Taking that starved plate design a step further. Although the tube amplifier stage is still connected as amplifier it isn't really doing amplification. The input signal is gained to extremes and then fed through the tubestage. This makes the tube act more like some kind of filter with tube characteristics then as amplifier. Effective tone control following the distortion stages. This is the European version with a built in (but never used) noise reduction.This specific TK is heavily modified making the sound a lot tighter, lower on noise and more immune to power supply noises.
And some more about the Tubeking. Regardless of what's said there are two versions of the TK999. Bottom line, end of story. The one very common in Europe is the Japanese version. The one common in the US is the US made one. The 2 can be easily told apart. First of al the Japan version has silver knobs where the US one has black knobs. If that's too hard to find out check for a noise reduction switch in the pedal's casing between the jacks. If it's there it's the Japanese. Or else? The US version states the BK Butler 5022305 patent number on it's case. Since there has been quite some drama over the BK Butler patent I have always understood that the Japanese TK999's were for the world and manufacturered by Maxon and the US TK's were manufactured under the TubeWorks flag.
Studying and comparing the circuits of the 2 shows the 2 TK999 versions are completely different! Also, it seems the US version seems to stay a lot closer to the BK Butler patent. After this discovery I's say there shouldn't be any discussion about which one sounds the best as they're completely different pedals!