PigBoy
Tele-Meister
I've been thinking about picking one up and was wondering the general opinion of owners is.
Anyone using the TC Electronics Plethora X5?
- Thread starter PigBoy
- Start date
BorderRadio
Doctor of Teleocity
Curious too, surprised there aren’t more replies. I might trade in my Pod Go for one.
They are great. Full stop. Part of that for me is I am a "few pedals on a small board" guy. So typical "multieffect" logic is not intuitive to me. Even things like the Pod Go.
The interface is the best I've found - other the ME80 (which is much larger) for a "pedalboard" mindset.
The rub is still "troubleshooting on the fly" for me. It's just easier with a board and individual pedals. The problem and the troubleshooting the fix are just less immediate and so I get frustrated or stressed in the rehearsal room or on stage.
But even that process is easier on the Plethora than every other multi I've tried (besides the ME80). And the sounds, feel and options are really great.
Now if Carl Martin would just get around to updating the Quattro to include a $*#@i*g tuner (like on their Acoustic), that would be the perfect multi for me. Are you listing Carl?
The interface is the best I've found - other the ME80 (which is much larger) for a "pedalboard" mindset.
The rub is still "troubleshooting on the fly" for me. It's just easier with a board and individual pedals. The problem and the troubleshooting the fix are just less immediate and so I get frustrated or stressed in the rehearsal room or on stage.
But even that process is easier on the Plethora than every other multi I've tried (besides the ME80). And the sounds, feel and options are really great.
Now if Carl Martin would just get around to updating the Quattro to include a $*#@i*g tuner (like on their Acoustic), that would be the perfect multi for me. Are you listing Carl?
4pickupguy
Doctor of Teleocity
I have one waiting on me in the States. I pre-ordered it thinking I would be beating the waiting line... then, zombie apocalypse, and I still haven’t seen/heard it. Owned over a year now! With the possible exception of the Viscous Vibe, I think I will like it as I have owned or heard most everything else. Oh, forgot about the brainwaves (pitch shifter). I have read many reviews and the general consensus was that it is good but the EHX Pitchfork was better sounding.. I actually use the Pitchfork quite a bit so I am hoping it will work well enough. Honestly the price was hard to get past, but I justified it because it removed so many items off my board (and all of them pedals, midi switcher, A/B Y etc.). TC is living up to the promise of offering updates to include more features, pedals etc. Something they don’t always deliver on.... The PlethoraX5 puts everything but your drives in one small unit. Its not a as much a traditional “multi effects unit” as it is just 5 of any TonePrint pedals in a very small box. I cant wait to play around with it.
I’m using one. It’s nicer than most multi effects units if you’re more familiar with a discrete (separate pedals) pedal board. The mash foot switches are an interesting flexible option to add some expression to each pedal. The latest firmware update also added “hot knobz” which allow you to adjust individual pedal parameters live, for changes on the fly or dialing in parameters for a particular pedal. The stereo effects are nice and the MIMIQ doubler makes your sound even bigger (if you’re running a stereo rig). You can also do some crazy stuff with stacking multiples of a particular pedal (think 5 delay pedals!).
My only dislikes are the effect order (left to right, rather than conventional right to left) and the inability to label effects more clearly (the TonePrint names are quite small). I’d like the effect name (the TC product emulated by each effect) to be small and the TonePrint (patch name) to be swapped, size wise.
Hope this is helpful.
ping-ping-clicka
Poster Extraordinaire
the Carl Martin Brand Seem to make very high qualityv gear. All I hear/ read is good.
4pickupguy
Doctor of Teleocity
I have had about a week with my Plethorax5 now. Fantastic unit overall. Its form factor works exceedingly well in a pedal board format. Extremely easy to navigate. Its dead quiet with everything on with the exception of the most extreme compressor settings.
I’m a TonePrint tweaker and since the unit Bluetooths, its super easy to ‘tweak and try’ til it’s twoke. It can do so much it’s a bit overwhelming but in TC tradition it can be used straight out of the box.
Like most programmables it can store up to 127 patches and they can contain up to any five of the following effects:
Hall Of Fame 2 Reverb,
Flashback 2 Delay,
Sub n Up Octaver,
Brainwaves Pitch Shifter, Corona Chorus,
Hypergravity Compressor, Mimiq Doubler,
Vortex Flanger,
Pipeline Tap Tremolo,
Quintessence Harmony,
Sentry Noise Gate,
Shaker Vibrato
Add the mash switch tech and exp pedals and there truly no end to the possibilities.
