Sinvertek Perfects the Full-Range Amp-Like Preamp Pedal with its new 14 Controls and 19 Superior Levels of Gain - N5 MGAT-1 Hyper Preamp MIAB
Readers will surely know by know that I’m a huge fan of Mr Wu’s Sinvertek - and own all key iterations of the N5 Series which has somewhat grown in complexity and prowess over the years - also in price! The first Sinvertek No.5 Distortion emerged in 2015 and the latest MGAT-1 Hyper Preamp edition is essentially the 5th major iteration over those 7 years. I also felt that surely the N5+ 3D Gold Edition was the Ultimate Edition - and the highest peak of innovation and evolution this could get - where many likened that previous version at its core to the Soldano SLO-100. I however have always likened this series to JCM800’s - and so it’s fitting that this latest edition is fully a homage to 60 Years of Killer Marshall Amps - engineered to deliver 5 of those amps’ tones best associated with the Marshall Brand.
The last few editions have been limited runs - and this is supposedly restricted to 250 units - while Mr Wu has a track record for spinning out further tweaked editions. I've been a fan since I got involved in late 2017 - and have picked up every major iteration since - including the very limited CKK Scream Honey Gold - which is a sister brand to Sinvertek - also made by Mr Wu.
In any case the newest version ramps up the complexity going from 12 Controls to 14. It sheds its former Resonance Knob but gains 3 further 3-way toggles for Clean Channel Filter / Preamp Type Selection, and for Gain Channel Options / Enhancements - one per each of the now 3 Channel Types.
Some people have been fairly negative about the jumble of controls - while I've grown very used to them over the years - and I feel that the current pedal is in part inspired by the visual I did back in the day for the N5+ pedal (as below) :
In any case MGAT-1 stands for Multistage Gain Generator & Advanced Tone-shaping system platform 1.
It is the most capable and authentically amp-like preamp format I've yet encountered - and to find this in a compact enclosure is simply staggering next level engineering. This is very much a Full Amp Circuit topology in pedal format with evolved and enhanced controls. I've been using my N5's for Low Gain applications since the N5+ - while the MGAT-1 is the first edition to deliver a Clean Channel too - so you get wholly full range here from Clean to Extreme - up through 19 different levels / gears of Gain!
There's no demo for this edition yet - so I will rely on 3 demos from the previous killer N5+ 3D Gold and Standard Editions - as at the bottom of this feature. Here below first I will transcribe the text from the Sinvertek website - which gives a fairly detailed picture of what this pedal covers - with some accompanying diagrams too!
100% Amp Tone
NOTE : The below Text is lifted Verbatim from the Sinvertek Website which is not particularly mobile-friendly - all said text is as written originally by Sinvertek on www.sinvertek.com/2nd/mgat1/mgat1.html :
(some of the visuals have been tidied-up and transposed!).
"About 5 years ago, Wu came up with an idea that can completely get 100% amp tone. It is different from the first generation of N5 family, It is a totally new design thinking, and Wu established a new circuit platform for it. After years of experimentation and verification,in the summer of 2022, this ultimate mission -100% amp tone has been finally achieved by Wu."
"Yes, you read that correctly, 100% amp tone! The MGAT-1 is just placed in the housing of pedal, in fact, its circuit is the same with amp's preamp circuit. It is exactly the same as the real tube amp in terms of frequency response, dynamics and touch sensitivity, even the EQ shimmer is also the same. Meanwhile, the EQ circuit is more complicated than amps tò suit for a variety of applications."
Design Thinking
"In order to get 100% amp tone, Wu created a new design thought, it is based on the same power amp and cab platform. Firstly, designing a preamp pedal and let it go into the amp's FX loop return or IN port of power amp, then repeated comparison and modification with the tone of amp's preamp, to make the preamp pedal has the exact same tone as the preamp of amp. Once this goal is achieved, the first step is achieved - 100% amp tone. Next, designing a complex clean channel filter, and make it can select the brightness of cleanchannel, at this point the second step is achieved- applying 100% amp tone to various clean channels."
Hyper Preamp
"Wu defines the preamp that can be connected to both power amp and clean channel as hyper preamp. The hyper preamp is different from the traditional ones, due to equipped with the unique clean channel filter, the hyper preamp can be connected not only to the power amp but also to the clean channel like a normal pedal, and when connecting it to clean channel, can get the same 100% amp tone as connecting it to the power amp."
MGAT-1 Platform
"The new generation of N5 family is based on Multistage Gain Generator & Advanced Tone-shaping system platform 1, MGAT-1."
