TONEX ONE vs TONEX Pedal: Which TONEX Should You Buy?
The TONEX ONE vs TONEX Pedal question comes down to one thing: how many sounds you need under your feet during a song. Both run the same AI Tone Models, so the tone itself isn’t what you’re choosing between. You’re choosing size, switching and connections.
If you need one or two sounds per gig (a clean and a drive, or a single amp tone), get the TONEX ONE. It’s tiny, light and costs much less. If you switch between three or more sounds on stage, want MIDI or an expression pedal, or need a screen to see what you’re on, get the TONEX Pedal. The ONE+ sits in between for players who want app and MIDI control in the small box.
TONEX ONE vs TONEX Pedal at a glance
These numbers come from IK Multimedia’s own manuals and announcements. The ONE+ column only lists what IK has published for it so far.
| TONEX ONE | TONEX ONE+ | TONEX Pedal | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Size | 48 x 94 x 53 mm | Same footprint as the ONE | 176 x 142 x 55 mm |
| Weight | 160 g | Not published | 906 g |
| Footswitches | 1 | 1 | 3 |
| Presets stored | 20 | 20 | 150 (50 banks of 3) |
| Sounds reachable by foot | 2 (A/B mode) | 2 by foot, all 20 over MIDI | 3 per bank, plus bank up and down |
| Display | No (coloured LEDs) | No | Yes |
| MIDI | No | Yes (TRS and USB) | Yes (MIDI In and Out) |
| Expression or external switch input | No | Not published | Yes |
| Headphones | Through the main output | Through the main output | Dedicated headphone jack |
| App control without a computer | No | Yes (TONEX Control app) | No |
| Power | 9 V DC, 120 mA, or USB-C | Not published | 9 V DC, 320 mA |
| USB audio interface | Yes | Yes | Yes |
How many sounds can you reach with your foot?
In the TONEX ONE vs TONEX Pedal choice, this is the question that decides it, so be honest about how you actually play.
The TONEX ONE has one footswitch and two performance modes. In Stomp mode it turns one preset on and off, like a drive pedal. In Dual mode the footswitch flips between two presets, A and B. All 20 presets live inside the pedal, but swapping which ones sit on A and B means holding the ALT button with the footswitch and turning a knob. That’s fine at soundcheck. It’s not something you want to do in the middle of a chorus.
The TONEX Pedal gives you three footswitches, A, B and C, with three presets per bank. Pressing two switches together moves the bank up or down, and the screen shows which bank you’re on. A set with a clean, a crunch and a lead, plus a different amp for the next song, fits comfortably here.
Write down the sounds your current set really needs. If the list has two items, the ONE does the job. If it has five, you’ll be fighting the ONE all night.
Who the TONEX ONE is for
The ONE suits a lot of players: people with a pedalboard that’s already full, players who want one great amp sound in front of a clean amp, and anyone who practises at home through headphones. At 160 g and 120 mA it adds almost nothing to your board or your power supply, and it can run straight off a USB-C port.
It also works as a 24-bit, 44.1 kHz audio interface over USB, so the same pedal records into your DAW at home.
Pros
- Fits on any board
- Runs on 9 V or USB-C power
- Same Tone Models as the bigger pedal
- Doubles as a USB audio interface
Cons
- Only two sounds by foot
- No screen, so you rely on LED colours
- No MIDI or expression input
- Changing presets on the pedal is fiddly
Who the TONEX Pedal is for
The TONEX Pedal is the better pick if it’s your whole rig on stage. Three switches, a screen, MIDI In and Out, an input for an expression pedal or extra switches, and a dedicated headphone output all point at players who run their entire set from one unit. Sound On Sound’s TONEX Pedal review singled out the 150 preset capacity and the hands-on controls.
It holds 150 presets in 50 banks of three. The knobs on top give you gain, EQ and volume directly, and each one has a second job for reverb, compressor and noise gate, so you can adjust a sound on stage without a laptop.
