The Empress Para EQ DLX is an Empress eq pedal. Close alternatives include the Chaos Custom Shop HPF and the Keeley K-Fil. It pairs well with the Engl Savage 120 Mark II E610II 120 Watt 4 Channel Tube and the Marshall JCM900 2100.

Empress Para EQ DLX

Empress · pedal

The Empress ParaEQ MKII Deluxe expands on the standard ParaEQ MKII with added variable high-pass and low-pass filters plus low-shelf and high-shelf EQ bands, giving considerably more tonal shaping range than the standard MKII's three parametric bands alone. It shares the MKII's improved 107.9dB signal-to-noise ratio, 0.03% distortion, and 27V internal headroom for studio-grade clarity and dynamic range. It's aimed at players and engineers who want the deepest level of on-board EQ control available in a pedal format, at the cost of a steeper learning curve and a busier control set than the standard model.

What stands out

  • “Shelving and variable pass filters genuinely extend its capability beyond the standard MKII's parametric bands, giving true studio-console-level shaping in a stompbox”

    — from the reviews

  • “Some players find the small knobs fiddly to adjust precisely in dark stage conditions, and ultimately prefer a simpler graphic EQ for quick live use”

    — from the community notes

  • “03% distortion, and 27V internal headroom for studio-grade clarity and dynamic range”

    — from the listing

  • “9db signal-to-noise ratio”

    — from the listing

  • “Primary use case is detailed tone-sculpting and problem-frequency correction for players who outgrow simpler EQ pedals”

    — from the community notes

  • filter
  • eq
  • studio
  • distortion
  • stage
  • noise
  • equalizer
  • clarity

Genres the Empress Para EQ DLX is commonly used in

  • Alternative Rock
  • Acoustic
    citedInferred from shared tonal signals, not a stated genre tag.
  • Funk
    citedInferred from shared tonal signals, not a stated genre tag.

Amps that pair well with the Empress Para EQ DLX

Engl Savage 120 Mark II E610II 120 Watt 4 Channel Tube

Engl

20% match
$3169.99via Reverb

What Engl Savage 120 Mark II E610II 120 Watt 4 Channel Tube brings here leans toward mid-forward — that's worth building a pairing around

Comes later in the signal chain

Marshall JCM900 2100

Marshall

20% match
$799.95via Reverb

What Marshall JCM900 2100 brings here leans toward aggressive — that's worth building a pairing around

Comes later in the signal chain

Ceriatone 2202H

Ceriatone

tonal match

Comes later in the signal chain

Put Ceriatone 2202H after Empress Para EQ DLX

Synergy SL2 Module

Synergy

tonal match

Comes later in the signal chain

Put Synergy SL2 Module after Empress Para EQ DLX

Engl 120 E610 MK II

Engl

tonal match

Comes later in the signal chain

Put Engl 120 E610 MK II after Empress Para EQ DLX

ENGL Special Edition E670

Engl

tonal match

Comes later in the signal chain

ENGL Special Edition E670 goes after Empress Para EQ DLX in the chain

Hiwatt Crunch 150R 112C

Hiwatt

tonal match

Comes later in the signal chain

Hiwatt Crunch 150R 112C goes after Empress Para EQ DLX in the chain

Engl Savage 60 Mark II

Engl

tonal match
$1719.74via Reverb

Comes later in the signal chain

Engl Savage 60 Mark II goes after Empress Para EQ DLX in the chain

Pedals that stack with the Empress Para EQ DLX

EarthQuaker Devices Hizumitas

EarthQuaker Devices

19% match

EarthQuaker Devices Hizumitas leans toward fuzzy, and that's a real, usable character to pair with

Comes earlier in the signal chain

Nobels ODR-1

Nobels

19% match
$101.54via Reverb

Nobels ODR-1's own full character is the real reason this is worth trying

Comes earlier in the signal chain

Binson Echorec Delay

Binson

8% match

sits in the right chain slotPlaced for where it does its job cleanly in the chain, not for a tonal interaction with the anchor.

Keep Binson Echorec Delay after Empress Para EQ DLX in the signal chain, where it won't crowd Empress Para EQ DLX — goes in the amp's FX loop (or last, into a clean amp)

Comes later in the signal chain

Strymon BigSky

Strymon

7% match
$679via Reverb

sits in the right chain slotPlaced for where it does its job cleanly in the chain, not for a tonal interaction with the anchor.

Run Strymon BigSky after Empress Para EQ DLX in the signal chain, where it won't crowd Empress Para EQ DLX — goes in the amp's FX loop (or last, into a clean amp)

Comes later in the signal chain

Dr. Scientist Frazz Dazzler V2

Dr Scientist

tonal match
$204.36via Reverb

Comes earlier in the signal chain

Put Dr. Scientist Frazz Dazzler V2 in front of Empress Para EQ DLX

Donner Big Mouth Distortion

Donner

tonal match
$29.95via Reverb

Comes earlier in the signal chain

Put Donner Big Mouth Distortion in front of Empress Para EQ DLX

Warm Audio Jet Phaser

Warm Audio

tonal match
$109.01via Reverb

Comes later in the signal chain

Put Warm Audio Jet Phaser after Empress Para EQ DLX: modulation reads clearest once the core tone is set

Cusack Music Carolina Reaper Overdrive Fuzz

Cusack Music

tonal match
$229via Reverb

Comes earlier in the signal chain

Put Cusack Music Carolina Reaper Overdrive Fuzz in front of Empress Para EQ DLX

Alternatives

Chaos Custom Shop HPF

Chaos Custom Shop

56% similarity
$69.04via Reverb

Shared character: filter, studio, stage

Keeley K-Fil

Keeley

55% similarity

Shared character: filter

Maxon AF-9 Auto Filter

Maxon

54% similarity
$263.27via Reverb

Shared character: filter

Chaos Custom Shop Sub Sonic Filter

Chaos Custom Shop

54% similarity
$52.65via Reverb

Shared character: filter, headroom

dpFX Pedals Variable Low Pass Filter

Dpfx Pedals

51% similarity

Shared character: filter, distortion, studio

Emma DiscomBOBulator

pedal

50% similarity

Shared character: filter, noise, headroom

Empress ParaEQ MkII

Empress

49% similarity
$249via Reverb

Shared character: filter, noise, headroom

Fairfield Circuitry Long Life

Fairfield Circuitry

48% similarity
$348.11via Reverb

Shared character: combination, filter, noise

Electro-Harmonix Q-Tron Plus

Electro-Harmonix

48% similarity
$162.08via Reverb

Shared character: filter

Electro-Harmonix Nano Q-Tron

Electro-Harmonix

46% similarity
$93.99via Reverb

Shared character: filter

Lazy Bear Effects High Pass Filter

Lazy Bear Effects

45% similarity
$90.81via Reverb

Shared character: filter, stage

Source Audio Toolblox Programmable EQ

Source Audio

45% similarity
$280via Reverb

Shared character: filter, studio, stage

See all alternatives to the Empress Para EQ DLX (cheaper + boutique) →

Questions people ask

What are good alternatives to the Empress Para EQ DLX?+

The closest matches in character are the Chaos Custom Shop HPF, the Keeley K-Fil, the Maxon AF-9 Auto Filter.

What pairs well with the Empress Para EQ DLX?+

Strong matches from rig and tone-complementarity evidence: Engl Savage 120 Mark II E610II 120 Watt 4 Channel Tube, Marshall JCM900 2100, Ceriatone 2202H — What Engl Savage 120 Mark II E610II 120 Watt 4 Channel Tube brings here leans toward mid-forward — that's worth building a pairing around.

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