Description
Modified & recapped with high-quality Panasonic electrolytic capacitors. The power supply has been recapped with higher-value reservoir caps and additional decoupling added. Electrolytics in the audio path have been replaced with higher-value bipolar caps for better audio quality and all other electrolytic capacitors have been replaced. The pots & switches have been cleaned & lubricated. Tested & working 100%. Photos show a TC 1220 sold previously
TC Electronics was founded in 1976 by the Rishøj brothers to build products for musicians and recording studios. The brothers were both musicians, so they designed products for other musicians. This led to useful features like the preamp in the 1220 which gives up to 20 dB of gain
TC studio gear was a well-kept secret in the UK till the success of the 2290 Delay Line and the Finalizer, both products that had a big impact in studios. Among the “sleeper” products in their back catalogue were parametric equaliser footpedals for guitarists, chorus units and rackmount equalisers like the 1220
The TC 1220 is a stereo rackmount equaliser. It has a built-in preamplifier with up to 20 dB gain, making it a useful device for recording synths & DIs. The input impedance is set deliberately high so there’s no loss of high-end when direct injecting guitars and basses
The 1220 has two sweepable EQ bands plus gain control and eq in/out switch for each channel. It can be used as two mono preamp / equalisers or as a stereo unit
Each channel has two bands with variable frequency, filter width (Q) and boost / cut. Band one covers 20 Hz – 2 kHz and band two, 2 KHz – 20 kHz. In addition there is a ± 20 dB gain trim and an eq bypass switch per channel
It’s a simple but effective equaliser and the results are always musical. It’s possible to dial in large amounts of boost or cut so the gain trim is a useful addition to keep gain staging spot-on. On the broadest setting the EQ gives a warm, wide boost ideal for brightening signals, and it’s also possible to put punch into the low end without making the sound flabby. At higher Q settings you can put a nice snap on a snare drum, or make surgical cuts at problem frequencies
The 1220 was alternately described as an equaliser and a feedback suppressor and is capable of both tasks. There’s no information about the 1220 on the TC website but there are details of the similar TC 1140 (see link below)
I used TC equalisers in the late 80s and 90s. It was always a pleasant surprise to see them in a studio as they were one the few equalisers I really liked. They’re precise but musical at the same time – a combination that escapes most other manufacturers
“I really like the Highs on these”
“Sounds good and features very narrow cuts if you need that. I find it very useful and since it has a real Hi-Z input (AFAIR 1MOhm) you can use it as a preamp for bass guitar, etc, too”
“When I was playing regularly, I had a TC 1120 Parametric EQ and LOVED it!!! it’s my all time favorite EQ and one of the main reasons that I’m still a TC fan 25 years later”
