Hot Sake delivers a curious blend of crystalline distortion , with plenty of clarity in the high end , and the harmonic richness of a fuzz or an overdrive .
But that ’ s not all . TWA included two tone knobs for further sonic tweaking . The miniature Tone knob , located just below Drive , will boost lows or highs . In practice , I found that when in positions above noon , Tone settings generated a fairly thin sound without much body , while positions below noon tended to darken the sound . I preferred the airy , light tones rather than the thicker ones primarily because the added low end seemed to lack the definition that I aim for .
As for the second knob , Mids , it allows for boosting or cutting the mid-range frequencies , as would be expected . However , the Tone and Mids knobs also work in conjunction . Both the Tone and Mids control bell-shaped frequency curves with the possibility of some overlap . With some fiddling , it ’ s possible to dial in a whole range of sounds that a single EQ knob couldn ’ t hope to create .
The Hot Sake features a couple of other somewhat hidden features that add to its functionality . The first is an internally-mounted switch for customizing the “ cap ” of the low boost frequency . Although TWA says the difference between the two settings is subtle , the difference wasn ’ t so subtle as to be indiscernible . In fact , I found that the 100Hz and 60Hz caps produced more restricted and fuller tones , respectively .
Secondly — and perhaps most important to a certain breed of tone hound — the Hot Sake features a proprietary form of true bypass switching . Without getting into a lot of detail , the important point to remember is that the input signal travels an incredibly short distance to the output jack . Moreover , if power cuts out , the pedal passes the input signal through rather than cutting it out . Imagine that — no unexpected signal drop !
TWA ’ s Hot Saké offers a great value for a whole lot of sound . I especially recommend the unit for people who cannot ever get enough distortion .
Flexible distortion with characteristics of overdrive , fuzz , and pure distortion ; generous helping of tone controls
Eh , well , that cover art is really something .
Hot Sake delivers a curious blend of crystalline distortion , with plenty of clarity in the high end , and the harmonic richness of a fuzz or an overdrive .
But that ’ s not all . TWA included two tone knobs for further sonic tweaking . The miniature Tone knob , located just below Drive , will boost lows or highs . In practice , I found that when in positions above noon , Tone settings generated a fairly thin sound without much body , while positions below noon tended to darken the sound . I preferred the airy , light tones rather than the thicker ones primarily because the added low end seemed to lack the definition that I aim for .
As for the second knob , Mids , it allows for boosting or cutting the mid-range frequencies , as would be expected . However , the Tone and Mids knobs also work in conjunction . Both the Tone and Mids control bell-shaped frequency curves with the possibility of some overlap . With some fiddling , it ’ s possible to dial in a whole range of sounds that a single EQ knob couldn ’ t hope to create .
The Hot Sake features a couple of other somewhat hidden features that add to its functionality . The first is an internally-mounted switch for customizing the “ cap ” of the low boost frequency . Although TWA says the difference between the two settings is subtle , the difference wasn ’ t so subtle as to be indiscernible . In fact , I found that the 100Hz and 60Hz caps produced more restricted and fuller tones , respectively .
Secondly — and perhaps most important to a certain breed of tone hound — the Hot Sake features a proprietary form of true bypass switching . Without getting into a lot of detail , the important point to remember is that the input signal travels an incredibly short distance to the output jack . Moreover , if power cuts out , the pedal passes the input signal through rather than cutting it out . Imagine that — no unexpected signal drop !
TWA ’ s Hot Saké offers a great value for a whole lot of sound . I especially recommend the unit for people who cannot ever get enough distortion .
WHAT WE LIKE
Flexible distortion with characteristics of overdrive , fuzz , and pure distortion ; generous helping of tone controls