The TC Electronic Mini Spark is an “always on” pedal for me - level at around 9a. I’ve actually also got an Xotic SP Compressor in front of it to even out the “spikes”. The Spark drives the preamp section of my Quilter ToneBlock 202 to where I just use my guitar’s volume knob to go between rhythm and solo level. And for $49 it can’t be beat.
I like the fact you can get a momentary boost on the TC Spark by just laying your foot on the soft switch and then lifting it off. I use it plugged in to my Supro Dual Tone amp that is run thru a power attenuator for a boost in the natural overdrive of the amp. This setup works great at bedroom volumes and doesn't bring the cops around.
The Spark Mini has an auto momentary feature that I love (using it as a volume boost after drives, before delay/reverb). Press/quick release turns on normally. But if you press and hold to play a quick fill, it goes back off when you release the switch. I'm hooked on that, so it's a keeper!
EP booster is essentially an Echoplex Pre-amp made into a boost pedal. If you love that Echoplex Pre sound (which I do) that thing captures that very well. Spark is more of a straight up volume boost, it definitely is not coloring the sound as much. Both great pedals with slightly different applications if you ask me.
T.C. is the clear winner for me. Its like a treble booster and clean volume boost at the same time. The EP sounds very much like the original TrueTone Clean Boost (which I own) where it didn't add a lot of gain but gave it some thickness and a bit of saturation. Oh, and Great demo!
I have both and love both. EP Booster is always on for the amazing warm tone. I use the Spark when playing my P90 equipped guitar for the added brightness. I just wish the EP was made bigger to allow the dipswitches to be external. ( without modding ). Great demo!
Thanks man! I own the EP booster, SP compressor, and the SL drive.. My ONLY complaint is what you're saying.. It would be great if the dipswitches were on the outside. Otherwise, those pedals are some of the best-sounding, well-built pedals I've owned. Thanks for watching!
I just wanted to say a bit....Alchemy Audio has mods for the SP and EP pedals...wow they are spot on...they've added the dips externally..check em out..18v recommended..cheers
Ohh interesting, the spark could make a lot of sense for the darker p90s, thanks! Still I'll change the capacitor as also my p90 is not bright enough for my taste
Yeh, I'm leaning towards buying them both... The EP to be an always on pedal and the Spark Mini when I need the boost. I just love the warmth of the EP.
I would say I like the coloring of the different modes of the EP booster. I have been using the spark in my FX loop as a clean 3-5 db volume boost to make a lead channel
Great demo! I love, love, love the rich tone of the EP so-ooo much but the convenience of being able to get in and out of a quick boost with that TC Spark is calling me. Laaawwwwd don't make me buy both! 😂
To me you explained two different sounding pedals. The Spark being an unaltered, no coloring boost. And that's valuable. Whereas the EP gives you different cool sounds. Put both on your pedal board! LOL
Great video. I presume it would be better to use the EP in unity vintage mode to color the sound a little, but then use the Spark Mini after the drive section (in the fx loop if possible) to boost the sound for lead...
I bought the mini boost and find that it won't boost my volume when in combination of a dirty amp with an overdrive... such as a tube screamer or ds-1, but works fine boosting any overdrive or distortion pedal in combination with a clean amp channel. Putting the boost before or after the overdrive pedal makes no difference... any ideas?
That's a good question.. I don't have experience with that exact same gear scenario, however the spark might work if you put it before the boss me50 in your chain. Thanks for watching!
Sounds like you're running them in front of the amp. Still sounds good but in the loop, assuming your amp has one....they kill!!! I run my Spark in the loop at about 9 o'clock for a crazy , full sounding boost. Cheers!!
what do you think about placement in your signal chain? i just picked up an EP and am thinkin about putting it last on my board for when i need to poke out and do a solo or lead line. would it be better earlier on in the chain?
Hey man. I usually go boost first, then distortion. To me, you also get more of a boost that way. You should experiment and see what you like more. Thanks for watching!
I just replaced my spark with an EP boost. I’ve played at *least* a hundred gigs with the spark…from theaters and small arenas to clubs. I’ve REALLY given it a chance. Sonically, it’s great…does precisely what it says on the package. But the switching is just next-level awful. TC has this momentary switching option that is so finicky, there’s no way to use it reliably in a professional environment. If you have it in your looper, it’s fine…you’ll never have to deal with the switch…but I always use my boost dead last as a way to lift myself up 5db or so for leads, etc. From day one, I found myself stepping on the spark 3-4 times in order to get it to *stay on* and not just switch momentarily. I just couldn’t find the “magic kick” or whatever…and it’s super detrimental to your playing to be kicking a pedal over and over again to get it functioning properly. So be it…EP booster here we come…
Hey Daniel, thank you for the video. I am a Jazz Guitarist bebop mostly. I don’t play with distortion. Which pedal do you think would be best for me to go from comping to soloing with a boost pedal? Thank you.
