TC-Helicon VoiceLive 2 Vocal Floor Processor

No longer available at zZounds
Enhance your live vocals and create harmonies via guitar or MIDI input with the VoiceLive 2 -- TC-Helicon's easy-to-use vocal effects and looper pedal.

Whether you're a lead singer looking to pull off studio-quality vocal effects live, or a solo performer who wants to thicken up your sound and add live sampling to your show, the TC Helicon VoiceLive 2 is an incredibly powerful and easy-to-use vocal processor pedal. Even if you've never used a pedal before, the VoiceLive 2 can help take your performance from good to great, with effects from gentle pitch correction that uses your guitar or keyboard as a guide, to a stunning 8-part choir backing you up. Impress your bandmates -- and your audience -- with a huge vocal sound, thanks to TC Helicon's top-of-the-line VoiceLive 2.

Simple Interface -- Powerful Processing

Guitarists are known for being gung-ho about stringing pedals together, but vocalists are sometimes shy about geeking out on gear. So the TC Helicon VoiceLive 2 is set up to be simple to use, even for a beginner. When you look down at the box, you'll see clearly-labeled footswitches for Delay, Reverb, Harmony, Doubling, Micro-Mod (think "thickening") -- all the most-wanted effects for a vocalist. Another switch is labeled FX, and you can use it to access a wide range of processors from a megaphone-simulator to the T-Pain effect.

Look left to find dedicated Up and Down switches that you can use to easily page through 205 editable, storable built-in presets with your foot. For each preset that you call up, a red ring will light up around the footswitch for each effect block as you turn them on. Now it's easy to read more thicken up your voice on a chorus or bridge section, or quickly engage a delay on the verses. The Shortcut and Step switches provide access to your user-defined presets -- so you can customize your vocal effects ahead of time for each section of each song in your setlist. Everything you need is laid out on the board's graceful sloped front.

Just Add Vocals -- The VoiceLive 2 Does the Rest

Do more singing and less knob-tweaking with the VoiceLive 2's automated parameter settings. Just sing, and Auto Mic Gain will automatically set a level. The Auto Gate shuts when you're not singing to reduce feedback. Adaptive Tone engages a studio-quality EQ, compressor and de-esser that adjusts depending on your singing style. And automatic ducking reduces reverb and delay during your vocal lines to prevent muddiness, and automatically increases level after your last syllable for a big finish. It's like a studio engineer is inside this box!

Speaking of engineers, the VoiceLive 2 has a "Line to Mic" setting that steps down the line-level output of the VoiceLive 2 to the mic-level output that live sound engineers expect from a vocalist. You can easily plug the VoiceLive 2 in to a snake onstage and give your sound engineer the mic-level signal that they're expecting -- just like a DI box for your voice.

NaturalPlay Harmonies Back You Up

Is your bassist not quite cutting it as a backup vocalist? The VoiceLive 2 can generate smart harmonies by "listening" to your voice. Plug in your guitar to the VoiceLive 2 to hear it generate 4 harmony voices based on the chords you're playing. With a MIDI keyboard plugged in, the VoiceLive 2 can generate up to 8 discrete voices. There's also the Choir algorithm, which doubles four voices of harmony to create an incredibly full and rich choir effect, perfect for everything from those Queen covers, to a gospel group led by you.

You can pass a guitar signal through the VoiceLive 2 transparently into your regular guitar pedalboard or DI box -- or take advantage of the guitar effects on board the VoiceLive 2. And if you're strictly a singer, not an axe-slinger, plug in your MP3 player with karaoke-style backing tracks to the VoiceLive 2's 1/8-inch aux input to hear it generate harmony voices based on the chords of the backing track as it goes by. Each of 15 harmony styles (such as 2 voices above, 1 above and 2 below, and so on) are fully editable -- you can change the gender of your harmony voices, "humanize" them with subtle time and pitch variations, adjust vibrato, and much more.

Live Sampling and Beyond

The VoiceLive 2 has a built-in looper that lets you sample up to 30 seconds mono (15 seconds stereo) so you can sing over looped vocal or guitar inputs, with your effects of choice applied. The live sampling possibilities are endless: record a tambourine or handclaps into your vocal mic, or try running a trumpet or flute through a mic into the VoiceLive 2 and see how its reverb can sweeten your horn sound.

As a vocalist, your instrument is priceless and one-of-a-kind. Why trust your live vocal sound to whatever cheesy reverbs the venue happens to have on hand? Deliver a stunning live vocal performance every time, with the TC Helicon VoiceLive 2 pedal. But watch out: with all this sound-shaping power under your feet, your band's lead guitarist just might get envious.

