The Mooer Preamp Model X2 is a dual-channel digital preamp in a compact pedal format, announced in December 2021 as the fourth unit released under Mooer's X2 umbrella1. It replaces a traditional amp's preamp stage on your pedalboard: plug your guitar in, shape gain and EQ with the knobs, and send the result to a power amp, a cab sim, or the front of a larger rig. It was the latest addition to the X2 series at launch, following the company's delay and reverb entries and the Groove Loop looper2.
What it does to your sound
The Preamp Model X2 is a pedalboard-friendly digital preamp, meaning the amp voices inside it are sampled and modeled rather than coming from analog tubes or op-amp clipping stages1. Each of its 14 preset banks holds two separate channel settings, selected with Channel A (purple) and Channel B (blue) footswitches1. In practice that works like a two-channel amp head: set one channel clean and the other driven, then stomp between them mid-song.
The two footswitches can also be used for preset scrolling, so you can move through your 14 banks one at a time instead of jumping between channels4. Which mode you use depends on how you want to work on stage.
The controls
The preamp-specific controls are the classic amp panel set: Gain, then a three-band EQ of Treble, Mid and Bass, then Level1. The EQ section gives you tone sculpting beyond simple gain staging, the same way a three-band amp EQ would.
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| Gain | Sets the amount of preamp drive |
| Treble | High-frequency EQ |
| Mid | Midrange EQ |
| Bass | Low-frequency EQ |
| Level | Output volume of the preamp |
A Save button on the pedal stores your current settings to one of the preset banks1. Dial in a sound, save it, and it stays put in that bank until you overwrite it.
The 14 presets and two channels
Each of the 14 preset banks carries two complete channel settings, one per footswitch, for 28 total preamp configurations reachable from the pedal1. The two sides are voiced from different amp model families.
| Side | Amp models |
|---|---|
| Channel A (Purple) | Taxidea Taxus, J800, PLX 100, US Gold 100, Eagle FB, Cali Dual, EV50501 |
| Channel B (Blue) | 65 US TW, US Sonic, UK30, Jazz 120, Regal Tone, Carol, Mr. Smith1 |
The model names are Mooer's own, riffing on well-known amp designs the way pedal makers traditionally do. Several of the names echo models from Mooer's earlier preamp lines, such as the Mooer Taxidea Taxus, Mooer Cali Dual and Mooer UK Gold 900, alongside Micro PreAMP series entries like the MOOER Micro PreAMP 007 Regal Tone and MOOER Micro PreAMP 014 Taxidea Taxus.
Impulse responses and USB C
The pedal supports third-party impulse responses, uploaded to it via its USB C port1. That lets you pair any of the preamp models with cab simulations of your choosing rather than being locked to whatever speaker voicing the pedal ships with. For players running into a PA or headphones, that is the piece that completes the amp-and-cab chain in one small box.
Where it sits in the X2 series
The Preamp Model X2 was the fourth unit in Mooer's X2 series, joining the previously unveiled D7 X2 Delay and R7 X2 Reverb pedals and the Groove Loop stereo looper pedal1. The X2 format across the series typically carries 14 presets or algorithms, stereo output, six controls and dual footswitches5, and the Preamp Model X2 follows that template with its 14 banks and two footswitches.
A separate pedal, the Mooer Preamp Model X X2, was announced in March 2022 alongside the Cab X2 as another amp-modeling member of the X2 line. It is a distinct product from the Preamp Model X2 covered here, though the two share the dual-channel, 14-preset concept.
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Questions
Can the Mooer Preamp Model X2 load third-party impulse responses?
Yes. The pedal supports third-party impulse responses, which you upload to it through its USB C port. That means you are not limited to the stock cab sounds and can use IR files from any maker that sells them.
How many presets does the Preamp Model X2 have?
It has 14 savable preset banks, and each bank holds two separate channel settings, Channel A (purple) and Channel B (blue). That gives you 28 distinct preamp setups you can reach from the pedal's two footswitches.
Is the Mooer Preamp Model X2 analog or digital?
It is a digital preamp. The amp models are sampled digitally rather than built from analog circuitry, which is what allows 14 presets, two channels per preset, and impulse response loading over USB C.
What power does the Preamp Model X2 use?
It runs on a standard 9V DC power supply, the same center-negative supply most pedalboards already use. It does not take a battery.
What does the Save button do on the Preamp Model X2?
The Save button stores your current settings to one of the 14 preset banks. Once a sound is saved, you can recall it from either footswitch depending on which channel mode you are in.
Sources (5)
- 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
- Mooer Harmony X2 and Tender Octaver X2 added to X2 Series, gearnews.com, 2024-01-17
- Mooer Preamp Model X X2, Delicious Audio, 2022-03-16
- Guitar Pedal X, Guitar Pedal X, 2024-01-17
