The AMT Electronics EX-50 is a mini expression pedal: a passive, analog rocker that sends control voltage to expression-ready devices rather than processing your guitar signal itself. AMT Electronics describes it as a passive expression pedal that continues its series of compact pedals, and lists it as available now1. RockBoard's PedalPedia entry likewise classifies it as a passive expression pedal with an analog circuit type2.
What it does and how it is controlled
Because the EX-50 is passive, it works by sweeping a 10k ohm potentiometer as you rock the pedal1. No power supply is involved in that sweep, which is the usual arrangement for a passive expression pedal: the device at the other end of the cable reads the changing resistance and turns it into whatever parameter it controls, such as delay time, filter frequency or reverb depth. For more on how expression pedals connect to effects, see Expression Pedals.
The pedal's headline feature is its pair of outputs. AMT specifies TRS and TS outputs to control two different devices simultaneously1, and Premier Guitar's buying guide confirms the pedal "houses dual outputs (TS and TRS)"3. In practice that means one rocker can send the same sweep to two units at once, for example a modeler's expression jack over TRS and a separate pedal over TS.
| Output | Connection | What AMT says it is for |
|---|---|---|
| TRS | Three-conductor | Expression jacks on multi-effects and modelers |
| TS | Single-conductor | Devices that take a single-conductor control connection |
The other control is a switch for normal or inverted operation. AMT lists the two modes as INVERTED and NORMAL1: the switch flips the direction of the sweep, so heel-down can mean minimum or maximum depending on what the connected device expects.
"a switch for normal or inverted operation, making it capable of handling a wide range of expression-ready pedals"
Taken together, the features AMT and Premier Guitar name on this pedal are short to list:
- Passive, analog operation, no power needed for the sweep12
- Dual outputs, TS and TRS, to control two devices simultaneously13
- 10k ohm potentiometer as the control element1
- NORMAL and INVERTED modes to match the sweep direction to the connected device13
- Mini format, continuing AMT's series of compact pedals1
AMT's media center also lists a "Parametric Pre/Post EQ" feature in connection with the EX-504. The maker's product page does not explain how this relates to the pedal's expression function, so treat it as a maker-listed feature rather than a documented control.
Where it sits among AMT's expression pedals
AMT builds a series of compact expression pedals, and the EX-50 continues it1. The company's range also includes the AMT EX-10F-II, a related expression pedal in the same family. Compared with larger expression pedals, the EX-50's mini format is aimed at players who need expression control on a crowded board; its dual outputs and normal/inverted switch are the features that set it apart from single-output designs13.
What reviewers said
The main published coverage is Premier Guitar's "Tools for the Task: Expression Pedals" buying guide from March 2021, which listed the EX-50 at $129 street3 and highlighted the dual TS and TRS outputs and the normal/inverted switch as the features that let it work with a wide range of expression-ready pedals3.
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Questions
Is the AMT EX-50 an active or passive pedal?
It is a passive expression pedal. AMT Electronics describes the EX-50 as a passive expression pedal in its compact pedal series, and RockBoard's PedalPedia lists the circuit type as analog. Because there is no active circuitry, the pedal works by sweeping a potentiometer rather than processing the signal, and it needs no power to do its job.
What outputs does the EX-50 have?
The EX-50 carries dual outputs, one TRS and one TS, which AMT says lets it control two different devices simultaneously. The TRS connection is the usual expression jack on multi-effects and modelers, while the TS output suits devices that take a single-conductor control connection.
How much does the AMT EX-50 cost?
Premier Guitar's 2021 expression pedal buying guide listed the EX-50 at $129 street.
What does the normal/inverted operation switch do?
The switch selects between NORMAL and INVERTED modes, so the pedal's sweep direction can be matched to the device it controls. Premier Guitar noted that this makes it capable of handling a wide range of expression-ready pedals, since some devices expect the potentiometer to sweep one way and some the other.
Sources (4)
- AMT EX-50, AMT Electronics, 2026
- EX-50 by AMT Electronics, RockBoard PedalPedia, 2026
- Tools for the Task: Expression Pedals, Premier Guitar, 2017-05-17
- AMT EX-50, AMT Electronics media center
