TWA began work on BB-01 Better Box clean harmonic booster in 2023
January 1, 2023 · 1 sources
TWA says it began exploring the idea behind the BB-01 Better Box, a clean harmonic booster designed by Susumu Tamura, in 2023. The pedal is listed on the Godlyke site as sold out.
The maker describes the BB-01 as generating increased even and odd harmonic content without distortion, and says it can push an amplifier input or drive long signal chains. It lists the pedal as functioning as a harmonic enhancer, level booster, compressor, EQ or preamp, with pure analog processing through a NOS OnSemi NE570 Compander IC and internal 30V operation for headroom. It runs on a standard 5.5mm/2.1mm tip-negative power supply, has true bypass switching and top mounted jacks, and carries two controls: BETTER for even/odd harmonic content and LOUDER for output level.
TWA frames the pedal as an alternative to overdrive. It says its SC-01 Source Code overdrive generates harmonics through op-amp and clipping circuitry that introduce distortion, waveform clipping, compression and frequency response changes, and that the Better Box instead adds harmonic content for what it calls a thicker, slightly rounder, more tube-like character while maintaining clarity and note definition. The maker also says the pedal evens out overall frequency response, creates a punchy, tight pick attack and improves what it calls the sonic clarity and psychoacoustic character of the instrument.
"We began exploring that idea in 2023."
The product page notes that the pedal will not be signed by Tamura.