The AMT S1 is a preamp pedal from AMT Electronics, part of the company's Legend Amp series. It is a JFET circuit designed to put the distortion character of Soldano amplifiers in a pedal, so that it can be run into any amp or used as a preamp in its own right. AMT describes its range of sounds as "enormously rich smooth overdrive to medium gain crunch to screaming lead," and the pedal is listed as available now1.
What it is and where it came from
The S1 sits in AMT's Legend Amp series, a line of preamp pedals each named after a style of amplifier voicing. AMT's own pitch is simple: "Make ANY amp sound like a high Soldano* with the AMT S1 pedal." RockBoard's PedalPedia entry, which draws on the maker's material, says the S1 was designed for players looking to achieve the famous guitar distortion sounds of Soldano amplifiers, and describes it as a preamp pedal with overdrive, cab sim, booster and equalizer functions2.
The JFET circuit design is the heart of it. AMT says it produces "crazy tight and responsive distortion"1. JFET stages are used in preamp pedals because they can be biased to behave like the tube stages of a guitar amplifier's front end, which is the approach AMT takes across the Legend Amp series.
The controls
The S1 keeps its panel to five knobs, laid out the way a player would set an amp's front end1:
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| GAIN | Sets the amount of preamp distortion |
| LOW | Bass EQ |
| MID | Middle EQ |
| HIGH | Treble EQ |
| LEVEL | Sets the output volume |
Controls per AMT Electronics1.
AMT's media center also lists a Compressor among the S1's features, alongside a Noise Gate that is set globally rather than per preset3.
The two outputs
The S1 carries two signal outputs, and which one you use depends on where the pedal sits in your setup1:
- DIRECT AMPLIFIER OUT: for plugging into a guitar amplifier, where the amp's own speaker does the voicing.
- CAB SIMULATION OUT: for a mixer or studio use, where the pedal's cabinet simulation stands in for a mic'd speaker.
That second output is what lets the S1 work as a complete preamp into a power amp or recording rig. AMT's media center demonstrates the S1 used as a preamp feeding a Laney L5T-112 power amp, and notes the unit has L/R channels for IR cab simulation, with one IR covering both channels per preset4.
Power and bypass
The S1 runs on 9V DC, center negative2. AMT strongly recommends powering the Legend Amp series with either a 9V battery or an adapter, naming its own DC 12V/1.25A or DC 9V/0.85A adapters as recommended options1. Current draw is less than 6mA from a 9V power unit, dropping to 4mA in power saving mode1, a figure low enough that the pedal is easy on any standard supply.
When the pedal is switched off, the Legend Amp series uses passive true bypass circuitry, so AMT says there is no loss of guitar signal1.
AMT recommends a 9V battery or adapter for the Legend Amp series rather than sharing a supply casually; the S1's draw is under 6mA, but the series guidance from the maker is to use a battery or one of AMT's own adapters1.
Videos
gearmanndude
Brett Kingman
Music City CZ
Questions
Is the AMT S1 true bypass?
Yes. AMT Electronics says the preamps in the Legend Amp series use passive true bypass circuitry, so when the pedal is off there is no loss of guitar signal through the circuit.
Can the AMT S1 run on a 9V battery?
Yes. AMT strongly recommends powering the Legend Amp series pedals with either a 9V battery or an adapter, and the S1 draws less than 6mA from a 9V power unit, dropping to 4mA in power saving mode. AMT lists its own DC 12V/1.25A or DC 9V/0.85A adapters as recommended options.
What amp is the AMT S1 based on?
AMT designed the S1 to achieve the famous guitar distortion sounds of Soldano amplifiers. The company's own tagline is to make any amp sound like a high-gain Soldano with the S1 pedal.
What is the difference between the two outputs on the AMT S1?
The S1 has two signal outputs. DIRECT AMPLIFIER OUT is meant for plugging into a guitar amplifier, while CAB SIMULATION OUT is meant for a mixer or studio use, where the pedal's cabinet simulation takes the place of a mic'd speaker.
Does the AMT S1 have a noise gate?
Yes. AMT's media center lists a Noise Gate among the S1's features, set globally rather than per preset.
Sources (4)
- AMT S1 | AMT Electronics official website, AMT Electronics, 2026
- Preamp S1 by AMT Electronics, RockBoard PedalPedia, 2026
- AMT S1 - Media center of AMT Electronics, AMT Electronics (media.amtelectronics.com)
- AMT Electronics: S1 preamp, Media center of AMT Electronics
