Click to visit Sweetwater Click to visit Gearank

Koch Superlead Preamp Pedal

Koch Amps introduce the new Superlead, a tube-driven guitar preamp in stompbox format with modern overdrive tones.

Koch Superlead Preamp

This compact preamp comes with two channels, Clean and Overdrive, with 3-band EQ controls and Boost switch for adding more gain.

The company says that the new Koch Superlead is designed to be a practical but still “analog” alternative to heavy and bulky tube amps. For its size, the pedal has a number of routing and output options, allowing it to easily integrate into existing rigs or to work as a stand-alone preamp. With this pedal, you can route your signal to a recording or mixing console, to an amplification device or to a monitor system.

Behaving like the front end of a modern tube amp, the new Koch Superlead comes with two independent channels for Clean and Overdrive. The official description describes the two channel by saying, “The Clean channel is focused on clarity and full frequency response to accurately reproduce your guitar’s tone. The Overdrive channel fattens that sound with a lush contemporary gain that can be stepped up to high gain with the Boost switch, for flat out chunk or those singing leads with almost endless sustain…..taking you from the pop world to hard-rock with a couple of silent switches”.

Another nifty feature of this pedal is the availability of pre and post FX loops routing. This allows for advanced users to carefully line up their effects pedals. As an example, you can use the non-buffered pre-FX loop to add tone shaping pedals before the pre-amp, and use the fully buffered post-FX loop to insert modulation effects like Chorus and Flanger after the preamp.

For even more pedalboard-friendly convenience, Koch equipped the Superlead with a 9VDC output for powering additional pedals (daisy chain) up to 200mA. And to avoid potential damage, the pedal is said to be fully protected against short-circuit.

The preamp pedal also comes with a remote control input, which will allow you to control the pedal via MIDI switchers and other 3rd party switching devices.

For direct to console recording or live performance, Superlead comes with a balanced XLR DI output with line level signal, speaker emulation and ground-lift. There is also a separate 1/4″ output port with switch-able levels that you can use to connect with a guitar amp or any type of powered speakers. Note that both outputs can work simultaneously!

Features:

  • Single 12AX7 preamp tube
  • Clean channel with volume control
  • Overdrive channel with gain and volume controls
  • Silent (clickless) switches for Clean/Overdrive and OD boost (with LED on/off indicators)
  • Shared 3-band EQ section
  • Non-buffered pre-FX Loop
  • Fully buffered post-FX Loop
  • Monitor output with (OdbV) for power amp, (-10 dbV) to FX return and (re-amp) to clean channel input
  • Balanced XLR DI REC/PA output with speaker emulation
  • Remote control input (for midi switcher or external switching)
  • 12VAC power supply input (adaptor is included)
  • 9VDC/200mA power supply output

Finally, the company assures that they only use high-grade components and that they house these components in a tank tough aluminum housing.

The expected street price for the new Koch Superlead Preamp pedal is $349. For more information, you can head over to Koch Amps

Related Articles:

Orange Bax Bangeetar Preamp EQ Pedal

overdrive pedals
Click here for our feature on the Best Overdrive Pedals!
 

1 thought on “Koch Superlead Preamp Pedal”

  1. Koch Superlead
    Guitarlad

    This is a fantastic sounding pedal. I run the Digitech RP360 ( I know, not high-end but really does sound good once you know how to tweak it) in the Post Effects (amp sims off). Sounds is distinct and all its own but does hint of a Modified JCM800. The clean channel is great also.
    I run direct at most venues and use a small 1×12 tube combo (bypass the preamp) for a stage monitor. All I get is raves from the soundman about how good it sounds. The only feature missing is a line level adjustment or (Pad) I do like to run it hot and sometimes the venues board cant handle the hot signal (cheap systems). I will solve this with an inline attenuator to bring the level down to the board and keep my stage signal hot and rocking. Thanks Koch for a wonderful product, I will be buying another for my second rig.

Leave a Reply