The Electronic Audio Experiments Citadel is a preamp-style overdrive inspired by what the maker calls the everlasting sounds of British amplifiers. Rather than copying only a tube amp's input stage, it emulates both the preamp and power amp sections of a tube amp to provide what EAE describes as a full-bodied overdrive, spanning "warm piano-like cleans, bright clear overdrive, and sizzling lead tones"1. It is an analog pedal, listed by RockBoard's PedalPedia as a preamp, overdrive and booster2.
The Citadel can be used either as a conventional drive pedal in front of an amp or as the workhorse of an ampless signal chain, feeding a speaker simulation or recording interface directly1. That dual role is what separates it from most overdrive pedals, which model only the preamp side of an amp.
Where it came from
The Citadel began as a series of experiments on EAE's Model feT pedal. The maker frames the relationship in amp terms: "you can almost think of the Citadel as a re-plexi-fied Model T sound, trading low end sludge for a sparkly midrange focus"1. In other words, where the Model feT leans on low end, the Citadel pushes a brighter, midrange-centered British voice. The first version shipped as V1 in December 20221.
The controls
The control layout borrows from four-input Marshalls. As Dan and Mick of That Pedal Show put it, "what you get on four input marshals is two volume controls, one bright, one normal... but we do have a master volume, treble, mid-range and bass"3.
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| Bright Gain | Turn clockwise to add gain from the parallel Bright channel, voiced for chime and sparkle. Adds bite to the drive tone at higher settings; the bright channel is fully muted at zero.1 |
| Master | Sets overall output volume, with enough range to stay loud at the cleanest settings.1 |
| Bass, Midrange, Treble | A 3-band FMV (Fender/Marshall/Vox) style tone stack, moderately mid scooped and relatively subtle, most effective at clean to medium gain settings.1 |
The two gain paths are the heart of the pedal. The Bright channel runs in parallel with the normal channel, so the Bright Gain knob blends in chime and sparkle rather than switching the whole voice, and it can be dialed out entirely1.
The tone stack is deliberately restrained. EAE describes it as moderately mid scooped and relatively subtle, and notes it is most effective at clean to medium gain settings1. That Pedal Show found the same character in use: "the treble, mid-range, and bass aren't super powerful and obvious, but they are highly interactive"3, much like the Marshalls the circuit draws from.
Power and connections
The Citadel runs on 9V DC through a 2.1 mm center negative barrel jack and draws 65 mA1.
The Citadel does not accept batteries. EAE states that none of its pedals do, so this is a pedalboard power supply or isolated supply pedal, not a battery pedal1.
Input impedance is 500kΩ at 1 kHz and output impedance is 1kΩ at 1 kHz1. Bypass is relay switching with true bypass, so the signal path is out of the circuit when the pedal is off1.
What reviewers said
The Citadel appeared in That Pedal Show's episode on four gain pedals, alongside the Empress Drive, CTC Triptychøn and Mad Professor Simble 2, with the Citadel segment starting at 36:204. In the demo, the hosts stacked gain into it and found it kept its composure where other combinations fall apart: "the Citadel still held it together," describing the result as so impressive and alive3.
"the treble, mid-range, and bass aren't super powerful and obvious, but they are highly interactive."
Videos
ambienttrash
Demos In The Dark
Mark Johnston
Questions
Can the Citadel be used without an amp?
Yes. Electronic Audio Experiments says the Citadel can be used either as a conventional drive pedal or as the workhorse of an ampless signal chain, because it emulates both the preamp and power amp sections of a tube amp rather than just the front end.
Does the EAE Citadel take batteries?
No. The maker states plainly that its pedals do not accept batteries. The Citadel runs on a 9V DC power supply through a 2.1 mm center negative barrel jack, drawing 65 mA.
Is the Citadel true bypass?
Yes. The Citadel uses relay switching with true bypass, so when it is off the signal passes through without the circuit in the path.
How does the Citadel differ from the Model feT?
The Citadel began as experiments on the Model feT. The maker describes it as a re-plexi-fied Model T sound, trading the Model feT's low end sludge for a sparkly midrange focus.
What finishes does the Citadel come in?
The maker lists three finishes: Black, Acid Etch, and Cream.
Sources (4)
- Electronic Audio Experiments Citadel JFET Master Lead, Electronic Audio Experiments
- Citadel by Electronic Audio Experiments, RockBoard PedalPedia, 2026
- Four Fantastic Gain Pedals Empress Drive, CTC Triptychøn, Mad Prof Simble 2, EAE Citadel, That Pedal Show (YouTube), 2026-05-08
- Four Fantastic Gain Pedals Empress Drive, CTC Triptychøn, Mad Prof Simble 2, EAE Citadel, That Pedal Show, 2026-05-08
