The CNZ Audio TUN-5 is a compact chromatic tuner pedal in a small metal enclosure. Step on it and it mutes your output so you can tune silently between songs; step on it again and it returns to true bypass, with the screen dark and your signal passing through untouched. CNZ Audio gives it a fine tuning mode accurate to plus or minus 0.1 percent and a tonal range of 12 Hz to 4186 Hz, which the maker says prepares you to tune guitars, basses, ukes and more1.
How it works on a board
The TUN-5 has two states:
- Tuning mode: the output is muted and the display shows the note, which is what you want on a gig, since nothing leaks to the PA while you tune.
- Bypass mode: the screen is dark and the true-bypass circuitry carries your signal without the tuner in the path. CNZ Audio describes the bypass as providing a transparent tone in off mode1.
Like all CNZ pedals, the TUN-5 uses a metal enclosure. The maker specifies a solid aluminum housing on all sides, and at 3.75 by 1.77 by 1.9 inches it sits in the compact pedal tuner category alongside pedals like the Korg Pitchblack X mini and NUX PT-6 Pedal Tuner1. For a wider look at the category, see the Tuner Pedals page.
Power and connections
The TUN-5 takes a 9VDC input with the negative on the center pin and the positive on the outside, the common center-negative standard, and draws 90 mA1.
At 90 mA the TUN-5 draws more current than many mini pedals, so check that the output of your daisy chain or isolated supply slot can supply it before adding it to a board.
Connections are a single 1/4 inch input at 100 K ohms impedance and a single 1/4 inch output, per the maker's specifications1.
Specifications
| Specification | Value |
|---|---|
| Type | Chromatic tuner pedal1 |
| Bypass | True bypass1 |
| Tuning accuracy | +/- 0.1% in fine tuning mode1 |
| Tonal range | 12 Hz to 4186 Hz1 |
| Input | 1/4 inch, 100 K ohms impedance1 |
| Output | 1/4 inch1 |
| Power | 9VDC, negative center, positive outside, 90 mA1 |
| Dimensions | 3.75 L x 1.77 W x 1.9 H inches1 |
| Weight | .59 lbs (including box)1 |
| Enclosure | Solid aluminum housing on all sides1 |
What it tunes
The stated tonal range of 12 Hz to 4186 Hz reaches from below a bass guitar's lowest string up through the highest pitches on a guitar or ukulele, so one pedal can serve a multi-instrument player. CNZ Audio names guitars, basses and ukes explicitly1.
Questions
Is the CNZ Audio TUN-5 true bypass?
Yes. CNZ Audio says the TUN-5 uses true-bypass circuitry, so when the pedal is off your guitar's signal passes through without the tuner's circuitry loading it. The company describes this as providing a transparent tone in bypass mode, and the screen goes dark when the pedal is bypassed.
What power supply does the CNZ Audio TUN-5 need?
The TUN-5 needs a 9VDC input with the negative on the center pin and the positive on the outside, the standard center-negative pedal supply polarity. It draws 90 mA, so a supply with enough current headroom is needed, and the maker's page does not list a battery option.
Does the TUN-5 mute the output while tuning?
Yes. When you step on the pedal to enter tuning mode, the output is muted, so the audience does not hear you tune between songs. Stepping on the pedal again returns you to bypass mode, where the screen is dark and your signal passes through untouched.
Can the TUN-5 tune a bass or ukulele?
Yes. CNZ Audio gives the TUN-5 a tonal range of 12 Hz to 4186 Hz and says that range prepares you to tune guitars, basses, ukes and more. A bass's low strings sit well inside that range, and so do a ukulele's higher pitches.
Does the TUN-5 take a battery?
CNZ Audio's product page lists only a 9VDC input with negative center polarity as the power source and does not mention a battery option. Plan to power it from a pedalboard supply or a dedicated 9VDC adapter that provides at least 90 mA.
Sources (1)
- TUN-5 | Tuner Pedal | CNZ Audio, CNZ Audio
