The Airis Effects -Nemesis Preamp is an Airis Effects preamp pedal, currently around $187.61. Close alternatives include the Xotic BB Preamp V1.5 and the Colorsound Power Boost. It pairs well with the Beetronics Nectar and the Beetronics Overhive.
Airis Effects -Nemesis Preamp
Airis Effects · pedal
The Airis Effects Nemesis Preamp is a boutique high-gain guitar preamp and distortion pedal by Canadian builder Airis Effects featuring Gain, Volume, and a three-band amp-style tonestack with Bass, Middle, and Treble controls. Designed to deliver a full preamp channel in pedal format it runs into the front end of a clean amplifier or directly into an effects loop or PA system. At high Gain settings it maintains clarity and note articulation without muddiness. Now discontinued and replaced by the simplified Nemesis Boost.
- preamp
- gain
- clarity
- bass
- treble
- boutique
- clear
- overdrive
Price updated Aug 27, 2026
Genres the Airis Effects -Nemesis Preamp is commonly used in
- Metal
- Hard Rock
- 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. - Blues
cited
Inferred from shared tonal signals, not a stated genre tag.
Pedals that stack with the Airis Effects -Nemesis Preamp
Beetronics Nectar
Beetronics
25% matchThe Nectar's low-gain, slightly fuzzy drive gives the Nemesis Preamp's clear, gainy voice a beefier front end to stack on.
Beetronics Overhive
Beetronics
25% matchThe Overhive's transparent, medium-gain drive stacks with the Nemesis Preamp's own clear, boosted gain for two distinct boosts.
Walrus Audio Monument CS
Walrus Audio
19% matchAdd the Monument's rich, warm vintage tremolo on top of the Nemesis Preamp's own clear, boosted gain for pulse.
Vox Valvenergy Silk Drive
Vox
16% matchWhat Vox Valvenergy Silk Drive brings here leans toward smooth — that's worth building a pairing around
Mr. Black Bloodmoon
Mr Black
11% matchKeep the Bloodmoon after the Nemesis Preamp — the clear, bass-treble gain stays defined and the reverb adds a dark, doomy tail behind it. — goes in the amp's FX loop (or last, into a clean amp)
Alexander Pedals Now We Are Ghosts Reverb
Alexander Pedals
10% matchKeep the Ghosts Reverb after the Nemesis Preamp — the clear, bass-treble gain stays defined and the gated, swelling reverb trails behind it. — goes in the amp's FX loop (or last, into a clean amp)
Dr. Scientist Frazz Dazzler V2
Dr Scientist
tonal matchInto a transparent tone, Dr. Scientist Frazz Dazzler V2 brings the fuzzy it's missing
Electro-Harmonix EH-1335/EH-3075 Hot Tubes
Electro-Harmonix
tonal matchElectro-Harmonix EH-1335/EH-3075 Hot Tubes is voiced for a clean amp's front end — Airis Effects -Nemesis Preamp gives it exactly that
Cheaper alternatives
67Audio Harry Balz
67audio
74% similarityShared character: treble, pedal, middle
Dunlop MXR Timmy Overdrive, sold as Dunlop CSP027
Dunlop
74% similarityShared character: high_gain_settings, treble, middle
Wampler Plexi-Drive Deluxe
Wampler
73% similarityShared character: pedal, treble, middle
MXR Super Badass Distortion
MXR
73% similarityShared character: high_gain_settings, treble, middle
Mad Professor Stone Grey Distortion
Mad Professor
73% similarityShared character: pedal, hard_rock, high_gain_settings
Demon FX Full BB Preamp
Demon Fx
72% similarityShared character: boost, treble, preamp
Boutique & premium upgrades
Benson Amps Germanium Preamp (Boost)
Benson Amps
73% similarityShared character: high_gain_settings, treble, preamp
JHS Colour Box V2
JHS Pedals
72% similarityShared character: pedal, boost, treble
Revv Amplification Mauler
Revv
72% similarityShared character: high_gain_settings, clarity, metal
Analog Man King of Tone
Analog Man
95% similaritysimilar tone character
Diezel Zerrer 2-Channel Preamp
Diezel
95% similaritysimilar tone character
Benson Amps BA-Pre
Benson Amps
95% similaritysimilar tone character
Similar charactersee all similar tone character →
Xotic BB Preamp V1.5
Xotic
73% similarityShared character: treble, clarity, preamp
Colorsound Power Boost
Colorsound
73% similarityShared character: high_gain_settings, treble, middle
Xotic RC Booster
Xotic
73% similarityShared character: treble, pedal, clarity
Electronic Audio Experiments Model feT V3.8
Electronic Audio Experiments
73% similarityShared character: treble, middle, preamp
Keeley KO-Als Distortion
Keeley
71% similarityShared character: treble, pedal, high_gain_settings
Benson Amps Portable Distortion 424 MKII
Benson Amps
95% similaritysimilar tone character
See all alternatives to the Airis Effects -Nemesis Preamp (cheaper + boutique) →
Questions people ask
What are good alternatives to the Airis Effects -Nemesis Preamp?+
The closest matches in character are the Xotic BB Preamp V1.5, the Colorsound Power Boost, the Xotic RC Booster. Budget picks: 67Audio Harry Balz, Dunlop MXR Timmy Overdrive, sold as Dunlop CSP027, Wampler Plexi-Drive Deluxe. Boutique upgrades: Benson Amps Germanium Preamp (Boost), JHS Colour Box V2, Revv Amplification Mauler.
What pairs well with the Airis Effects -Nemesis Preamp?+
Strong matches from rig and tone-complementarity evidence: Beetronics Nectar, Beetronics Overhive, Walrus Audio Monument CS — The Nectar's low-gain, slightly fuzzy drive gives the Nemesis Preamp's clear, gainy voice a beefier front end to stack on..
How much does the Airis Effects -Nemesis Preamp cost?+
Around $187.61 (live listing price, updated Aug 27, 2026).