FINAL BOOSTER FB-2

FINAL BOOSTER FB-2 BOOSTER ーDISCONTINUEDー

FINAL BOOSTER FB-2
Model FINAL BOOSTER FB-2
Type BOOSTER
Manual FINAL BOOSTER FB-2 Manual
The FREE THE TONE FB-2 FINAL BOOSTER is a full-range booster that can provide +20 dB of boost. It will not degrade the highs and lows of your guitar signal when the effect is turned on and will provide a natural sounding boost without affecting the original tonal characteristics of your guitar or bass. The HTS circuit is also built-in to preserve the sound quality whether the effect is turned on or off. The Final Booster does not reverse phase when the boost is turned on. Although it is not widely known, boosters that employ a single-transistor or FET circuit cause a phase reversal when switched on, and this can cause the sound to drop in level or result in phase cancellation. The Final Booster does not have this problem.

BACKGROUND & DEVELOPMENT

The Final Booster uses discrete transistor circuitry with no ICs and it has a natural high-end harmonics sound. The sound of the old model was highly appreciated, however I was asked by a user if it was possible to reduce the switching noise level. A true bypass circuit was used to switch the effect on/off so it was difficult to reduce the switching noise.
In the summer of 2012, I developed the HTS circuit when I designed the GIGS BOSON and IRON FOREST pedals.

I thought the HTS circuit may solve the problem with switching noise, and it worked well for the booster too.

The switching noise level was reduced thanks to the HTS circuits and it preserves the sound quality whether the boost is turned on or off.
If there is sufficient headroom in the amp being used, the FINAL BOOSTER can be connected directly to the amplifier's input and used for straight volume boost. If you’re using a tube amp it can be used for drive boost. The reason for the “FINAL BOOSTER” naming should now be clear… it will normally be the last pedal connected in an effect chain. Of course you could also connect it before an overdrive pedal in order to clip the overdrive input stage and create new distortion effects, for example.

A booster is essentially nothing more than a volume-increasing device, but in actual use it goes much deeper than that. Different sonic nuances can be achieved by connecting it in different ways. Using it in combination with overdrive or distortion pedals can produce some really interesting new effects. With a little ingenuity and trial-and-error testing it can be a source of unexpected new sounds.

FEATURES

  • By implementing the HTS (Holistic Tonal Solution) Circuit that manages signals comprehensively from input to output, the effected sound and bypassed sound will always have the same sound quality, which solves a problem that has plagued players for years.。
  • A full-range type booster that can boost up to +20 dB.
  • Natural tonal characteristics provided by a circuit composed of transistors, without using IC chips.
  • The FINAL BOOSTER does not have a phase reversal problem that can cause the sound to drop in level.
  • Exceptional sound stability by using long-life high reliability components
HTS (Holistic Tonal Solution) Circuit
The newly developed FREE THE TONE’s Holistic Tonal Solution (HTS) Circuit brings a brand new concept to effect pedals.

The HTS Circuit mainly handles the interface section of an effects unit (input and output). This circuit solves not only the problem with a True-Bypass circuit and weak points in a combination of a general buffer circuit and an electronic switch, but also totally and effectively manages the relationship between devices connected before and after the effects unit and the operation of the effects circuit implemented in the HTS Circuit.

The compatibility of pedals when they are connected together will be influenced by the signal level and the characteristics of the input and output impedance. Signal characteristics may change each time you switch effects units on some combinations of effects units using a true-bypass circuit. These changes in signal characteristics will have a drastic influence on the sound quality and/or sound image. You may have felt a fundamental difference in sound quality or a feeling that something just isn't right in the past. This is a major problem of effects units that is relatively unknown.

The HTS Circuit consists of three separate circuits: Input Circuit, Noiseless Effect On/Off Circuit, and Output Driver Circuit.

The Input Circuit receives the signal properly according to the conditions of the signal source, eliminates noise from unnecessary frequency bands and then sends the pure guitar signal to the effect circuit. The FREE THE TONE effects units have a very low signal-to-noise ratio thanks to the HTS Circuit.

The processed signal is sent to the Noiseless Effect On/Off Circuit. This circuit transfers the guitar sound faithfully without any feeling of dullness or distortion that is often unique to electronic switching circuits, because no switching element, such as an FET, is used.

The processed or bypassed sound signal, selected by the Noiseless Effect On/Off Circuit, is sent to the Output Driver Circuit and then to any other equipment connected after the effector in the signal chain. Regardless of whether the effects unit is on or off, the signal output impedance remains fixed so that a stable signal is provided all the time. And when the effects unit is turned off, the HTS Circuit outputs a signal that remains true to the original natural guitar sound.

HThe effected sound and bypassed sound managed by the HTS Circuit will always have the same sound quality, which solves a problem that has plagued players for years.

DEMO

SPECIFICATIONS

Input impedance: 1MΩ
Output load impedance: min. 10kΩ
Control LEVEL (Boost 0 to +20 dB)
Terminals 2× 1/4" phone jacks (for input and output), 1× DC9V input jack (for AC adapter)
Power supply 9-volt battery (PP3/006P), AC adapter
Current consumption approx. 14 mA (max.)
Dimensions 72W × 115D × 50H mm (incl. protuberances such as footswitches, jacks, etc.)
Weight pprox. 200 g (excl. battery)
Accessories: warranty card, manual, battery (PP3/006P), 4× rubber feet

SUPPORT