New Firmware Released for tc electronic Spectra Comp

[mikerux]

yup, on every patch. there was that 'makeup gain'..
i managed to set the pedal through the PC editor (turn the Makeup Gain OFF, get gain back 0dB), but after some pedal shutdown, it turned back to the original preset, before sending the pedal for service
i guess i'll try a FW update, as i now have 002 - the one with preset memory issues, right?.

 

[jacoby75]

yup, on every patch. there was that 'makeup gain'..
i managed to set the pedal through the PC editor (turn the Makeup Gain OFF, get gain back 0dB), but after some pedal shutdown, it turned back to the original preset, before sending the pedal for service
i guess i'll try a FW update, as i now have 002 - the one with preset memory issues, right?.

I finally got a cable so I can edit my spectracomp through the phone app. Works great! I can turn the gain down on the presets and save them, so that now the output is unity when engaged. However, after getting all excited and finally fixing the issue, I tried it again last night and it reverted back to some other patch in which the volume spikes again. I think it lost the preset that was stored after I unplugged the power. Might need to update the firmware.

 

[tfer]

It’s probably just a touch of ADD, but my board is HEAVILY populated with TonePrint pedals, and before I start playing, live or practicing, I always go through, and load my presets in via the app.

I honestly couldn’t tell you if any of my pedals has ever lost a preset!

 

[jacoby75]

I just updated the firmware through the computer, so we'll see if it sticks after that.

 

[PhatBasstard]

Just an FYI in case it was missed early in the thread:
Regardless of firmware, a factory and/or artist preset will not save any alterations you've made.
The only way to do it is while the editor is open and connected to your computer,
use your phone to beem the desired factory/artist tone print to your pedal.
The editor on the computer will display the particular tone print's settings.
After changing whatever variables you desire,
on the editor on the computer rename it and save it as your own tone print.

 

[jacoby75]

I don't remember it indicating, but if your SC looses whatever setting (it should sound obvious) you had after being unpowered at some point, you probably need the update.

Yes, this is what mine does. I save a user edited Toneprint Template (not an artist toneprint) and it loses my user toneprint when I power down and resets to default or some other Toneprint.

This looks to be the most recent firmware update:
TC Spectra Comp
Dropbox - SpectraCompFirmwareUpdater-1.0.04.677.exe

So I just updated last night with the firmware from the Spectracomp website:
Link Removed
I'm sure this is a stupid question, but does the lower number of mine (1002606 vs the above 1004677) mean the one they sent me is actually an outdated firmware?

It’s probably just a touch of ADD, but my board is HEAVILY populated with TonePrint pedals, and before I start playing, live or practicing, I always go through, and load my presets in via the app.

This really seems unnecessary. I love my Spectracomp, but I don't know that I'm willing to go through that every time I turn my board on. There has to be a way to get it to save the Toneprint and have it still be there when I power the pedal back up.

Just an FYI in case it was missed early in the thread:
Regardless of firmware, a factory and/or artist preset will not save any alterations you've made. The only way to do it is while the editor is open and connected to your computer, use your phone to beam the desired factory/artist tone print to your pedal. The editor on the computer will display the particular tone print's settings. After changing whatever variables you desire, on the editor on the computer rename it and save it as your own tone print.

So the issue I'm specifically having is I take a toneprint (the "default" one, for example), edit it in the app (just lowering the gain so that it is unity when I engage the pedal), and then save it as a user toneprint. I save it to my phone and to the pedal, it works fine as long as I leave everything turned on. I can engage and disengage the pedal over and over and the Toneprint will still be there. But once I unplug the power, it loses my user Toneprint and resets to default. Then the volume boost is back and it makes my drive pedals fart out.

 

[farace]

I remember seeing something in this thread (at least I think it was this thread) awhile back where sometimes the "losing the settings when powered off" issue was related to a power supply that wasn't quite up to snuff. Not sure if it's at all related to the same issue that was fixed in the firmware update.

 

[jacoby75]

I remember seeing something in this thread (at least I think it was this thread) awhile back where sometimes the "losing the settings when powered off" issue was related to a power supply that wasn't quite up to snuff. Not sure if it's at all related to the same issue that was fixed in the firmware update.

Thanks. That's interesting. I remember seeing something like that earlier as wel, but I don't know if it was a firmware issue or an actual issue with the power supply for some reason, which wouldn't make sense to me. I use an MXR Iso Brick. I hope that doesn't have anything to do with it.

I tried to email TC through the website but after I completed the online form it says something like there is an error and the page is not available. I can't get it to go through. I also started a thread on the TC Community forum to ask about it, but I have found that it takes a long time for folks to respond on there when I've had questions in the past.

 

[jacoby75]

I'm probably just going to sell it because I can't use it on my direct-only pedalboard if it's going to keep making my other pedals fart out with its increased gain. In an actual live amp situation, it might not be as big of a deal.

 

[jacoby75]

I'm probably just going to sell it because I can't use it on my direct-only pedalboard if it's going to keep making my other pedals fart out with its increased gain. In an actual live amp situation, it might not be as big of a deal.

I'm sorry. I don't mean that. I say mean things when I'm hungry. It sounds so dang good compared to my last compressor. The multiband option makes all the difference in the world with my 5-string. Each string pops through beautifully. But I've got to figure out how to deal with the gain boost. Perhaps the newer firmware update, referenced earlier, might make a difference. I'll try it out tonight.

