The Free The Tone QUAD ARROW QA-2 is a distortion pedal from Japanese maker Free The Tone, designed by Yuki Hayashi1. What sets it apart from most compact distortions is that it was engineered like a preamp rather than a conventional 9V stompbox: Free The Tone abandoned a straight DC9V design because the compression became too strong and the spiky attack was lost, and instead redesigned the circuit around an internal power supply boosted to plus and minus 15V DC for extreme dynamic range2.
The design goal, as MusicRadar reported at the pedal's launch, was tube amp-like distortion regardless of the amp it was plugged into, responsive to a player's articulations, cleaning up when the guitar's volume is turned down, and staying transparent even with heavy gain chords1.
The QA-2 is discontinued. Free The Tone lists it as production ended, at a Japanese price of 41,800 yen including tax2.
A distortion pedal designed like a preamp
Most distortion pedals run their audio circuit directly off a 9V supply, which limits headroom. The QA-2 takes a different route: a new power supply circuit, developed in the Free The Tone CUSTOM/SOV-2, is built into the QA-2 and boosts the incoming 9V to plus and minus 15V DC internally2. MusicRadar noted that increasing the voltage internally to plus and minus 15V DC overcame the tonal limitations common with a standard 9 volt power supply1.
Free The Tone's own account of the development is unusually candid about why the change was made: the company abandoned a 9V DC design because compression became too strong and the spiky attack was lost, redesigning it like a preamp using +/-15Vdc power for extreme dynamic range plus a secret know-how2.
Free The Tone's own product page describes the design history: the company abandoned a 9V DC design because the compression became too strong and the spiky attack was lost, and instead redesigned the pedal like a preamp using +/-15Vdc power for extreme dynamic range plus what it calls a secret know-how2. The stated design goal was a pedal that would deliver outstanding tube amp-like distortion regardless of the amp it was plugged into, respond to a player's articulations, clean up when turning the guitar's volume down, and keep transparency even with heavy gain chords1.
The result, redesigned like a preamp, pairs the plus and minus 15V DC power with what Free The Tone calls a secret know-how for extreme dynamic range2.
For sound, MusicRadar's reviewer described thick and rich distortion tones, from crunchy to super saturated drive, with rich and thick sustain at maximum gain, calling it a classy sounding distortion suited to rock and metal riffing and emotive lead work. The reviewer also noted it will not achieve an 80's scooped thrash tone, and that background noise is less than other similar high gain pedals1.
The controls
The QA-2 keeps its control panel simple, with four knobs2:
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| GAIN | Sets the amount of distortion. At zero, MusicRadar's reviewer found a light crunch with strong down picking and a bridge humbucker selected; at maximum it gives rich and thick sustain21 |
| TREBLE | High-frequency content of the distorted tone2 |
| BASS | Low-frequency content of the distorted tone2 |
| LEVEL | Output volume of the pedal2 |
The gain range is wide enough that the pedal covers light crunch through heavy saturation from the single control1.
Power: 9V in, boosted internally to plus and minus 15V
The pedal runs on DC9V, supplied either by a 9V battery of the 006P type or through a DC9V input jack for an AC adapter2. Inside, the supply is boosted to plus and minus 15V DC to feed the audio circuit2.
Two practical points for anyone powering one:
- Battery life is short. MusicRadar reported that an alkaline battery lasts only a couple of hours, so an AC adapter is preferable for extended use1.
- Current draw is high for a compact pedal. The QA-2 draws approximately 90mA at DC9V2, a figure MusicRadar also cited as the higher power consumption of the design1. That is well above a typical analog distortion, so a dedicated outlet on a power supply is the sensible choice.
The output load impedance is rated at 200 ohms or less2.
Design notes and status
The QA-2 came from pedal designer Yuki Hayashi1. Its amp compatibility was a core part of the concept: MusicRadar's reviewer found it perfectly suited to all manner of tube amps, having tried several with it, and also reported that it works very well with small practice amps and solid state amps1.
Free The Tone's Custom products, the line the QA-2 belongs to, were sold only through the company's own online store and designated domestic dealers in Japan3. In the UK, the pedal carried a suggested selling price of £365 in 20121. Production has since ended, and Free The Tone's product page now marks it as discontinued2.
Players looking for other Free The Tone distortions can compare the HB-2 Heat Blaster and the Iron Forest IF-1D, both covered elsewhere on this site.
Videos
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Brett Kingman
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Questions
Does the Free The Tone Quad Arrow QA-2 run on a battery?
Yes. It takes a 9V battery of the 006P type, but an alkaline battery lasts only a couple of hours, so Free The Tone and reviewers both point players to an AC adapter for extended use. There is also a DC9V input jack for an adapter on the pedal itself.
How much current does the QA-2 draw?
Around 90mA at DC9V, which is high for a compact distortion pedal. That draw comes from the internal power supply circuit that boosts the 9V input up to plus and minus 15V DC, so plan on a dedicated power outlet rather than a small supply.
Is the Quad Arrow QA-2 still in production?
No. Free The Tone lists the QA-2 as production ended, discontinued. It was priced at 41,800 yen including tax in Japan, and finding one now means looking at the secondhand market.
Where was the QA-2 sold?
Free The Tone's Custom products, the line the QA-2 belongs to, were sold only through the company's own online store and designated domestic dealers in Japan. In the UK it carried a suggested selling price of 365 pounds in 2012.
Does the QA-2 work with tube amps?
Yes. MusicRadar's reviewer found it perfectly suited to all manner of tube amps and tried several with it, and also reported that it works very well with small practice amps and solid state amps, which was part of the design goal.
Sources (3)
- Hands-on with the Free The Tone Quad Arrow Distortion QA-2, MusicRadar, 2012-11-13
- QUAD ARROW DISTORTION / QA-2｜Products 商品紹介｜Free The Tone, Free The Tone
- QUAD ARROW DISTORTION / QA-2｜Products 商品紹介｜Free The Tone, Free The Tone
