Three Epic Tube Overdrives: B.K. Butler Tube Driver, Effectrode TD-2A Tube Drive & Blackstar HT-Dual

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Welcome to Perky's Analog Gear Demos. Please subscribe for more demos of vintage & rare effects pedals!
Today, we're going to take a quick look at three fantastic tube-driven overdrive pedals: the iconic B.K. Butler Tube Driver; the TD-2A Tube Drive from Effectrode; and the Blackstar HT-Dual.
We'll leave the EQ's fairly flat (though I try to match them a little bit) so that we can better compare the fundamental sounds. So this is by no means an in-depth review of these three pedals - but it will allow you to hear them side-by-side and see some of the core differences between them.
What do you think? Are tube overdrives the best things in the world? Or are you not a fan? Comment below!
Guitar is a 1992 Gibson Les Paul Standard through a Hughes & Kettner Puretone Combo (recorded with an sE Electronics RNR1 Ribbon) and a Cornell Romany Plus (recorded with a 57)
jp@joeperkins.co.uk

Опубликовано:

17 сен 2024

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Комментарии : 36

@OgamiItto70 3 года назад

To me, the higher you run the "drive" or "gain," the better the Blackstar sounds, and when you start dialing them back the better the Tube Driver sounds. None of the three sound like they're for heavy metal, but rather more for most crunchy-to-grindy classic rock, glam rock or blues rock. Something _truly_ heavy in the classic/glam/blues rock genre like Whitesnake's _Still Of The Night_ might be a little past where they can get on their own, but I bet a Tube Screamer or maybe a Blues Driver could get you the rest of the way. If asked to select my favorite of the three, I'd go with the Tube Driver. Nice comparo.

@KarlSheridan 5 лет назад

B.K. Butler Tube Driver for me 🤘🏼

@briansnc2008 3 года назад

The thing about the pedals is two things... 1. You can change out the tubes to satisfy your tastes and get a better sound 2. You can use EQ to adjust settings and tone. Like putting them all at “12 noon” doesn’t do any of them any good. Dial in the best sound you can, then demo. Sounds rational to me

@2006axis 2 года назад

Which one is your favorite? Some solos would be nice. Thanks for the demo

@JoePerkinsMusic 2 года назад

Effectrode by a long way for me; then Blackstar. Wasn't a big fan of the BK Butler.

@jjmeyerwtf 4 года назад

Tube Driver for me. More dynamic, open and genuine. The HT sounded congested and the Butler sounded harsh and almost solid state.

@JoePerkinsMusic 4 года назад

The Tube Drive is the only 'all tube' pedal of the three. Unsure of exactly what's going on inside the Blackstar, but the BK Butler is essentially a 'standard' Op-Amp clipping circuit, and then the audio is passed through the tube at the end to warm the sound up. The Tube isn't used for the clipping...so it is mostly solid state, as you say!

@piedpeter1 3 года назад

Bk Butler = fuller, fatter, warmer, open more headroom tone. Lower eq for EJohnson tone.

@leonardo.rafael Год назад

⁠@@JoePerkinsMusicgreat info ! Blackstar HT-5R is questioned by being an hybrid amp between tubes and solid state. Its more likely they used the same concept for their HT-Dual pedal.

@effectrode 6 лет назад

Nicely done - interesting to hear these 3 pedals next to each other.

@Chris-id7fn 4 года назад

Excellent!

@Stereostupid 2 года назад

I have the effectrode and it's unbelievable

@JoePerkinsMusic 2 года назад

Killer pedals :-)

@Stereostupid 2 года назад

@@JoePerkinsMusic all 3 surprised by the blackStar!

@mattgilbert7347 4 года назад

OK, gotta get my HT Dual out and start tweaking. Be interested to know how you had yours set up for those warm, BK-style overdrive tones. I haven't managed to get my HT-Dual to quite get that sound - yet. Mine's one of the weird AC 16v versions. It's great for going direct with an IR loader.

@JoePerkinsMusic 4 года назад

To be honest, given the reputation (and price...!) of the other two, I was very pleasantly surprised how well the Blackstar kept up!

