The Universal Audio Lion is a Universal Audio overdrive pedal. Close alternatives include the Wampler Plexi-Drive Deluxe V2 and the Orange - Vintage Distortion. It pairs well with the Laney Richter RB4 Bass Combo and the Laney Digbeth Foundry DBF100.

Universal Audio Lion

Universal Audio · pedal

The Universal Audio Lion '68 Super Lead is a premium DSP-powered amplifier simulation pedal from Universal Audio's UAFX line, faithfully recreating the Marshall Super Lead 1968 Plexi amplifier with exceptional digital processing.

What stands out

  • “The Universal Audio Lion '68 Super Lead is a premium DSP-powered amplifier simulation pedal from Universal Audio's UAFX line, faithfully recreating the Marshall Super Lead 1968 Plexi amplifier with exceptional digital processing”

    — from the listing

  • “Universal Audio's Marshall Super Lead Plexi simulation, praised for exceptional accuracy in capturing the '68 Super Lead's warm, harmonically complex Plexi character with UA's premium DSP”

    — from the community notes

  • “Build quality is excellent”

    — from the community notes

  • “classic rock players who want premium plexi simulation find the lion excellent”

    — from the community notes

  • “The Lion '68 delivers exceptional Marshall Super Lead Plexi simulation with warm, harmonically complex British character using Universal Audio's premium DSP”

    — from the reviews

  • harmonically complex
  • warm
  • classic rock
  • british
  • digital
  • universal audio
  • exceptional digital processing

Genres the Universal Audio Lion is commonly used in

Amps that pair well with the Universal Audio Lion

Laney Richter RB4 Bass Combo

Laney

28% match
$522.09via Reverb

fills a frequency gapFills in a frequency range the other side doesn't cover, instead of piling more onto what's already there. (warm → bright)

Laney Richter RB4 Bass Combo's bright balances out the warm tone

Comes later in the signal chain

Laney Digbeth Foundry DBF100

Laney

28% match

fills a frequency gapFills in a frequency range the other side doesn't cover, instead of piling more onto what's already there. (warm → bright)

Where this leans warm, Laney Digbeth Foundry DBF100 answers back bright

Comes later in the signal chain

Laney Richter

Laney

tonal match

Comes later in the signal chain

Run Laney Richter after it and the warm edge settles into something more bright

Mesa Boogie Subway D-350

Mesa Boogie

tonal match
$799via Reverb

Comes later in the signal chain

Mesa Boogie Subway D-350 leans bright right where the warm tone needs it

PRS DG

PRS

tonal match

Comes later in the signal chain

Where this leans warm, PRS DG answers back bright

Vox MV50 Brian May

Vox

tonal match
$222.26via Reverb

Comes later in the signal chain

Vox MV50 Brian May leans bright right where the warm tone needs it

Fuchs ODH

Fuchs

tonal match
$1499via Reverb

Comes later in the signal chain

Fuchs ODH's bright balances out the warm tone

Soldano SLO-30 2-Channel 30W 1x12 Combo

Soldano

tonal match

Comes later in the signal chain

Where this leans warm, Soldano SLO-30 2-Channel 30W 1x12 Combo answers back bright

Pedals that stack with the Universal Audio Lion

Catalinbread Formula 55

Catalinbread

13% match
$179.99via Reverb

fills a frequency gapFills in a frequency range the other side doesn't cover, instead of piling more onto what's already there. (warm → bright)

Catalinbread Formula 55 leans bright right where the warm tone needs it

EarthQuaker Devices Chelsea

EarthQuaker Devices

13% match
$178.26via Reverb

fills a frequency gapFills in a frequency range the other side doesn't cover, instead of piling more onto what's already there. (warm → bright)

Run EarthQuaker Devices Chelsea after it and the warm edge settles into something more bright

Comes later in the signal chain

Maestro PS-1A Phase Shifter

Maestro

10% match
$180via 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.

Keep Maestro PS-1A Phase Shifter after Universal Audio Lion in the signal chain, clear of Universal Audio Lion's own gain stage

Comes later in the signal chain

Jackson Audio hour-glass

Jackson Audio

9% match
$223.01via Reverb

fills a frequency gapFills in a frequency range the other side doesn't cover, instead of piling more onto what's already there. (warm → bright)

Universal Audio Lion's own harmonically rich character is the real reason this is worth trying

Comes earlier in the signal chain

Alexander Pedals History Lesson Vol. 2

Alexander Pedals

6% match
$100via 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.

Keep Alexander Pedals History Lesson Vol. 2 after Universal Audio Lion in the signal chain, clear of Universal Audio Lion's own gain stage — goes in the amp's FX loop (or last, into a clean amp)

Comes later in the signal chain

Boss RV-6 Reverb

Boss

6% match
$141.70via 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.

Keep Universal Audio Lion's harmonically rich voice out front: Boss RV-6 Reverb goes after Universal Audio Lion in the signal chain so its shimmer voice doesn't muddy it — goes in the amp's FX loop (or last, into a clean amp)

Comes later in the signal chain

Alchemy Audio HBE Detox EQ

Alchemy Audio

tonal match

Comes later in the signal chain

Alchemy Audio HBE Detox EQ leans bright right where the warm tone needs it

CALIFORNIA WUB Continuum EQ Galaxy Man Edition

California Wub

tonal match

Comes later in the signal chain

CALIFORNIA WUB Continuum EQ Galaxy Man Edition leans bright right where the warm tone needs it

Alternativessee all similar tone character →

Wampler Plexi-Drive Deluxe V2

Wampler

69% similarity
$199.99via Reverb

Shared character: warm, classic rock, lead

Orange - Vintage Distortion

Orange

59% similarity

Shared character: warm, classic rock

Roger Mayer Spitfire Distortion

Roger Mayer

59% similarity
$406.31via Reverb

Shared character: lead

Keeley MK3 Driver

Keeley

56% similarity
$199via Reverb

Shared character: classic rock

Universal Audio Uafx Woodrow '55 Instrument Amplifier Preamp

Universal Audio

56% similarity
$422.18via Reverb

Shared character: warm, classic rock

T-Rex Fat Shuga

T Rex

55% similarity
$102.25via Reverb

Shared character: warm

Menatone The Red Snapper mini

Menatone

54% similarity
$199via Reverb

Shared character: warm

Mad Professor Simble Overdrive MK2

Mad Professor

54% similarity
$130via Reverb

Shared character: warm

Wampler Mofetta

Wampler

53% similarity
$175.37via Reverb

Similar role and voicing

Walrus Audio Iron Horse

Walrus Audio

50% similarity
$149.99via Reverb

Similar role and voicing

Lovepedal Purple Plexi

Lovepedal

50% similarity
$119.99via Reverb

Shared character: warm, classic rock, lead

Wren and Cuff Garbage Face Jr

Wren And Cuff

50% similarity
$234.99via Reverb

Similar role and voicing

See all alternatives to the Universal Audio Lion (cheaper + boutique) →

Questions people ask

What are good alternatives to the Universal Audio Lion?+

The closest matches in character are the Wampler Plexi-Drive Deluxe V2, the Orange - Vintage Distortion, the Roger Mayer Spitfire Distortion.

What pairs well with the Universal Audio Lion?+

Strong matches from rig and tone-complementarity evidence: Laney Richter RB4 Bass Combo, Laney Digbeth Foundry DBF100, Laney Richter — Laney Richter RB4 Bass Combo's bright balances out the warm tone.

Compare

Related searches