The TC Electronic Polytune 2 Noir is a polyphonic tuner pedal: strum all your open strings at once and its display shows the tuning state of every string simultaneously, so you can see which ones are off before you tune them individually. RockBoard's PedalPedia describes it as "Featuring a super-bright LED display, an insanely-accurate strobe tuner and our groundbreaking polyphonic tuning mode, POLYTUNE 2 NOIR packs the most-innovative tuning technology into a tiny enclosure in the coolest color of all, basic Black."1
It belongs to the second generation of the PolyTune line, which TC Electronic launched in August 2013 as an update to the original PolyTune tuner2. The Noir version carries all of the functions of the PolyTune 2 Mini in a black enclosure3.
What the Polytune 2 Noir does
The pedal's headline feature is polyphonic tuning. Like the earlier PolyTune Noir, it shows the tuning state of all strings simultaneously, so a single strum tells you which strings need attention4. From there you can switch to chromatic mode for string-by-string tuning, or to strobe mode for fine work.
The strobe mode is the precision option. In the PolyTune 2 line, the strobe tuner is rated at plus or minus 0.1 cent5, and Premier Guitar's reviewer noted that "the PolyTune 2 features a strobe-tuning function, which could be especially useful for guitar techs needing an ultra-pre[cise]" reference when setting up guitars6. For most stage tuning the polyphonic and chromatic modes are quicker; the strobe mode is there when you want the string as close to dead-on as the pedal can get it.
The Noir finish is the other half of the product. TC Electronic positioned the original PolyTune Noir, announced in 2012 as a limited edition, on looks as much as function: "The first POLYTUNE NOIR raised the bar for how über-cool a tuner could be with its compact design and sleek black look"14. The Polytune 2 Noir continues that black treatment on the second-generation pedal.
Powering it
The Polytune 2 Noir runs on 9V DC with a center-negative plug, the standard pedalboard configuration1.
The pedal draws 100mA1, which is more than many mini tuners. If you use a multi-output power supply, make sure the output feeding it is rated for at least 100mA.
The full-size PolyTune 2 offers more flexibility here: MusicRadar's review notes it has "a nine-volt DC output to power other pedals"7, and Premier Guitar notes it can also run on a nine-volt battery6. The PolyTune 2 Mini, by contrast, has "no DC out for powering other pedals"8. The Noir shares its functions with the Mini rather than the full-size PolyTune 2, so players who want a power-output jack or battery option should look at the full-size model.
How it fits in the PolyTune line
| Pedal | What it is | Key distinction |
|---|---|---|
| PolyTune Noir | Limited-edition black version of the PolyTune Mini pedalboard tuner, announced 20124 | First Noir finish; drop-D and capo modes4 |
| PolyTune 2 | Full-size second-generation polyphonic tuner, available August 20132 | Battery power and a 9V DC output for other pedals67 |
| PolyTune 2 Mini | Compact second-generation polyphonic tuner with chromatic mode3 | Smaller footprint; no DC out8 |
| Polytune 2 Noir | All the functions of the PolyTune 2 Mini in a black enclosure3 | The black-finish version of the second generation |
| PolyTune 3 Noir | Announced 2019; essentially a dark-hued PolyTune 3 Mini9 | 108-LED display, switchable buffer, always-on mode9 |
The PolyTune 2 Mini that the Noir shares its functions with is no longer made: That Pedal Show lists it as "TC Electronic PolyTune 2 Mini - No longer made"10. The Noir's successor in spirit is the PolyTune 3 Noir, announced in April 2019 alongside the PolyTune 3 Mini. Guitar World described the relationship plainly: "with the Noir essentially a dark-hued version of the 3 Mini," adding that "There's also a 108-LED display"9. The 3-series pedals also added a switchable buffer and an always-on mode that the 2-series pedals do not have.
