Product: TC Electronic Firework 2.0
Price Paid: N/A
Submitted
05/10/2001
at
11:24am
by
Ruben
Ease of Use
:
9
Quite easy to use, except when scrolling through values it can be very slow. TC should put in a software patch that detects how fast the knobs are being turned and scroll the values accordingly. Editing patches is quite easy but you need the manual for the first few tries and then it becomes second nature.
Manual is adequate. My box has version 2.0 which basically adds 200 more factory patches, for a total of 400 presets.
Sound Quality
:
10
Absolutely amazing. No noise at all. Effects are very cool. One thing I learned early on in my musical journey is that some effects are very subtle and beautiful so they cant be used in "harsh environments" (e.g. Speed Metal and such type of music). If your style involves both Hard and soft stuff you will exploit Fireworx's potential to the fullest and are going to love this unit. The Fireworx can create in your face special effects to creamy lite effects.
I am a guitarist and was looking to add special effects and textures to my songs and this thing does it beautifully. My rig is as follows:
Guitar -> POD -> Fireworx ->ADA Power AMp -> Ampeg 4 X12's.
I use the POD for Cabinet and AMP shaping and the Fireworx for the effects (Chorus/Flanger/Reverb/Phaser/Pitch/Formant Filters/Synth....)
All the traditional effects are all EXCELLENT but it also adds Synths/Vocoder/Formant Filters and some other stuff that can really add another dimension to your sound. There was Hype about the pitch shifter. I was expecting the earth to shatter or something but... let's just say that sometimes over hype can cause monumental expectations and "seem" disappointing when the actual product comes out. (The pitch shifter is still excellent though, probably better than the Eventide for single and dual pitch shifting!).
The unit is not really meant for live play because patch changes take about 1 second (depending on how large of a patch you are loading) and there is no output between patch changes. However you could use a MIDI pedal to turn on/off effects within a patch. The distortion in this unit is not meant for guitars (that is why I have the POD!). It is a special effects distortion and can be used to add some edge to your sound. The presets are for many instruments and vocals, so some presets may not sound good with your instrument but you can tweak the settings to accommodate your needs. The unit is very transparent and will not color your sound unless you want it to.
Reliability
:
9
It hung on me once but never again after that. I was clumsily reaching over and pushing a lot of buttons but it should not have hung. This unit is more for studio use but I am going to try it in a live show and see how it does. The sheer fact that it can add so much depth to your songs would make me feel very "thin" playing live without this unit. I would play without a backup (have to - they aren't cheap ok!)
Customer Support
:
10
Very Good. This guy Jim Bellamy seems very responsive.
Overall Rating
:
10
This unit is outstanding. I play mostly hard/easy rock and some classical/flamenco stuff as well. It not only provided me with what I needed but opened up new avenues as well. You need to sit and play with the effects to appreciate it's potential. You cannot judge it by just scrolling through the presets and playing only one style of music (e.g. Thrash Metal) with one instrument (e.g. guitar).
You need to go to your local music shop and take the time to play with the effects. If you are strictly a Blues/Jazz/Classic Rock/Thrash-Speed Metal player than this unit may be an overkill as you may not need all the effects it offers. However, if you are a New Age/Techno/Ambient/Trance/ Contemporary Anything/Progressive Rock/Alternative Rock/Hard Rock/Metal or own a studio then this device is for you.
I REALLY REALLY REALLY wish it had faster patch changes, and smarter software to detect the speed at which the knobs are being turned!! (Hint to TC Electronics marketing folks.)
