The Walrus Audio Mako ACS1 MKII is a Walrus Audio preamp pedal, currently around $399.99. Close alternatives include the Universal Audio OX Amp Top Box and the One Control Amp In A Box OC-FOAIABn. It pairs well with the Electro-Harmonix Deluxe Electric Mistress and the Suhr Shiba Drive.
Walrus Audio Mako ACS1 MKII
Walrus Audio · pedal
The Walrus Audio Mako ACS1 MKII is an amp and cabinet simulator pedal in Walrus Audio's Mako series, offering multiple amp voicings including added high-gain models in the MKII revision, an OLED screen, an expanded IR cabinet library, true stereo imaging, and MIDI control. It's intended as a DI and silent-recording tool as well as a pedalboard-based amp replacement, fitting alongside the rest of the Mako line (D1 delay, R1 reverb) as Walrus's flagship amp-in-a-box.
What stands out
“Common criticism is that dialing in convincing high-gain tones still takes more tweaking than a purpose-built amp modeler like a Kemper or Fractal”
— from the community notes
“The Walrus Audio Mako ACS1 MKII is an amp and cabinet simulator pedal in Walrus Audio's Mako series, offering multiple amp voicings including added high-gain models in the MKII revision, an OLED screen, an expanded IR cabinet library, true …”
— from the listing
“Common use case is silent recording/practice, DI'd live rigs, and pedalboard setups replacing a physical amp entirely”
— from the community notes
“s flagship amp-in-a-box”
— from the listing
“true stereo imaging”
— from the listing
- high gain
- silent recording
- amp in
- stereo
- midi
- di
- reverb
- practice
Good for
- Live
- Silent Recording
- Silent Stage
- Studio
Price updated Oct 23, 2026
Pedals that stack with the Walrus Audio Mako ACS1 MKII
Electro-Harmonix Deluxe Electric Mistress
Electro-Harmonix
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. (high gain → shimmer)
Keep Walrus Audio Mako ACS1 MKII's high gain voice out front: Electro-Harmonix Deluxe Electric Mistress goes after Walrus Audio Mako ACS1 MKII in the signal chain so its shimmer voice doesn't muddy it
Comes earlier in the signal chain
Suhr Shiba Drive
Suhr
16% matchpushes an already-dirty tonePushes an already-dirty tone harder and tightens it up. (high gain → mid-forward)
Suhr Shiba Drive takes that high gain character and pushes it toward mid-forward
Comes earlier in the signal chain
Soldano SLO
Soldano
15% matchpushes an already-dirty tonePushes an already-dirty tone harder and tightens it up. (high gain → tight)
Soldano SLO takes that high gain character and pushes it toward tight
Meris Mercury7 Reverb
Meris
13% matchsits in the right chain slotPlaced for where it does its job cleanly in the chain, not for a tonal interaction with the anchor. (high gain → lush)
Keep Meris Mercury7 Reverb after Walrus Audio Mako ACS1 MKII in the signal chain, clear of Walrus Audio Mako ACS1 MKII's own gain stage — goes in the amp's FX loop (or last, into a clean amp)
Comes later in the signal chain
Electro-Harmonix Oceans 12
Electro-Harmonix
13% matchsits in the right chain slotPlaced for where it does its job cleanly in the chain, not for a tonal interaction with the anchor. (high gain → ambient)
Keep Walrus Audio Mako ACS1 MKII's high gain voice out front: Electro-Harmonix Oceans 12 goes after Walrus Audio Mako ACS1 MKII in the signal chain so its ambient voice doesn't muddy it — goes in the amp's FX loop (or last, into a clean amp)
Comes later in the signal chain
Wampler Ego Compressor
pedal
10% matchshapes the dynamic responseShapes how the tone responds to picking dynamics rather than its frequency or gain.
What Walrus Audio Mako ACS1 MKII brings here leans toward high gain — that's worth building a pairing around
Comes earlier in the signal chain
MXR CAE Wah
MXR
tonal matchComes earlier in the signal chain
MXR CAE Wah goes in front of Walrus Audio Mako ACS1 MKII — a wah tracks picking dynamics best on the raw signal
JAM Pedals RetroVibe Mk.4
Jam Pedals
tonal matchComes earlier in the signal chain
JAM Pedals RetroVibe Mk.4 pushes a high gain tone toward mid-forward
Cheaper alternatives
DSM & Humboldt Simplifier MkII
Dsm Humboldt Electronics
53% similarityShared character: stereo, practice
Mooer Baby Bomb 30
Mooer
52% similarityShared character: practice, studio, stage
IK Multimedia Tonex ONE
Ik Multimedia
52% similarityShared character: recording, studio
DSM & Humboldt Electronics Simplifier
Dsm Humboldt Electronics
48% similarityShared character: stereo, practice, studio
Tech 21 SansAmp 20th Anniversary Limited Edition
Tech 21
45% similaritySimilar voicing: harmonically rich
Mooer Radar Simulador de altavoz
Mooer
44% similarityShared character: practice, recording
Boutique & premium upgrades
Similar charactersee all similar tone character →
Universal Audio OX Amp Top Box
Universal Audio
60% similarityShared character: recording, studio
One Control Amp In A Box OC-FOAIABn
One Control
51% similarityShared character: recording, stage
Friedman IR-X
Friedman
49% similarityShared character: high gain settings, studio
DSM & Humboldt Electronics Simplifier DLX
Dsm Humboldt Electronics
49% similarityShared character: stereo, practice
Suhr Isoline
Suhr
49% similarityShared character: recording, studio
Palmer Pocket Amp MKII Portable
Palmer
48% similarityShared character: practice, recording
See all alternatives to the Walrus Audio Mako ACS1 MKII (cheaper + boutique) →
Questions people ask
What are good alternatives to the Walrus Audio Mako ACS1 MKII?+
The closest matches in character are the Universal Audio OX Amp Top Box, the One Control Amp In A Box OC-FOAIABn, the Friedman IR-X. Budget picks: DSM & Humboldt Simplifier MkII, Mooer Baby Bomb 30, IK Multimedia Tonex ONE. Boutique upgrades: Tone King Imperial Preamp.
What pairs well with the Walrus Audio Mako ACS1 MKII?+
Strong matches from rig and tone-complementarity evidence: Electro-Harmonix Deluxe Electric Mistress, Suhr Shiba Drive, Soldano SLO — Keep Walrus Audio Mako ACS1 MKII's high gain voice out front: Electro-Harmonix Deluxe Electric Mistress goes after Walrus Audio Mako ACS1 MKII in the signal chain so its shimmer voice doesn't muddy it.
How much does the Walrus Audio Mako ACS1 MKII cost?+
Around $399.99 (live listing price, updated Oct 23, 2026).