@Doug_Diego_Cazadores_Cassidy 5 лет назад

Great demo, swtiching between them with the same riffs, for each pedal. They sound pretty similar, maybe the butler has more beef...

@leonardo.rafael Месяц назад

I cant perceive a great difference. Why didnt you used the red light more gain channel of the Blackface ? I wonder if they three differ in its dynamics and touch sensitivity. Since the Effectrode has 3 tubes compared to the others and it seems its the only “pure tube”, I would expect it is the better in that.

@TheDrewSmyther 2 года назад

BK Butler Tube Driver is King

@bseptians 4 года назад

HT Dual win this battle in my opinion..

@bugeyedmudafuka2 6 лет назад

Interesting.Ive been looking for a direct comparison between the tube driver and tube drive.Had a tube driver and while it had some qualities, it was a tad harsh and boomy and a little too scooped for taste.Optimal setting I found for it was bass and treble more or less off.Just a shame it wasnt set to that for this vid.Good vid nonetheless and much appreciated.Gonna check out the different tube tyoes in the tube drive vid you also uploaded.Cheers

@JoePerkinsMusic 6 лет назад

Aye, the EQ all the way down is a setting that a lot of people seem to like - but for me, I generally like a nice big low end and no major mid-push, so I decided to leave the EQs pretty flat & balanced for this demo. Swapping the tube in the BK Butler makes little difference because most of the clipping is done by an Op-Amp and not the tube. But changing the V1 tube in the TD-2A has a very noticeable difference. I might try shooting a Part III soon, trying lots of different tubes in the V1 of the TD-2A and seeing what difference that makes...we'll see! Thanks for watching :-)

@catsven1973 4 года назад

bugeyedmudafuka2 add an ibanez TS9 just after the BK Butler and you got your tone

@jamesj.piacentino6276 5 лет назад

What are the differences between the effectrode Blackbird and the Tube Drive in your opinion? I use a vintage Marshall with a Strat, Hendrix style. I like the idea of 2 channels to have options but I dont need a ton of saturation. Any thoughts on the differences?

@JoePerkinsMusic 5 лет назад

I've not been able to check the Blackbird out yet, unfortunately. But from what I've heard, the Blackbird is much more of a 'tone shaper' and preamp - much less drive, much more tweakable. The Tube Drive is definitely a drive/distortion pedal. That said though, I swapped the tubes out in my TD-2A for much lower gain ones (12AV7s I think) and that really made me fall in love with the thing...as I wasn't running the gain much over 9 O'Clock before. With those NOS tubes, it's permanently in a sweet spot - and the Baxandall EQ is surprisingly versatile! I think you'd be fine with either pedal to be honest - Phil designs amazing circuits! :-)

@jamespaceband8569 5 лет назад

Thanks....great page - Would be great to hear a stray with these too. The fact you appreciate the more organic OF is great considering the gain is excessive natively in the stick tubes on both of these in my opinion. Great page thx

@jamespaceband8569 5 лет назад

*strat

@mysticsailor9 5 лет назад

I have the Blackbird.. it is a channel switching preamp.. Blackface twin plus a high gain smooth sounding dirty channel.. The tube drive is an overdrive, to be used in front of an ap.. so the classic Tubescreamer> Fender tone is the Tube Drive PLUS the Blackbird.. I love the blackbird.. its a great piece of kit

@jamespaceband8569 5 лет назад

Mystic38 thanks for posting this. I have a Marshall 1971 half stack and a bluesbreaker. That is my concern. I’m not using a Fender or striving for a Fender tone but more like a pure overdriven tone (not saturated to hell) that is like Eric Johnson’s Marshall Tone when he plays leads. I have a BK Tube Driver but I wanted to try effectrode but it’s hard to see the difference between the gain Chanel on the black bird and his Tube Drive. Any thoughts based on that scenario?

@letsgofuckingcrazy 4 года назад

HT cleans up way better

@jupitermoongauge4055 4 года назад

Ive had all these pedals. The Blackstar ht dual sounds the best to me in person(not in this video). The other two are too raspy and fuzzy. The ht dual sounds way more like an amp overdriving or a separate tube gain channel

@JoePerkinsMusic 4 года назад

It stood up against the other two much better than I thought it would :-)