Just from what I'm seeing here, being a bebop player I highly recommended you go with the EP. I play jazz on occasion and I can imagine using the Spark might make your tone too bright for your taste.
Fantastic demo!Finally someone that gets to the point quickly and also explains the 3 different sound options in the ep booster!I have an ep booster set on the vintage mode amazing warm fat sound for solos.But after watching this i need to get a spark booster as well both are great!
Yes, it was a great review! I came here for the comparison but there's a good chance I'll purchase both... The Spark first because of the momentary switch option.
I know I'm late but if you put the boost before the drive it'll push the drive harder but not boost the volume much. If you boost after the drive it'll boost the volume. Hope this helps someone looking for the answer. ☺️
I have the full TC Spark with the extra knobs and switches which is great but I do like what the EP is doing here: it seems to add _class_ to the sound.
Yeeesssssss... I love it! Hey, does the full size Spark have that same feature of the Spark Mini where it can be turned on and off briefly just by stepping on the switch for as long as you need it? Thanks in advance.
Did you run the EP on 9 or 18 volts? Try this again but with the 18 volts and you'll see that the head room really opens up. Its tough to tell on my crappy PC speakers, but IRL, its noticable.
Question. If you leave the knob all the way down, is it the same as having the pedal off? On the spark. I think I'm going to build that pedal into a guitar to function like an afterburner
the question is, I have recently bought an eq pedal, mxr m108s do I need this booster? I actually had just bought today, but it looks like the mxr does the samething plus the equalizer
the spark is a great pedal, if i only knew it existed I've probably bought it. one of the reasons I bought the EP not because most people buy it, but because it was the only pedal that I knew when I was at the store, tbh you need to try hotone lift, it is amazing, I almost took instead of the EP booster, almost so close, I'll probably buy it in the future, amazing, I have also bought the Whip from hotone and the Harmony pitch shifter, which they sound amazing for what you pay. TBH I loved these little pedal.
For me at the start of your comparison the Spark sounded just a tiny bit louder. I like exotic pedals but my only issue is those switches that are on the inside. Why, why cant exotic make a version with the switches on the front. It would make things so much easier than having to look for a screwdriver to take the thing apart to make adjustments. For that reason alone the spark wins.
Yeh, that's the only downside. I really want one but know my OCD just the thought of that is keeping me away lol. I love, love the tone... but geez! It would also be great if the EP had the Spark feature of being able to activate and deactivate the boost just by holding down the switch for the amount of time you needed it. That's what I'm sold on!
Hey man. If you use the Spark, it shouldn't affect the tone that much.. The Spark is designed to be "transparent". The EP is a colored boost, so it might change it a little, but not much. Thanks for watching!
As with the Xotic RC Booster and tc electronic Spark Booster, these two pedals sound virtually identical, and any sonic differences between them are attributable to individual component tolerances. While the tc electronic doesn't have the caché of the Xotic, it's half the price and has the momentary switch option. The Xotic can hold a battery, but the tc electronic cannot, and the Xotic has an internal DIP switch for three different EQ curves. I'd happily use either, but I bought two Spark minis (and two of the full size Spark).
The bigger Non-mini Spark Booster allows you to adjust EQ (with Bass and Treble Knobs) plus a Gain and Volume Knobs (don't need to open up for dip switches) to a great degree, thus matching the EP booster plus a lot more, plus it's about $40 cheaper than the EP. That's what I went for.
The Spark appears to be the clearer, cleaner boost. Seems to be pretty transparent. Can anyone that owns one verify that? I'm looking for a mini booster--ultra clean; just adding db without messing with the tone or adding any grit, AT ALL. Thanks!
I run a Spark mini through my Hughes and Ketner Grandmeister 40. I dial it to the top, and it adds both color and a little grit. It is not completely clean as some here state, but this guy is dialing it back. Personally prefer it over the EP.
Hallo Daniel! I find your video very clear and straight, i'm looking for a good booster to get my volume higher during solos; i need JUST this: more volume to emerge from the background. Now i'm using a boss DS-1 distorsion and, when a connect it 'straight' i just get some more compression and it does the job partially; when i connect it on the effects loop i get more volume but only if i keep the amp volume lower than how much the DS'1 can reach. I just would like to ask you few things. How you connected those pedals and: do them give you more volume modifying the amp's signal or you need to keep the amp volume lower than how they can reach?? This is very important. By the way, at now i'm using a transistor amp. thanks in advance for any answer....looking forward.....
MrDavide1976 hey man! The simplest way to connect a distortion and a boost is to run the boost pedal to the left of the distortion pedal. So in your case.. Amp -- Boost - DS-1 ---- Guitar
Good video and really useful. tc can give more treble and make your tone scream, while ep brings tone fat. So ep for single coil, tc for Humbucker Pickup. Actually this is conculsion from this video, I only heard the ep tone from my friend.
