The MOOER Preamp Model X is a dual-channel digital preamp pedal from MOOER, built on the company's MNRS sampling technology1. Rather than modeling amps with fixed digital circuits, it loads sample-based files, so the pedal works as a preamp and cab setup you can reshape with new captures. It carries 14 preset slots, each holding two separate channel settings, and its two footswitches handle preset scrolling and A/B channel switching1.
Delicious Audio described it as a digital preamp and cab setup with "plenty of space to prepare for long gigs or the freedom to explore and save different tonal combinations"2.
Presets and footswitches
The pedal's preset system is built around pairs. Each of the 14 preset slots stores two separate channel settings, called Channel A (purple) and Channel B (blue), so a single preset can hold, for example, a clean setting on one channel and a driven setting on the other1. Guitar World described the same arrangement in the X2 version as 14 savable preset banks, each offering two separate channel settings by way of the Channel A (purple) and Channel B (blue) footswitches3.
The dual footswitches serve two roles: preset scrolling and A/B channel switching1. In practice that means you can move through your 14 presets with one action and jump between the two channels inside the current preset with another. Delicious Audio noted that you can easily switch between the two channels via the footswitches, which can also be used to select the presets2.
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| Channel A footswitch (purple) | Selects the Channel A setting of the current preset3 |
| Channel B footswitch (blue) | Selects the Channel B setting of the current preset3 |
| Dual footswitches together | Preset scrolling or A/B channel switching1 |
Power and connections
The Preamp Model X runs on a 9V DC power supply with a center negative plug, drawing 300mA1. MOOER's product page cautions that the supply voltage should not exceed 9V and that the polarity must be correct1. Gearnews likewise reported that the pedal runs on a standard 9V DC power supply4.
At 300mA, the Preamp Model X draws noticeably more current than a typical compact analog pedal. Check that your power supply's isolated output can deliver at least 300mA before plugging in.
Connections are simple: one 1/4" mono input jack with a 1M ohm impedance, and one 1/4" mono output jack with a 510 ohm impedance1. The 1M ohm input impedance preserves the high end of the guitar signal, which matters if you place the pedal early in your chain.
MOOER STUDIO and file loading
The pedal supports loading MNRS, GNR and GIR files via MOOER STUDIO to expand its tonal palette1. MOOER STUDIO is the company's online platform at mooerstudio.com, from which files created using MOOER's MNRS sampling technology can be downloaded2. The Preamp Model X was specifically designed to be compatible with these files2, so the pedal is not locked to the sounds it ships with: new amp and cab captures can be loaded as MOOER and its users create them.
The X2 version
The Preamp Model X also exists in an X2 version, the Mooer Preamp Model X X2, which MOOER announced in December 2021 as the latest addition to its X2 pedal series3. It was the fourth unit released under the X2 umbrella3. Delicious Audio described the X2 as a dual-channel digital preamp pedal with a compact case, 14 editable presets and dual footswitches, also based on MOOER's MNRS sampling technology2.
The X2's expanded footswitch layout gives users two settings to choose from: one for preset scrolling and one for A/B channel switching1. It also supports third-party Impulse Responses, which can be uploaded to the pedal via USB C3, something worth checking if you want to use cab sims from outside the MOOER ecosystem.
| Feature | Preamp Model X | Preamp Model X X2 |
|---|---|---|
| Channels | Two per preset (A and B)243 | Two per preset (A and B)2 |
| Presets | 14 slots1 | 14 editable presets2 |
| Footswitches | Dual, preset scrolling or A/B switching1 | Expanded layout, one setting each for scrolling and A/B1 |
| Third-party IRs | MNRS, GNR and GIR files via MOOER STUDIO1 | Supported, uploaded via USB C3 |
Videos
MOOER Audio
Taylor Danley
Guitar Bonedo
Questions
What power supply does the MOOER Preamp Model X need?
It runs on a 9V DC power supply with a center negative plug, drawing 300mA. MOOER cautions that the supply voltage should not exceed 9V and that the polarity must be correct. At 300mA it draws more current than most compact analog pedals, so a dedicated output is the safe choice.
How many presets does the MOOER Preamp Model X have?
It has 14 preset slots, and each slot stores two separate channel settings, Channel A (purple) and Channel B (blue). That gives 28 distinct channel setups you can scroll through with the footswitches.
Can the MOOER Preamp Model X load third-party captures or IRs?
The pedal supports loading MNRS, GNR and GIR files through MOOER STUDIO to expand its tonal palette. The X2 version of the pedal also supports third-party Impulse Responses, which can be uploaded to the pedal via USB C.
What is MOOER STUDIO?
MOOER STUDIO is MOOER's online platform at mooerstudio.com, from which files created with the company's MNRS sampling technology can be downloaded. The Preamp Model X is designed to be compatible with these files, so you can load new amp and cab captures onto the pedal.
How big is the MOOER Preamp Model X?
The pedal measures 115mm wide, 75mm deep and 33mm high, and weighs 0.334kg. That is a compact enclosure in the typical small-pedal format, small enough to fit easily on a crowded pedalboard.
Sources (4)
- Preamp Model X_MOOER Audio, MOOER Audio
- Mooer Preamp Model X X2, Delicious Audio, 2022-03-16
- Mooer expands upgraded X2 pedal lineup with dual-channel digital Preamp Model X2, Guitar World, 2021-12-14
- Mooer Preamp Model X2: A compact new Dual-Channel Digital Preamp pedal, gearnews.com, 2021-12-13
