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Just Got My Turbo Tuner...
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Author:  Michael Jin [ Fri Jan 16, 2009 10:05 am ]
Post subject:  Just Got My Turbo Tuner...
bliss bliss bliss bliss bliss bliss bliss bliss bliss bliss bliss bliss bliss bliss bliss

I just got my Sonic Research Turbo Tuner in the mail and wow, this thing is amazing! The accuracy of it is ridiculous and it's even faster than the Peterson I tried in the store... Not only does it seem just as good (or even better in some aspects), but it's $70 less than the Peterson and comes with free shipping. I'm definitely impressed and I've already placed an order for the stomp box version of the tuner. :D

Definitely a serious contender in the tuner market, I think and I'm really happy that I ordered it. Just wanted to shout out because I think the tuner is really great and I'm sure some people aren't looking to spend the $200 or so for a Peterson tuner. This little thing is definitely an option.
Author:  SniderMike [ Fri Jan 16, 2009 11:27 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Just Got My Turbo Tuner...
Thanks for the tip. I'd never heard of this tuner before.
Author:  SniderMike [ Fri Jan 16, 2009 11:37 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Just Got My Turbo Tuner...
I just watched the demo video on the website. That looks like a really cool tuner. Nice find, Michael!
Author:  David Collins [ Fri Jan 16, 2009 3:35 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Just Got My Turbo Tuner...
Their accuracy is guaranteed to within 0.02 cents - you should really test that. If you tune your A string to in then pluck it against a reference tone, you should hear no more than one beat per 9 weeks. You'll need a guitar with good sustain to hear this of course. This stuff is important. :D

Actually it does look like a great tuner for a great price. Even aside from accuracy, the stomp box version looks to be a competitor for the most visible and ergonomic for the working musician. I may have to get myself one of those.

Any experience yet how quick it responds and zeros in on a tone, or how well it reads through interfering ambient noise? Have you happened to plug a bass in to it yet?
Author:  WaddyThomson [ Fri Jan 16, 2009 4:35 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Just Got My Turbo Tuner...
David, it seems to respond pretty quickly. Here is a video of a guy tap tuning with one.
Author:  Michael Jin [ Fri Jan 16, 2009 5:34 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Just Got My Turbo Tuner...
David Collins wrote:
Their accuracy is guaranteed to within 0.02 cents - you should really test that. If you tune your A string to in then pluck it against a reference tone, you should hear no more than one beat per 9 weeks. You'll need a guitar with good sustain to hear this of course. This stuff is important. :D

Actually it does look like a great tuner for a great price. Even aside from accuracy, the stomp box version looks to be a competitor for the most visible and ergonomic for the working musician. I may have to get myself one of those.

Any experience yet how quick it responds and zeros in on a tone, or how well it reads through interfering ambient noise? Have you happened to plug a bass in to it yet?


Well in the limited time I've been using it, it seems to zero in and respond almost instantly. Here's a video of the stompbox version vs. the peterson strobostomp

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8bY9H7ec6_0
Author:  Hesh [ Fri Jan 16, 2009 6:09 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Just Got My Turbo Tuner...
Well Michael my friend congrats it looks like a great tuner.

Waddy bro thanks for posting the tap tuning YouTube - that was enough for me to give it up and order one. :D bliss

I have yet to be able to pick up notes reliably when tap tuning with any of my tuners including StroboSoft with the integral mic or an external mic. It's pretty impressive that this tuner is so very sensitive without the need for an external mic or clip-on pick-up device.

Michael when I get mine lets compare notes and figure out how to use this thing to best advantage?
Author:  David Collins [ Fri Jan 16, 2009 6:57 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Just Got My Turbo Tuner...
Thanks guys, very cool. The first video was actually in manual mode, so does not need to detect and adjust to the note. The comparison in the second looked pretty impressive though. I'd still like to see how they work in low frequencies and with ambient noise. For that price it can't hurt to order one to have around anyway.

On a side note; Of all the tools to use for tuning guitar soundboards and backs, I don't believe I can think of a less appropriate one than a strobe tuner. Their very operation relies on observing the motion of the wheel/bars over time. Plate tones are essentially a brief pulse, no real sustain during which to observe motion of the wheel. Plus it's so rich in overtones relative to it's fundamental that sensitive strobes can be easily confused. I say you're better off with a tuning fork, a cheap keyboard, some free spectrum analyzer shareware - about anything else I think would be better, and I see little conceivable advantage to a strobe.
Author:  Shane Neifer [ Fri Jan 16, 2009 7:01 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Just Got My Turbo Tuner...
I have a Peterson 490, a bit more money than these other tuners. To increase the sustain to get the notes I have added a compressor (Beringer makes a good inexpensive one) as Siminoff suggests. Hesh, you might try a compressor to hold that note. Anyway, if the turbo really works as well as the video shows, then us with 490's spent too much money! Except that we can still the harmonics....now we just need to understand what to do with them harmonics :roll:

Shane
Author:  Michael Jin [ Fri Jan 16, 2009 10:07 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Just Got My Turbo Tuner...
I hadn't even thought about using it to tap tune, actually, but now that I think about it, it may certainly help to that regard. From what I feel, the tuners seems to pick up sounds quite well even through ambient noise, which I found pretty impressive and the speed at which it picks up and hones in on notes is ridiculously quick. Peterson certainly makes fine tuners, but at $130, Sonic Research has really released quite the competitor in the Turbo Tuner. I cannot yet verify if it is more or less accurate than a Peterson until I bring mine to a store and check the two out side by side, but I can definitely say that so far it's been quite accurate, much more so than my needle point tuner and it picks up notes quite quickly.

I would imagine the accuracy is probably comparable to the Peterson tuners and if nothing else, the price is much more friendly. :D
Author:  James Orr [ Sat Jan 17, 2009 12:11 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Just Got My Turbo Tuner...
Thanks for reminding me of this, Michael. It's very popular on The Gear Page, and I'm getting my "guitar bonus" check at the end of the month.
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