The Tone King Imperial Preamp at a glance:

With the Imperial Preamp pedal, Tone King brings the iconic sound of its highly acclaimed Imperial MKII tube amp directly to Pedalboard - complete with preamp tubes, effects, IR technology and MIDI support. The result: a versatile, powerful tool for stage, studio and creative sound tinkerers that combines the warm, dynamic character of classic American combos with modern features - completely independent of a speaker or amplifier. The Tone King Imperial Preamp pedal offers two independent channels that are directly derived from the DNA of the Imperial MKII. The Rhythm channel with its clear, open tone is reminiscent of a classic blackface combo from the 60s - perfect for brilliant clean sounds with sensitive dynamics. The lead channel, on the other hand, delivers the characterful, growling sound of old tweed amps from the 50s, enhanced by the mid-bite control, which can be used to shape mid-range emphasis, Attack and British-influenced crunch sounds. Powered by three 12AX7 tubes at a high operating voltage, the Preamp delivers the full dynamics, harmonic behavior and unadulterated response of the original - not as an emulation, but as genuine tube technology in pedal format.

Reverb, Tremolo & Zero Watt Poweramp included

A special highlight is the integrated "Zero Watt Poweramp", which is based on the original phase inverter circuit of the MKII and reproduces the complete dynamic behavior of a power amplifier - without any speakers. The sound is complemented by two footswitchable vintage effects: a stereo spring reverb (Convolution Reverb) with reverb and dwell controls and a digitally controlled stereo tremolo with classic speed and depth parameters. Both effects can be assigned separately for each channel.

Direct recording & IR technology

Thanks to the onboard IR loader with 15 high-quality OwnHammer impulse responses (including Tone King, Vox and Marshall cabinets), the pedal is perfect for recording, direct-to-PA or headphone practice sessions. Three IRs per channel are pre-installed and can be selected via toggle switches. Alternatively, the IR loader can be completely deactivated to use external IRs or a real speaker.
With the free Tone King Editor software (powered by Synergy), all parameters such as Reverb tails, tremolo assignment, power amp simulation, IR selection and EQs can be edited in detail. In addition, up to 128 presets can be saved and recalled directly via MIDI controller - perfect for live scenarios, complex setups or automated switching in the studio.