The Two Notes Le Crunch Dual-Channel Preamp Distortion Pedal is a versatile preamp with dual channels, which can easily substitute smaller performance and recording equipment. The Two Notes Le Crunch Tube Preamp Guitar Pedal provides throaty and powerful sounds in contrast to its brothers in the rest of the range and its ideal for all settings whether in the studio or at a live performance.
Plug the Two Notes Le Crunch Tube Preamp Guitar Pedal into your guitar, effects pedals and midi controller and add your desired affects either by chaining them through the guitar or attaching them via an effects loop. As well as being output to a standard cabinet and head, the Two Notes Le Crunch Tube Preamp Guitar Pedal can be output to a Cab simulator for an authentic big-rig sound.
The dual channels of the Two Notes Le Crunch Tube Preamp Guitar Pedal come as ‘Hot and Cold Fusion’. These can be selected individually and affect how the sounds blend together. In ‘Hot Fusion’ A can boost B whilst in ‘Cold Fusion’ the two channels run parallel and can be blended together.
The main features of the Two Notes Le Crunch Dual-Channel Preamp Distortion Pedal include:
It's always been a trouble for me to bring the full-size tube head to rehearsals and gigs. I needed a small tube preamp with option to be paired with MIDI and option to use external cabsim to plug directly into a mixer without a significant tone loss. So I made a decision to buy this device.
Straight to sound - it's very decent for such a small thing. Convenient tone controls allow to shape the tone from roaring dark fuzz-like sound to somewhat british crunch. Clean channel varies from pure transistor-like clean to tubey slightly driven very light crunch (at least on active pickups). Crunch channel has a huge palette of vintage rock tones. But for something more modern it's better to use Hot Fusion mode (here's the fun, he-he-he) that boosts 2nd channel with 1st one or to use external boosters. By the way, Clean channel by itself takes well distortions and even fuzz pedals (Big Muff clones in my case), and Crunch channel easily can be boosted to some serious level modern rock tones. I recommend to use only boosters with Crunch channel. Distortion stompboxes will turn crunch tones into a mess. I haven't found a good use to Cold fusion mode, but my fellow bassist did :) So I suppose it's more bass than guitar option. Maybe it'll be good for heavy downtuned guitars too. And yes - Le Crunch does the bass tones as easily as the guitar. Tubey tasty crunchy bass lines that's how I like it! :) Well, all in all, variety and quality of tones is the thing that made me fell in love with this pedal. Forgot to mention that tube in this preamp is not dummy, it really works as stated by the manufacturer. It glows and heats up, thus device gets warm in couple of minutes - it's normal.
Built-in cabsim is usable but not as good as decent impulse of course. I prefer to plug Le Crunch into my Torpedo C.A.B. with poweramp simulating turned on. But it sounds even better plugged into real tube poweramp (Marshall JVM210C's in my case). Don't forget - it's only a PREAMP, so it needs to be plugged into good poweramp and cabinet (or simulator) to get the tones you may like. But for home use, you can play this preamp completely standalone, just plug it into soundcard (Le Crunch has line out ant instrumental out - pay your attention), turn on some poweramp sim, cabsim and voilà!
Also I like a tank-like metal case. I can't imagine how someone can break it without a hammer. All inputs and outputs are intuitive and carefully marked. Nothing somebody can't figure out within 5 minutes. Knobs are solid and turn precisely. Only one minus - channel switches are too far from each other, it's not always comfortable to click them on simultaneously to get into Fusion modes.
Great and very convenient preamp for the money. Use it every day (finally my rig has 20kg less weight, he-he). Tones palette, interaction with external equipment, tube coloring - all top notch in its price range. Le Crunch is not a replacement for Marshall heads, cause it has it's own tone (maybe similar to british, but slightly different, more modern), but I definitely recommend this pedal for vigorous rock rhythm and even for gorgeous solo parts. Enjoy!
Le Preamp series devices are very good tools for silent practice/performing with a consistent sound/recording at home. Maybe it is the best value/price tube valve preamp.