Tone King Imperial Tri-Tube Preamp
Tube Preamp For Electric Guitar
- Two channels
- Tone King's legendary MKII amplifier with the tweed, blackface and vintage British rock sounds of the 50s in a compact, pedalboard-friendly size, with the exact preamp section and phase reverse circuitry of the Imperial MKII amplifier as well as reverb, tremolo and cutback
- The DSP IR Cabinet / Power Amp Simulation sends a studio-quality cab and mic sound to a DAW or mixing console
- Save up to 128 presets for instant recall via an external MIDI switcher
- Tubes: Three 12AX7
- Reverb control: Reverb, Dwell
- Tremolo control: Depth, Speed
- Controls for rhythm channel: Attenuation, Bass, Treble, Volume
- Controls for lead channel: Attenuation, Mid-Bite, Tone, Volume
- Switches: Ground lift, 3-way CAB / IR selector switch per channel
- FX loop: Series
- Line input: 6.3 mm jack
- Send: 6.3 mm jack
- Left & right return 6.3 mm jacks
- Left & right balanced output: Two XLR
- To amp in: 6.3 mm jack
- From amp send: 6.3 mm jack
- To amp return: 6.3 mm jack
- Headphone: 6.3 mm stereo jack
- MIDI in: 5-pin
- USB-C
- Power supply connection: Barrel connector 5.5 x 2.1 mm, centre negative
- Power consumption: 800 mA
- Power supply with a 12 V DC mains adapter (included)
- Dimensions (W x D x H): 183 x 145 x 70 mm
- Weight: 0.9 kg
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Available since April 2025
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Item number 612642
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Sales Unit 1 piece(s)
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Design Stompbox
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Tube(s) Yes
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Amp Modeling No
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Effects Yes
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Headphone Output Yes
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Direct Out Yes
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MIDI Interface Yes
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Integrated Expression Pedal No
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Connections for Pedals or Switches No
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Aux-Input No
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Integrated Tuner No
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USB-Port Yes
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Drum-Computer No
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Effect Types Preamp
Vintage sound in pedal format
The Tone King Imperial Tri-Tube Preamp was developed to authentically reproduce the sonic characteristics of the Tone King Imperial MKII, a 20W 1x12" all-tube combo, for use on pedalboards and in home studios. Designed in the spirit of classic vintage gear, the pedal features two channels, capturing the essence of the revered amplifier and delivering everything from rich, characterful clean sounds to responsive crunch and classic lead tones with plenty of presence. Its three footswitches capture the soul of the entire amplifier in a versatile and accessible format, while a built-in bias tremolo and spring reverb simulation add depth and atmosphere to the sound. An onboard power amp and cabinet simulation in turn provide convincingly direct tones, complemented by a comprehensive effects loop with stereo return for flexible signal routing, and the pedal is even MIDI-compatible.
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Two-channel preamp
Channel 1 of the Tone King Imperial Tri-Tube Preamp offers warm, clean tones and light overdrive, and the player can easily dial in their sound using the volume, bass, and treble controls, creating a sound that blends naturally with pedals placed further up the signal chain and with a tonal character clearly inspired by the classic Blackface-era amps. The lead channel, with its dense, harmonious, and dynamic distortion, is based on the cranked-up Tweed amplifiers of the 1950s, and features level and tone controls as well as a mid-bite control to refine the definition and character of the drive. Designed with versatility in mind, the Imperial Tri-Tube Preamp can be used as a standalone preamp in conjunction with a power amp or as an additional channel for existing amps via an effects loop. The power amplifier and speaker simulation via the XLR sockets also allows operation without accessories – for recordings and for that next session at the mixing console. A headphone output rounds out the setup and offers a useful option for practising in silence.
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Power amp saturation included
The Tone King Imperial MKII is a combo amplifier without a master volume control, which allows the natural saturation of its power amp to play a central role in shaping its lively, responsive sound. To control the volume while maintaining this characteristic behaviour, the original amplifier features the Iron Man II attenuation control, a function that is closely linked to its sound. To replicate this experience in a pedal format, the Imperial Tri-Tube Preamp incorporates a dedicated 0-watt power amplifier with phase inverter and transformer, which is driven by one of the three 12AX7 tubes, to faithfully reproduce the dynamic response of the original design. The degree of saturation is controlled via the volume controls, which gradually bring the virtual power amplifier section into a smooth overdrive, while the channel attenuation controls allow for precise level matching.
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About Tone King
Founded in 1993 by Mark Bartel and based in Baltimore, Maryland, Tone King has built a sterling reputation for its USA-made tube amplifiers, renowned for their vintage-inspired tones. A standout feature is the integrated Ironman attenuator, which allows lower-volume operation without sacrificing tone. Confident in their craftsmanship, Tone King offers a lifetime warranty to first-time buyers. In addition to full amplifiers, the company now produces preamps, speaker cabinets, and standalone Ironman attenuators.
Effects and simulations included
A special feature of the Imperial Tri-Tube Preamp is the built-in digital bias tremolo, which can also be found in analogue form in the original Tone King and numerous vintage amplifiers. This creates a pulsating volume modulation and can be adjusted for speed and intensity, whereas activation can be individually set for each channel. For added ambience, the unit also features a spring reverb based on a realistic impulse response, with controls for level and decay time and the option to assign it to each channel. Both tremolo and reverb operate in stereo, in addition to which the preamp provides power amp and cabinet simulation using impulse responses, offering three selectable IRs for each channel. A free editor for Windows and Mac also gives users even more options, providing access to fifteen additional speaker simulations from OwnHammer for flexible sound design.
In the spotlight
Editor Software
The Imperial Tri-Tube Preamp can be connected via USB-C to the free editor software developed by Synergy Amps for Windows and macOS. This software allows for more detailed editing of the preamp parameters and the storage of settings in up to 128 presets, which can be recalled via MIDI. The editor also enables the footswitch functions to be configured and provides access to additional parameters, including two filters for power amp simulation and full control over the included impulse responses, with the option of importing custom IR files. Advanced settings for the effects loop and integrated effects can also be adjusted via the software.
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