HardWire Pedals TL-2 Metal Distortion

Here we have a pedal apparently sober and effective, I think it's very significant, it changes Rocktron, and other electro harmonix who, under the pretext that a pedal is dedicated to metal, it looks ridiculous sticking with writing very cliché ( flames, blood, Gothic etc.).. Nothing cheesy stuff here is a pedal like any other, with a look of pro, and a design pro: the case seems extremely solid, no big screw disgusting that exceeds the back, rubber bottoms antidérappant , potentiometers notched very precise, sturdy clip for 9V battery as it should, and most importantly, a marvel: the STOMPLOCK.

Stomplock then what is it? it's a big piece of rubber that you put on the knobs once completed your settings: on the one hand it allows them to effectively protect our kicks metallers insensitive, and also to keep the settings without any risk that they move. It fits comfortably in place, impossible to remove without pulling (pedal backwards, shaking various ... nothing helps, he gets caught, the bastard!), So it's a success in any point.

It is a distortion with two modes of operation, we shall return. The effects are not editable, but who cares, it usually takes this kind of pedal for ease of use = D. The connection could not be simpler: In, Out, and a 9V power supply (not included). That's all! oh yes it is not rack mountable, but since his mouth, I think it is obvious.

Simple, effective, adore, huge plus for stomlock (pictured below), the kind of thing idiot but that nobody had thought before ... 10, no problem (besides it is not much room).


UTILIZATION

The setup is fairly simple, there are 6 knobs (4 in appearance, but those in the middle are concentric), or level, high / low, mid / freq, gain and switch "tight-loose". See what is all this little world

-Level: good or almost everyone knows, is to adjust the volume output of the pedal itself: the higher, more y 'of decibels.

-High: to adjust the level of high frequencies
-Low: ______________________________ serious
-Mid: ______________________________ medium

-Freq: I do not quite understand what it was used in theory, it seems that this rule range of frequencies on which acts the mid ... However, it is a very effective control to choose a color of sound.

-Win: good I'm not drawing ...

-Tight-loose: to toggle between two colors of sound. Wholesale UNDERSTAND = tight its cutting edge, sharp, even, ultra clean, ultra-precise and
Loose = the dirty, slimy, effete (much good to say right now, I use NEVER loose position, it looks like the saturation of marshall disgusting).

find his sound takes up half an hour, I consider it a relatively small effect, and still not bad for a pedal this size. But having once done, it's heaven ...
The manual, uh I think I remember there was one, but I did not open, do not need this, just to have ears. Go 8 for the time spent on it and loose the function that I find unnecessary.

SOUND QUALITY

Now as to whether the sound is good, simply put, I play an ESP MII rise EMG81 (very cliché I know but it sounds good so good <3), connected to an ENGL screamer 50 (All tube, thus) , and although I no longer use any of the saturated channel of the amp as I find the sound of the TL-2 better. There is also its advantage: no need to saturate the amplifier at all to use this pedal, its gain is incredible. moving from a clear home clean to the most egregious I&#39;ve heard so far in one click.

I also tried it on different devices: POD amp transistors ... the verdict, tough but fair: good pedal used with a good amp. with the pod, it was simply horrible, and with the transistor amp, it depends on the amp. A good transistor amp can not really agree but must plug into an amp with strawberries, if at all possible lights.

It holds out its promises, it is a distortion of METAL. You can always get a less modern setting the gain to 2 (yes, even 3 is already the big distortion, especially with humbuckers powerful ...) and tilting position Loose (yuck, no messing around, everything is in the name of it XD), but it is not for what it ... Much playing Symphony X on a Fender amp = D, do not make fun of the mouth of the world, no, you can not make cruncher, no you do not play blues, but you can get an incredible number of colors with distortions. So no, it is not versatile in absolute terms, but in its register, it will give you vertigo.

To talk about the kind of sound in terms of groups, I play Stratovarius, Sonata Arctica, Galneryus, Shakra, Dream Theater, Vanden Plas ... Especially short-prog power to simplify, but if you do in the death, black, thrash, and pretty much everything that makes modern (and even 80&#39;s if that tells you, I also play Europe and Stryper with), she should quite: after all it is a metal pedal, regardless of gender

I use the following settings: Level = 6 (but it depends on the amp), High = 5, Bass = 7, Mid = 3, Freq = 5, gain = 9 (not just to say that I put at the bottom = D). All with the clear sound of the amp Equalisation as follows: High = 6, Mid = 5, Bass = 4 position switch Tight: disto very heavy and sharp to palm mute and very effective for solos, full harmonics and sustain ..

If it can help you ... but hey she can do so many things, there are plenty of sounds to find D! =! I put another 10, I found my perfect sound (for now).

OVERALL OPINION

I use it for a month, I flashed on this pedal, I tested about an hour to shop and it was good. What I like most, there&#39;s several things: stomplock, sounds great, excellent design ... What I like least you still you ask ()?

It is a terrible pedal, it is much better than any I&#39;ve tried before (Boss Metal Zone and metalcore, Electro Harmonix Metal Muff [not live up to its reputation, for me, the sound is too dirty ] and others ...), I said, I completely forgot the lead channel of my amp yet very good too, following the acquisition of this pedal.

The value seems excellent, less than 150 € to sound this good ... I can not find the fault, for now.

If ever a wonder she had to let go of me, I would run in the second from the dealer use the same. Otherwise why not a second at another setting to switch between rhythm and solo?

Hardwire pedals seem in any case be extremely serious hardware, I also have the delay-looper of the brand, and its size is the same, it is still more complex, perhaps I will post a notice on when I will have it investigated sufficiently.

I put 9 because of the loose = D but again, in my view, it is the only drawback of this pedal, and nothing forces you to use it, right?