Product: Matchless TV-1 Tremolo/Vibrato
Price Paid: US $800 used
Submitted
01/27/2003
at
09:59am
by
Anonymous
Ease of Use
:
8
The TV-1 is the now-discontinued, all tube Tremolo/Vibrato head with stereo outs made by the original Matchless company during its glory days in the mid '90s. The sounds are, without question, the best of their kind. The trick with the TV-1 is matching levels: the unit not only has a built-in preamp stage, it offers separate output volumes for Left and Right channels (though it can also be used in mono), and the amount of preamp signal shown to the modulation section can make a substantial difference in response. For example, the apparent "depth" of the tremolo's volume drop and the full range of pitch modulation on the vibrato are effected by the strength of the input signal. A bit of intuitive experimentation is in order, and the results are well worth the effort.
Sound Quality
:
10
Absolutely outstanding, the very best of its kind. The only box I've heard which can:
1. Replicate the sound of the best bias-modulating tremolo circuits of the early '60s Fender amps.
2. Outdo vintage stereo Magnatone combos for width and complexity of the pitch-shifting vibrato field. (This is dependent on the quality of amps being used to produce the final results, of course, though a pair of good Fender or Ampeg reverb combos are all that's needed, and I've had excellent results going direct to the board, too.)
3. Produce the subtle, complex flanging effects (with the "Feedback" switch engaged and the vibrato function set properly) which we associate with certain settings on an Echoplex OR the original Roland Space Echo. And the all-tube signal handling is an obvious plus.
4. Produce the machine-gun stutter of the classic Vox tremolo with a wider range of speeds.
The only caveat to all of this tonal goodness is that the tubes have to be in healthy condition or noise/microphonics will be introduced when the preamp gain is pushed or the modulation parameters are set wide. If you're willing to invest in this kind of piece, chances are you're not an amateur and you're also willing to keep it running at optimum level.
Reliability
:
9
I've never had a problem with mine other than tubes wearing out- the TV-1 runs its bottles at traditionally high voltages and the modulation effects do place more wear on them than a straightforward preamp circuit would. But the pots and jacks have never given me a problem and the circuit has no repair history after 6 years of studio use.
Customer Support
:
No Opinion
Hard to say. The company now called Matchless no longer makes this product, and its my understanding that the designer of this circuit is now working for Bad Cat Electronics, so I might be inclined to send it to them if something went wrong and it needed parts replaced. Hasn't happened yet, though.
Overall Rating
:
10
Admittedly, vibrato and trem are effects are mainly used in certain strains of pop music drawn from the '60s, so there are many modern styles for which they're considered unsuitable. That said, if you're one of those players who draws inspiration from that time and you're serious about getting optimal guitar, bass or electric keyboard sounds on tape or on stage, this is the magic box for these effects. No multi-effect I've heard, no matter the price point, can cop the best sounds the TV-1 has to offer, and that's made it worth owning and maintaining with good quality tubes.
This particular piece has seen time on four major label and a six indie label recording projects, and while I've been offered a couple hundred over what I paid from a couple of session players who wanted it for their own studio rigs, I can't seem to bring myself to part with it. The range and quality of tones is... well, the front panel makes the matter plain, doesn't it?
The question is, why isn't Matchless (or Bad Cat) producing it today when there are so many studios catering to roots, country and Anglopop musicians who could really use it?
