The Mooer UK Gold 900 is a compact digital preamp pedal from MOOER, part of the company's Micro Preamp line. MOOER describes its micro preamps as "sonically accurate digital recreations of the preamp sections of popular tube amplifiers", and the UK Gold 900 is pitched at classic British crunch: the maker says it is "based on one of the very staples of 'in-house amplification' at venues and studios all over the world" and carries "the characteristic mid bite that shaped the sound of modern rock music as we know it."1
In a MusicRadar review video, presenters Simon Arblaster and Michael-Astley Brown identified the amp behind the model directly: "the UK gold 900 based on the uh jcm 900."2
What it does and how you use it
The pedal gives you two channels of the modeled preamp, plus a built-in speaker cabinet simulation, so it can be more than a gain stage on a board. MOOER's guidance for the closely related MOOER 019 UK Gold PLX, which shares the same micro preamp format, spells out the connection options: plug it into a power amp or your amplifier's effects return, with MOOER noting it highly recommends using a tube amplifier, or connect it directly to a sound card with the speaker cab simulation engaged for recording.3
Because the UK Gold 900 also carries delay and reverb modes with tap tempo, it can act as a compact amp-and-effects front end rather than only a preamp.1
Power and connections
The pedal needs a 9V DC adapter with a center negative pin and draws 300mA. MOOER recommends using its own Mooer Micro Power supply.1
At 300mA, the UK Gold 900 draws more current than many low-output slots on a pedalboard power supply provide. Make sure the output you use can supply 300mA rather than sharing it with other pedals.1
The input is a 1/4" mono audio jack with a 1 meg Ohm impedance, and the output is a 1/4" mono audio jack at 100 Ohms.1
Size and weight
The micro preamp format is the point: MOOER lists the UK Gold 900 at 160g and 93.5mm deep by 42mm wide by 52mm high, small enough to sit alongside standard compact pedals on a board.1
The UK Gold 900 and the UK Gold PLX
MOOER's line includes a closely related model, the MOOER 019 UK Gold PLX, which the maker also lists as a digital preamp with dual channels, integrated speaker cabinet simulation and dual operating modes.3
| UK Gold 900 | UK Gold PLX (019) | |
|---|---|---|
| Type | Digital Preamp1 | Digital Preamp3 |
| Channels | Dual channels1 | Dual channels3 |
| Power | 9V DC, center negative, 300mA1 | DC 9V, 300mA, center pin negative3 |
| Weight | 160g1 | 160g3 |
| Dimensions | 93.5mm (D) x 42mm (W) x 52mm (H)1 | 93.5mm (D) x 42mm (W) x 52mm (H)1 |
For the UK Gold PLX, MOOER gives more detail on the amp behind the model, calling it "a faithful recreation of a 1967 50 Watt British classic" and saying the company "sampled an excellent example of this amplifier" from the private collection of guitarist Tracii Guns in 2017.3 The review video from MusicRadar places the UK Gold 900 itself with the JCM900.2
If you want more flexibility than a single fixed model, MOOER's later Preamp Model X2 is a dual-channel digital preamp pedal in the same family of compact preamps. Other micro preamps in the line cover different amp flavors, such as the Mooer 017 Cali MK IV and the Mooer 006 US Classic Deluxe. For the wider category, see Preamp Pedals.
Review video
MusicRadar's 2017 video review walks through the UK Gold 900, with the presenters identifying it as based on the JCM900 and demonstrating the pedal's sounds.2
Videos
MOOER Audio
MOOER Audio
Direct Recording Guitar
Questions
What amp is the Mooer UK Gold 900 based on?
MOOER describes the UK Gold 900 as capturing classic British crunch, based on an amplifier that is a staple of in-house amplification at venues and studios. In a MusicRadar review video, the presenters identified the basis as the JCM900. MOOER's related UK Gold PLX model is described as a recreation of a 1967 50 Watt British classic, sampled from Tracii Guns' collection in 2017.
Is the Mooer UK Gold 900 analog or digital?
It is digital. MOOER describes its micro preamps as sonically accurate digital recreations of the preamp sections of popular tube amplifiers, and the UK Gold 900 is listed as a Digital Preamp on the maker's product page.
What power supply does the Mooer UK Gold 900 need?
It runs on a 9V DC adapter with a center negative pin and draws 300mA. MOOER recommends using its own Mooer Micro Power supply. Because of the 300mA current draw, check that your pedalboard power supply can supply that much on one output before daisy chaining.
Does the Mooer UK Gold 900 have delay and reverb?
Yes. MOOER lists modes with delay and reverb effects with tap tempo functionality alongside the preamp itself, so the pedal can cover time-based effects as well as the amp preamp section.
How much does the Mooer UK Gold 900 weigh?
MOOER lists the weight at 160g, with dimensions of 93.5mm deep by 42mm wide by 52mm high, which is what makes it a micro preamp sized to fit a crowded pedalboard.
Sources (3)
- 002 - UK Gold 900_MOOER Audio, MOOER Audio
- Mooer Micro Preamps & Baby Bomb 30, MusicRadar, 2017-06-02
- 019 - UK Gold PLX_MOOER Audio, MOOER Audio