Check your power supply before you buy. The TONEX Pedal draws 320 mA at 9 V, almost three times the ONE. Make sure the outlet you plug it into is rated for at least 320 mA.
Is the TONEX ONE+ worth the extra?
The ONE+ keeps the ONE’s size and single footswitch. What it adds is control: the TONEX Control app on iOS or Android, so you can browse and edit tones without a computer, and MIDI over small TRS jacks or USB. With a MIDI footswitch you can call up all 20 presets, which removes the ONE’s biggest limit. It also ships with a collection of 100 newer Tone Models, according to IK’s ONE+ announcement.
Our view: if you already own a MIDI controller, or you hate plugging into a computer to change tones, the ONE+ earns its price. If you’ll set two sounds and leave them, the original ONE does the same job for less.
TONEX limited editions: what’s actually different?
The limited editions look very different, but underneath each one is a TONEX ONE or a TONEX Pedal. You’re paying for the finish and for the Tone Models that come loaded and bundled.
| Edition | Based on | What you get |
|---|---|---|
| Brown Sound (white, red or yellow) | TONEX ONE | 20 presets built from IK’s Brown Sound collections, plus Brown Sound 78/79 and one more Brown Sound collection |
| Joe Satriani (chrome) | TONEX ONE | 20 presets made by Joe Satriani, plus his Amp Vault Signature Collection of 67 Tone Models |
| Double Special (brown) | TONEX ONE | 20 Tone Models of two Dumble Overdrive Special amps, plus 60 more from two ODS collections; limited to 1,000 units |
| Anniversary Edition (white) | TONEX Pedal | Same features as the TONEX Pedal, plus a 150 Tone Model Anniversary Collection |
The rule is simple. If you’d buy that tone collection anyway, or you want a pedal that looks like nothing else on the board, the limited edition is good value. If you only want the hardware, the standard model plays the same.
TONEX for bass: ONE Bass Edition vs Pedal Bass Edition
Both bass editions come loaded with Tone Models from the TONEX Signature Bass Collection, 150 captures that include Ampeg, Fender Bassman, Markbass, Orange, Gallien-Krueger and Darkglass amps. The split between them follows the same logic as the guitar versions. The ONE Bass Edition holds 20 presets in the small housing. The Pedal Bass Edition holds 150 presets in 50 banks, with three footswitches and on-board controls.
A bass player who wants one great DI tone into the PA will be happy with the ONE Bass Edition. A player covering several amp sounds across a set needs the Pedal Bass Edition.
Our TONEX ONE vs TONEX Pedal verdict: buy the TONEX ONE if you need two sounds or fewer and want it small and cheap. Buy the ONE+ if you want that same small pedal with app and MIDI control. Buy the TONEX Pedal if it’s running your whole set. Pick a limited or bass edition only when its preloaded tones are ones you’d use.
Frequently asked questions
Can you use the TONEX ONE with headphones?
Yes. The ONE has no separate headphone jack, but its main stereo output drives headphones directly. The TONEX Pedal has its own headphone output as well as the main outputs.
Can the TONEX ONE run on USB power?
Yes. It can be powered over USB-C at 5 V, so a computer or a suitable USB power source runs it without a 9 V supply. On a pedalboard you can use a standard 9 V centre negative supply rated for at least 120 mA.
Does the TONEX ONE have MIDI?
No. MIDI arrived with the ONE+, which adds TRS and USB MIDI. The full size TONEX Pedal also has MIDI In and Out.
Can I use a TONEX ONE in front of my guitar amp?
Yes. IK’s manual covers using it into the front of an amp like a drive pedal. If you go into a power amp and a real guitar cabinet instead, switch on the global cab bypass so you don’t hear two cabinets stacked on each other.
Do the TONEX ONE and TONEX Pedal sound different?
They play the same Tone Models, and IK lists the same converter specs for both. The difference is how you control the sounds, not the sounds themselves.
Not sure which TONEX fits your board?
See the full TONEX range alongside the rest of our guitar pedals.
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