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tjon901 « High end tube overdrive »
Published on 05/26/11 at 19:36Hughes and Kettner is a German guitar amp company that started in the mid 80s. Today they make a wide range of guitar related things from amps to accessories. This is a Hughes and Kettener overdrive pedal called the Tube Factor. The Tube Factor features two gain modes which make it more versatile. It has a softer mode called Factor 1 and a heavier mode called Factor 2. The Tube Factor uses a 12AX7 preamp tube for the Factor 1 voicing. Factor 2 uses a diode circuit for more gain. The Tube Factor has 3 knobs One for Drive another for Output and the last for voicing.
UTILIZATION
The Tube Factor is strongly built using medium gauge metal with plastic side panels. The design has a recessed area for the controls so it is very hard to break a knob or pot if you drop the pedal. If you open up a side panel you can see that the Tube Factor’s design is based off of two circuit boards: one to hold the preamp tube socket and related components, the other for the primary circuit itself. The Tube Factor is designed so that you cant really change the tube inside it because the electronics inside are quite delicate.
SOUND QUALITY
Maxing out the Voicing knob produces a sound that sounds like a modern scooped gain amp with most of the mids removed from the sound. If you turn the voicing knob the opposite way you can get a more bluesy sound. Factor 1 produces a nice gradual overdrive that is dynamic with your attack. At some settings Factor 1 can sound a lot like an Ibanez Tube Screamer. Factor 2 produces more modern overdrive sounds. The Factor 2 distortion is very smooth and it is not noisy.
OVERALL OPINION
This is not a "one good sound" only pedal. Blues, rock, and metal players will all find great sounds from the Tube Factor. The Tube Factor is well designed and sounds good in all of the settings.
UTILIZATION
The Tube Factor is strongly built using medium gauge metal with plastic side panels. The design has a recessed area for the controls so it is very hard to break a knob or pot if you drop the pedal. If you open up a side panel you can see that the Tube Factor’s design is based off of two circuit boards: one to hold the preamp tube socket and related components, the other for the primary circuit itself. The Tube Factor is designed so that you cant really change the tube inside it because the electronics inside are quite delicate.
SOUND QUALITY
Maxing out the Voicing knob produces a sound that sounds like a modern scooped gain amp with most of the mids removed from the sound. If you turn the voicing knob the opposite way you can get a more bluesy sound. Factor 1 produces a nice gradual overdrive that is dynamic with your attack. At some settings Factor 1 can sound a lot like an Ibanez Tube Screamer. Factor 2 produces more modern overdrive sounds. The Factor 2 distortion is very smooth and it is not noisy.
OVERALL OPINION
This is not a "one good sound" only pedal. Blues, rock, and metal players will all find great sounds from the Tube Factor. The Tube Factor is well designed and sounds good in all of the settings.