I would say most definitely the input of the amps channel, then run modulation, delay, then reverb from the fx send, and from the reverb into fx return.
jestermike133 I think it's the opposite. The EP rolls off highs. I have one and it's great on guitar, but unusable on synth cuz it just loses too much high end...(even on default mode)
Dunno if it's you tube compression but with such a gainy amp setting, there were no tonality differences coming across at all. Only volume differences 🤔
Good vid: I’m struggling to get a decent lead boost on my peavey bandit 112.... I’m using a boss SD1 waza, on top of my crunch channel, but it doesn’t give me a big enough decibel boost. I’ve also tried an mxr micro amp, but that doesn’t cut it either, would either of these pedals work for that application, cheers from 🇬🇧🇬🇧🇬🇧
Bob, Plug the Micro Amp into your effects loop with the volume down, slowly turn it up until it’s your preferred amount of loudness. I’ll bet you won’t have even have to turn it past 10:00, boosts are super loud in the effects loop.
both pedals are very good. however, I chose ep booster. because I use a Fender Stratocaster guitar. tc spark, too bright for single coil.... But, for the price and sound quality, the TC Spark is very special.
Hey man. I'm using the ep booster with a 20 watt Mesa combo with a 1x12 speaker and it sounds pretty good. I have no doubt that it will work well with other amplifiers of that size and wattage. Thanks for watching!
No. If you're speaking in terms of amps like Blues Juniors Deluxe Reverb or Princeton's you do not need an EP booster at all. It's going to produce too much low-end some people will call it big and fat I call it mud. And the sparkle Drive sounds like a cheap piece of s***
My other guitar player in my band let me use his Spark at a show last month, I was wanting to be louder on my leads, but it was no louder than my Tube Screamer, no difference in sound level at all. It does have a nice warm sound but it's not any louder, no "boost". For what it's worth - that was my experience
3 years late here, but this sounds like you put the booster BEFORE your overdrive pedal. This will not make you louder, you need to feed your overdrive pedal into the booster if being louder is what you want.
Hi, great shootout. Was curious about voltages. Is the EP 9v or 18v? I'm assuming (because my other TC Electronics are 9v) , the TC is 9v. I just have limited 18v outs. Thanks again! Cheers
kidritalin1 Thanks man! The EP runs at 9v and 18v. When you run it at 18v, it makes a big difference! So I highly recommend it.. The Spark only runs at 9v. Thanks for watching!
Great comparison and explanation! I use the EP Booster right before my delay in the effects loop. I keep the EP Booster on all the time. For solos I hit the delay pedal button and it boosts the signal way up with the added the delay!
MAN !, I just cant decide between either of these two or the MXR Micro Amp. Help me choose. Just want a good clean booster to put in front of my amp to beef up my signal
A lot of guys use the EP Booster as an “always on” pedal first in their signal chain. It adds a nice flavor to everything. That might be what you’re looking for, but I would try it at the store first to make sure. The spark and micro amp are more for clean/transparent solo boosts..
I think the ep booster was more popular in the 1970's with guys like Jimmy Page, Paul Kossov and similar guitar players from that era. I also think it works better with a humbucker guitar. One thing I dont like about it though is those internal switches. I think it would have been more practical and better if they were on the outside where they could be more easily adjustible. I also dont think it has as much of a db boost as the spark.
The best is to have the two : put the ep booster after the overdrives to make them scream and add that sweet sparkle and the Spark before the overdrives for boost your signal and gain a fatter sound.
Steven Musicworks Hey man. Honestly, the Spark is cleaner because it’s kind of a “pure” volume boost.. It doesn’t color your tone like the EP Booster. However, different guitarists like myself would buy the EP Booster because they like the tone characteristics of that pedal. For the price, the Spark is definitely worth it.. And yes, I would consider it a cleaner boost than the EP Booster. But like I said, I have the EP on my board currently because I love the colored boost. Thanks for watching!
Tomulator Hey man. To be honest, we didn’t correctly match up the volumes between the two pedals. We thought it was pretty close, but different adjustments were made during the filming process, and the levels weren’t perfectly matched. But seriously though, both boost pedals offer the same amount of volume boost. Thanks for watching!
Yea, the spark is a tad on the bright side. I picked one up recently, and I enjoy it / its very usable, but I wish it were a little less bright and a little more fat
Why don't you simply try the normal Spark booster instead? Slightly larger footprint, but tons of possibilities. Fat/clean/middle booster, with additional grit (gain) control, plus bass and trable adjustment. Not a one-pot wonder, but that pedal is really cool.
I play a Strat 90% of the time and I use the EP booster. It has a certain warmness to it that I prefer over the Spark. You should pick one up, if the price is right..
