TC Electronic Plethora X1 Review

Save for the creation of gain sounds, the Plethora X1 can fill almost any sonic need on any gig. It can play the role of just one effect at a time—this isn’t like the Plethora X3, Plethora X5, or a modeler within which you can create chains of virtual stomps. But with very little effort, I can access TC’s entire TonePrint line, including factory- and artist-created TonePrints from the Hall of Fame 2 Reverb, Flashback 2 Delay, Helix Phaser, Viscous Vibe, Sub ‘N’ Up Octaver, Brainwaves Pitch Shifter, Corona Chorus, Hypergravity Compressor, Mimiq Doubler, Vortex Flanger, Pipeline Tap Tremolo, Quintessence Harmony, Sentry Noise Gate, and Shaker Vibrato. At $129, the Plethora X1’s sounds-per-dollar value is extremely hard to beat.

Making Space

Full-sized Hall of Fame 2 and Flashback 2 pedals are already mainstays on my board, but, curiously, I hadn’t really explored the full capacity of those effects until using them within the X1. One reason, perhaps, is the X1’s handy readout. When you move any one of the three assignable knobs on the unit, the values for the assigned parameter appear on the screen, providing valuable visual feedback and precision. The parameters adjusted via those three knobs aren’t the only things you can tweak. The fourth knob is a rotary control with seven different slots that each store two different effects (when in A/B mode). That means 14 different presets that you can access quickly without having to dive into the deep editing mode.

Scratching the Surface

My favorite TC Electronic effects are the company’s detail-rich reverbs and delays. They did not disappoint here, and right out of the box, the room and shimmer reverbs were very inspiring. The shimmer verb didn’t have the way-too-glossy feel that can make many of these effects sound cheesy. A subtle, tight room reverb, meanwhile, allowed me to sense the effect as much as hear it—a nuance that, to me, is a hallmark of a well-designed algorithm.

Each effect is pre-loaded with a handful of presets that you can cycle through without firing up the app, offering many surprises in effects you may not have encountered before. The Sub ’N’ Up Octaver, for instance, is a real standout. It tracks incredibly well, offers plenty of customization, and sounds thick. Another highlight is the Helix Phaser, which is bubbly and liquid with an analog-like voice that would have appealed to Eddie Van Halen and Bob Marley alike.

There’s an App for That

Though the visual feedback from the X1’s screen is valuable, you have the most control and programming power within the TonePrint app. You can connect with the app three different ways: Bluetooth, USB-C, or using your phone to beam a preset via the pickups on your guitar. Although all three worked, I found Bluetooth and USB-C to be the most reliable and responsive.

As you can imagine, TC has built up a huge library of presets for all the various pedals represented in the X1. (The Tone Print Library has grown continuously since the technology was introduced in late 2010). But as sizable as the library is—and in spite of how many effects are on hand in the X1—the process of switching between them and trying new TonePrints out is still easy and fun. Once the pedal is connected, you scroll through a menu within the app of artist and factory presets. After you find one you like, you can either save it directly to your X1 or pull up the editor to adjust control parameters and other effect-specific functions. It’s an in-depth editor that doesn’t overload you with endless menus. TC deserves kudos for such an accessible design.

The Verdict

As you might guess, I don’t have the space to go in-depth on every effect in the X1. And at $129, the X1’s performance-to-price ratio is off the charts. Although you can only use one effect at a time, the ability to bring in any one of 14 great-sounding effects in a pinch is invaluable. I’ve often wrestled with whether or not to fork out money for a chorus, tremolo, or harmonizer that I might only use one or twice during a gig. That’s a decision the Plethora X1 all but eliminates. Although there’s a minimal learning curve, the X1 doesn’t have the paralyzing effect that other multi-effects units can have. If you’re into streamlining your board but still yearn to try new effects and applications as top artists hear and envision them, the X1 is hard to beat. PG