The Asteria Preamp Drive Mk. III is a pedal that is based on the Catalinbread Formula 55, which is itself an adaptation of the Fender Tweed Deluxe amplifier. The Formula 55 is known for its harmonically-rich breakup and the Asteria Preamp Drive Mk. III aims to replicate that sound.

The pedal features a tone control that behaves in a unique way, with its effect diminishing as the gain is turned up. At maximum drive, there is almost no change across the sweep of the tone control. In addition to the gain and tone knobs, the Asteria Preamp Drive Mk. III also includes a master volume, presence control, and a toggle switch to increase the gain.

While the pedal can be used as a standalone overdrive, it is also designed to be reactive to what comes before it, making it ideal for placing after other drive pedals but before modulation effects. This blurs the line between a preamp and an overdrive, giving the pedal versatility in its usage.

The Asteria Preamp Drive Mk. III is the third version of the original Formula No. 5, which was released in 2017. The original Formula No. 5 was preceded by two versions in 2010 and 2011. These earlier versions are available from Aion FX as the Asteria Mk. I and Asteria Mk. II.

The original Formula 55 used MPF4393 JFETs, which are no longer produced. However, the Asteria Mk. III is designed to be compatible with surface-mount JFETs (part number MMBF4393), which are still in production and perform identically to the original JFETs used in Catalinbread pedals.

For those who want to run the Asteria Preamp Drive Mk. III at 18V without an external adapter, it is compatible with the 18V Voltage Doubler / Bypass module. Running the circuit at 18V provides increased volume and clarity.

Overall, the Asteria Preamp Drive Mk. III is a versatile pedal that aims to replicate the harmonically-rich breakup of the Fender Tweed Deluxe amplifier. It can be used as a standalone overdrive or as a reactive preamp, making it a flexible tool for guitarists.

Summary created by AI from the original source.