I'm using two overdrives at the moment. I use my Full-Drive 2 as a clean boost and my mini tube screamer for overdrive. Do you think the ep booster will make a difference in my rig?
Very good demo indeed but I think the Spark mini just shaded it. I just thought it had a wider 'bloom' to it's boost than the EP. Both very good, though.
I just bought a Spark. I like the brightness of it, as well as the price! Thanks.
Even though this review is from 5 years ago it's one of the most relevant and well done reviews I've come across on the Tube. Well done!
Thank you so much! Very kind of you to say.
I tried the ep booster the other night in front of my rig and now have to have one. Really tightened the lows up. Very cool pedal.
Yeah, the EP is definitely worth checking out.. I love it. Thanks for watching!
The TC Electronic Mini Spark is an “always on” pedal for me - level at around 9a. I’ve actually also got an Xotic SP Compressor in front of it to even out the “spikes”. The Spark drives the preamp section of my Quilter ToneBlock 202 to where I just use my guitar’s volume knob to go between rhythm and solo level. And for $49 it can’t be beat.
Hmmm... I imagine that sounds pretty good!
Great presentation, answered all my questions perfectly. Thanks!
Very well done comparison, Thank u!
Great features on the EP booster, that was all I needed to know
I like the fact you can get a momentary boost on the TC Spark by just laying your foot on the soft switch and then lifting it off. I use it plugged in to my Supro Dual Tone amp that is run thru a power attenuator for a boost in the natural overdrive of the amp. This setup works great at bedroom volumes and doesn't bring the cops around.
I'm attracted to it for that reason as well. I kind of prefer the tone of the EP, but that one feature is selling me on the Mini.
The Spark Mini has an auto momentary feature that I love (using it as a volume boost after drives, before delay/reverb). Press/quick release turns on normally. But if you press and hold to play a quick fill, it goes back off when you release the switch. I'm hooked on that, so it's a keeper!
Same, it works great in the FX loop for boosting the soft notes of solos.
That's a great feature! Thanks
This is a very valuable review.. It's very honest and helpful. Thanks dude!
EP booster is essentially an Echoplex Pre-amp made into a boost pedal.
If you love that Echoplex Pre sound (which I do) that thing captures that very well.
Spark is more of a straight up volume boost, it definitely is not coloring the sound as much.
Both great pedals with slightly different applications if you ask me.
They marketed it that way, but it’s not really the same circuit, not at all. Check the ClinchFx EP-Pre which is basically identical.
T.C. is the clear winner for me. Its like a treble booster and clean volume boost at the same time. The EP sounds very much like the original TrueTone Clean Boost (which I own) where it didn't add a lot of gain but gave it some thickness and a bit of saturation.
Oh, and Great demo!
Same, I have a couple of boosters but that Spark mini is the one I always go back to.
Great Job mate, very thorough and interesting comparison.
Thank you so much, man! Glad you liked the video.
I have both and love both. EP Booster is always on for the amazing warm tone. I use the Spark when playing my P90 equipped guitar for the added brightness.
I just wish the EP was made bigger to allow the dipswitches to be external. ( without modding ).
Great demo!
Thanks man! I own the EP booster, SP compressor, and the SL drive.. My ONLY complaint is what you're saying.. It would be great if the dipswitches were on the outside. Otherwise, those pedals are some of the best-sounding, well-built pedals I've owned. Thanks for watching!
I just wanted to say a bit....Alchemy Audio has mods for the SP and EP pedals...wow they are spot on...they've added the dips externally..check em out..18v recommended..cheers
Ohh interesting, the spark could make a lot of sense for the darker p90s, thanks! Still I'll change the capacitor as also my p90 is not bright enough for my taste
Yeh, I'm leaning towards buying them both... The EP to be an always on pedal and the Spark Mini when I need the boost.
I just love the warmth of the EP.
I would say I like the coloring of the different modes of the EP booster. I have been using the spark in my FX loop as a clean 3-5 db volume boost to make a lead channel
Cool thing is you can change the Sparks position in your pedal board to be first or last and u get entirely different sounds
Great demo!
I love, love, love the rich tone of the EP so-ooo much but the convenience of being able to get in and out of a quick boost with that TC Spark is calling me. Laaawwwwd don't make me buy both! 😂
The EP is always on, on my pedal board. I use it set almost all the way down. It just adds this great quality to the tone.
Gary D Likewise!
first in chain?
I feel like you need vertex steel string. You would like it
Same for me.First in chain.
Same
To me you explained two different sounding pedals. The Spark being an unaltered, no coloring boost. And that's valuable. Whereas the EP gives you different cool sounds. Put both on your pedal board! LOL
That's exactly what I plan on doing lol
Great video. I presume it would be better to use the EP in unity vintage mode to color the sound a little, but then use the Spark Mini after the drive section (in the fx loop if possible) to boost the sound for lead...
