The Tubesteader Sunkeeper is a pedal-style preamp with an all-tube signal path, built to recreate the sound of Orange amps. Delicious Audio's Paolo De Gregorio describes it as "a dual-channel preamp/overdrive recreating the sound of the Orange amps," one that "meticulously recreates the authentic sound of the Orange amps." It sits in the preamp pedal category, but its signal path is genuinely all tube: a pair of 12AX7 vacuum tubes running at a high voltage of around 260V1.
Channels and controls
The Sunkeeper has two channels that cannot be stacked. The Channel footswitch alternates between them1.
| Channel | Controls | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Clean | Volume, treble, bass | Non-master volume circuit1 |
| OD | Volume, gain, bass, middle, treble | Full three-band EQ1 |
The Clean channel's non-master volume circuit means the volume control works the way it does on a non-master amp, rather than acting as a master volume after the gain stages. The OD channel carries the gain control along with bass, middle, and treble EQ1.
Where it goes in a rig
The Sunkeeper is designed to be connected into the front of the amp, into an FX return, or directly into a power amp1. A side-mounted OUT LVL switch sets the output for the destination:
- Switch up, full output mode: for connecting directly into a power amp or powered speaker1
- Switch down, attenuation mode: an attenuated output with a slight high-cut, for the front of a guitar amp, a mixing console, or a recording interface1
Set the OUT LVL switch to match where the Sunkeeper is going. Full output is meant for a power amp or powered speaker; the attenuated setting with its slight high-cut is the one for an amp's front end or for recording1.
Where it sits in Tubesteader's range
At its release, the Sunkeeper was the third stompbox in Tubesteader's roster and the second to feature not one but two 12AX7 vacuum tubes1. Within the company's lineup it sits alongside other tube-equipped preamps, and its two channels are switched from the front panel: the Channel footswitch alternates between the two1.
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Questions
What tubes does the Tubesteader Sunkeeper use?
The Sunkeeper uses a pair of 12AX7 vacuum tubes in an all-tube signal path. The tubes operate at a high voltage of around 260V, which is well above what most pedal circuits run at, and the design is described as a pedal-style preamp rather than a conventional solid-state drive circuit.
Can the Sunkeeper go into an amp's FX return?
Yes. The Sunkeeper is designed to be connected into the front of the amp, into an FX return, or directly into a power amp. A side-mounted OUT LVL switch sets the output level for the destination: full output for a power amp or powered speaker, or an attenuated output with a slight high-cut for an amp's front end, a mixing console, or a recording interface.
Can you stack the Sunkeeper's clean and OD channels?
No. The Sunkeeper has two non-stackable channels, a Clean channel and an OD channel. The Channel footswitch alternates between the two rather than combining them.
What does the OUT LVL switch do on the Sunkeeper?
The OUT LVL switch is side-mounted and offers two output options. Flipping it up enables full output mode for connecting directly into a power amp or powered speaker. Flipping it down engages attenuation mode, with a slight high-cut, for going into the front of a guitar amp or into a mixing console or recording interface.
Does the Sunkeeper have a master volume?
The Clean channel does not: it features a non-master volume circuit and provides volume, treble, and bass controls. The OD channel has volume, gain, and bass, middle, and treble EQ controls.
Sources (1)
- Tubesteader Sunkeeper Preamp, Delicious Audio, 2022-05-10