Features:

- Built to play live, wit bright LCD and well-spaced buttons
- 8 stompbox-style footswitches for individually-accessible effect blocks
- 205 on-board presets and 250 preset slots for custom presets
- Save up to 50 steps within each custom preset
- Reverb, delay, micro-mod, harmony, doubling, and more
- Special FX from "telephone" to Hard-Tune
- Automatic mic gain, gate, compression, EQ, de-esser, and reverb/delay ducking
- Generate up to 8 harmony voices from your guitar, MIDI keyboard or voice alone
- Rhythmic effect lets you "freeze" and repeat phrases
- VLOOP looper lets you live-sample your voice and guitar
- Wizard button to help you find the right preset
- USB I/O for software updates, backing up settings, and streaming audio
- 1/4" guitar input, MIDI I/O, and stereo 1/8" input for your MP3 player
read less

Analog Inputs
Connectors, balanced:
- Mic.: XLR, Line: 1/4" phone jack,
- Guitar: 1/4" phone jack,
- Aux: 1/8" stereo mini jack

Impedance: Balanced/Unbalanced
- Mic.: 2.14/1.07 kOhm, Line: 13/6,5 kOhm

Mic Input Level @ 0 dBFS: -49dBu to +10dBu

Line Input Level @ -37 dBu to +22 dBu: -37 dBu to +22 dBu

EIN @ Max Mic Gain Rg = 150 Ohm: -126 dBu

Mic/Line Input SNR: > 107 dB

Guitar Input impedance: 1 MOhm

Guitar Input Level @ 0 dBFS: 14 dBu to -4 dBu

Guitar Input SNR: >104dB

Aux Input Level @ 0dBu: +2dBu

A to D Conversion: 24 bit, 128 x oversampling bitstream, 110dB SNR A-weighted

Analog Outputs
D to A Conversion: 24 bit, 128 x oversampling bitstream, 115dB SNR A-weighted

Connectors, balanced: XLR and 1/4" phone jack

Output Impedance Balanced/ Unbalanced: 100/50 Ohm

Output Range (Line/Mic Level): 16 dBu / 0dBu

Dynamic Range: > 109 dB, 20 Hz to 20 kHz

Frequency Response: +0/-0.3 dB, 20 Hz to 20 kHz

Headphone Out: 1/8 in. Mini stereo jack, 32 Ohm, +16dBu max (180mW max)

Digital Inputs and Outputs
Connectors: RCA Phono (S/PDIF)

Formats: S/PDIF (24 bit), EIAJ CP-340, IEC 958

Sample Rates: 44.1 kHz, 48 kHz, 88.2kHz, 96kHz

EMC
Complies with: EN 55103-1 and EN 55103-2 - FCC part 15, Class B, CISPR 22, Class B

Safety
Certified to: IEC 65, EN 60065, UL6500 and CSA - IEC 65, EN 60065, UL6500 and CSA

Environment
Operating Temperature: 32 F to 122 F (0 C to 50 C)
Storage Temperature: -22 F to 167 F (-30 C to 70 C)
Humidity: Max. 90 % non-condensing

Control Interface
USB: USB-B

MIDI: In/Out/Thru: 5 Pin DIN

Pedal: 1/4 in. TRS phone jack

Supplementary
Display: 192 x 64 Blue STN LCD, White Back light

Dimension: 13.8" x 3" x 8.5" (350 x 76 x 216 mm)

Weight: 5 lb. (2.3 kg)

External Power Supply Mains Voltage: 100 to 240 VAC, 50 to 60 Hz (auto-select)

Power Consumption: <14 W

Warranty Parts and labor: 1 year

For support or warranty questions, please contact the manufacturer:
Web: https://www.tc-helicon.com/service.html

TC-Helicon VoiceLive2 Processor

What does a vocalist live for? A jaw-dropping vocal sound that takes audiences over the edge. Get that sound instantly with VoiceLive 2, the ultimate floor-based vocal processor. It's more than an upgrade, it's a vocal revolution.

Easier than ever

With a completely redesigned user interface, VoiceLive 2 is easy to use whether you're looking for one preset or a creative sequence of sounds for every song.

- Wizard button helps you find the right preset
- Stompbox access to six effect blocks
- One button access to global Tone, Pitch and Guitar FX
- Easy editing of all parameters
- Simple preset chaining with Step feature
- USB for updates, back-ups and audio streaming

Complete Connectivity

VoiceLive 2 has the most complete connectivity of any vocal floor processor.

- Guitar input with auto-mix, Guitar FX as well as transparent pass-thru
- Stereo 1/8-inch (MP3 player) input
- Stereo XLR, 1/4" and Headphone outputs
- MIDI in, out, and thru
- Expression pedal input
- USB for updates, back-ups and audio streaming

NaturalPlay harmonies

Whether you play guitar, a MIDI keyboard or no instrument at all, VoiceLive 2 has brilliant vocal harmonies for you.

