The Lateral Phonics Marrakesh Preamp Drive is a handwired preamp pedal, made in Russia, built around DOA-990 discrete operational amplifiers, a low-noise op-amp design first developed by Dean Jensen in the 1970s and released in the February 1980 issue of the AES Journal1. Depending on its place in the chain, it can play a wide number of roles, from EQ, booster, buffer and preamp to saturator, overdrive and console-style fuzz, which puts it in conversation with dedicated preamp pedals, boost pedals and fuzz pedals alike1.
Controls
The Marrakesh carries four knobs and a voicing switch. Threshold sits in the middle of the panel and is twice the size of the bass, treble and volume knobs around it, a hint at how central it is to the pedal's character1.
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| Threshold | The most important control; the lower its value, the more punchy and eventually distorted the sound becomes1 |
| Bass | Bass EQ, with 15dB of cut or boost1 |
| Treble | Treble EQ, with 15dB of cut or boost1 |
| Volume | Output level1 |
| Headroom switch (side-mounted) | Low 9V setting for increased harmonic distortion; high 24V setting for more air, dynamic range and volume1 |
The EQ section is described as certainly capable, with 15dB of cut or boost in both bass and treble directions1.
The pedal runs on mains power only. It will not run on a battery, so it needs a power supply that can meet that requirement.
Sound and character
Guitar.com's reviewer, Michael Watts, described the overall character as warm and organic with the vibe of a vintage studio desk, with some high-quality, silky textures and a chewy, unruly and aggressive fuzz available at extreme threshold settings1. Lateral Phonics have clearly taken inspiration from vintage studio kit when creating the Marrakesh, the review notes1.
"A versatile pedal offering quality textures in a wide variety of contexts."
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Questions
Where is the Lateral Phonics Marrakesh Preamp Drive made?
The Marrakesh Preamp Drive is a handwired preamp pedal made in Russia by Lateral Phonics. Guitar.com's review notes that the company took clear inspiration from vintage studio equipment when designing it, and the pedal's overall character has been described as warm and organic with the vibe of a vintage studio desk.
Does the Lateral Phonics Marrakesh Preamp Drive run on a battery?
No. The Marrakesh Preamp Drive runs on mains power only, according to Guitar.com's review. There is no battery option, so plan your pedalboard power supply accordingly before adding it to a setup.
Is the Lateral Phonics Marrakesh Preamp Drive true bypass?
Yes. Guitar.com lists the pedal as true bypass, alongside its side-mounted input and output jacks and an on/off LED.
What does the headroom switch do on the Marrakesh?
The side-mounted headroom switch offers a low 9V setting for increased harmonic distortion and a high 24V setting that adds more air, dynamic range and volume. It is a quick way to move between dirtier and cleaner preamp characters.
What does the Threshold knob do on the Marrakesh Preamp Drive?
Threshold is described as the pedal's most important control, and it is twice the size of the bass, treble and volume knobs. The lower the Threshold value, the more punchy and eventually distorted the sound becomes.
Sources (1)
- Review: Lateral Phonics Marrakesh Preamp Console, Guitar.com, 2020-10-20