The Peavey VTM Preamp Pedal is a preamp pedal that puts the front end of one of Peavey's own high-gain amplifiers on a pedalboard. Peavey describes it as a TransTube recreation of the legendary Peavey VTM 60/120 preamp circuit, circa 1987, built in a pedal1. It is a single-channel design: gain comes from the Pre Gain control, level from Post Gain, and tone from a three-band passive EQ1.
Controls and connections
The pedal keeps its controls to the essentials of the original amp's preamp section1:
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| Pre Gain | Sets how hard the preamp is driven |
| Post Gain | Sets the output level |
| Three-band passive EQ | Passive bass, mid and treble tone shaping |
| 8-position DIP switch | Custom Response Modifications, internal voicing changes |
| Hard Bypass switch | Bypasses the pedal, with an anti-click circuit |
Connections are a pair of TRS 1/4" jacks handling audio in and out, with a 1 kohm output impedance1. The DIP switch is the unusual control here: rather than a knob, it is a bank of eight small internal switches that Peavey says are for Custom Response Modifications, letting you alter the preamp's response beyond what the panel controls reach2.
Power
Peavey specifies an internal HV TransTube supply running from a standard 9V supply or battery2. The high-voltage internal supply is part of how the pedal gets its tube-style headroom from a solid-state circuit, and it means the pedal can run on a single 9V source like most of a pedalboard.
Price and where it sits in the range
Peavey announced the VTM alongside four other preamp pedals based on its own classic amps in January 2025, each at $1993. Guitar Pedal X's Stefan Karlsson, covering the announcement, wrote: "In fact the VTM looks the most intriguing to me, and would be the one I most likely went for"3. Peavey's international product page shows the pedal at £152.002.
The VTM sits in a family of Peavey preamp pedals covering other amps from the company's history, including the Peavey Session-LTD 400 Preamp Pedal, the Peavey Bandit Supreme Teal Stripe Preamp Pedal, the Peavey Decade Preamp and the Peavey Rock Master Preamp Pedal3. For more on the format, see Preamp Pedals.
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Questions
Does the Peavey VTM preamp pedal run on a battery?
Yes. Peavey's product page lists an internal HV TransTube supply that runs from a standard 9V supply or battery, so the pedal can be powered either way. The high-voltage internal supply is part of how the pedal reproduces the feel of the original VTM 60/120 preamp circuit without a tube.
What does the DIP switch on the Peavey VTM pedal do?
The pedal carries an 8-position DIP switch for Custom Response Modifications. It lets you change how the preamp responds internally, beyond what the front-panel knobs offer, so the pedal can be tailored closer to how you want the VTM voicing to sit.
Is the Peavey VTM preamp pedal true bypass?
Peavey describes the footswitch as a Hard Bypass switch with an anti-click circuit. That is the bypass arrangement the maker specifies for the pedal; the company does not use the phrase true bypass on the product page.
How much does the Peavey VTM preamp pedal cost in the US?
Guitar Pedal X listed the VTM Preamp Pedal at $199 in January 2025, when Peavey announced its five amp-series pedals. Peavey's own international product page shows a price of £152.00, which is the UK figure rather than a US one.
What is TransTube technology?
TransTube is Peavey's name for its solid-state approach to recreating tube-amp behavior. On this pedal, Peavey describes the circuit as a TransTube recreation of the legendary Peavey VTM 60/120 preamp circuit from circa 1987, built in a pedal, with an internal high-voltage supply running from a standard 9V source.
Does the Peavey VTM pedal have more than one channel?
No. Peavey's product page lists the VTM Preamp Pedal as a single preamp channel. Gain staging is handled by the Pre and Post Gain controls, with a three-band passive EQ for tone shaping.
Sources (3)
- VTM™ Preamp Pedal, Peavey
- VTM™ Preamp Pedal, Peavey
- Guitar Pedal X, Guitar Pedal X, 2025-01-27
James Brown
