The SansAmp PSA 2.0 is a compact, programmable preamp pedal from Tech 21 that carries the circuit of the company's SansAmp PSA-1 rackmount unit into a stompbox format. It combines amp emulation with speaker simulation, and Tech 21 says it provides "the flexibility to find almost any conceivable personality within the vintage and modern guitar and bass amp" sound spectrums, as well as an assortment of revered stompboxes1.
The signal path is 100% analog; only the programming and memory sections are digital. That combination gives the pedal 128 memory locations for storing and recalling programs, MIDI capability for calling up programs and storing program data, and what Tech 21 calls zero latency switching, since the audio never passes through the digital domain1.
What it does: a programmable SansAmp preamp for stage and studio
The PSA 2.0 is a hybrid design: analog audio, digital recall. Tech 21 describes it as a preamp, equalizer and cab sim in one unit, aimed at players who want the SansAmp sound with programmable convenience13.
Live, the pedal covers several jobs at once1:
- A preamp direct into a power amp with guitar or bass speaker cabinets
- A direct box to a P.A. system, or both simultaneously
- An outboard processor
In the studio, Tech 21 says you can record direct, enhance existing tracks in mixdowns, and add touches to any instrument1.
A Performance Mode turns the unit into a 3-channel stompbox, giving instant access to your three most used presets from the footswitches1. MIDI handles program selection and program data storage2.
The controls
The control layout carries over from the original rack unit. Delicious Audio notes the PSA 2.0 "bears all of the original controls: Buzz, Punch, Crunch, Drive, Gain (formerly Pre-Amp), Low, High," Level and Trim4. GuitarPlayer's reviewer, Art Thompson, spelled out what each does2:
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| Drive | Works like the volume control on a non-master tube amp |
| Buzz | Boosts or cuts low-end overdrive |
| Punch | Tonal shaping control (part of the original PSA layout) |
| Crunch | Tonal shaping control (part of the original PSA layout) |
| Gain | Input sensitivity, for different flavors of overdrive |
| Low / High | Active shelving EQs that boost or cut up to 18dB |
| Level | Output volume |
| Trim | Global Trim control, adjusts the level of all presets |
The dual band active EQ cuts or boosts ±18dB1. Three footswitches handle down, up, and Active/Search modes, using silent-switching custom actuators12.
Power and connections
The pedal runs on 9V DC, center negative, drawing 200mA3. Tech 21 ships it with a 9V DC universal power supply, Model #DC9, which is auto-switching and self-adjusting from 100V to 240V at 200mA1. Connections are a 1/4-inch 1megOhm input, a 1/4-inch low impedance output, and MIDI in12.
The 200mA current draw is on the higher end for a single pedal. Players running isolated power supplies should check their supply's per-output rating before daisy chaining the PSA 2.0 with other pedals.
History: the PSA-1 rackmount circuit in a pedal
The PSA 2.0 is a pedalboard version of the company's original rackmount unit4. The SansAmp PSA-1 was introduced in rackmount format in 1993, and it and the later PSA-1.1 quickly became studio staples1. Tech 21 says the SansAmp PSA has been used on thousands of major releases, worldwide tours and film soundtracks1, and Premier Guitar reported it was used on countless major releases, film scores, and worldwide tours5.
Guitar World reported that the PSA 2.0's new portable design offers the same analog circuitry and control layout as the rackmount, with 128 memory locations and MIDI capability added6. GuitarPlayer's Art Thompson described the result as "a super-flexible tone machine" based on the PSA-12.
What reviewers said
GuitarPlayer's review, by Art Thompson, was positive across the board2:
- "Excellent sound"
- "Extensive tone-control options"
- "No lag when switching between presets"
On feel, Thompson wrote: "What's impressive is how organic the PSA sounds and how responsive it is to picking dynamics and changes in guitar volume"2. His overall verdict: "the PSA 2.0 is a remarkable pedal offering great analog tones in a full-featured package that fits in a gig bag," earning an Editors' Pick Award2.
"the range and quality of the tones on offer is exceptional, offering a practical and programmable solution for the stage or the studio"
Delicious Audio's Paolo De Gregorio highlighted the same combination of "a warm, all-analog signal path for punchy, responsive, organic sounds with digital recall"4.
Videos
Pete Thorn
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Questions
What are the factory presets on the SansAmp PSA 2.0?
The 49 factory presets are organized by amplifier style. Examples include preset 00 Bypass, preset 01 Plexi in the Marshall styles, presets 20 Mark I and 22 Santana in the Mesa/Boogie styles, and presets 43 MXR+ and 46 Pantera in the miscellaneous styles. The remaining 77 memory locations are free for your own programs.
How many presets does the PSA 2.0 hold?
It has 128 memory locations in total: 49 factory presets and 77 user memory locations for storing and recalling your own programs. A Performance Mode turns the unit into a 3-channel stompbox with instant access to your three most used presets.
Is the PSA 2.0 the same circuit as the PSA-1 rack unit?
Yes in essence. Tech 21 streamlined the architecture of the 1993 SansAmp PSA-1 rackmount into a pedal, keeping the same 100% analog signal path and control layout. Only the programming and memory sections are digital, which is what allows the 128 memory locations and MIDI control.
Can the PSA 2.0 be used as a DI box?
Yes. Live, it can serve as a preamp direct into a power amp with guitar or bass speaker cabinets, as a direct box to a P.A. system, or both simultaneously, and it also works as an outboard processor. Its 1/4-inch low impedance output suits direct recording and P.A. connections.
How big is the SansAmp PSA 2.0?
It measures 7.75 inches long by 2.5 inches wide by 1.25 inches high and weighs 12 ounces, in a rugged all-metal housing. GuitarPlayer's reviewer described it as a full-featured package that fits in a gig bag.
Sources (6)
- PSA 2 - Tech 21 NYC, Tech 21 NYC, 2024-03-13
- Tech 21 SansAmp PSA 2.0 Review, GuitarPlayer, 2020-10-12
- PSA 2.0 by Tech 21, RockBoard PedalPedia, 2026
- Tech 21 SansAmp PSA 2.0, Delicious Audio, 2023-07-10
- Tech 21 Releases the SansAmp PSA 2.0, Premier Guitar, 2019-11-14
- Tech 21's SansAmp PSA 2.0 updates the company's legendary rackmount unit with pedal power and "dizzying versatility", Guitar World, 2019-11-18
