The Mozztronics TD-2 HV Tube Driver is an overdrive pedal built around a real 12AX7 tube used internally. Pedal of the Day, which featured it in May 2022, describes it as providing "authentic, crunchy tube amp tone, with an easy control section for instant overdriven" sounds1. It sits in the overdrive family, alongside Mozztronics' other tube-based designs like the TD-1 Tube Driver.
What it does
The TD-2's approach differs from most overdrive pedals in two ways. First, it features "NO diode clipping, just compression and overdrive", so the grit comes from the tube itself rather than from clipping diodes, the approach behind pedals like the Boss SD-1 vs Ibanez TS9 Tube Screamer designs1. Second, the tube is placed deliberately: "The tube itself is used in the Gain stages, not the Tone section, so the overdrive you hear is tube drive"1.
Pedal of the Day also found it behaves like a tube amp at the guitar: "It responds like an amplifier would, and fluctuates perfectly with every turn of your guitar's Volume knob"1.
Controls and power
The control set is three knobs offering what the reviewer calls "a wide range of sounds to discover"1:
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| Volume | Sets the pedal's output level |
| Tone | Shapes the treble response |
| Gain | Sets the amount of tube overdrive |
Pedal of the Day notes the circuits used to generate the high voltage are "the same that were used in old time tel"ephone exchanges1. Plan for a dedicated AC adapter.
What reviewers said
Pedal of the Day's verdict on pushing it hard: "Push the TD-2 HV Tube Driver into a nice and loud amp, and you can hear the girth and grit being extended, all while add"ing sparkle to the overall tone1.
Videos
TheSuperFunAwesomeHappyTimePedalShow
Pedal of the Day
Questions
Does the TD-2 HV Tube Driver use a real tube?
Yes. Pedal of the Day's review describes a real 12AX7 tube used internally, placed in the Gain stages rather than the Tone section, so the overdrive the player hears is tube drive. The pedal also avoids diode clipping entirely, relying on compression and overdrive from the tube circuit instead.
What power does the TD-2 HV Tube Driver need?
The pedal runs on a 15-16VAC supply. Pedal of the Day notes that the circuits used to generate the high voltage for the tube are the same kind that were used in old telephone exchanges. That AC requirement means a standard 9V DC pedalboard supply will not run it.
Sources (1)
- Mozztronics TD-2 HV Tube Driver, Pedal of the Day, 2022-05-04
