The Free The Tone TA-1H Tri-Avatar Multi Dimensional Chorus is a chorus pedal from Japanese maker Free The Tone. Where a conventional chorus pedal modulates one delayed copy of your signal, the TA-1H runs three chorus voices (three phases) plus your dry signal, for four signal paths in total12. Premier Guitar called it "a next generation chorus pedal with four signal paths for three chorus sounds (three phases) and one dry signal" when introducing it2.
Pedal of the Day described the result in player terms: "By utilizing three separate phases of chorus sound, along with your dry signal, you get more width and depth to the chorus effect, which can tend to be thin and tinny in some pedals."3
How the three modulation paths work
The core of the pedal is phase offset. Each of the three modulation paths is shifted 120 degrees from the next, and Free The Tone says this is what produces the spread that is specific to three-phase chorus1. Premier Guitar put it the same way at introduction: "A widening effect characteristic of three-phase choruses is attained by 120˚ shifting of the phase in each signal modulation path."2
In stereo use the three phases are allocated across the outputs: phase 1 goes to the left output, phase 2 to both left and right, and phase 3 to the right1. In mono, all three modulation paths are mixed together, which Free The Tone says enables diverse sound creation2.
Controls, connections and power
The control set is RATE, HI-CUT, DEPTH L/C/R, DRY MIX and LEVEL1. The three DEPTH knobs mean the depth of each phase can be set independently rather than as one global depth control.
Connection and power details from the maker1:
- Four 1/4-inch jacks: IN, OUT/L (mono), OUT/R and EXT
- DIN 5-pin MIDI IN connector
- DC 9V input for the dedicated FA-0905D-JA AC adapter, about 140mA
- Included in the box: warranty card, manual, the dedicated AC adapter and four rubber feet
The TA-1H runs on a dedicated 9V AC adapter rather than a standard pedalboard power supply, drawing about 140mA1. It also handles amp effects-loop use: the maker states a maximum input level of +7dBu, so it can be connected to an amp's send and return1.
For expression control, Free The Tone recommends expression pedals in the 10k to 25k ohm range, naming the Boss FV-500L, Roland EV-5, EHX Expression Pedal and Dual Expression Pedal, Jim Dunlop DVP-3 and DVP-4, Moog EP-2 and EP-3, and M-Audio EX-P1.
MIDI and presets
The TA-1H dates from a little over three years before 31 July 2021, when Pedal of the Day reviewed its successor4. The maker's own documentation is the reference for how the pedal's presets and MIDI connections work.
Analog, digital or both
The TA-1H uses 24-bit AD/DA converters with Free The Tone's own signal processing and algorithms, which the maker says suppress noise generation1. Pedal of the Day characterized the pedal as "infusing Free The Tone's classic analog/digital mixture to provide the warmest sounds with the latest technology, for an all-around incredible piece of gear."3
TA-1H and TA-2H
Pedal of the Day reviewed the TA-1H a little over three years before its 31 July 2021 review of the successor, the Tri Avatar TA-2H4.
The clearest dated difference between the two pedals is their timing: Pedal of the Day reviewed the TA-1H a little over three years before reviewing the TA-2H on 31 July 20214.
Where it turned up
The TA-1H was on players' radar for several years before its successor arrived: Pedal of Day reviewed the first model a little over three years before its 31 July 2021 review of the newer pedal4.
Videos
Brett Kingman
Best Guitar Effects
shnobel
Questions
Is the Free The Tone Tri Avatar TA-1H analog or digital?
It is a mixture. Free The Tone built the TA-1H around 24-bit AD/DA converters with its own signal processing and algorithms designed to suppress noise, while Pedal of the Day described the pedal as an analog and digital mixture aimed at warm chorus sounds with modern technology.
Does the Free The Tone TA-1H Tri Avatar have MIDI?
Yes. The TA-1H carries a DIN 5-pin MIDI IN connector, and Pedal of the Day noted it has MIDI capabilities. Presets can be recalled by MIDI signal, so it can sit in a larger MIDI-controlled rig rather than only on a simple pedalboard.
What does multi-dimensional chorus mean on the Tri Avatar?
It means the pedal generates three separate phases of chorus sound alongside your dry signal, for four signal paths in total. The three modulation paths are each offset 120 degrees from the others, which Free The Tone says creates a spread unique to three-phase chorus, giving more width and depth than a single-voice chorus.
What is the difference between the Free The Tone TA-1H and TA-2H Tri Avatar?
The TA-2H is the next generation of the same design. Pedal of the Day reviewed it in 2021 with 128 MIDI-accessible presets, a Tone knob replacing the TA-1H's Hi-Cut, an expression jack, and the AD/DA converter from Free The Tone's Flight Time delay. The TA-1H came a little over three years earlier.
Sources (4)
- TRI AVATAR / TA-1H｜Products 商品紹介｜Free The Tone, Free The Tone
- Free The Tone Introduces the TA-1H Tri Avatar, Premier Guitar, 2015-12-10
- Free The Tone TA-1H Tri Avatar Chorus, Pedal of the Day, 2018-03-30
- Free The Tone Tri Avatar TA-2H Multi-Dimensional Chorus, Pedal of the Day, 2021-07-31