"MGAT-1 has the most powerful gain generator circuit. Firstly, three completely different channels are formed by increasing or decreasing the number of gain stages, CLEAN & CRUNCH channel, OD1 channel and OD2 channel. These three channels have different numbers of gain stages, and getting different amounts of gain. The CLEAN & CRUNCH channel is designed according to JTM45, it can get classic early British clean and crunch tone; The OD1 channel is the OD tone of hard rock from the late 60s to the 80s, covering JCM800 and PLEXI; The OD2 is the high-gain tone of modern Marshall, from high-gain to ultra-gain. Meanwhile, the OD1 and OD2 channels have a shared 3-levels selectable gain structure and an independent 3-levels selectable gain saturation. About Gain Structure, it means to adjust the structure of the gain stage to get different gain feel. About Gain Saturation, it means to adjust the amplification amount of the gain stage to get the different feel of gain tone. So, in gain generator part, MGAT-1 can provide 19 different gain tone, covering from clean to ultra- gain, also gain tones of various amplification styles."
"MGAT-1 has the most advanced tone shaping system circuit. The tone shaping system can accurately capture the frequency response of the tube amp, so that the response of the tone as the volume changes is completely consistent with the tube amp, when playing in different positions of volume knob on the guitar, you can't tell which is the tube amp and which is the MGAT-1. Even the shimmer generated by tube
amp's tone stack, MGAT-1 also can accurately generate."
"MGAT-1 has a clean channel filter, this is the biggest difference between MGAT-1 and other preamps. Once the signal passes through this clean channel filter, it can be used in any clean channel of various brightness. If turning off clean channel filter, MGAT-1 will be connected to power amp or other devices like other normal preamps."
"The EQ part of MGAT-1 is very powerful. It is not only reflected in frequency response, the adjustment of frequency points is also perfect. Moreover, the EQ adjustment range is much wider than that of tube amp, the advantage of this is that the MGAT-1 is able to have more adjustment margin to get better tone when using in the clean channel, or if it is used as a preamp, there are richer tone adjustments than
traditional amps."
95% Similarity to 5 Classic Marshall Tones
"MGAT-1 is based on five classic marshall models, and though years of comparative analysis and experiments. MGAT-1 covers from Marshall vintage clean in 1962 to the iconic Marshall crunch in the 70s & 80s, and also later modern high-gain, so to speak, MGAT-1 is a book about the history of Marshall, all kinds of legendaryMarshall tone can be obtained by adjusting MGAT-1."
"The green channel of MGAT-1 is compared with the JTM45's bright channel; The orange channel is compared and modified from 1987X bright channel, SLP59 bright channel and JCM800 HI Input; The red channel is compared with the orange status and red status of JVM410H's OD1 channel and OD2 channel. These comparative experiments have been repeated thousands of times, modified and corrected. Wu can tell you responsibly that the tone similarity with Marshall amps reach 95%, you can get these tones according to the parameters of some models given by Wu."
"2022 is the 60th anniversary of Marshall, the greatest amp brand ever, Wu hope to do his part to promote great and authentic Marshall tone though MGAT-1."
MGAT-1 Gain Range Compared with N5+ 3D
The Gain Range of my N5+ 3D Gold is already incredibly impressive - but the MGAT-! marvellously delivers even more - from the sparkliest of Cleans to the most saturated of Extremes!
Wu's Lab Bench Line
"The analog circuits always have many uncertainty, meanwhile the consistency of discrete devices is not good, so the MGAT-1 will be entirely made by Wu himself. The major content includes : "
- "Select amplifier components. The performance of the amplifier components directly affects the performance of the circuit
- Control the soldering temperature curve to ensure the perfect activity of the capacitors
- Circuit debug, measure and match each amplifier stage
- Sound check and detailed comparison with legendary Marshall amps
- If find any problems with the details of the tone, go back to the fourth step, re-test and modify"
Pre-Order & Delivery in Batches
"Please send email to officialsales@sinvertek.com with your shipping info. Our sales team will confirm and reply within 3 days."
"Each MGAT-1 will be entirely made by Wu, the production process is complex and rigorous. The pedals will be make delivery in three batches."
- 1st Batch : 1# - 90# Oct. 15th. 2022
- 2nd Batch : 91# - 180# Dec. 1st, 2022
- 3rd Batch : 181# - 250# Jan. 15th, 2023
"Please refer to the purchase page to check out the terms of return and warranty."
Typical Cost is $349 for the MGAT-1, then $10 PayPal Fee and $20 Shipping so a total of around $379±
I personally was very quick off the mark - so I'm hoping to have one around my Birthday!
Most Recent N5+ 3D Demos
