ROAD
TEST
Electro-Harmonix Tri Parallel Mixer
By Kevin Young
T
he success of any piece of
equipment isn’t solely based on
what it does and how well it does
it, but how (and if ) it will inspire
music-making and creativity.
By that measure, the Electro-
Harmonix Tri Parallel Mixer is a rousing success
that offers significant possibilities for creating
unique sounds and a wealth of control for various
performance and recording applications.
Unsurprisingly, like other EHX offerings,
the unit is compact, simple to use, and built to
stand up to the rigors of the road. And although
stompboxes are typically in the wheelhouse of
guitarists and bassists, the possibilities this unit
offers in terms of sound creation and control
should be of interest to other instrumentalists
and vocalists wanting to expand on their sound
using FX, multiple sound generation sources,
and/or amp configurations; subsequently, it’s
also a valuable tool for recording studios or live
audio pros.
Functionality
In a nutshell, the Tri Parallel Mixer allows users to
run three discrete FX loops in parallel and switch
between, or combine, those loops, combine or
switch between three separate amp rigs, or send
three instruments to one output and mix those.
Control
The Tri Parallel Mixer has three footswitches to
switch/combine the aforementioned FX loops,
amplifier setups, or sources. The pedal has two
modes: XOR and AND. In AND, the switches
are used to activate or deactivate individual
channels. In XOR, when one switch is hit, the
remaining two channels turn off automatically.
Next, there are two global controls (Master
Volume and Dry Volume). A single Master
Status LED lights when the pedal is active and
in/out jacks are located on the right and left of
the unit, respectively. On the rear of the box
are three pairs of 1/4-in. send and return jacks
corresponding to each channel.
Like other EHX products, the mixer
provides substantial control without being
overly complex to set up or use. Each channel
has an identical set of control knobs – send,
return, phase, and EQ – that provide obvious
functionality for tweaking FX in parallel and
the other aforementioned configurations.
22 C A N A D I A N M U S I C I A N
Each channel also sports a dedicated
LED indicator to display which is active
at any given time.
Usage
The global Dry Volume and individual
send/return knobs provide powerful
options for sculpting custom sounds
while allowing you to maintain as
much of the tone and character of
the original sound as you’d like. While
that’s a plus for any user, vocalists and
instrumentalists looking to preserve
the bottom end and clarity of specific
sounds will find it particularly helpful
and more powerful than any single
pedal with on/off and nothing in between, so
to speak.
I typically run FX in series, preferring to
establish my FX chain, plug in whatever device
I’m playing, and then tweak each car in the
train as necessary. Granted, I’m describing a
recording workflow – still, in that application,
time may be at a premium and if there’s less of
it spent fussing and more just switching and
blending via a single unit, everybody wins. As
a result, I’ve re-evaluated my go-to approach.
Generally speaking, running FX in series
works fine, but some persnickety devices –
octavers and harmonizers, for example – are
easier to stack and more predictable when
they’re exclusively receiving an instrument’s dry
signal. With these and others like them, adding a
pinch of this or that to your sound by setting up
parallel FX is definitely preferable. Additionally,
the phase control ensures everything plays well
together.
The live benefits of the Tri Parallel
Mixer, regardless of your usage and control
configuration (i.e. for FX, amp rigs, instruments),
are also substantial. True, during a gig, you
can depend on the audio engineer to handle
mixing/switching between various amp
configurations; however, this gives players the
power to exercise more control on the fly.
Bear in mind, too, that the Tri Parallel Mixer
doesn’t necessarily mean you’ll do away with
FX chains. It’s more accurate to say that it allows
for three discrete chains, or combinations of
amplifiers and instruments. So, if you already
have expertise in the area of constructing
sounds that tend to make animals scream
and birds fall from the sky, this device will
dramatically up your game.
That said, if you prefer to use your newfound
power for good, the combination of control
and sonic possibilities can be inspiring. Beyond
having the power to craft sounds that aren’t
easily achievable or, frankly, possible running FX
in series, there’s a core benefit to the Tri Parallel
Mixer in any situation where the speed and clarity
with which you can perform or present your
ideas is often critical – like recording sessions.
Inspiration vs. Perspiration
The ability to comply with “Let’s hear it that way”
without switching cables or configurations
means less likelihood of losing perspective as
a listener by mucking about. Again, the ability
to quickly access the XOR and AND modes is
extremely helpful.
Beyond that, for comparison sound
shopping at the start or end of the signal chain,
i.e. A/B-ing (or, in this case, A/B/C-ing) sources
and output options and combinations, this is
a powerful and flexible tool.
Summary
The Electro-Harmonix Tri Parallel Mixer is a small
but mighty tool that, in my experience, is the
musical equivalent of having a multi-tool close
at hand rather than having to dig through your
toolbox to find just what you need. It’s a solid
workhorse that will come in handy in the jam
space, recording studio, or on stage.
Kevin Young is a Toronto-based musician and
freelance writer.