Radial Engineering PZ Pre Acoustic Preamp

The PZ-Pre is a professional-grade acoustic-instrument preamp designed to give you control, clarity and stage-ready flexibility for any piezo-equipped instrument—from acoustic guitars and 12-strings to violin, mandolin, upright bass or hybrid setups. Built with a 100% discrete class-A piezo-booster circuit and ultra-quiet preamp front end, the PZ-Pre adapts effortlessly to passive or active pickup systems and delivers clean dynamics, high head-room and minimal noise. With dual instrument inputs, sophisticated EQ and feedback-elimination tools, plus separate balanced direct-out paths for the house and stage monitors, this unit becomes a full signal-control hub for serious acoustic rigs. Whether you’re switching guitars mid-set, blending two pickup sources, or shaping your tone for high-gain live monitors, the PZ-Pre offers the professional utility that boutique-level performers demand.

Key Features

• Two independent ¼″ instrument inputs (Input 1 & Input 2) allow quick instrument switching or blending of two pickup systems.
• On-board piezo buffers (PZB) for each input switch the input impedance up to ~10 MΩ—ideal for passive piezo transducers and maintaining natural tone. (Implicit in “high performance 100% discrete class-A PZB piezo boosters, ultra-quiet preamp circuit that will adapt to any pickup system”) 
• Semi-parametric 3-band EQ with shelving bass and treble controls and a mid-band where you can select the centre-frequency and apply boost or cut. 
• Notch filter (sweepable from ~56 Hz to ~330 Hz) plus selectable “Q” (normal or deep) for surgical removal of feedback-prone frequencies without trashing the overall tone. 
• Low-cut/high-pass filter (with selectable cutoffs) to remove stage rumble, sub-resonances or unwanted low-end energy. 
• Dual balanced XLR direct-out paths:
• Pre-EQ (dry) XLR — sends a clean, unprocessed signal to front of house or recording.
• Post-EQ / effects XLR — sends your full processed/monitored signal (including EQ, boost, effects loop) to monitors or a second mix. 
• ¼″ instrument-amp output — for your on-stage amplifier or pedalboard chain, with full effect of the PZ-Pre path (EQ, filters, booster, effects loop) 
• Dedicated tuner-output with mute foot-switch — providing silent tuning or instrument change-over on stage without disrupting the main signal. 
• Built-in effects loop (¼″ send / return) that can be routed via the foot-switch (either the loop alone, boost alone, or both together) for flexible solo or texture control. 
• Foot-switchable toggle between Channel 1 and Channel 2, foot-switchable mute and boost – giving hands-free control during performance. 
• Rugged, road-worthy construction: 14-gauge steel chassis, compact size (8″ x 4¼″ x 2″ approx.) and designed for live/stage use. 

Why It’s Ideal for High-End / Boutique Use

• The dual-input design allows you to seamlessly switch between two instruments (for instance, a 6-string and a 12-string) or blend pickups (e.g., piezo + mic) for rich acoustic textures — very suitable for a boutique guitar store context.
• The high-impedance piezo buffer preserves the natural articulation and detail of acoustic instruments with piezo transducers, giving you premium tone with minimal coloration.
• The stage rationalization: with separate pre- and post-EQ DI outs, you maintain a clean signal to FOH while tailoring a different mix for your monitor or in-ear feed — an advanced workflow rarely found in simple pedals.
• The built-in feedback control (notch + low-cut) is especially valuable on stage with acoustic instruments and high-gain environments — this means more gain before feedback and a tighter, more professional live sound.
• The flexibility combined with rugged build makes it a perfect candidate for high-level rigs that demand both tone and control.