-powered stereo convolution spring reverb and stereo tremolo. Two valve-fueled channels are on tap, covering black-panel ’60s shimmer, biting 1950s Tweed tones, and even British crunch via an intuitive control section that mirrors the feel of dialing in an amp. Both channels come equipped with a plethora of sound-shaping enhancements, including independent Attenuation knobs and three configurable IR slots per channel. Still, these impressive features don’t cover half the cutting-edge capabilities packed in this pedal, which include power amp simulation, 128 MIDI-switchable presets, expanded editing parameters, IR control via the Synergy-powered Tone King Editor, and much more. It’s all finished with dual XLR outs, a stereo series effects loop, a headphone jack, MIDI in, and USB-C to access the editor. Whether you’re plugging straight into the PA, recording into your audio interface, pairing up with a cab/power amp combo, or elevating your amp with additional channels, the Tone King Imperial Preamp grants you boutique tube tone right from your pedalboard.
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Precisely replicated Imperial MKII circuitry
It’s no exaggeration to claim that the Tone King Imperial Preamp perfectly captures the sound of its bigger Imperial MKII siblings for one simple reason: it is an Imperial MKII, at least as far as its circuitry is concerned. In fact, this pedal’s preamp and phase-inverter sections are identical to the full-size Imperial MKII amplifier, harnessing the power of three 12AX7 tubes running at proper high voltage. Moreover, these tubes also drive the Tone King Imperial Preamp’s stereo convolution spring reverb and stereo tremolo for full vintage-inspired sonic authenticity. To top it all off, the pedal’s phase-inverter section sports a “0-watt power amp” engineered to precisely emulate the harmonic depth and dynamic character of the Tone King Imperial MKII amplifier’s power amp — a cutting-edge feature that ensures an authentic, front-to-back Tone King Imperial experience.
Black-panel chime and Tweed-style bark
Sweetwater’s many ardent Tone King Imperial devotees were pleased to learn that the Tone King Imperial Preamp boasts two Fullerton-inspired channels, just like its full-size predecessor. First, the Rhythm Channel captures the clear, glassy voice made famous by the black-panel Fullerton amplifiers of the 1960s. This mid-scooped sound delivers sparkling clean tones in spades, with a sizzling breakup tone when pushed into saturation. In stark contrast, the Lead Channel favors the barking, mid-forward sound of Fullerton’s 1950s-era Tweed amplifiers. Finally, these two classic California flavors are augmented by a Mid-Bite knob — a control that transforms the Lead Channel’s Tweed character into a rock-ready, British-inspired crunch.
Elevate your direct sound with onboard IRs
Whether you pair it with a cab and power amplifier or use it to increase your amp’s versatility via the effects loop, the Tone King Imperial Preamp is ready for anything. If you prefer to go straight in and keep your stage rig as portable as possible, then this preamp’s robust IR section and power-amp simulation ensure ultra-authentic direct tones. Fifteen OwnHammer-made IRs come loaded in the preamp right out of the box, with 12 more IRs to choose from via Tone King’s Synergy-powered Editor software. You also get a robust I/O section, including balanced stereo XLR outs, an onboard effects loop, MIDI in, a headphone jack, and USB-C. Last but not least, you can even completely disable the preamp’s IR section if you prefer to use your own IR loader or plug it into a powered cabinet with onboard IRs.
Synergy-powered Tone King Editor
This preamp’s Tone King Editor software allows in-depth fine-tuning of all the pedal’s digital parameters. From assigning reverb and tremolo to the preamp’s channels to dialing in the HF comp and lowpass filters of the power amp simulation section, Tone King Editor grants you complete control over your tone. And once you’ve precisely sculpted your preferred sound, the Editor provides 128 MIDI-accessible preset slots.
Tone King Imperial Preamp Features:
- Packs the sound and circuitry of Tone King’s Imperial MKII amplifier platform into a compact pedal form
- Powered by three 12AX7 power tubes along with preamp and phase-inverter circuitry that exactly matches the full-size Imperial MKII
- Rhythm Channel replicates the lush, glassy tone made famous by the black-panel amps of the 1960s
- 2-band EQ on the Rhythm Channel to precisely sculpt your sound
- Lead Channel captures the grit and bark of 1950s Tweed-style amps
- Lead Channel sports a Mid-Bite knob, which transforms its Tweed-style tone into hard-hitting British crunch, and a standard Tone knob
- Each channel features an Attenuation control that allows you to easily send your sound into true tube saturation
- Robust IR section includes six slots (three per channel) with access to 15 included OwnHammer IRs
- USB-C gives you access to Tone King Editor to select IRs, modify parameters, and save up to 128 MIDI-accessible presets
- Tone King Editor unlocks in-depth parameter adjustment, from reverb trails to power-amp simulation, with editable HF comp and LP filters
- Phase inverter comes equipped with a “0-watt power amp” to authentically capture the dynamism and harmonic depth of the full-size Imperial MKII
- Tube-powered stereo convolution spring reverb and stereo tremolo instantly take your tone back to the golden age of tube amplification
- Extensive I/O section, including two balanced XLR outs, MIDI in, a stereo series effects loop, USB-C, and a headphone out
- Excels in a wide variety of setups, whether you’re going straight into the PA, elevating your amp’s versatility via its effects loop, or rocking an outboard power amp/cab
- Ground-lift switch to cut out unwanted noise
