The Tape Audio TWO is a compact overdrive and distortion pedal built around two transistor gain stages: a germanium circuit feeding a silicon circuit. Tape Audio, described by Guitar.com as an effects pedal newcomer, launched the TWO in May 2022 as its second pedal, following the ONE. It sits in the space between overdrive and distortion: Guitar.com described its aims as "light colouring of your tone, medium grit and bite, and sharp distortion bordering on fuzz," so it can be set as a gentle lift or pushed toward fuzz territory1.
How the circuit works
The TWO stacks two different transistor technologies. MusicRadar's Jonathan Horsley reported that the pedal "pairs a germanium circuit with silicon"3. Tape Audio said they used simple, discrete transistor gain topology in both sections of the circuit to achieve a dynamic response1. Germanium and silicon transistors clip differently, and the TWO's control layout lets you set how hard the first stage pushes the second, which is where much of its character comes from.
The controls: Pre, Gain and Master
The panel carries three dials and nothing else. Guitar.com's Rachel Roberts noted that it "comes with three dials to control gain, but no tone controls"1.
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| Pre | Sets the output of the germanium drive circuit2 |
| Gain | Controls the silicon circuit that the germanium stage feeds into2 |
| Master | Sets the overall output level; as gearnews.com put it, "set the Master to where you want it and off you go"2 |
With no tone knob on board, treble shaping comes from your guitar and amp. That keeps the pedal simple but means players who like to fine-tune EQ from the pedalboard will want to pair it with an amp's tone stack or a separate EQ pedal1.
What it sounds like
Because the germanium stage is controlled by Pre and the silicon stage by Gain, the two knobs interact: the germanium circuit's output feeds the silicon circuit, so raising Pre pushes the second stage harder2. Guitar.com described the pedal's range as "light colouring of your tone, medium grit and bite, and sharp distortion bordering on fuzz"1. MusicRadar called it an overdrive-cum-distortion pedal3, and gearnews.com reported it as "billed as an overdrive/distortion"2.
Availability, price and versions
The TWO launched in May 2022 at $19921. gearnews.com reported it available in black or white enclosures, ordered direct from Tape Audio2. Guitar.com described the design as simplistic, with solid aluminum dials, in that same choice of black or white1. Guitar.com also reported a 15% discount when purchasing the ONE and TWO together1.
The TWO has no tone control and takes a 9V DC supply13. Plan your board around those two points: EQ happens elsewhere in the chain, and the pedal needs a standard 9V DC pedalboard power supply3.
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Questions
Does the Tape Audio TWO have a tone control?
No. Guitar.com's Rachel Roberts reported that the TWO comes with three dials to control gain and no tone controls. The three knobs are Pre, which sets the output of the germanium drive circuit, Gain, which controls the silicon circuit, and Master, which you set to the level you want. Shaping the treble response is left to your guitar's tone knob and your amp.
What power supply does the Tape Audio TWO need?
MusicRadar's Jonathan Horsley reported that the Tape Audio TWO takes a 9V DC pedalboard power supply. Use a standard center-negative supply as you would for most compact pedals, and give it its own outlet on an isolated supply rather than sharing a daisy chain with noisy digital pedals.
What colors does the Tape Audio TWO come in?
The TWO is available in black or white enclosures, both with solid aluminium dials on a deliberately simple panel. gearnews.com noted that it could be ordered direct from Tape Audio, and Guitar.com reported a 15% discount when buying the ONE and TWO together.
Is the Tape Audio TWO an overdrive or a distortion?
Both, depending on how you set it. gearnews.com described it as billed as an overdrive/distortion, and MusicRadar's Jonathan Horsley called it an overdrive-cum-distortion pedal. Guitar.com described its range as running from a light colouring of your tone through medium grit and bite to sharp distortion bordering on fuzz.
Sources (3)
- Tape Audio launches new fuzz pedal with silicon and germanium circuits: TWO, Guitar.com, 2022-05-14
- Guitar Gear Gems: Sensation Fuzzdrive, Warble Swell Echo MKII & TWO, gearnews.com, 2022-05-17
- Tape Audio launches TWO, a drive pedal with germanium and silicon circuits, a wide range of gain, and no tone controls, MusicRadar, 2022-05-13