Where it came from
The line's history is short but layered. The original PolyTune introduced polyphonic tuning to pedalboards. In October 2012, Vintage Guitar reported that "TC Electronic will soon offer a limited-edition version" of the PolyTune Mini pedalboard tuner in black, the first Noir, which "shows the tuning state of all strings simultaneously" and "has drop-D and capo modes"4. Guitar Interactive covered the same launch as a limited-time-only offering411.
The PolyTune 2 followed in August 2013 as "an update to the popular PolyTune tuner," available at launch12, with Vintage Guitar noting it "has the same polyphonic tuning capabilities as the original"13. In September 2014, Guitar Interactive reported the compact additions to the line: "PolyTune 2 Noir* has all of the functions of PolyTune 2 Mini," alongside the Mini itself, which "takes everything that's great about TC Electronic's innovative polyphonic tuning technology" into a smaller box and "still features the original Chromatic Tuning Mode"3.
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Questions
What power supply does the TC Electronic Polytune 2 Noir need?
It runs on 9V DC with a center-negative plug, the standard configuration for most modern pedalboard power supplies. TC Electronic lists the current draw at 100mA, which is higher than many compact tuners, so it is worth checking that a power brick has a 100mA or greater output available for it.
How much current does the Polytune 2 Noir draw?
TC Electronic lists the Polytune 2 Noir's current draw at 100mA. That is a real draw for a tuner pedal, and it means the pedal needs a power output rated for at least that much, rather than the small outputs some supplies reserve for low-draw pedals.
Is the Polytune 2 Noir the same as the Polytune 3 Noir?
No. The Polytune 3 Noir, announced in 2019, is essentially a dark-hued version of the PolyTune 3 Mini, with a 108-LED display, a switchable buffer and an always-on mode. The Polytune 2 Noir is the earlier pedal, carrying the functions of the PolyTune 2 Mini in a black enclosure.
What is the difference between the Polytune 2 Noir and the Polytune 2 Mini?
The Polytune 2 Noir has all of the functions of the PolyTune 2 Mini, according to the announcement coverage, so the two pedals tune the same way. The difference is the format: the Noir is a black-finish pedal in the Polytune 2 line, while the Mini is the compact version of the same tuning technology.
Does the Polytune 2 Noir have a strobe mode?
Yes. TC Electronic describes the pedal as having an accurate strobe tuner alongside its polyphonic tuning mode and a super-bright LED display. In the wider PolyTune 2 line, the strobe mode is rated at plus or minus 0.1 cent accuracy, which reviewers noted is precise enough for guitar techs doing setup work.
Sources (13)
- Polytune 2 Noir by TC Electronic, RockBoard PedalPedia, 2026
- TC Electronic Announces PolyTune 2, Guitar Interactive Magazine, 2013-08-14
- TC Electronic announces PolyTune 2 Mini and PolyTune 2 Noir, Guitar Interactive Magazine, 2014-09-02
- TC Electronic to Offer “Noir” Version of PolyTune Mini, Vintage Guitar magazine, 2012-10-04
- TC Electronic unveils PolyTune 2 BlackLight, MusicRadar, 2015-06-23
- TC Electronic PolyTune 2 Review, Premier Guitar, 2013-10-06
- TC Electronic PolyTune 2 review, MusicRadar, 2013-09-05
- Quick Hit: TC Electronic PolyTune 2 Mini Review, Premier Guitar, 2014-11-30
- TC Electronic Announces New PolyTune 3 Mini and 3 Noir Tuning Pedals, Guitar World, 2019-04-17
- Danelectro Eisenhower, Snake Oil Marvellous Engine, Supro Delay, Meris Mercury 7, That Pedal Show (YouTube), 2019-05-06
- TC Electronic Introduces PolyTune 2 BlackLight, Guitar Interactive Magazine, 2015-06-24
- TC Electronic announces PolyTune 2, MusicRadar, 2013-08-13
- TC Electronic Intros PolyTune 2, Vintage Guitar magazine, 2013-08-13
