ToneDexter 2 - initial thoughts and reviews

[joshbennett]

Originally Posted by Spats Davenport

I looked in settings, and you can change the duration. I have mine set to remain in the menu. I use the back arrows when I’m finished.

Spats.

I do the same. Hit Mute then you’ll see a system config button. Crank the Page Timeout all the way up to 10 secs if you want, or one more click turns it off altogether.

[Larrison]

Originally Posted by Spats Davenport

If this has been answered already, apologies, but I couldn’t find it.



I too found the 5s anxiety inducing. Then, I looked in settings, and you can change the duration. I have mine set to remain in the menu. I use the back arrows when I’m finished.



Spats.

That was not in the firmware at release- but yeah that’ll be one of the first things I do when I update my firmware. I had to wait a bit to do the update because I had to play over the weekend and didn’t want to risk anything happening.

[aschroeder]

Originally Posted by James May

0 to 100% takes out resonances heard by the mic, above and beyond what the pickup is putting out. 100-200% takes out resonances inherent in the pickup signal itself. Typically not an issue for under saddle types, but for SBTs this can be very helpful. The original ToneDexter could only go to 100% BTW.

After reading this, I'm finding the Spaciousness setting to be very interesting to experiment with. I automatically turned it downward to help control feedback issues. But I was very surprised that it doesn't function like I expected it to. My guitar starts to feed back at around 80% and around 170%. So it isn't like it gets "boomier" the more you turn it up. The sound just changes like James described. Your guitar will sound very different with every 5% change of the Spaciousness setting.

It's a bit of a rabbit hole, but I would recommend experimenting with the Spaciousness setting since it seems to naturally do a lot of the things you'll attempt to do with the EQ settings.

[James May]

Originally Posted by aschroeder

After reading this, I'm finding the Spaciousness setting to be very interesting to experiment with. I automatically turned it downward to help control feedback issues. But I was very surprised that it doesn't function like I expected it to. My guitar starts to feed back at around 80% and around 170%. So it isn't like it gets "boomier" the more you turn it up. The sound just changes like James described. Your guitar will sound very different with every 5% change of the Spaciousness setting.

It's a bit of a rabbit hole, but I would recommend experimenting with the Spaciousness setting since it seems to naturally do a lot of the things you'll attempt to do with the EQ settings.

Just to clarify, my comment was in regard to the FeedBack control, not Spaciousness. Though it is possible a given Spaciousness setting will have a phase response at a resonance that either hurts or helps feedback, relative to some other Spaciousness setting, I would not expect Spaciousness to help with feedback issues in any meaningful way.

[Larrison]

I did the firmware update today- and everything I've noticed so far has been great!

Even the firmware update process was smooth/easy.

I did a couple new wavemaps today with my wife's Martin 000-12E. It has what Martin calls the Fishman MX-T pickup. It is the only undersaddle pickup in the house so I figured it would be a good test for the TDII because it sounds like hot garbage run direct.

I made one wavemap with an SM57 and another with a Lewitt LCT 040. I've become infatuated with recording acoustics with the SM57 even though I have mics that are better suited to pristine recordings. Especially with this 000 that doesn't have the most impressive sound in the room. The SM57 helps tame some brittleness.

At any rate- the SM57 wavemap is the winner for sure for this guitar and my playing, and will only get better as I keep tweaking EQ. The 040 wavemap would likely sound better if solo fingerstyle is your thing.

LAST THING-
The wavemaps I was making with this onboard Fishman system had some odd piezo artifacts until I remembered I could turn the tone control down to zero to do the training. I'll just have to remember to keep it on zero whenever I play it through TDII.

[phoei]

I was expecting to use my recently acquired TD II with my Yamaha Silent guitar, but sadly those WaveMaps are legacy. I learned that the hard way, you could say 🤓

Any chance for an updated version of the wavemaps for the silent guitar?

Greetings
Peter

[James May]

Originally Posted by phoei

I was expecting to use my recently acquired TD II with my Yamaha Silent guitar, but sadly those WaveMaps are legacy. I learned that the hard way, you could say 🤓

Any chance for an updated version of the wavemaps for the silent guitar?