Mete Sev Hey man, using the EP as an “always on pedal” is a great idea. It makes a huge difference, especially if you run it at 18 volts.
I bought the mini boost and find that it won't boost my volume when in combination of a dirty amp with an overdrive... such as a tube screamer or ds-1, but works fine boosting any overdrive or distortion pedal in combination with a clean amp channel. Putting the boost before or after the overdrive pedal makes no difference... any ideas?
In effect loop. Big boost
Whch pickups in your Goldtop ...loved that nice tune :))))
Which part of the circuit do you put the boosters? Behind a overdrive pedal ?
Can I put spark booster in fx loop if yes ? Will it go before or after the other pedals ?
hey man nice video im using the boss me50 pedal board through the pa system would the spark work with the me50 just for volume thanks.
That's a good question.. I don't have experience with that exact same gear scenario, however the spark might work if you put it before the boss me50 in your chain. Thanks for watching!
Would be cool to hear both in mix
Sounds like you're running them in front of the amp. Still sounds good but in the loop, assuming your amp has one....they kill!!!
I run my Spark in the loop at about 9 o'clock for a crazy , full sounding boost. Cheers!!
Did you place the pedals before the pre-amps or within the FX channel ????
Thanks man I was actually debating this. Saw the spark mini for 50 tho and can't pass that up.
Alex Girard Honestly bro, I got the spark first because it was cheaper. I eventually bought the EP and it never leaves my board.
what do you think about placement in your signal chain? i just picked up an EP and am thinkin about putting it last on my board for when i need to poke out and do a solo or lead line. would it be better earlier on in the chain?
Hey man. I usually go boost first, then distortion. To me, you also get more of a boost that way. You should experiment and see what you like more. Thanks for watching!
Nice tone!
Was helpful Thank you!
放浪人 thanks man! I really appreciate it ✌🏻
Great job! Thanks
Thank you, bro! Glad you liked the video.
Nice review. I have the Spark. Now I need the EP :)
I just replaced my spark with an EP boost. I’ve played at *least* a hundred gigs with the spark…from theaters and small arenas to clubs. I’ve REALLY given it a chance. Sonically, it’s great…does precisely what it says on the package. But the switching is just next-level awful. TC has this momentary switching option that is so finicky, there’s no way to use it reliably in a professional environment. If you have it in your looper, it’s fine…you’ll never have to deal with the switch…but I always use my boost dead last as a way to lift myself up 5db or so for leads, etc. From day one, I found myself stepping on the spark 3-4 times in order to get it to *stay on* and not just switch momentarily. I just couldn’t find the “magic kick” or whatever…and it’s super detrimental to your playing to be kicking a pedal over and over again to get it functioning properly. So be it…EP booster here we come…
Same problem with my spark. Great clean sound, problematic switching. Was yours the mini version or regular?
@@enzobach4042
I had the mini version. Thankfully I didn’t need to do much in order to swap the EP in there
Wow! I'm glad I read through this thread. Now I'm rethinking getting the Mini. Maybe the momentary switching option is not such a good idea. 🤔
Hey Daniel, thank you for the video. I am a Jazz Guitarist bebop mostly. I don’t play with distortion. Which pedal do you think would be best for me to go from comping to soloing with a boost pedal? Thank you.
Just from what I'm seeing here, being a bebop player I highly recommended you go with the EP. I play jazz on occasion and I can imagine using the Spark might make your tone too bright for your taste.
The demonstration really help me to decide 👍🏽
The most important question is this: do I need a white or a black pedal on my board? Different sounds but can't go wrong either
🎵If you’re thinkin bout bein my pedal, it don’t matter if you’re black or white 🎵
@@underpants3047😊😊😊😊😊
Fantastic demo!Finally someone that gets to the point quickly and also explains the 3 different sound options in the ep booster!I have an ep booster set on the vintage mode amazing warm fat sound for solos.But after watching this i need to get a spark booster as well both are great!
Thanks a lot, man! I really appreciate it.. The EP booster on vintage mode is my "go to" for solos.. A really great sound.
Yes, it was a great review! I came here for the comparison but there's a good chance I'll purchase both... The Spark first because of the momentary switch option.
whats your signal chain order? do you pluged the boost after the overdrive?
I know I'm late but if you put the boost before the drive it'll push the drive harder but not boost the volume much.
If you boost after the drive it'll boost the volume. Hope this helps someone looking for the answer. ☺️
I have the full TC Spark with the extra knobs and switches which is great but I do like what the EP is doing here: it seems to add _class_ to the sound.
Yeeesssssss... I love it!
Hey, does the full size Spark have that same feature of the Spark Mini where it can be turned on and off briefly just by stepping on the switch for as long as you need it? Thanks in advance.
@@nuthinbutlovei know you asked some time ago, but no, the full size spark does not have that feature. Found that one out the hard way…😢
Great demo, well done, I have the ep boost never checked out the dip switches, I really must try that. Cheerz
Thanks a lot! The ep booster is great..
