Strymon Deco

January 2015 Guitari s t 129
Quicktest
TC Electronic is rapidly
becoming one of the premier
names in delay and reverb, and
the company’s onslaught of
ambience shows no sign of
letting up. Hot on the heels of
the X4 incarnation, the compact
Alter Ego V2 Vintage Echo
packs 11 delay types, including
Pro Guitar Shop-tuned models
based on classic tape and
analogue echoes, such as the
Binson Echorec 2, Boss DM-2
and Maestro Copykat. The T2,
meanwhile, is the sequel to TC’s
Trinity Reverb, and offers 10
delay sounds focused on
atmospheric ’verbs.
The Alter Ego offers the
standard array of delay controls
– decay, tone, mix, delay type –
plus a subdivision switch,
which selects between quarter
notes, dotted eighths and a
dual-delay combination. It also
boasts audio tapping, initiated
by holding the footswitch down
and strumming short 1/4 notes,
while switching to the delay
type control’s LP setting
activates the pedal’s 40-second
looper. The T2, on the other
hand, is a simpler affair, with
controls for decay, tone, mix,
reverb type and a two-position
pre-delay switch.
Both pedals include a single
TonePrint slot for firing up
sounds from TC’s ever-growing
library of presets via the
TonePrint app or a computer,
or making your own using the
comprehensive TonePrint
Editor. In addition, you get
stereo inputs and outputs, plus
nine-volt battery and power
supply operation, analogue dry-
through and a choice of true or
buffered bypass.
Sounds
Each twist of the T2’s reverb
type knob is like entering a new
dimension; there’s a stunning
range of modulated ’verbs, from
flanging to chorus-y wobble and
painfully slow seasick pitch
bends, while huge hall textures
instantly conjure Jeff Buckley-
esque arpeggios from your
guitar. Even at 12 o’clock on the
decay dial, each type yields
colossal trails, so don’t look here
for your spring kicks. These
hi-fi sounds put the T2 squarely
in the ballpark of ambient
pedals such as the HardWire
Supernatural, albeit minus the
pitch-shifted shimmer modes.
Yet while the sounds are
sensational, the pedal’s usability
is somewhat hampered by the
reverb types being marked by
roman numerals, which hardly
makes for straightforward
preset finding.
GUITARIST RATING
Alter Ego V2
T2 Reverb
Guitarist says: Two purpose-
specific ambience generators,
which each offer a broad and
arresting range of sounds within
their spheres
More new twists on the TonePrint formula
CONTACT: TC Electronic PHONE: [phone] WEB: www.tcelectronic.com
TC Electronic Alter
Ego V2 Vintage
Echo & T2 Reverb
£134 & £118
If you’ve played the Alter Ego
X4, which we reviewed a few
issues back, you’ll know exactly
what to expect from the V2:
you’ll find warm, tape-like
repeats from the Echoplex and
Deluxe Memory Man models,
crunchy decays courtesy of the
Copykat and swirling detuned
ambience from the Echorec and
Echoflanger simulations, while
new settings such as 2290 Mod
and Reverse Mod add a touch of
psychedelia to proceedings.
Add in the easy-to-use
40-second looper, and it’s hard
to complain about the feature
set on offer here.
Verdict
Although these pedals are more
niche than TC’s flagship
Flashback Delay and Hall Of
Fame Reverb, they do what they
do extremely well, and with the
addition of a TonePrint slot, you
can always have a tamer reverb
or more modern delay in your
back pocket. While it sounds
fantastic, the T2’s modulated
’verbs could be a little over the
top even for ambient fans, but
the Alter Ego V2 is equipped to
appeal to just about any player,
whether you’re well versed in
vintage delays or not.
[MB]
Quick
test
QuicktestQuick
sounds from TC’s ever-growing
TonePrint app or a computer,
More new twists on the TonePrint formula
TC Electronic Alter
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VIDEO DEMO
GIT389.rev_quick.indd 129 26/11/2014 17:23