The Aguilar DB 925 is an Aguilar preamp pedal, currently around $139. Close alternatives include the Aguilar - OBP-1TK On-Board Bass Preamp and the Behringer BDI21. It pairs well with the Source Audio Mercury Flanger and the Electro-Harmonix Green Russian Big Muff.
Aguilar DB 925
Aguilar · pedal
The Aguilar DB925 is an all-discrete FET external bass preamp pedal succeeding the DB924, featuring a 2-band boost EQ at 40Hz for bass and 4kHz for treble each up to 18dB in a micro-pedal form factor with a bypass footswitch. The broadband boost curves add body, weight, and treble shimmer to passive bass signals without imposing a strong tonal character. Designed as an always-on passive bass enhancer for live and studio use, it operates at instrument level without XLR output. Appears discontinued as of late 2025.
What stands out
“The broadband boost curves add body, weight, and treble shimmer to passive bass signals”
— from the listing
“The DB925 delivers a set-and-forget tone enhancement on passive basses — the 40Hz boost adds sub-bass bloom that rounds out thin-sounding passive Jazz and Precision basses in a live mix while the 4kHz treble control restores the articulatio…”
— from the reviews
“The Aguilar DB925 is an all-discrete FET external bass preamp pedal succeeding the DB924, featuring a 2-band boost EQ at 40Hz for bass and 4kHz for treble each up to 18dB in a micro-pedal form factor with a bypass footswitch”
— from the listing
“The all-FET discrete circuit preserves dynamics cleanly with a transparent character that does”
— from the reviews
“Transparent tone sweetener that enhances — the community describes the bass control as making lower frequencies bloom and widen while the treble control adds glassy sparkly articulation with both sounding music…”
— from the community notes
Trade-offs
“the absence of a di or xlr output means it cannot substitute for a direct box at the front of house”
— from the reviews
- treble
- bass
- boost
- transparent
- bloom
- stage
- presence
- articulation
Price updated Oct 23, 2026
Genres the Aguilar DB 925 is commonly used in
- Jazz
- Alternative
cited
Inferred from shared tonal signals, not a stated genre tag. - Rock
cited
Inferred from shared tonal signals, not a stated genre tag. - Indie Rock
cited
Inferred from shared tonal signals, not a stated genre tag. - Electronic
cited
Inferred from shared tonal signals, not a stated genre tag. - Acoustic
cited
Inferred from shared tonal signals, not a stated genre tag.
Pedals that stack with the Aguilar DB 925
Source Audio Mercury Flanger
Source Audio
26% matchsits in the right chain slotPlaced for where it does its job cleanly in the chain, not for a tonal interaction with the anchor.
Add the Mercury Flanger's classic-rock flange on top of the DB 925's own transparent treble-bass boost for texture.
Comes earlier in the signal chain
Electro-Harmonix Green Russian Big Muff
Electro-Harmonix
21% matchfills a frequency gapFills in a frequency range the other side doesn't cover, instead of piling more onto what's already there. (bright → smooth)
The Green Russian's dark, smooth fuzz is a much heavier gain than the DB 925's own transparent EQ boost offers on its own.
Comes earlier in the signal chain
Amptweaker Big Rock Pro
Amptweaker
21% matchfills a frequency gapFills in a frequency range the other side doesn't cover, instead of piling more onto what's already there. (bright → smooth)
Where this leans bright, Amptweaker Big Rock Pro answers back smooth
Comes earlier in the signal chain
Ashdown Velvet Compressor
Ashdown
19% matchfills a frequency gapFills in a frequency range the other side doesn't cover, instead of piling more onto what's already there. (bright → smooth)
Ashdown Velvet Compressor's own compressed character is the real reason this is worth trying
Comes earlier in the signal chain
Walrus Audio Fable
Walrus Audio
16% matchsits in the right chain slotPlaced for where it does its job cleanly in the chain, not for a tonal interaction with the anchor.
Keep Aguilar DB 925's bright voice out front: Walrus Audio Fable goes after Aguilar DB 925 in the signal chain so its smooth voice doesn't muddy it — goes in the amp's FX loop (or last, into a clean amp)
Comes later in the signal chain
Suhr Dark Discovery Analog Delay
Suhr
15% matchsits in the right chain slotPlaced for where it does its job cleanly in the chain, not for a tonal interaction with the anchor.
Keep Suhr Dark Discovery Analog Delay after Aguilar DB 925 in the signal chain, clear of Aguilar DB 925's own gain stage — goes in the amp's FX loop (or last, into a clean amp)
Comes later in the signal chain
Tone City King of Blues
Tone City
tonal matchComes earlier in the signal chain
Into Aguilar DB 925, Tone City King of Blues is right at home: it's built around a clean amp's front end
Beetronics OV-LE-Uva
Beetronics
tonal matchComes earlier in the signal chain
Beetronics OV-LE-Uva is voiced for a clean amp's front end — Aguilar DB 925 gives it exactly that
Cheaper alternatives
Electro-Harmonix Nano Operation Overlord
Electro-Harmonix
45% similarityShared character: treble, mix, boost
Ampeg Classic Analog Bass Preamp
Ampeg
44% similarityShared character: true bypass, treble, bass
Ashdown Pro-FX Two-Band Boost
Ashdown
42% similarityShared character: articulation, presence, treble
Boutique & premium upgrades
Shins Music Shin's Music BMP1 Bass Master Preamp
Shins Music
52% similarityShared character: jazz, treble, bass
Xotic Bass BB Preamp V1.5
Xotic
46% similarityShared character: transparent, studio
Origin Effects BassRig Fifteen
Origin Effects
46% similarityShared character: round, bass, studio
Roger Mayer Voodoo Bass
Roger Mayer
42% similarityShared character: bass
Similar character
Aguilar - OBP-1TK On-Board Bass Preamp
Aguilar
50% similarityShared character: articulation, jazz, presence
Behringer BDI21
Behringer
48% similarityShared character: round, live, presence
Ashdown Stuart Zender Funk Face
Ashdown
48% similarityShared character: wide range, jazz, bass
Sadowsky SBP-1 Bass Preamp/DI
Sadowsky
47% similarityShared character: presence, treble, boost
Xotic Bass RC Booster V2
Xotic
46% similarityShared character: boost, transparent, bass
Zoom MS-60B+
Zoom
45% similarityShared character: wide range, mix, bass
See all alternatives to the Aguilar DB 925 (cheaper + boutique) →
Questions people ask
What are good alternatives to the Aguilar DB 925?+
The closest matches in character are the Aguilar - OBP-1TK On-Board Bass Preamp, the Behringer BDI21, the Ashdown Stuart Zender Funk Face. Budget picks: Electro-Harmonix Nano Operation Overlord, Ampeg Classic Analog Bass Preamp, Ashdown Pro-FX Two-Band Boost. Boutique upgrades: Shins Music Shin's Music BMP1 Bass Master Preamp, Xotic Bass BB Preamp V1.5, Origin Effects BassRig Fifteen.
What pairs well with the Aguilar DB 925?+
Strong matches from rig and tone-complementarity evidence: Source Audio Mercury Flanger, Electro-Harmonix Green Russian Big Muff, Amptweaker Big Rock Pro — Add the Mercury Flanger's classic-rock flange on top of the DB 925's own transparent treble-bass boost for texture..
How much does the Aguilar DB 925 cost?+
Around $139 (live listing price, updated Oct 23, 2026).