The Mooer Micro Preamp 014 Taxidea Taxus is a miniature preamp pedal from MOOER that also carries booster and equalizer functions in the same small box1. It belongs to the Micro Preamp series, a line RockBoard's PedalPedia describes as sonically accurate digital recreations of the preamp sections of popular tube amplifiers, developed by directly analyzing real tube amplifiers to capture their sound, dynamics and response1. When the series was introduced, MOOER's press material pitched the idea plainly: "The small size and light weight of the Micro Preamp allows musicians to trade their heavy and expensive tube amplifiers" for a lighter and less expensive solution2.
MOOER's own description of the 014 sets out what it is meant to cover:
"This “little badger” is based on a true modern-day classic that delivers rich tones in a small package. Whether it be sultry blues licks or vintage high gain mischief you’re looking for, 014, Taxidea Taxus will be able to fill your needs with it’s wide array of sonic possibilities."
Analog or digital?
The circuit question is worth spelling out, because the maker's own page gives two answers. The specification line for the Taxidea Taxus reads "Circuit type analog"1. Directly alongside it, the same page carries the series boilerplate: "MOOER micro preamps are sonically accurate digital recreations of the preamp sections of popular tube amplifiers"1. The same pairing appears across the range, for example on the Micro PreAMP 001 Gas Station and Micro PreAMP 008 Cali-MK 3 pages, which also list analog circuit type against the digital-recreation description34. For a player, the practical reading is that the listing states analog while the marketing text describes digital modeling, and the two are not reconciled on the page.
Power and practicalities
The Taxidea Taxus runs on 9V DC, center negative, and draws 300mA1. That is a meaningful figure for a pedal this size: a supply output rated well below 300mA will not run it, so it is worth checking what your isolated outputs deliver before slotting it into a board.
At 300mA, the Taxidea Taxus draws more current than many mini pedals, so a dedicated or high-current supply output is the safe assumption1.
The name
Taxidea taxus is the scientific name of the American badger, and MOOER leans into it, calling the pedal a "little badger" in its own description1. Animal names run through the series: the 015 is the Brown Sound, and the later 016 is the Phoenix25.
Where it sits in the Micro Preamp range
The 014 and 015 arrived together: "Mooer have added two new Micro Preamps, the 014 Taxidea Taxus and the 015 Brown Sound to their Micro Preamp series," with both available at a street price of $99 each2. Later in 2018 the range grew again with three more models, "the 016 Phoenix, the 017 Cali MK IV and the 018 Custom 100"6, and Guitar World noted the series' "optional built-in cab sim"5, a feature MusicRadar also flagged across the mini pedals7.
| Model | Notes |
|---|---|
| 014 Taxidea Taxus | Booster and equalizer functions; blues to vintage high gain character1 |
| 015 Brown Sound | Added alongside the 014, $99 street price2 |
| 016 Phoenix | One of three models added in August 20186 |
| 017 Cali MK IV | One of three models added in August 20186 |
| 018 Custom 100 | One of three models added in August 20186 |
Against the 015 Brown Sound, the difference is the amp character each model is built around: MOOER describes the 014 as reaching from blues licks to vintage high gain, while the 015 is a distinct model in the same series12. Players who want more editing depth than a single-model mini pedal can look at later MOOER designs such as the Preamp Model X2, a dual-channel digital preamp pedal, or browse the wider field of preamp pedals.
Videos
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Questions
Is the Mooer Micro Preamp 014 Taxidea Taxus analog or digital?
MOOER's PedalPedia listing for the Taxidea Taxus gives the circuit type as analog. The same listing also carries MOOER's series description, which calls the Micro Preamps sonically accurate digital recreations of the preamp sections of popular tube amplifiers, so the two descriptions sit side by side on the maker's own page and a player should weigh both.
What power supply does the Mooer Taxidea Taxus need?
The Taxidea Taxus runs on 9V DC, center negative, and draws 300mA of current, according to MOOER's product listing. That current draw is high for a mini pedal, so a supply with enough spare current on that output matters, and a low-current daisy-chain output may not run it reliably.
What does the Taxidea Taxus name refer to?
Taxidea taxus is the scientific name of the American badger. MOOER's own description of the pedal calls it a little badger based on a true modern-day classic, continuing the series habit of naming models after animals, as with the 015 Brown Sound and the 016 Phoenix.
What is the difference between the Mooer Micro Preamp 014 and the 015 Brown Sound?
The 014 Taxidea Taxus and the 015 Brown Sound were added to the Micro Preamp series together in 2018 at a street price of $99 each. MOOER describes the 014 as covering everything from blues licks to vintage high gain, while the 015 Brown Sound is a separate model in the same series aimed at a different amp character.
Sources (7)
- Micro Preamp 014 Taxidea Taxus by MOOER, RockBoard (rockboard.de PedalPedia), 2026
- Mooer Adds Two New Micro Preamps, MusicPlayers.com, 2018-05-04
- Micro PreAMP 001 Gas Station by MOOER, RockBoard (rockboard.de PedalPedia), 2026
- Micro PreAMP 008 Cali-MK 3 by MOOER, RockBoard PedalPedia, 2026
- Mooer Unveils Three New Micro Preamp Mini-Pedals, Guitar World, 2018-08-22
- Mooer launches three Micro Preamp pedals, Guitar.com, 2018-08-23
- Mooer bolsters Micro Preamp range with 3 new mini pedals, MusicRadar, 2018-08-22
