Artec SE-GEQ Graphic EQ & Tuner

Features 9/10
8-band graphic EQ + tuner.
Rugged metal.

UTILIZATION

Using 9/10
Very easy to use except for the tuner. See sound quality.

SOUND QUALITY

Sound Quality 9/10
Versatile, no breath. I use it as a booster at end of string: very handy. The tuner is not easy, it takes getting used to. Too bad the idea is good but it is difficult to give especially on stage, so prefer a tuner more manageable. More inadvertently, with the foot, wanting to trigger the EQ can find themselves mute for the tuner.

OVERALL OPINION

Overall Opinion 9/10

The +

Value
Space saving
Good sound breathless
Idea

The -

Tuner function to review

I bought this pedal from our friends the Germans online. At the time, I needed to complete my setup with a tuner and a equalo. What a coincidence! This model integrates the two in the same box.

The fact that it incorporates both functions in one box is an advantage that makes it unique on the market. I found no equivalent pedal. The problem is that these are two functions that require a lot of "place" for the tuner display, and for the equalo sliders.

And indeed, the tuner is reduced to 3 LEDs plus 7 LEDs that indicate which note is played and the alteration (which is always better than the tuners that do grant that in EADGBE). But 3 LEDs for tuning, it's really not accurate, it is downright useless. In addition I have a Jaguar that Japan has a very low output level, so the receiver detects bad notes (especially in the bass).

Equalo side is the same barrel. There are 8 bands and a gain. While + / - 10 dB, which is unlikely. But given that the race of sliders is reduced (probably due to the space taken by the LEDs for the tuner, or probably for reasons of cost, linear pots are more expensive when they are longer) it avoids having settings too imprecise, where the slightest movement of slider completely change the sound. They have a center detent, too (except that of gain -?). But the problem is that the sound is too unmanageable. Unable to properly adjust the sound with this pedal. Still sound too nazillard or too dark. And saturation, and compression, the horror. Okay, I confess, I am already unable to settle a sound correctly on an amp, then a équalo 8 bands ... But even one scratch on my group, which Sort this out better than I could not. Well, on the other hand, he said, the equalos tend to distort the sound of the guitar, and it is against their use. Good. Surely that is just bad, actually ...

Another flaw: it is an LED activation. Good. And a footswitch (little noisy) of true bypass. But this switch activates only the eq. To activate the tuner must also press a small button located above. Absolutely ill-practice. You never know if the tuner is active or not, because when you do not play any notes LED tuner moves. Other error: when the tuner is activated, the output is off (good) but there is a sort of background / white noise almost the same volume as the guitar sound like a huge hum sector (not good! ). And there it is unacceptable.

In conclusion, shame! The idea is good, but marred by poor ergonomics and design. I'm not well placed to judge sound quality in eq, but I have not bluffed. On the other hand, the only competitor that I tested was a model Behringer. HUM ... It's not like I matter to compare a real stroke of quality eq. Nevertheless, problems with ergonomics are really disabling, and the hum is activated when the tuner is just unacceptable. Avoid it.

I keep the one I bought for troubleshooting, but I never include it in my pedalboard scene. I bought a PolyTune for it. on the other hand, I am seriously considering replacing the circuit to make something better, and especially to a bicolor LED to be able to differentiate between the tuner and eq. Although the fact that there is a real handicap footswitch.