TC Electronic Spark Mini Booster - Manual (Page 9)

Working with a booster: setup examples
Spark Mini Booster English Manual Version 2.1 7
Working with a booster:
setup examples
Spark Mini Booster is an awesome and versatile
tool that can be used in more ways than just one.
1. Punch it in from time to time when you need a
volume boost.
2. Punch it in from time to time when you need a
gain boost.
3. Leave it on all the time to get the best out of
your tube amp.
Understanding the difference between sce-
narios 1 and 2 is essential when working with
Spark Mini Booster.
When playing with a distortion pedal or an over-
driven amp, you know how turning down the vol-
ume knob on your guitar cleans up your guitar
sound?
Well – guess what happens if you do the oppo-
site and turn
up your signal even more with the
booster? Right: more drive is what happens!
Refer to whichever scenario fits your require-
ments:
“I want a volume boost!”
Awesome! Then you want to place Spark Mini
Booster after your distortion pedal(s).
If you use pedals for your distortion sounds, then
you will want to place your Spark Mini Booster
directly after those pedals.
If you use the distortion of your amplifier, then
you’ll need to place Spark Mini Booster in the FX
loop of your amp – otherwise you’ll end up with a
gain boost as explained in the following section.
“I want a gain boost!”
Rock on! Place Spark Mini Booster before your
drive pedals or distorting amp to use it as an ex-
tra gain switch for increased gain and sustain. If
you set up Spark Mini Booster this way, you can
use it to lift the volume of your clean sound when
drive is disengaged. In other words: If used cor-
rectly, this can transform an awesome sounding
single-channel amp into a ridiculously awesome
sounding two-channel amp!
“Wait – there’s more!?”
“Yep. Always on!”
In many configurations, driving your amp a bit
harder can give you better tone. So try leaving
Spark Mini Booster on all the time – and you
might find yourself addicted and wanting an ex-
tra Spark Mini Booster…