tobi_tack's Reviews

Intuitive better-maker for most sources

The Charisma features a high voltage tube circuit for saturation and distortion and a one-knob transient designer (called "Charisma"). I use it in front of compressors for drum overheads and for making synthesizers more interesting. Rounds off transients very nicely, creates sparkling saturation when driven harder. The "Charisma" function is excellent for creating depth when e.g. placing your tracks in the mix, as you can clearly hear them moving back and forwards when tourning the knob. Less vintage sounding, more of the modern kind, but very usable, if you want to have an analog exciter in your rack.

Always-on powerhouse for all kinds of synthesizers

Imo best "budget" option for adding stereo functionality to vintage (or not-so-vintage) type of monophonic digital and analog synthesizers. Contains 90% of the Roland SDD-320 rack unit in pedal format (waza craft mode). Only thing it lacks in comparison to the rack unit is some of the stereo crossfeed routing which you can simulate in the studio using plug-ins (or just ignore) and cannot normally hear in any live context. Chorus sound is very broad, beautiful and musical. Push and combine the buttons for taste. Brings life to static digital sounds, pushes them back into the mix, rounds off harshness of any kind. Supports funky e-pianos and clavinets, brings even more movement to pads etc. No brainer for sound fetishists and audiophiles!

There are 4 buttons to choose from, from which you can combine 2 by pressing them together. 1 has the least depth and rate, 4 the most. Combining to of them creates a more "complex" chorus and stereo effect.

My choice for keys

Easy way to get the beast sound for your organ without losing all heights and low end like with regular overdrive pedals. Yet a little too noisy when cranked up.

Fun to make noise with

The Nanozwerg offers everything, a basic synth should have: one VCO + sub-VCO, noise, S+H and a nasty filter, which is a multimode one (!) and can be modulated by VCO (!!). On top you get multiple cv-inputs, audio in and LFO out (!). Very cool. But: tuning is a nightmare, takes up to 30min to heat up. I use it for deep bass and effects.

Vintage PA-Amplifier from 1969

If you are looking for the special old vibe, but cannot afford the classic stuff, you might want to check out these ones. You get four inputs with separate volume and tone controls, master volume, bass and treble at aprox. 50Watts. But be careful: the el-503 power amp valves are long out of production. Fortunately, there is one single guy in Germany who equips them with standard Russian el-504's...