TC Electronic Integrated Preamplifier

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Exo-metal

Exo-metal

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Anyone know the power it holds, I hear it's a phenomenal clean boost.
 

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I used a TC BLD clean booster for years. (Booster/Line Driver). Legendary pedal. The clean boost mode is as good as the OD mode is bad! I’ve never tried the integrated preamp pedal but hear there is a difference. Clean boost circuit vs a preamp circuit. In other words the Integrated preamp pedal is supposedly not the same circuit as the BLD, minus the OD circuit. Anyone A\B or open them up to confirm?
 
thegame said:
I used a TC BLD clean booster for years. (Booster/Line Driver). Legendary pedal. The clean boost mode is as good as the OD mode is bad! I’ve never tried the integrated preamp pedal but hear there is a difference. Clean boost circuit vs a preamp circuit. In other words the Integrated preamp pedal is supposedly not the same circuit as the BLD, minus the OD circuit. Anyone A\B or open them up to confirm?
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I have both, not the same. Circuit is also different (service manuals with schematics available online).

Same general idea, but the integrated preamp has more range on the controls, can cut more bass and therefore get tighter. Also is cleaner. The BLD in boost mode seems to have more treble (I always have it turned down to like 10 o’clock vs like 1 oclock on the tcp) but the bass knob doesn’t cut as much. Still very usable, just a slightly different flavor.

both old pedals, the integrated pre broke at one point, dried out caps, so I replaced the electros and it’s good as new, date code on the caps was 1984. I still haven’t opened up the BLD.

I really like the distortion mode for doomy sludge type stuff but that’s about it. Turn up the bass and it’s massive sounding.
 
A lot of folks say that the integrated pre is the holy grail as far as boosters for metal --- doesn't the dude from Meshuggah buy up any that pop up for sale? Matt Heafy was hunting for one for quite a while as well if I remember correctly.

BLD is very nice as well, bandmate used one of these with a 2203 for years and it sounded mighty fine for thrash.
 
I have an Integrated Pre / 33 / Grind pedal clone I built. It is pretty cool. It is basically just a 2 band EQ with a lot of volume boost.
 
TC stuff has always been decent but there's no beating the original line.

Would love to find an original one of these for a fair price.
 

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I got a shoot out recently of 6 different tc style clones, along with a few real ones. Hands down the peppers dirty tree was the best. The fortin stuff was absolutely terrible in comparison. The guy who gave me the shoot out comparison did it himself, and is one of the most respected engineers in modern metal. He says he’s never had anyone ever pick the fortin over any of the others in his studio, ever. and generally 9.9 out of 10 times, the peppers is the pick in a blind test. take that for what it’s worth. I love the peppers, when it’s in front of the right amp ( rectos, Uber, nothing with a tight front end, so no 5150s etc, it’s terrible there) it absolutely destroys.
 
The Pepers dirty tree is an excellent clone. It’s cheap in price too.
 
If this pedal will make a stock vert input 2204 chew nails I'll buy it.
 
Exo-metal said:
If this pedal will make a stock vert input 2204 chew nails I'll buy it.
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For me, it doesn’t put out enough juice for a stock 2204/2203 Marshall. I much prefer the King of Tone clone I have.
The TC circuit likes amps with a bit more gain and a looser bottom end.
 
Mine works great with my vert input 2203. It sends the thing into death-metal territory for sure. Anyway, the pedal can take up to 36V for phenomenal headroom and max output level.
 
psychodave said:
The Pepers dirty tree is an excellent clone. It’s cheap in price too.
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I mean, it's $175 after its all said and done. I wouldn't call that cheap. I was going to get one because of all the hype but from someone who has boost pedals that work and hating the 33 pedal I couldn't justify the price. Wouldnt mind trying one out still but ehh.
 
Suade636 said:
I mean, it's $175 after its all said and done. I wouldn't call that cheap. I was going to get one because of all the hype but from someone who has boost pedals that work and hating the 33 pedal I couldn't justify the price. Wouldnt mind trying one out still but ehh.
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I hear ya, but finding a working TC unit with proper power supply will cost a lot more. Fortin units are more as well. The Pepers version is quieter than the Fortin 33 by a lot.

Keep in mind I have one of the original Pepers Dirty Trees with full size components.
 
I always have to consider whether it's better boost than my pq-3, is it?
 
Most, if not all, pedals based on the TC integrated pre made nowadays include a charge pump in the design which gives you all the headroom the circuit is famous for. Since the gain in the circuit is fixed at ~22db you need a lot of headroom to keep the original's LM741 opamp from clipping, especially if you are boosting either frequency. With the originals you need to use a 36V power supply to get the same effect. I make this one for folks with a sense of humor

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