TC Electronic Nova System

Our lead guitarist's primary multi-effects rig. This thing is rock solid tank and is loaded with killer analog tones. The tone bank switching is a little on the pokey side, but with a TC Helicon G-Switch it's more than responsive enough for live work.

This is the nerve center of my rig. Not only does it handle all of my digital effect compositions, but it is a great midi controller to switch between my amp channels.

Great quality effects for the price. Many sound sculpting features. Sounds good enough for a pro rig. The analogue drive sections sounds great but can also be taken completely out of the signal chain.. Only missing a wah sound to be used with the expression pedal.

I am using it in simplified set up for gigging, it works really well and most importantly means I can do away with a massive pedalboard, and could just simply have the Nova System and a Wah pedal and I am away! The effects are pristine in quality. I think the analogue drives are really good (not for metal). For pure simplicity, the Nova system is just fantastic!

Its a great processor effects and has greats sounds

Although a bit of a learning curve to program, the effects sound completely natural and usable.

Everything on the TC Nova system sounds good, particularly the analog OD and Distortion, but the pitch effects, modulation effects other than trem and all the analog voiced delays sound a little plasticy compared with say the standalone toneprint pedals. Not sure why. Also, when you want compression its digital so the analog, uncolored pass through of your dry signal is shot to shit if you want to do traditional compression with 100% wet for a clean country pickin' patch with some tasteful verb or slapback... I dunno. I wanted to like this gadget more and it’s really not bad at all and VERY comprehensive for such a compact gadget, but even the drive and distortion is a letdown in that the circuits are dumbed down a bit from the standalone Nova Drive (which I also own, more on that anon dear fiends). While the Nova Drive is a TS/SD1 type OD and Proco Rat type Distortion with digital encoders for pots an, preset saving, midi in and thru but all analog and true bypass and you would think they ported that 1 to 1 into the fancy Nova system they DID NOT. The standalone dirt pedal has a Voodoo Lab sparkle drive type of clean blend knob on the OD side and independent bass and treble controls for the Rat style Distortion, both of which boutique mods to these classic circuits are ultra handy in my boat to really get the effects mated with your amp. I think because the Nova System offers EQ at the end of its signal chain they decided to simplify things in the drive circuit, but the system has digital EQ and setting it to 100% wet for a patch means compromising your analog signal (just like using the compressor). Furthermore the stereo implementation of this unit sucks. It’s basically just right and left wet signal out of phase like on a CE-3 chorus unless you use a cheesy ping pong delay or panning trem. Yes I can successfully drive 2 amps with this unit, but I wouldn't call it stereo. You can't assign any of the mono effects like detune to be 100% wet on one side and 100% dry on the other for instance, which makes double tracking effects impossible to execute without resorting to more pedals and processors. Long 'n short, this is NOT an all in 1 box for very application. It is an ideal Fly Date effects solution when you are using generic rented backline. If I have to build a pedalboard anyway I am going to get an independent midi controller, lay down my nova drive, Flashback X4 and something for detune into one side of my rig and have done with it. Good try TC. It’s sad that TC saw fit to discontinue the innovative Nova Drive but keep the mediocre Nova System on shelves. They could ditch the delay too since the Flashback series beat the crap out of the Nova Delays (which seem to be exactly the same as the early G series delays, nothing special other than ducking and 2290 modes). I got my Nova system really cheap and it’s worth it for $200USD or less in good condition. Otherwise I say pass on this one. TC should revamp tis little guy because it’s ALMOST the perfect compact MIDI effects solution but for a few details. Sadly those details matter a lot to me. I am probably going to liquidate this in favor of the discreet MIDI components I previously mentioned. Hopefully I will catch a good market week and make a small profit. I was promised jetpacks and got a hot air balloon, YMMV though.