@@DanielRettberg how do you use the switches? Have to open it up?
The vintage mode is the best. Both switches off. Depends on which model you have though.
Did you run the EP on 9 or 18 volts? Try this again but with the 18 volts and you'll see that the head room really opens up. Its tough to tell on my crappy PC speakers, but IRL, its noticable.
guitarlosindy In this video, I ran it at 9 volts, but I always run it at 18 on my pedalboard. It makes a big difference imo. Thanks for watching!
Question. If you leave the knob all the way down, is it the same as having the pedal off? On the spark. I think I'm going to build that pedal into a guitar to function like an afterburner
I've never tried that, but it's worth a shot! I only use it as a boost, or I use it as an "always on" pedal to add color to my tone.
Do you still have this question? I could test it if it would help you.
@@88mark8888if you still have the pedal and am willing to test it I'm interested in knowing. Thanks
the question is, I have recently bought an eq pedal, mxr m108s do I need this booster? I actually had just bought today, but it looks like the mxr does the samething plus the equalizer
That’s a great pedal! My friend uses it for a boost, as well.. Thanks for watching!
the spark is a great pedal, if i only knew it existed I've probably bought it. one of the reasons I bought the EP not because most people buy it, but because it was the only pedal that I knew when I was at the store, tbh you need to try hotone lift, it is amazing, I almost took instead of the EP booster, almost so close, I'll probably buy it in the future, amazing, I have also bought the Whip from hotone and the Harmony pitch shifter, which they sound amazing for what you pay. TBH I loved these little pedal.
For me at the start of your comparison the Spark sounded just a tiny bit louder. I like exotic pedals but my only issue is those switches that are on the inside. Why, why cant exotic make a version with the switches on the front. It would make things so much easier than having to look for a screwdriver to take the thing apart to make adjustments. For that reason alone the spark wins.
Yeh, that's the only downside. I really want one but know my OCD just the thought of that is keeping me away lol. I love, love the tone... but geez!
It would also be great if the EP had the Spark feature of being able to activate and deactivate the boost just by holding down the switch for the amount of time you needed it. That's what I'm sold on!
If you use a marshall plexi amp, will this pedal remove the plexi tone?
Hey man. If you use the Spark, it shouldn't affect the tone that much.. The Spark is designed to be "transparent". The EP is a colored boost, so it might change it a little, but not much. Thanks for watching!
Very nice demo.... the Spark is considerably cheaper in price.... just ordered one, thanks again.
T Moody Thanks man! I’m glad you liked the video
Ep is better with single coil for sure, amazing with a Strat
As with the Xotic RC Booster and tc electronic Spark Booster, these two pedals sound virtually identical, and any sonic differences between them are attributable to individual component tolerances. While the tc electronic doesn't have the caché of the Xotic, it's half the price and has the momentary switch option. The Xotic can hold a battery, but the tc electronic cannot, and the Xotic has an internal DIP switch for three different EQ curves. I'd happily use either, but I bought two Spark minis (and two of the full size Spark).
Does the Spark Boost have a soft Switch and the EP doesn't?
Jack Sharp Correct. I wish the EP had one but it doesn’t.. only the Spark. Thanks for watching!
Nice review man! I do think the EP sounds a bit better - BUT - that's MY opinion. Love TC gear too. Subscribed!
Thank you, brother! Yeah, the EP has been on my board for a super long time, running at 18v. It’s a nice box.
The bigger Non-mini Spark Booster allows you to adjust EQ (with Bass and Treble Knobs) plus a Gain and Volume Knobs (don't need to open up for dip switches) to a great degree, thus matching the EP booster plus a lot more, plus it's about $40 cheaper than the EP. That's what I went for.
It also brings unwanted hiss.
@@bustercampfiresongs Not mine, it's DEAD QUIET.
Does it have the momentary switch option? Thanks
Nice video! Really useful... Were the pedals in front of your amp or in the fx loop?
Thanks man! The both pedals were in front of my amp.. very simple setup. Thanks for watching!
Its great shootout!
Is your amp peavey 6505 or plus in this clip?
It sound so cooool!!
gtr mkt Thanks man! I actually used a Mesa 5:25 Express for this video.
Thank you Daniel, I think your play and sound so fantastic.
I'll enjoy your clip, thanx!
The Spark appears to be the clearer, cleaner boost. Seems to be pretty transparent. Can anyone that owns one verify that? I'm looking for a mini booster--ultra clean; just adding db without messing with the tone or adding any grit, AT ALL. Thanks!
I run a Spark mini through my Hughes and Ketner Grandmeister 40. I dial it to the top, and it adds both color and a little grit. It is not completely clean as some here state, but this guy is dialing it back. Personally prefer it over the EP.
