The ZIO Analog Front End + Boost is an all-analog preamp/boost pedal with one simple goal: make everything sound better. ZIO features a choice of four preamp modes, each with its own distinct circuit design and tonal characteristics. This tone enhancing “Better Box” offers +20dB of additional boost and is the perfect tool for many situations like pushing an edge-of-breakup amplifier into low-gain bliss with enhanced body and punch, eliminating floppy low-end and tightening the sound of a high-gain amplifier, or bolstering the signal loss (a.k.a. “tone suck”) that occurs with large pedalboards and long cable runs. ZIO’s simple control set makes it easy to find the perfect “base tone” for any guitar/amp combo and insures that the dry signal hitting your pedals and amp remains strong and consistent.
The word ""ZIO"" is an acronym for Impedance (Z), Input (I), and Output (O). This is Source Audio’s first all-analog pedal. It was created in collaboration with Christopher Venter, the owner and sole engineer at SHOE Pedals out of Meriden, Connecticut. In addition to developing the entire SHOE Pedal collection (including the Savior Machine and Robert overdrive pedals), Christopher collaborated with DOD in 2016 to create the popular Looking Glass Overdrive pedal. Christopher has consulted for Source Audio in the past on pedals like the True Spring Reverb, but this is the first full collaboration between the two pedal companies.
