Tone King Imperial Tube Preamp shown at 2025 NAMM Show
January 1, 2025 · 2 sources
The Tone King Imperial Tube Preamp was shown at the 2025 NAMM Show, where it drew attention as one of the more discussed pedals of the event12. It is a two-channel stereo preamp with tremolo and reverb, voiced after the company's namesake amp and built on a circuit with three 12AX7 tubes1.
The two footswitchable channels are set up differently. The Rhythm channel has a cleaner tone with Bass and Treble EQ controls, while the Lead channel uses a Tone knob and a Mid-Bite control for setting how much a solo cuts through a mix1. Each channel also carries Tone King's Attenuator control and a Volume out knob1. A 3-way cab sim switch, which the amp does not have, offers extra coloring options and can be personalized through IR loading via the USB port1. The third tube drives the spring reverb and stereo tremolo, and the tremolo can also be triggered with the left footswitch1.
The pedal also offers presets, MIDI compatibility, XLR and headphone outputs, and an FX loop1. Gearnews reports a stereo FX loop, headphone output, jack and XLR outputs, and an IR loader, and notes the tremolo and spring reverb are digitally modeled compared with the amp version2. It lists a USB-C port and power draw of 1 A at 9 volts2. Gearnews gives a US price of $589.002; no price appears in the other report.
"Three 12AX7 tubes are at the heart of it"
Gearnews called it one of the stars of the show at NAMM 2025 and said the tubes sound "alarmingly similar" to the MKII amp they are modeled after2. Delicious Audio described it as one of the most talked-about pedals to emerge from the show1.