🤕should i buy them all??????... cuz i cant hear d difference....this two awesome... thanks d video compr bruuhhhh👌👍
At last someone boosting an distorted signal sound not clean! Well done, great review.
Jim Hill Thank you, man! I really appreciate it.
What about powering both....batteries.... ,???
Hallo Daniel! I find your video very clear and straight, i'm looking for a good booster to get my volume higher during solos; i need JUST this: more volume to emerge from the background. Now i'm using a boss DS-1 distorsion and, when a connect it 'straight' i just get some more compression and it does the job partially; when i connect it on the effects loop i get more volume but only if i keep the amp volume lower than how much the DS'1 can reach. I just would like to ask you few things. How you connected those pedals and: do them give you more volume modifying the amp's signal or you need to keep the amp volume lower than how they can reach?? This is very important. By the way, at now i'm using a transistor amp. thanks in advance for any answer....looking forward.....
MrDavide1976 hey man! The simplest way to connect a distortion and a boost is to run the boost pedal to the left of the distortion pedal. So in your case.. Amp -- Boost - DS-1 ---- Guitar
If you need more volume for solos etc , I use the spark boost in my FX and it gives me tons of clean volume boost
I think it's clear, I need both of them
I wish there is a before the OD test.. I want a lift in volume but don't like the "hardening of the tone"
Good video and really useful. tc can give more treble and make your tone scream, while ep brings tone fat. So ep for single coil, tc for Humbucker Pickup. Actually this is conculsion from this video, I only heard the ep tone from my friend.
I've got both of them.. Both great...
does the Spark booster work better into send & return or it makes no difference?
Hey man. To be honest, I've never used it that way. I always link my pedals together the standard way. Thanks for watching!
I would say most definitely the input of the amps channel, then run modulation, delay, then reverb from the fx send, and from the reverb into fx return.
it seems like the Spark boost the high end more than the EP booster.
jestermike133 I think it's the opposite. The EP rolls off highs. I have one and it's great on guitar, but unusable on synth cuz it just loses too much high end...(even on default mode)
Dunno if it's you tube compression but with such a gainy amp setting, there were no tonality differences coming across at all. Only volume differences 🤔
Strat>Wampler ego>EP boost sounds incredible
Good vid: I’m struggling to get a decent lead boost on my peavey bandit 112.... I’m using a boss SD1 waza, on top of my crunch channel, but it doesn’t give me a big enough decibel boost. I’ve also tried an mxr micro amp, but that doesn’t cut it either, would either of these pedals work for that application, cheers from 🇬🇧🇬🇧🇬🇧
Bob,
Plug the Micro Amp into your effects loop with the volume down, slowly turn it up until it’s your preferred amount of loudness. I’ll bet you won’t have even have to turn it past 10:00, boosts are super loud in the effects loop.
Lahey1579 : thanks, I never thought of trying that 👍👍
Bob Bill Nolan,
You’re welcome.
Blaze Infernus : how extremely patronising of you, thank you very much 👍
Will a 9 volt battery do or do you need a 9v powerunit. ??
A 9 volt battery will definitely work for the EP. I can’t remember if the Spark uses a battery.. I always use adapters.
both pedals are very good. however, I chose ep booster. because I use a Fender Stratocaster guitar. tc spark, too bright for single coil.... But, for the price and sound quality, the TC Spark is very special.
I have an EP on my board and it seems to like my single coil guitars better than my humbucker ones.
Is the ep booster good for small tube amps?
Hey man. I'm using the ep booster with a 20 watt Mesa combo with a 1x12 speaker and it sounds pretty good. I have no doubt that it will work well with other amplifiers of that size and wattage. Thanks for watching!
Yes
no with blues jr ,
More depht on the ep booster in my opinion
No. If you're speaking in terms of amps like Blues Juniors Deluxe Reverb or Princeton's you do not need an EP booster at all. It's going to produce too much low-end some people will call it big and fat I call it mud. And the sparkle Drive sounds like a cheap piece of s***
Was this demo in the fx loop or in front?
allfornaught0 They were both up front. Thanks for watching!
Does the spark mini feature a tone print so that you can eq the boost?
Its analog, so TonePrint does not apply. The full size spark booster does have EQ options though.
Tone comes to life with the Spark IMO
nop just in video. I have one spark and it just cuts lil sustain and add treble as you hit string
My other guitar player in my band let me use his Spark at a show last month, I was wanting to be louder on my leads, but it was no louder than my Tube Screamer, no difference in sound level at all. It does have a nice warm sound but it's not any louder, no "boost". For what it's worth - that was my experience
Neill Nyssen Try putting the boost pedal to the left of your overdrive. If it’s on the right side, it won’t give that much of a boost.
3 years late here, but this sounds like you put the booster BEFORE your overdrive pedal. This will not make you louder, you need to feed your overdrive pedal into the booster if being louder is what you want.
