The TC Helicon VoiceTone X1 is a single-button stompbox for dramatic megaphone and distortion vocal effects1. It sits in the microphone line, taking XLR in and putting XLR out, and it hands the singer what TC Helicon calls "the dirty side of singing": megaphone, distortion and overdrive, built around the way a voice actually behaves under gain1. It belongs to the VoiceTone Single family of vocal pedals, alongside units like the VoiceTone H1 and VoiceTone E1.
What it does to a voice
Three classic effect families sit under one switch, with Style and Tone knobs you can ride between songs1. TC Helicon's own description gives the sense of it: "Pick a clean megaphone for a bridge that needs to sound like a radio, dial in an analogue-style overdrive for the chorus"1. The single footswitch selects the effect: step on it and the effect engages, step again and it switches out of the way for clean voice. As TC Helicon puts it, "just step on it and your chorus turns into a different song"1.
The circuit has a pedigree. When TC-Helicon announced the X1 at Musikmesse 2011, the press release said the pedal "borrows technology from TC-Helicon's infamous Transducer block to emulate the sounds of telephones, distortions and amps"2.
Controls
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| Footswitch | One switch selects the effect; stepping on it engages the effect and switches out of the way for clean voice1 |
| Style | Picks between the three effect families, and can be ridden between songs1 |
| Tone | Rides between songs, shaping the sound1 |
| Drive and Filter | Dedicated controls that tune each style2 |
Where it came from
TC-Helicon announced the X1 with shipping worldwide set for summer 20112. The pedal puts three classic effect families under one switch, with Style and Tone knobs you can ride between songs; as the maker put it, "just step on it and your chorus turns into a different song"1.
The X1 was announced in April 2011 with worldwide shipping set for summer 20112. Players comparing it with newer TC Helicon pedals such as the Mic Mechanic 2 or Critical Mass should bear that age in mind.
Videos
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Questions
Does the TC Helicon VoiceTone X1 have phantom power?
Yes. TC Helicon's product page lists phantom power for condensers among the X1's features, so a condenser microphone can be run through the pedal without a separate power supply for the mic. The pedal connects with XLR in and XLR out.
Is the VoiceTone X1 true bypass?
TC Helicon describes the X1 as having true-bypass-style routing when you want the X1 out of the way entirely. Stepping on the single footswitch engages the effect, and stepping on it again switches the pedal out of the signal path for clean voice.
What effects does the VoiceTone X1 make?
The X1 makes megaphone, distortion and overdrive vocal effects. Three classic effect families sit under one switch: a clean megaphone sound, an analogue-style overdrive, and a harder distortion. Each style can be tuned with dedicated Drive and Filter controls, and a Style knob picks between the families.
Can you use the VoiceTone X1 with a guitar?
The X1 is built for vocals, not guitar. It takes a microphone at its XLR input and puts the processed vocal out at XLR, and TC Helicon describes it as handing the singer the dirty side of singing. Guitar players looking for overdrive or distortion would look at guitar pedals instead.
Sources (2)
- VOICETONE X1, TC Helicon
- Musikmesse 2011: TC-Helicon introduces new VoiceTone Single pedals, MusicRadar, 2011-04-05