Greetings
Peter

Yes, it is on our short term roadmap. The next version of software we release will have features to greatly simplify creation of "solid body" WaveMaps. And we will make a set available for guitar, similar to what we did before.

[phoei]

Originally Posted by James May

Yes, it is on our short term roadmap. The next version of software we release will have features to greatly simplify creation of "solid body" WaveMaps. And we will make a set available for guitar, similar to what we did before.

Thank you James

[jennconducts]

Hi all,

I don’t (for now) have specific comments or questions, but I want to say that I LOVE TDII. The new features are great, though so far I feel that I’m only scratching the surface. The increased ways of tweaking the sound are wonderful. I’m one of those who just wants the sound of my instruments in front of a mic. I’m not looking to change the sound or make them sound like other guitars. I bought the instruments that I bought for a reason: I like their sounds! Given that, we all know that there are differences in rooms, PAs, etc. The new tools more easily allow for adjustments based on those factors. I loved TD1, and I was an early adopter, but this is a big step forward, in my view. Congrats to James and everyone involved. If you all are at NAMM, I hope to see you there!

Jenn Martin

[SpruceTop]

I'm now getting a nice acoustic tone from my Larrivee D-40R JCL Special with LR Baggs HiFi processed through ToneDexter II. Perhaps, if you've already installed the LR Baggs HiFi in a guitar, and you're regretting doing so because the new LR Baggs Duet is imminent, and you've got the original ToneDexter I or the new TonenDexter II, maybe the 'Dexters could be a viable alternative to spending more bucks on the LR Baggs Duet. The bonus is that the ToneDexters can be used to render a nice-sounding mic tone to most acoustic guitars you may have with installed pickup systems.

[tadol]

I would say, if you have a decent pickup, the TD2 is a fantastic value in terms of getting a great acoustic tone from your amplified acoustic - but add in the units other capabilities - EQ, feedback eliminator, tuner, active DI, and all with active color display and memory slots to instantly store and restore different set-ups for different needs and instruments - it’s pretty darn amazing -

And with the anticipated firmware updates . . . .

[MarkLauden]

One more data point on a specific pickup with ToneDexter II:

Today I tried it with a guitar (a Schoenberg Quartet) that has a Trance Amulet pickup. I've never really been satisfied with the Trance sound before - too buzzy on the low end. When I tried the mono Trance output into the TD, the results were mediocre...still a bit buzzy (though I did not experiment with mics/positions). Then I tried it using the Trance stereo output into the TD stereo/aux in. (I used a MXL large condenser mic, 12" off the heel.) I couldn't believe how good it sounded! No trace of the buzzy sound, and a great reproduction of the rich sound of the instrument.

The TD took the buzzy pickup input and replaced it with the mic-ed sound, just as it's supposed to. It's like like playing straight into the mic. It seems to have handled the Trance input even better than the K&K input on my other guitars. It's remarkable (to me) because my worst-sounding amplified guitar is now my best.

Nicely done, ToneDexter.

[idimata]

These are some really good results! I'm very pleased to read the last few posts! I'm so glad

[Spats Davenport]

I have a nice Eastman ukulele. Quite a while ago, I thought a pickup would be a good idea. The K&K use one. Sounded atrocious. Scratchy and plinky. (Not K&K’s fault I stress, there’s only so much anyone can do to amplify a uke.

Well, I trained it with an NT-3. Now, 75% image, 25% pickup, it sounds incredible. I really was astounded by what the TDII managed to do. Really!

Thanks chaps.

Spats.

[SpruceTop]

Originally Posted by Spats Davenport

I have a nice Eastman ukulele. Quite a while ago, I thought a pickup would be a good idea. The K&K use one. Sounded atrocious. Scratchy and plinky. (Not K&K’s fault I stress, there’s only so much anyone can do to amplify a uke.

Well, I trained it with an NT-3. Now, 75% image, 25% pickup, it sounds incredible. I really was astounded by what the TDII managed to do. Really!

Thanks chaps.

Spats.

That's Great, Spats as that'll be wonderful for you and your audiences!

I'll bet you can hear that "Duquesne Whistle" blowin' and 23 skidoo To You, Bro--see you on the train.