The Red Witch ELIOS PRE is a guitar-specific preamp and boost pedal, which the maker describes as "a glorious sounding, guitar specific preamp/ boost device"1. Its circuit is drawn from the Helios Pre, the input channel stage of British studio consoles: Red Witch founder Ben Helton says, "I've distilled the core facets of the Helios Pre and created….. ELIOS."1 It sits in the same family as other preamp designs you can read about on the Preamp Pedals and Boost Pedals pages.
Where it came from
The ELIOS PRE is part of Red Witch's Nouveau series, a limited production line. Red Witch states that "There will only ever be 49 of these made," and that "Like all of our NOUVEAU series, the ELIOS will sell out quickly"1. The pedal is now listed as sold out1.
The ELIOS PRE is a limited edition of 49 units and is sold out. Red Witch notes it was never offered as a standard stomp pedal format release: "It was never a stomp pedal"1.
The circuit
The ELIOS uses discrete transistor circuitry, and Red Witch says it is built "using the exact same transistors as the original" Helios console channel1. The pedal runs from an internally generated 24 volt supply, the same operating voltage as the original console stage, boosted from a standard 9 volt DC pedal power supply1. Construction is hand wired using classic through-hole component assembly, with premium components throughout1.
Controls
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| Gain | Determines the increase in gain generated by the ELIOS's discrete transistor circuitry1 |
| Volume | Determines the overall output of the pedal1 |
What it does to your sound
Red Witch's own description is direct: "With buckets of additional gain, ELIOS is able to easily push tube amps into overdrive"1. In practice that places it among preamp pedals players use to drive an amp's front end, a use it shares with dedicated overdrive designs covered on the Overdrive Pedals page.
Videos
Red Witch Pedals
Questions
Is the Red Witch ELIOS PRE sold out?
Yes. Red Witch lists the ELIOS PRE as sold out on its product page as of October 2026. It was a limited production pedal from the company's Nouveau series, priced at 349 USD, and Red Witch noted that like all Nouveau series releases it would sell out quickly.
How many Red Witch ELIOS PRE pedals were made?
Red Witch states that there will only ever be 49 of these pedals made. The ELIOS PRE is part of the company's Nouveau series, a limited production line, and the pedal is now sold out.
What is the Helios Pre that the ELIOS PRE is based on?
The Helios Pre is the input channel stage of British studio consoles. Red Witch says it distilled the core facets of that circuit into the ELIOS, using the exact same transistors as the original and running at the same 24 volt operating voltage, generated internally from a standard 9 volt DC pedal power supply.
Can the ELIOS PRE push a tube amp into overdrive?
Yes. According to Red Witch, with its additional gain the ELIOS is able to easily push tube amps into overdrive. The Gain control sets how much gain the discrete transistor circuitry generates, and the Volume control sets the pedal's overall output.
Sources (1)
- ELIOS PRE, Red Witch Pedals
