Modelling Guitar Preamps

The Mooer micro preamp 009 -ENGL Blackmore is a great preamp! The cleans are fuller than most and the Hi Gain channel is articulate and bright. I compaired it to my AMT Elect E-1 (ENGL Fireball -JFET preamp) and found it to be very dynamic. Awsome value. I got more chord clarity from the AMT but the Mooer was brighter & w/ 2 channels. I boosted them both w/ a TS7 Tube Screamer and it lit it up. Solos are nice and present in the mix and harmonics are abundant. The mids can be cut heavy w/o an extra eq I found! m/ Classic Brutal ENGL tone! Can be used to turn a good amp into an entirely diff sounding amp thru the FX loop return.

SOUND:
To describe the Mooer Preamp 019 you could definitely say it is ‘amp-like.’ A true preamp with cab simulation (which you can turn off), the sound is authentic, rich and dynamic.



The Clean channel is crystal clear, no matter the 3-band (treble, mids & bass) EQ settings. Using a lot of treble does not make it harsh and using a lot of bass does not make it muddy. Overall you can achieve some great classic rock lead tones on Channel 2 (high-gain channel), whereas Channel 1 (clean) works well for both undistorted passages and when you want to integrate your favorite distortion/drive/fuzz pedal.

The cab simulation aspect is impressive, as well. Often I use a different brand of cab simulator when reviewing gear (recorded direct to DAW), but the built-in cab sim in the Preamp 019 sounded superior and a better match. On a related note, although I have used a different preamp when testing pedals, I found the Preamp 019 produced equal, yet different results. What I mean is, when driving a fuzz or distortion through the other brand of preamp, you would get a particular sound (obviously). When driving those same pedals through Preamp 019 those pedals, too, sounded very good, yet very different. This makes sense since every preamp has its own tonal characteristics and the same dirt pedal can sound very different with different preamps. Since Mooer has 20 different preamps in its repertoire, it could be an addictive and enjoyable trend in ‘chasing the tone.’ In a different review I’ll be looking at Mooer’s Preamp 020 (based on the Bruno UG30) and I will include how pedals sound through that amp.

OVERALL IMPRESSION:
Mooer has established itself in the effects and audio industry over the past few years, and with this being the first review I’ve done on one of its products I can see (and hear) why. Now, the Preamp 019 is considered by Mooer to be “a faithful recreation of a 1967 50 Watt British classic, sampled from the personal collection of Tracii Guns in 2017,” and I’m not one to argue otherwise, nor do I have the experience to challenge that notion. What I can say is that this little pint-sized pedal delivers an enormous amount of tone that sounds very real and dynamic, just like an amp/cab should. And having reviewed other ‘Marshall-type’ gear, the Preamp 019 does have that characteristic in spades. You get crisp cleans, the overdrive channel is very warm, yet punchy (with a ton of harmonics and dynamics) and the tone quality continues to sound great as you roll off the guitar’s volume. Although you can run the Preamp 019 direct into recording software or a board, it also was designed to be put through your amp’s effects return – in doing so, you not only get your amp’s sound, but when the Preamp 019 is engaged you resort to a Vintage 1967 Marshall 50W Head! In fact, this is how all the Mooer preamps are designed to work, thus offering musicians an amp sound they like at a fraction of the cost and size (weight!).

EASE OF USE:
The UK Gold PLX Preamp 019 operates very much like an amplifier. You have a basic 3-band EQ (treble, midrange & bass), with volume and gain knobs. The footswitch offers a dual operating mode, which I’ll describe later. The LED button also serves a few purposes, as I’ll explain. So far, much of this is straight forward – tweak the EQs and the amount of volume/gain desired (although keep in mind that a lot of Gain actually sounds pretty darn good when you roll back your guitar’s volume). The most advanced part of this pedal is the footswitch and the LED button. The footswitch can turn the pedal on and off, whereas the LED button allows you to select Channel 1 (clean) or Channel 2 (overdriven). However, if you hold down the footswitch for 2-seconds it then switches between Channel 1 and Channel 2 without shutting anything off. And if you hold down the LED button for 2-seconds you engage the cab simulation (which is highly useful when connecting direct to a soundcard, powered monitor or P.A., and without the need for a guitar amp or speaker cab).

