Marrakesh Console Mk2 - Lateral Phonics

Sep 10, 2025

The Marrakesh Drive Console brings vintage API recording console character straight to your pedalboard, delivering that legendary thick, saturated, and punchy sound with aggressive midrange presence.

Built around a discrete op-amp circuit with a high-quality Baxandall EQ, the Marrakesh offers incredible versatility across its three saturation modes. In the middle position, you get pure console preamp tone – warm, organic compression with soft clean gain that adds instant studio vibe to any signal. Flip to Hard for more aggressive overdrive reminiscent of classic boosters like the TS series. Switch to Soft and you’re in KoT/Centaur territory with smooth compression and gentle saturation.

The Threshold control functions like an inverted gain knob, setting where your signal begins to interact with the circuit. The Baxandall EQ is studio-grade – ±15dB of transparent high and low frequency control that leaves the crucial midrange untouched. That Headroom switch is a game-changer, running internal voltage at either 9V for earlier breakup and compression, or 28V for expanded dynamics and clarity that rivals true studio gear.

What makes the Marrakesh special is its authenticity – this isn’t just API-inspired, it captures that actual console preamp behavior with musical soft clipping that responds beautifully to your playing dynamics. Whether you’re using it as a color box for transparent enhancement, a classic preamp for tracking, or pushing it into fuzz territory at higher settings, it maintains that signature warm, organic character throughout its range.

Signal Chain

Fidelity Guitars Stellarosa with Mojo Lipstick Pickups (bridge pickup)
Marrakesh Console Mk2
Mixwave Benson Chimera Plugin*
A bit of room-like reverb from the Valhalla Vintage Verb plugin

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