Tiny Tone, all tube
guitar amplifier, by Torres Engineering:
OOPS! Binaural recording tests, were loaded in our samples below, without an explanation. We were experimenting with a rig, that can pick up movements, pick and guitars sounds. It's also good for demonstrating spatial/environmental elements of sound. Without noting this; however, we seem to have presented a terrific amp, recorded by some hooligans, twirling a Mic here, and there. We've voiced our regrets to the very kind; Dan Torres, and thanked a particularly serious listener, for recognizing: nobody's technique could be this undisciplined! Until we can redo the sound: forget us, and dig Dan's little ass kicker! We regret this goof up.TF
What is it with "Tiny Tone"? Yes, great minds have pondered the name game! "Zippy the PinHead" could get lost in a Tiny Tone reverie, "Tiny Tone, say it softly.and it's almost like praying!" After all; that large daschund head Zippy loves ("Doggie"), is a real statute at an old "Doggie Diner", in Frenzyland. Then again it might be suppressed memories of a mysterious movie entitled "Terror in a Tiny Town", aimed at at those, extraordinarily willing to suspend disbelief? However, here's something for real:
Torres Tiny Tone, is a "one & a half, Watt" guitar amplifier, which is all tube driven. Smaller Amps have become more popular for several reasons; not the least of which is: hard working tubes sound better. It's easy to turn the dials to eight on your stack. However, the walls start shaking, hearing loss begins, and people are screaming for mercy, we all know the drill. These were major factors in promoting the popularity of overdive pedals, master volumes, dummy loads, pentode/triode switches, disabling power tubes etc. Twenty to thirty Watt Amps are less likely to cause profound hearing loss, but they're still quite loud.
Here's a prototype of the Torres Engineering Tiny Tone series, tube guitar amplifier. The tube compliment is one 6005 power tube, and two 12AX-7s, reported to be, one and one half Watts. The controls; (at this point are): volume, treble, midrange, and bass. This prototype has an additional treble switch, and a Mid pull-boost. Other cut/boost features are in the experimental stages. This pup will be issued in both Marshally, and Tweedy flavors, and 8 and 16 Ohm resistance loads.
Naturally, you can use it just like any other Amp head, or plug into its line out: Tiny Tone will then function as an OD/Distortion effect, that your big Amp can project! Think of it as the electronic version of Australian "dwarf tossing". If nothing but "Le Tubes" may enter your immaculate signal chain, try this petite Tonier, and voila! Familiarity with fried preamp tube distortion, has demonstrated to most: it's poached POWER tubes that create the subtler, singing, somewhat compressed qualities in a distorted Amp. Now this flavor is available in a "to go" container. How... rare!
How does it sound? The tone is well.not so tiny. Slightly distorted tones are available, (hear sample #two). Clean tones are available at low volumes, (hear the beginning of sample #3). Yo! Nobody in their right mind should buy this rig for copious clean headroom though, the deal here is power tube torture at moderate, home stereo volume. Take a listen to sample #one for some mojo, then try #three, which demonstrates its terrifying range, (at as low a volume as you've likely heard): Warm clean chords, clear across to fill in the blank distortion, you may notice the distortion doesn't turn into a fuzz tone; even with our ancient, inefficient speaker.
(Recording notes: Samples were played through a single Celestion 12 inch speaker in a Torres closed box. We compared a few small Amps with the TinyTone: a seven, and ten Watt Amp, the Tiny Tone is w-a-y quieter.
Please note: To be needlessly difficult: some sounds take a few seconds of experimentation to achieve. This is a tiny Amp with a big range of tonal options. You don't just grab it and twist with abandon, remember: big range...tiny environment. We wanted power tube overdrive, at low volume, we got it. We wanted options, we got them. If the designer removed all but the obvious, you could dial in it's relentlessly characteristic sound, in three seconds.
Size: This head can be held in one hand. We bought one of those padded things, that people carry their lunch in, and the head didn't quite fit. Imagine the carton a half gallon of milk comes in; now scrunch it together from each end, a little bit. That's about the size, and weight involved.
A delightful new option/flavor, a studio tool, play Purple Haze during the quiet "dinner set", at clubs that serve meals until ten PM, enjoy a tasty power tube overdrive, late at night, without visits from the police. This design will continue to evolve, and it's already way cool! Hear for yourself, just below.
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