RELIABILITY & DURABILITY:
Measuring 9.35 x 4.2 x 5.2 cm (DxWxH) or 3.7 x 1.7 x 2.0 inches and weighing 160g, Mooer’s Preamp 019 requires a 9VDC power supply with 300mA to function properly, which is a lot of power for such a little guy (then again… it’s a preamp and they push a lot of power). The pedal feels heavy for its size, and so I presume the chassis is steel. The footswitch is solid in feel, but has a soft switch-over (no hard clicking) to turn a Channel on or off or to switch between Channels. The footswitch is somewhat close to the other knobs/controls or the LED light, but the switch is set quite a bit higher to prevent any foot-stomping mishaps. The EQ, Volume and Gain controls are small, but appear to be of good quality; and their pots turn smoothly, as well. The input/output, including the power supply input, all are located low on the pedal (toward its base), thereby providing more clearance of a stomping foot.

https://mooeraudio.ca/product/micro-preamp-019-uk-gold-plx/

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SOUND:


Of all the preamps I’ve used, this is by far one of the best; and it makes other pedals sound incredible. There is plenty of warmth and dynamics in the notes, whether playing on the clean channel or the distorted channel. The clean channel sounds very full and rich, whereas the distortion is completely unique in its quality and tone while delivering some high-end sparkle. Both channels sound very amp-like and non-sterile, although it should be noted that the distorted Channel 2 is not high-gain (Metal)… it’s Rock-based or meant for less aggressive playing. Regardless, adding any high-gain pedals to the clean channel sounds marvelous and to the point that it now has become my number one choice of preamp. Even the cabinet simulation in this pedal works well enough that I did not use any other cabinet simulation or load box in the demo video.

Although I have several preamps, and some are very specific in quality and sound (as found with Marshall plexi tones), there is something very different with the Blueno 020 preamp and Mooer really captured something great in this micro pedal. The term ‘organic’ has been over-used when describing tones and equipment (whether digital or analog), but it certainly remains true and appropriate with the Blueno 020. I ran other gear into this pedal, including a vintage fuzz by Doc Music Station and the Friedman BE-OD Deluxe and the results have been superior to other preamps that tend to produce a more sterile or thinner sound in comparison.

OVERALL IMPRESSION:
This preamp is based on one of the best sounding amps that has won various awards, including the Guitar Player ‘The Years Best Gear’ for 1997. Mooer’s Blueno micro preamp 020 emulates the Bruno UG30 and has done a fabulous job at recreating those superb cleans and unique distortions with dynamics and richness that makes this pedal a must-have. It sounds great on its own, whether playing Blues, Jazz or Rock, but when utilizing your favorite dirt pedals into the clean channel you will achieve full-bodied flavor that truly is amp-like. The built-in cabinet simulator seals the deal and whatever technology went into that surpasses what other cabinet sims I have on hand could do… the others sounded fine, but not nearly as good as the built-in cab sim found in the Blueno 020. At a price of $119 Canadian (about $99 USD), this is such a great investment if you’re looking for quality rich tones and a preamp that pulls all the details from your favorite pedals.

EASE OF USE:
The Blueno micro preamp operates very much like an amplifier. First, there is a basic 3-band EQ (treble, midrange & bass), with volume and gain knobs. Those are fairly straight forward, although I found I needed a lot more treble and far less midrange and bass to get the tone I wanted (very smooth and thick with cleans, but a bit muddy with dirt pedals if you try to push the mids or bass too much). The footswitch works within a dual operating mode, to be addressed later. The LED button serves two purposes, also addressed in this section. Thus far, operating the Blueno 020 preamp is straight forward – adjust the EQs and the amount of volume/gain (that desired and relative to how clean or driven you want it and whether using dirt pedals). Now, onto the footswitch and the LED button: as with most pedals, the footswitch turns the pedal on and off. However, if you hold down the footswitch for 2-seconds it then switches between Channel 1 and Channel 2 without shutting anything off. If you allowed the footswitch to act as an on-and-off control, then you need to access the Channels via the LED button. Now, if you hold down the LED button for 2-seconds the cab simulation engages, which not only sounds perfect with this preamp, but which makes it very useful for direct recording/playing to a soundcard, powered monitor or P.A., and without the need for a guitar amp or speaker cab.

RELIABILITY & DURABILITY:
Measuring 9.35 x 4.2 x 5.2 cm (DxWxH) or 3.7 x 1.7 x 2.0 inches, and weighing only 160g, the Blueno micro preamp 020 pedal feels heavy for its size, thus suggesting a steel chassis. The footswitch has a solid feel with a soft switch-over (no hard clicking) to turn a Channel on or off or to switch between Channels. Although close to the other knobs/controls and the LED light, the footswitch is set quite a bit higher to those smaller knobs/button to prevent any foot-stomping accidents. The EQ, Volume and Gain controls are small, but are of good quality; and their pots turn smoothly and without feeling loose. The input/output, including the power supply input, all are located low on the pedal (toward its base), thereby providing more clearance of a stomping foot. The Blueno 020 requires a 9VDC power supply with 300mA to function properly (connected in the back of the pedal), although the manual claims a 220mA draw (consequently, best use 300mA).

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https://mooeraudio.ca/product/micro-preamp-020-blueno/