Talkboxes

Warheart

New member
does anybody have a talk box? i've been checking them out a bit. I had no idea that you had to put a tube in your mouth and mouth syllables. the digitech version uses a mic, but is that as good as the other rocktron/Heil versions using the tube? also, i've heard that these can be very damaging to amps, is there any reason for that?
 
Re: Talkboxes

Well, I tried to do one some time ago, with not too much chance. I couldn't tell you about the Digitech version, I haven't tried it yet.

About the amp damage: when you turn a talkbox on, it just cuts the "out" signal and sends it to the horn driver.
 
Re: Talkboxes

I think the Rocktron version may have finally done it right, since it's In-Line and doesn't require a separate amp...


I do believe all of these require a microphone and P.A. to work. There's a driver in the box that sends the sound up into your mouth, which you shape and "reflect" into the mic.
 
Re: Talkboxes

I have tried both. I like the heil talkbox much better and that's the one I own. You have to have some kind of output for the heil(can't remember what it's called) but my HRD has it. I'd say go with the dunlop. Talkbox's are really cool once you get down how to mouth words and stuff.
 
Re: Talkboxes

The Rocktron is the more modern out there, as you can incorporate other pedals with it, and it has some overdrive of it's own ... Rather than having to use the amp pre se' (which isn't a bad thing). Yeah, you need a mike for a real talkbox (which it is). I played around years ago with an old EH Golden Throat, pretty descent ...a talkbox is kinda a talkbox type of thing. The quality of the driver does make a bit of a difference, I think the Heil has a 100W bullet compression driver in it. The Rocktron Banshee does need anything like that as far as power rating.
If I were to choose between the two, I'd probably go with the Rocktron as it's more update, you can hear yourself, but with out a mike thru a pA the audience won't. Nevr A/Bed the Heil and Rocktron, but I'd go with the Rocktron.
 
Re: Talkboxes

Sorry, have to correct myself: has nothing to do with cutting signals :smack:. It has to do with the current volume you're playing into the talkbox. Check this site out.

And to get a decent sound you need to have some distortion and some shaping before the TB, and that's where an extra amp gets in (not a distortion pedal unless it has speaker emulation). So, to get the best sound possible, you need to have this kind of setup:

Guitar----> whatever ----> A/B switch
Then, from that A/B...
--A (no TB)--> whatever more ----> AMP
--B (w/TB)--> whatever else ----> AMP ----> Talkbox ----> Mike

(Sorry for the mislead info... you know... :newbie: )
 
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Re: Talkboxes

Also worth mentioning is that talkboxes did on occasion damage the amp, whether this was an impedance mismatch, or a shorting of the switch that switch the amp output (or speaker wires on the real old boxes) between the driver and the amp speaker(s), that I couldn't tell you, probably both on occassion. I think though that the newer Heils are safe to use though.
 
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