Truth is though, unless there is a song specific patch, I can cover most all my needs with 3 generic patches using tap tempo and an expression pedal. In fact the main 90% patch I use is ridiculously simple and I turn them on and off as needed and mix with the exp pedal.
Slap delay
Long delay
Hall verb
Trem
I did create and separate patch for chord swells based on this video:
You should hear these swells through the W/D\W rig!! Yuge!!
I created one specific patch for Manic Mechanic and one for some pitchshift stuff. I will probably collect a few more.
I am loving the Plethorax5 so far. Great purchase!
I’m a TonePrint tweaker and since the unit Bluetooths, its super easy to ‘tweak and try’ til it’s twoke. It can do so much it’s a bit overwhelming but in TC tradition it can be used straight out of the box.
Like most programmables it can store up to 127 patches and they can contain up to any five of the following effects:
Hall Of Fame 2 Reverb,
Flashback 2 Delay,
Sub n Up Octaver,
Brainwaves Pitch Shifter, Corona Chorus,
Hypergravity Compressor, Mimiq Doubler,
Vortex Flanger,
Pipeline Tap Tremolo,
Quintessence Harmony,
Sentry Noise Gate,
Shaker Vibrato
Add the mash switch tech and exp pedals and there truly no end to the possibilities.
Truth is though, unless there is a song specific patch, I can cover most all my needs with 3 generic patches using tap tempo and an expression pedal. In fact the main 90% patch I use is ridiculously simple and I turn them on and off as needed and mix with the exp pedal.
Slap delay
Long delay
Hall verb
Trem
I did create and separate patch for chord swells based on this video:
You should hear these swells through the W/D\W rig!! Yuge!!
I created one specific patch for Manic Mechanic and one for some pitchshift stuff. I will probably collect a few more.
I am loving the Plethorax5 so far. Great purchase!
Last edited:
rumpus maximus
TDPRI Member
I've had one for about 8 months now. I built a small pedalboard consisting of it and 2 dirt boxes, and so far I like it.
PRO: lots of effects and effect combinations, effects sound pretty good, can save specific settings for several set lists worth of songs, true stereo, small footprint, built-in tuner and basic looper
CON: no written user manual (although Youtube videos and fairly easy-to-figure-out format make the learning curve relatively short), mine didn't sound as good set for buffered out, but sounds better set for true bypass
The best thing for me is being able to set board presets for each song, especially with the harmonizer settings. It makes life as the only guitar in a cover band easy. IMO, easily worth the money -
PRO: lots of effects and effect combinations, effects sound pretty good, can save specific settings for several set lists worth of songs, true stereo, small footprint, built-in tuner and basic looper
CON: no written user manual (although Youtube videos and fairly easy-to-figure-out format make the learning curve relatively short), mine didn't sound as good set for buffered out, but sounds better set for true bypass
The best thing for me is being able to set board presets for each song, especially with the harmonizer settings. It makes life as the only guitar in a cover band easy. IMO, easily worth the money -
4pickupguy
Doctor of Teleocity
Thin white duke
Friend of Leo's
With the new update you can set it from right to left, they just released the new firmware, on you tube you can see some videos.
Just went through all the Alter Ego vintage delays on the Plethora and all I can say is WOW.
All the Plethora naysayers need to seriously rethink dissing this pedal. It’s an incredible product.
Find one in the ballpark of $300 used and you have everything but your dirt taken care of, which leaves tons of space on your board for lots of variety in that category (And isn’t that what we all want?).
All the Plethora naysayers need to seriously rethink dissing this pedal. It’s an incredible product.
Find one in the ballpark of $300 used and you have everything but your dirt taken care of, which leaves tons of space on your board for lots of variety in that category (And isn’t that what we all want?).
4pickupguy
Doctor of Teleocity
It is the heart of my big board. It has options for setting up W/D\W which are fantastic. They keep improving it as well! I had the big Alter Ego and was stellar. I only got rid of it when I got the Plethorax5. I haven’t messed with the new update yet but I hope it addresses my one peeve. The delay in audio between patches. It is the most powerful and versatile piece of kit out there!! Any pedal I would ever dream of using in any order controlled through my expression pedal. Having too many effects is not a problem. Using too many effects is!!
