I’m in the process of creating a small setup for traveling or outdoor jams and
came across the TC Electronic Plethora X3 multieffect pedal.
I would be interested to know what your experiences are with this device in connection with synthesizers?
it looks robustly installed and the abundance of effects/ concatenation options makes it very attractive.
The X5 is my sleeper dream effects device … naturally that means i won’t be sharing why, it allows me to make my special sauce and it effects devices like no other … it can have lots of character … and the killer feature is the control inputs and configuration options with Toneprint for setting it up a bit like an octatrack crossfader
There’s a lot to dislike about its Toneprint paradigm, and also with their failure to deliver on a promise to update it regularly and to bug fix in a timely manner (there’s still one affecting AlterEgo Tap tempo which reboots the device i got confirmed months ago)
I see it as a character delay/looper/verb and i like how deep it is - it’s possible to make it do much more creatively if you want, but it means setting up all the control/mash/switch inputs to do fun morphs to your taste
It does seem to clip a bit with hot synths so keep that in mind, it’s a bit too weighted to the guitar community and that’s why i think it’s not especially well put together by hi-tech-gear standards, it misses a few tricks that a different community may have pushed it towards, it feels a bit too simplified and convoluted where it comes to Toneprint editing which can be very frustrating
No ability to export presets, no ability to edit a preset you made on a different device, so if that old ipad you used to make them dies you are stuffed - lots of silly things which hamper it, but despite that i like and respond to its results, at least in terms of how i set up my toneprints
It’s something i am very happy to have despite some niggles, it takes me in directions i like and can’t do otherwise with usually just one synth/device or guitar, but it needs Toneprint editing to make the most of it for my particular wants
an X3 would just about suffice for most of my needs in terms of 3 effect blocks, but i like having the X5 for its extra potential/ports etc - waiting and waiting for TC to make good their promise to update and release their infinite ‘freeze’ pedal for it
Thank you very much for your detailed info!
I almost think I’ll just try it out and then see how I can integrate it into my flow
and what sound quality the whole thing has.
It’s still a different price range than the Eventide H90 
@Dauna : Did you try it?
I ordered a Plethora X3 (€192, nice). Didn’t find a lot of info on it with synths / drumcomputers. Most - if not all - video’s are cliché guitar sound demo’s, but I’m going to give it a try.
Especially interested in the Toneprint editing software, see how far I can push the FX modulations.
Might post an update here, once I’ve tried it out a bit 
I saw that they eventually implemented midi tempo sync, which is cool. Did like the look of this but ultimately went for the HX Stomp instead due to the flexibility of having seperate effects affecting different inputs
Hey, I haven’t tried that, and in the meantime I’ve built effect paths via my modular system, as well as the Torso S4, which I use as a bypass/effect box.
Oh but I wouldn’t have bought it without working MIDI tempo sync.
HX Stomp > very nice indeed, but a different price bracket.
I’ll start my journey with the Plethora X3 and see where the GAS takes me 
(still waiting for my delivery).
First impressions of the TC Electronic Plethora X3.
I like the design of the hardware, the build, the knobs. Sturdy, good.
The pre-installed effects are good sound quality wise (better than the CDR-70*), but sound bread and butter (probably good for guitarist, kinda meh for synth / drumsounds).
OS feels a bit clunky, but usable.
The knobs do ‘jump’ when switching effects (they are potentiometers, not endles rotary, kinda normal tbh).
The foot-switches can also be used as sensitive-pressure macro switches (not tried yet, but they feel usable with hands, not just feet).
And I linked it with the TonePrint software, to edit my own FX. The pedal links & updates fast, nice, but it randomly rebooted twice. And the interface of the TonePrint is unintuitive. (I’m also missing options in the software, that is available in the hardware OS (midi-sync). Aka software feels unfinished too). But hey, I knew the software would be an annoyance.
Conclusion: This is going to be pre-program, set and forget FX chain preset machine with a few fixed macro knobs & switches for live tweaking. Perfect!
I’m going to take my time and check the TonePrint software more, see if I can make more complex & “interesting” effects, link it with the macro’s, la di da.
*CDR-70: It sounds not so good, but it has so many strange FX, I’m using it as my ‘FX send to add unpredictable character’ here. Happy with it.
(Live setup: Drumcomputer, seperate out’s going to mixer, +2 FX sends)
