The ZEQD-Pre is an all-analog tube preamplifier that brings together EarthQuaker Devices' innovative pedal design and Dr. Z Amplification's decades of tube amp expertise.
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Earn rewards every time you shop at AMS. You'll collect points on eligible purchases that turn into promotional savings on future gear, with points typically available several days after your order ships. All you need is a free AMS account — no credit card, financing, or payment plan required.
The more you shop, the more you earn. Create a free account and start earning from your very first eligible purchase. Rewards are applied as a discount on future eligible purchases.
Earn points on eligible purchases with AMS Rewards and turn them into savings on future orders, no credit card required. You can apply points at checkout once they’re available.
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0% Interest
Payment Plan
Don’t sell your soul to a creditor to get the gear you need. At AMS, we want to lower the barriers to create. That’s why we offer in-house 0% financing, and you don’t even have to open a new line of credit! Spread out payments on your credit card to simplify financing and avoid hefty late fees or service charges. Cost shouldn’t interfere with your creativity.
Experience pure analog tone with the EarthQuaker Devices ZEQD-Pre tube preamp pedal. Built in Akron, Ohio, through a collaboration with Dr. Z Amplification, this pedal brings decades of tube amp expertise straight to your pedalboard. No menus, no screens, and no digital interference — just you, your instrument, and the warm, authentic sound of glowing tubes.
The Core of the Tone
At the core of this pedalboard preamp beats the EF86 pentode — the exact same tube responsible for the pristine, high-fidelity chime of Dr. Z’s most revered amplifiers. This component gives you a dynamic, touch-sensitive response that reacts beautifully to every pluck, pick, and strum, turning a lifeless rig into a breathing, highly musical machine.
Authentic Tube Warmth: The EF86 pentode delivers that elusive, organic harmonic richness, giving you an analog foundation that flatters every pedal placed in front of it.
Passive 3-Band EQ: Dial in your dream tone with a highly responsive, predictable passive 3-band EQ, letting you sculpt the lows, mids, and highs to absolute perfection.
Boost on Demand: Stomp the boost footswitch to instantly bypass the EQ section, unleashing a wide-open, full-range volume bump with its own dedicated level control for solos that soar above the mix.
Studio Quality, Stage Ready
Playing a gig without a backline or recording late at night? The ZEQD-Pre is built for the job. Designed to sit at the end of your signal chain, it serves as the ultimate analog control center for direct recording, silent practice, or connecting to a front-of-house mixer.
Analog Cab Sim: Engage the built-in analog cab sim to experience the thumping, realistic feel of a pushed speaker pushing air, keeping your tone massive even through the professional headphone out.
Balanced XLR Output: Send a crystal-clear, studio-grade signal straight to the board using the balanced XLR direct out, ensuring your audience hears every nuanced detail.
Cab Bypass Switch: Prefer your own digital IRs? Simply hit the Cab Bypass switch to send a pure, uncolored tube signal to your favorite modeling software or IR loader.
Beyond the Six-String
Though dreamed up with guitarists in mind, this DI box refuses to be typecast. Its expansive EQ sweep and lush harmonic saturation make it a secret weapon for almost any audio signal, breathing warmth and weight into the coldest digital tracks.
Universal Sonic Sweetener: Plug in your bass, run a vintage synth through it, or warm up harsh vocals — this pedal enriches the sonic color of any instrument you throw its way.
No-Nonsense Operation: Forget firmware updates and IR loading. This pedal offers immediate, musical results the second you plug in, keeping you focused on playing rather than programming.
Akron Assembled: Handcrafted by a dedicated crew of flesh-and-blood artisans (and one highly sophisticated droid) in Ohio, guaranteeing rugged reliability and a lifetime of killer tone.
Your Analog Antidote
The EarthQuaker Devices ZEQD-Pre Tube Preamp Pedal bridges the gap between classic amplifier feel and modern routing convenience. It strips away the sterile complexity of digital modelers, replacing it with the raw, reactive joy of a genuine EF86 tube. If you crave that fat, responsive tone but demand the flexibility of a modern DI, the ZEQD-Pre is the heavy-hitting hardware you need to make your music massive.
Authentic tube warmth and dynamic response from the EF86 pentode
Built-in analog cabinet simulation for realistic amp feel
Activate Foot Switch activates or bypasses the ZEQD-Pre
Boost Foot Switch defeats the tone controls and delivers a full range boost without altering the frequency response. (only active when the Activate switch is on.)
Bass control adjusts frequencies from 20Hz-400Hz
Middle control adjusts frequencies from 400Hz-2KHz
Treble control adjusts Frequencies from 2KHz-20KHz
Level controls output volume when the tone controls are active
Boost controls output volume when the Boost is active and the tone controls are bypassed.
Ground Lift
Cab Bypass to remove the analog cabinet simulation on the XLR out