Had one and sold it after a few months. It’s a very good product, but I found limitations.
1) I prefer analog modulation for the sound quality
2) although very well designed and simple, it’s still fiddly
3) although you have many effects, you only have 5 at a time. Sure you can have like 100 different boards, but will you remember all of them, and their settings? I sure didn’t.
If I was in a cover band and needed a wide array of specific effects for different songs, this thing might be perfect. Just have a different board for each song. Dial in and save settings for each different song, name the board by song.
In the end, I just want simple and analog. Bought some mxr pedals - carbon copy deluxe, phase 95, and micro chorus. No menus, no app, no memorizing where stuff is. Just easy and great sounding effects.
Ymmv
1) I prefer analog modulation for the sound quality
2) although very well designed and simple, it’s still fiddly
3) although you have many effects, you only have 5 at a time. Sure you can have like 100 different boards, but will you remember all of them, and their settings? I sure didn’t.
If I was in a cover band and needed a wide array of specific effects for different songs, this thing might be perfect. Just have a different board for each song. Dial in and save settings for each different song, name the board by song.
In the end, I just want simple and analog. Bought some mxr pedals - carbon copy deluxe, phase 95, and micro chorus. No menus, no app, no memorizing where stuff is. Just easy and great sounding effects.
Ymmv
dougbgt6
TDPRI Member
I bought one on from Amazon, I took out their credit card and they gave me £40, then with the Black Friday discount got it for £210! It's now back to £330 which shows you their profit margins!
I've a lot of TC pedals and yes, they're identical on the PLethora. Only 5 at at at time? You can introduce more pedals into a board using the FX function, or chain them before or after the Plethora. There is no distortion, I'm not keen anyway, but I run a Spark in front of the Plethora this gives overdrive if I want it, but primarily I use it as a graphic equalizer as the Spark has active tone controls.
I have the TonePrint app on my laptop and phone, this give access to the Plethora boards and allows you to name them. My No.2, "Back on the chain gang". The names pop up on the Plethora as you flick through so you don't have to remember the numbers.
The lack of a manual is frustrating, WHY can't they produce one? However, sussing it out is fairly easy until you hit some thing you can't figure out. MASH on the Flashback for instance. At some point I've managed to set some up with it, but now I can't and the light flashes irritatingly in time to the delay speed which is not what I want!
Doug
I've a lot of TC pedals and yes, they're identical on the PLethora. Only 5 at at at time? You can introduce more pedals into a board using the FX function, or chain them before or after the Plethora. There is no distortion, I'm not keen anyway, but I run a Spark in front of the Plethora this gives overdrive if I want it, but primarily I use it as a graphic equalizer as the Spark has active tone controls.
I have the TonePrint app on my laptop and phone, this give access to the Plethora boards and allows you to name them. My No.2, "Back on the chain gang". The names pop up on the Plethora as you flick through so you don't have to remember the numbers.
The lack of a manual is frustrating, WHY can't they produce one? However, sussing it out is fairly easy until you hit some thing you can't figure out. MASH on the Flashback for instance. At some point I've managed to set some up with it, but now I can't and the light flashes irritatingly in time to the delay speed which is not what I want!
Doug
Nice review, Doug, thanks.
I find the flashing delay time irritating as well, but it is easy to turn off. Go into edit mode, then settings, then board, then secondary switch function, then delay, then choose none.
That sounds like a lot but it’s very easy.
I find the flashing delay time irritating as well, but it is easy to turn off. Go into edit mode, then settings, then board, then secondary switch function, then delay, then choose none.
That sounds like a lot but it’s very easy.
dougbgt6
TDPRI Member
H,
Thank you so much! I NEW I new how to do this! 2nd FSW FUNCTION. FSW confused me, footswitch, does it have a footswitch?!! i don't use one, so that can't be it.
I've seen this before, I remember it all, except the footswitch. How odd, Alzheimer's!
Doug
Thank you so much! I NEW I new how to do this! 2nd FSW FUNCTION. FSW confused me, footswitch, does it have a footswitch?!! i don't use one, so that can't be it.
I've seen this before, I remember it all, except the footswitch. How odd, Alzheimer's!
Doug