Yep, that's what the issue was I'm sure
Hi, great shootout. Was curious about voltages. Is the EP 9v or 18v? I'm assuming (because my other TC Electronics are 9v) , the TC is 9v. I just have limited 18v outs. Thanks again! Cheers
kidritalin1 Thanks man! The EP runs at 9v and 18v. When you run it at 18v, it makes a big difference! So I highly recommend it.. The Spark only runs at 9v. Thanks for watching!
Great comparison and explanation! I use the EP Booster right before my delay in the effects loop. I keep the EP Booster on all the time. For solos I hit the delay pedal button and it boosts the signal way up with the added the delay!
That's interesting. What kind of delay are you using?
I use the ep at the end of my chain as a buffer, and the spark mini right after my original spark hahah
Tabs....?
Nice!
Thanks man! I really appreciate it.
MAN !, I just cant decide between either of these two or the MXR Micro Amp. Help me choose. Just want a good clean booster to put in front of my amp to beef up my signal
A lot of guys use the EP Booster as an “always on” pedal first in their signal chain. It adds a nice flavor to everything. That might be what you’re looking for, but I would try it at the store first to make sure. The spark and micro amp are more for clean/transparent solo boosts..
Man it's a tuff call. They both sound great. Great playing 👍
Thanks man! I really appreciate it
Spark mini for rock in general. EP for Jazz or dark pics.
I think the ep booster was more popular in the 1970's with guys like Jimmy Page, Paul Kossov and similar guitar players from that era. I also think it works better with a humbucker guitar. One thing I dont like about it though is those internal switches. I think it would have been more practical and better if they were on the outside where they could be more easily adjustible. I also dont think it has as much of a db boost as the spark.
Spark all the way to my ears. EP is too dark
Hey there. Did you put them in the loop or in front of an amp?
Hey man, I put them in front of the amp. Thanks for watching!
To me the Spark has great round pleasant mids.
The best is to have the two : put the ep booster after the overdrives to make them scream and add that sweet sparkle and the Spark before the overdrives for boost your signal and gain a fatter sound.
got em both on my board
Hi Daniel wich one is more clean ?
Steven Musicworks Hey man. Honestly, the Spark is cleaner because it’s kind of a “pure” volume boost.. It doesn’t color your tone like the EP Booster. However, different guitarists like myself would buy the EP Booster because they like the tone characteristics of that pedal. For the price, the Spark is definitely worth it.. And yes, I would consider it a cleaner boost than the EP Booster. But like I said, I have the EP on my board currently because I love the colored boost. Thanks for watching!
Wow really apreciate man, i will get my spark today :) thank you !
@@DanielRettberg I wouldn't say the Spark doesn't color your tone. It adds a mid boost. But it sounds great. I love my mini spark and they are cheap.
Weird how the Spark booster seemed to give a volume boost to the tone more than the EP...🤷🏻♂️
Tomulator Hey man. To be honest, we didn’t correctly match up the volumes between the two pedals. We thought it was pretty close, but different adjustments were made during the filming process, and the levels weren’t perfectly matched. But seriously though, both boost pedals offer the same amount of volume boost. Thanks for watching!
The ep at its lowest setting is too loud for my application. The spark does sound much brighter in this video.
Yea, the spark is a tad on the bright side. I picked one up recently, and I enjoy it / its very usable, but I wish it were a little less bright and a little more fat
Why don't you simply try the normal Spark booster instead? Slightly larger footprint, but tons of possibilities. Fat/clean/middle booster, with additional grit (gain) control, plus bass and trable adjustment. Not a one-pot wonder, but that pedal is really cool.
There is a dip switch inside to set the EP to unity gain.
@@McEpicureanism this!
Which is better for a single coil guitar like a Strat?
I play a Strat 90% of the time and I use the EP booster. It has a certain warmness to it that I prefer over the Spark. You should pick one up, if the price is right..
I'm using two overdrives at the moment. I use my Full-Drive 2 as a clean boost and my mini tube screamer for overdrive. Do you think the ep booster will make a difference in my rig?
Very good demo indeed but I think the Spark mini just shaded it. I just thought it had a wider 'bloom' to it's boost than the EP. Both very good, though.
Sparky Spark all the way for me!
Ep booster on default sounds excelent! Spark cuts too much low-mids which could be nice in a busy mix. Both are cool tools! Tnx for the review!
Thanks for watching, brotha! Glad you liked the video.
The Spark cuts nothing. It's a pure flat EQ boost. It's the EP booster that colors the tone.
spark was a little more raw.. the EP is compressed to my ears. on youtube. spark for me..i like the slash-ness
Spark was a clearer boost and the EP was a bit warmer but nasally.
Are you running the EP @ 18V?
In this video, I'm running the EP at 9V. On my pedalboard, I run it at 18V. Thanks for watching!
Lets #spark up 😎