- Control harmonies with guitar, MIDI or MP3 input
- Up to 8 voices with MIDI keyboard control or 4 doubled harmonies
- NaturalPlay algorithm is smooth and natural even for extreme vocal styles
- Auto sensing of harmony control instrument

More power, voices & effects

VoiceLive 2 contains virtually all the effects necessary to produce any vocal sounds of decades past, and into the future.

- 5 times the processing power of a typical floor processor
- Separate harmony and doubling blocks
- Reverb, tap delay, microMod
- FX block for T-Pain effect, megaphone, distortion
- Global effects including Tone, pitch correction, and Guitar FX
- All effects can be used simultaneously

An engineer that listens

Like a great audio engineer, VoiceLive 2 listens to you and adjusts to make your voice sound smooth and produced.

- Tone tailors adaptive EQ, compression and de-ess to your voice
- Adaptive gate reduces mic input when you're not singing
- Digital mic-gain control is engaged with your feet

Solid design meets comfort

Built with your comfort in mind, VoiceLive 2 has some practical features that will make for effortless performances.

- Natural curve puts footswitches at comfortable angle
- Recessed rubberized handle
- Bright LCD and large lettering
- Rubberized end caps and edit/mix knobs
- Extruded aluminum and steel chassis

VLOOP: performance vocal looping of vocals and guitar

VoiceLive 2's shortcut assignable single button looper is an easy to use looper for voice or guitar.

- Loops effects, vocal, and guitar inputs
- Up to 15 seconds of stereo looping, 30 seconds mono
- Single button control for play, overdub, stop, undo and erase.
- Global loop feedback control

Reviewers gave this product an overall rating of 5 out of 5 stars. (29 ratings)
Submitted November 11, 2009 by a customer from yahoo.com

"If you're thinking about this. Get it!"

Overall: 5 out of 5 stars
(see rating details)
Verified Customer zZounds has verified that this reviewer made a purchase from us.
This review has been selected by our experts as particularly helpful.
I'm sure I'll never willingly perform again without one or its decendents.

Sound
Wow! If you can sing (and play) in tune and you don't have awesome background singers, get this unit! Mortgage the cat, sell the dog, do whatever it takes. You've got to try this thing. I've only gone through about 1/30 of the presets and I can't believe how good it sounds. I'd try more but I'm having way too much fun with the ones I've tried so far. TC Helicon's algorithmeers are to be congratulated!

Features
It is something most have never tried. All the features seem new. More CC inputs would be nice since you can really make it sound human by modulating the volume of the harmonies, being able to hold a harmony note(s) while you sing another -- all with a tap of a footswitch or flick of a pedal, so more CC inputs would allow more control without using a separate MIDI footswitch controller. At first I thought a feedback destroyer would be useful too, but the compressor on this thing is so smart, I never get feedback with it. Plus a feedback destroyer works best right before a power amp, not at the preamp stage. Sometimes you do get odd beeps and pops. Sounds a bit like R2D2 but only when you're changing presets.

Ease of Use
Fairly straighforward however look out for the separate CC channel!!! The CC channel is set separately from the basic MIDI channel so if you have another device read more on the VL-2's CC channel (without knowing it), you can reprogram the VL-2 in very strange ways. Once I figured that out (the manual is ambiguous re. the need for setting them separately), it works like a dream.

Quality
This costs as much as my first used car. Its way better built too. Solid, good connectors, switches and an LCD screen thats easy to see. A little too easy to see sometimes since its glare can make it hard to read the labels on the knobs and buttons.

Value
I gots tons of gear -- from Gibson guitars to Marshall amps, I've been fortunate to be able to aquire pretty much what I want and need for my studio and live gigs. The VL-2 has changed my sound more than anything I own. I've only had it for a week and already I can see us getting way better gigs. It can only get better with practice. You can be sure this kind of device will become as popular for singers as the PC has become for office work.

Manufacturer Support
This is my 4th TC Electronics/Helicon product. I've had contact with the support team for two separate incidents. Both were handled promply and professionally.

The Wow Factor
It make me all gooey inside when I hear myself doing "perfect" Heart harmonies or when I use the "Brick in the Wall" patch and do the Pink Floyd song. Is it cheating? I say no. Not when I'm competing with DJs for gigs!

Musical Background:
Recording/ design engineer, active gigging guitarist/singer in 3 piece

Musical Style:
rock pop originals
read less
82 of 84 people (98%) people found this review helpful. Did you?
Thanks for your opinion!

No longer available at zZounds

In most cases, a product is unavailable because it has been discontinued by the manufacturer