At its core, The King in Yellow retains the unmistakable character of the TS-style overdrive—tight saturation, rich mids, and smooth breakup—but expands its capabilities far beyond tradition. Lichtlaerm’s proprietary 4-band active EQ offers studio-like control over every frequency, letting players sculpt warmth, presence, or bite with surgical precision. A built-in charge pump pushes the internal voltage to 36V, delivering exceptional headroom, ultra-low noise, and triple the output of a standard overdrive.

Clipping options include symmetrical, asymmetrical, and LED-based modes, allowing users to tailor the pedal’s dynamic feel—from compressed and smooth to raw and wide-open. But what truly sets The King apart is its parallel loop. This flexible feature allows players to blend in other pedals—drives, modulations, delays, or even clean signal—either for creative layering or pristine articulation. Whether stacking with a Blues Breaker, mixing in modulation without mud, or adding doom-laden HM-2 filth, the loop makes it all possible.

The loop also doubles as a stereo splitter, complete with a phase inversion switch to keep signals aligned. If left unused, it functions as a clean blend added post-EQ and pre-volume—ideal for boosting without altering tone. Every design decision reflects Lichtlaerm’s commitment to innovation, tonal clarity, and total creative control. The King in Yellow isn’t just a tribute—it’s a new standard.