 

[PhatBasstard]

Yes, the higher the number the more recent the update.
If your Spectracomp runs fine there should be no issue with your power supply
in relationship to the Toneprint loss at power down.

When updating, don't forget to "prime" the pedal as the updater will sometimes make
it look like it updated when it didn't.

To "prime" it, while connected (Unpowered) to the computer, hold down the pedal's button
while you then plug into it's power supply.
The pedal's light will then start blinking (green or red, I can't remember).
NOW run the updater.

I have two Spectracomps and even though the update I used (saved on my computer)
was not the latest, I've been fine for 6-8 months now.
But, of course, I have the TC app on my phone "just in case".

 

[jacoby75]

FWIW, I finally got build 667 to stick on my pedal. It took multiple tries of restarting the firmware uploader, reconnecting the pedal, turning it on, off, priming it over and over, and rebooting it 5-6 times, but it finally stuck. There were times when it said it was working, and I got the "barber pole" up to 100%, but it didn't actually do anything to the pedal. When it's working, the pedal light actually blinks green as it was downloading. But then afterwards when I connected the pedal to my phone and hit settings, it still said build 606. I had to restart the app on my phone as well, but now it shows build 677. I should get a chance to try it out soon and see if it helped the saving of toneprints when powering off.

 

[gimmeagig]

I have the Nathan East comp loaded. That toneprint seems to have the least volume boost and it's sounds like my bass.So I'm happy with it, but reading all of this makes me wonder if that is really what I have in my pedal....

 

[jacoby75]

I have the Nathan East comp loaded. That toneprint seems to have the least volume boost and it's sounds like my bass.So I'm happy with it, but reading all of this makes me wonder if that is really what I have in my pedal....

Lol. And the kicker is there's no way to know without loading it again and seeing if something changes. At least nothing in the iPhone app says what toneprint is currently loaded. Maybe it says so on the PC editor. It might very well default back to the default toneprint when you power it down.

 

[PhatBasstard]

I have the Nathan East comp loaded. That toneprint seems to have the least volume boost and it's sounds like my bass.So I'm happy with it, but reading all of this makes me wonder if that is really what I have in my pedal....

Give the Janek Gwizdala "Chordal Comp" a try.
Nice even compression and no gain change. I run the knob at noon.
I haven't found a Toneprint I like better yet. It's the one that really sold me (along with the small footprint and value)
on this pedal.

 

[gimmeagig]

Give the Janek Gwizdala "Chordal Comp" a try.
Nice even compression and no gain change. I run the knob at noon.
I haven't found a Toneprint I like better yet. It's the one that really sold me (along with the small footprint and value)
on this pedal.

I have the Flashback mini and I real like janek's Sausage and Beer print more than any others i have tried. Maybe it's just because of the name but it's the one I use... Who doesn't like sausage and beer?

 

[PhatBasstard]

I have the Flashback mini and I real like janek's Sausage and Beer print more than any others i have tried. Maybe it's just because of the name but it's the one I use... Who doesn't like sausage and beer?

Ha! I'm not sure that one is on offer for the Spectracomp. I don't think I've seen it.

 

[tfer]

Ha! I'm not sure that one is on offer for the Spectracomp. I don't think I've seen it.

In the post-Beta survey, TCE asked if we thought that users would be interested in a ‘TonePrint’ pedal...?

Basically naked, but able to accept TonePrints from ANY format (delay, reverb, compression, etc.)

I couldn’t say “yes” fast enough...

 

[jacoby75]

FWIW, I finally got build 667 to stick on my pedal. It took multiple tries of restarting the firmware uploader, reconnecting the pedal, turning it on, off, priming it over and over, and rebooting it 5-6 times, but it finally stuck. There were times when it said it was working, and I got the "barber pole" up to 100%, but it didn't actually do anything to the pedal. When it's working, the pedal light actually blinks green as it was downloading. But then afterwards when I connected the pedal to my phone and hit settings, it still said build 606. I had to restart the app on my phone as well, but now it shows build 677. I should get a chance to try it out soon and see if it helped the saving of toneprints when powering off.

Well, I tried it for about about two minutes before work this morning just because I was curious to see if the update worked, and I thiiiiiink it worked! There was a very slight volume boost when engaging the pedal, but that might have been where I left it. I need to try again later and edit and save a more obvious toneprint, like the compander or something, to know for sure that it is actually saving my toneprint. But I think build 677 might have fixed the issue! Thanks!

 

[jacoby75]

So I can now confirm that the 677 firmware update works perfectly! I am so thrilled. Now I can stop looking for another compressor to buy. Especially since I don't have the money to buy one anyway (not that that's stopped me before). But on a side note, while the technology behind their stuff is so fantastic, I wish it wasn't so dang glitchy. First, you have to update to this firmware which is not public knowledge if you want the thing to work right. But now that I can properly save things to the pedal and it retains them after being unpowered, the app is working weird on my phone. For example, if I tweak a setting and then try to save changes, it reverts back to the default setting within the app itself and I have to readjust the gain again. For example, I take the default setting and lower the gain, then save that toneprint as "default edit" in my user toneprints. But then when I go in to my "default edit" and tweak the gain again, and try to save THAT and select "overwrite," it reverts to the factory gain level and overwrites my changes back to where I don't want them. It's really frustrating. I wish they would work this stuff out.