TC Electronic Plethora X5 is an interesting small pedal incorporating all of TC's digital Toneprint pedals in one multieffect. You can put effects in any order, and have as many as 5 of the same effect in a row, organized in pedalboards. I had a few of TC's single pedals before, so I thought this might be fun. Updates at the beginning of the year added a simple looper and a phaser (nd a few other things). I had been using a Line 6 HX Effects, and wanted a smaller board that doesn't depend on an external expression pedal. The Plethora uses MASH switches, which sense pressure as well as on/off state: you can turn an effect like delay on with a switch, and then press the switch and hold it, increasing the pressure. This can do a whole host of things, like increase feedback, delay time, etc all at once. It is really a great idea. It is awesome on Leslie sounds, as you can map the speed to increasing the pressure with your foot. All 5 switches have this, and you can map 3 parameters on each effect to the MASH switch.
Now the effects quality is really crisp and clear, like you would expect any TC Electronics pedal. Diving in, however, there are some serious shortcomings here. It doesn't have to do with the sound, but in the ergonomics of programing, saving, and setting up custom boards.
There is a PC and Bluetooth app for programming. But, you don't have to use it. If you don't use it, though, you have essentially 3 parameters of each effect that you can tweak. For instance, the Flashback delay can map delay time, feedback, and mix to the 3 parameter knobs. What if you want to alter the mod speed? Or EQ of the delay? Or any of the dozens of parameters per effect? You need the app. But you still need to access things on the pedal too. So I balance the ipad and pedal on my lap while I hold a guitar, and have to tweak both. Testing the MASH switch requires some serious weight on the pedal as it is pressure sensitive, so you have to move the pedal to the ground to test that function, picking it back up to get in and out of the different modes. How fun!
One of the selling points of this pedal is that it has dozens and dozens of artist presets/Toneprints. These are fantastic, until you realize you can alter only 3 parameters of each preset on the pedal itself- the rest of the dozens of parameters can't be edited in the app. So it you love a Steve Morse delay, but want to change the EQ of the delay a little bit, you simply can't.
Other thing about this pedal is that there are no drives at all. Most likely because they don't make digital versions of their analog drives. So if you get your drive from a pedal, you have to bring that pedal. It adds a pedal, 2 cables and another power supply.
The editing makes me want to throw it through a window. It is simply the most un-intuitive app I've ever used. It feels like it is a beta release. Not being able to edit artist Toneprints along with the need to still access the pedal itself when using the software would make this a nightmare at a gig if you need to change something.
TC Electronics also promised many updates on this pedal, but it hasn't been updated for 9 months or so. So while the whole concept is pretty good, it is just poorly executed. The TC Electronics forum is full of people complaining about lack of updates and terrible implementation of the the editing software.
I will give it a few more days to see if I decide to keep it. Right now, the HX Effects is a much better purchase with seriously thought-out editing.
Now the effects quality is really crisp and clear, like you would expect any TC Electronics pedal. Diving in, however, there are some serious shortcomings here. It doesn't have to do with the sound, but in the ergonomics of programing, saving, and setting up custom boards.
There is a PC and Bluetooth app for programming. But, you don't have to use it. If you don't use it, though, you have essentially 3 parameters of each effect that you can tweak. For instance, the Flashback delay can map delay time, feedback, and mix to the 3 parameter knobs. What if you want to alter the mod speed? Or EQ of the delay? Or any of the dozens of parameters per effect? You need the app. But you still need to access things on the pedal too. So I balance the ipad and pedal on my lap while I hold a guitar, and have to tweak both. Testing the MASH switch requires some serious weight on the pedal as it is pressure sensitive, so you have to move the pedal to the ground to test that function, picking it back up to get in and out of the different modes. How fun!
One of the selling points of this pedal is that it has dozens and dozens of artist presets/Toneprints. These are fantastic, until you realize you can alter only 3 parameters of each preset on the pedal itself- the rest of the dozens of parameters can't be edited in the app. So it you love a Steve Morse delay, but want to change the EQ of the delay a little bit, you simply can't.
Other thing about this pedal is that there are no drives at all. Most likely because they don't make digital versions of their analog drives. So if you get your drive from a pedal, you have to bring that pedal. It adds a pedal, 2 cables and another power supply.
The editing makes me want to throw it through a window. It is simply the most un-intuitive app I've ever used. It feels like it is a beta release. Not being able to edit artist Toneprints along with the need to still access the pedal itself when using the software would make this a nightmare at a gig if you need to change something.
TC Electronics also promised many updates on this pedal, but it hasn't been updated for 9 months or so. So while the whole concept is pretty good, it is just poorly executed. The TC Electronics forum is full of people complaining about lack of updates and terrible implementation of the the editing software.
I will give it a few more days to see if I decide to keep it. Right now, the HX Effects is a much better purchase with seriously thought-out editing.
