The Tech 21 TRI-A.C. is a triple channel "rig-in-a-box" preamp pedal built on the company's SansAmp circuitry. It puts three selectable amp voicings, TWEED, BRITISH and CALIFORNIA, in one pedal, with three preset footswitches so you can store and recall three tones. Tech 21 describes it as a solution for players needing three hot tones served up fast and easy, handing over "three flavors of the finest SansAmp" tones, from country clean to nu-metal dirt1.
The three amp voicings
The TRI-A.C.'s three voicings are styled on three classic amp families:
| Voicing | Style |
|---|---|
| TWEED | Fender-style |
| BRITISH | Marshall-style |
| CALIFORNIA | Mesa/Boogie-style |
Tech 21 is clear that these are more than EQ presets. Each amplifier type has its own tonality and its own input sensitivity, and each interacts differently with the dynamics of your playing. In practice that means switching voicings changes how the pedal responds to how hard you dig in, not just the EQ curve or the amount of gain1.
Controls and presets
The genuine analog SansAmp circuitry features Drive and Level controls, plus an active three-band EQ. Drive sets the amount of gain, Level sets the output, and the three-band EQ shapes the tone1.
Saving a tone takes one action: dial up a tone, double-tap one of the three preset footswitches, and it is saved. Each footswitch then recalls its stored sound1.
Power
The TRI-A.C. runs on a 9V alkaline battery, which is not included, or on an optional power supply available from Tech 211.
No battery is supplied with the pedal, and a power supply is optional rather than included, so plan to have a 9V battery or a supply on hand before your first session.
Where it sits in the SansAmp family
The TRI-A.C. is one of many SansAmp-based designs from Tech 21, a line that runs from the SansAmp Classic to the Para Driver DI and the Liverpool Deluxe. What sets the TRI-A.C. apart within that family is the combination of three selectable amp voicings and three programmable presets in a single pedal, while keeping the signal path fully analog. For more on the category, see Preamp Pedals1.
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Questions
What amps are the TWEED, BRITISH and CALIFORNIA voicings modeled on?
Tech 21 gives each voicing a style rather than a specific amp model: TWEED is Fender-style, BRITISH is Marshall-style and CALIFORNIA is Mesa/Boogie-style. The company says each amplifier type has its own tonality and input sensitivity, and that each interacts differently with the dynamics of your playing, so the voicings change more than just EQ or gain structure.
Is the TRI-A.C. signal path analog or digital?
The signal path is 100% analog, built on Tech 21's SansAmp circuitry. The digital part is only the programmability: the pedal is digitally programmable, so your settings are stored when you save a preset, but your guitar signal itself stays in the analog domain.
How do you save a preset on the TRI-A.C.?
Dial up the tone you want with the controls, then double-tap one of the three preset footswitches. The tone is saved to that switch, and you can recall it by stepping on the switch as usual.
Does the TRI-A.C. come with a power supply?
No. Tech 21 says the pedal is operable with a 9V alkaline battery, which is not included, or with an optional power supply available separately.
Sources (1)
- TRI-A.C., Tech 21 NYC, 2019-06-24
