TC Electronic Spark Mini Booster review

Tiny boost rules the roost

  • £69
  • €79
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The Mini Booster features one solitary knob that controls 20dB of boost

MusicRadar Verdict

A compact booster that won't mess with your tone and features an ingenious switching system.

Pros

  • +

    Tonally transparent. PrimeTime switching.

Cons

  • -

    Lacks the tone options of the Spark.

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TC Electronic's latest mini pedal effort, the Spark Mini Booster, features an all-new boost circuit, plus TC's clever new PrimeTime switching, which detects whether you want the switch permanently on (latching) or just for as long as you hold it down (momentary).

Rather than the full-sized Spark Booster's 26dB of boost and tone controls, the Mini Booster features one solitary knob that controls 20dB of boost, plus true bypass - there's no battery power, though.

Sounds

"No matter how it's set, the Spark Mini sounds tonally transparent"

No matter how it's set, the Spark Mini sounds tonally transparent, simply raising the level of your guitar signal and overdriving your amp. Used with a clean valve amp, the level control provides a range of options, from a small volume boost plus bottom-end fattening and treble sweetening to all-out grit at full blast.

The Spark Mini also works well for pushing already overdriven amps and pedals - it's ideal for that extra bit of drive for solos or heavier riffs. The PrimeTime switching works like a charm, too. No matter how hard we tried, we couldn't fox it, and it always worked how we wanted it to.

However you use one, a small, transparent booster such as this is perfect for many players. Some may miss the extra tone options included on the full-fat Spark, but with PrimeTime switching, TC has provided easy versatility to give this Mini the edge over its rivals.

Michael Brown
Michael Brown

Mike is Editor-in-Chief of GuitarWorld.com, in addition to being an offset fiend and recovering pedal addict. He has a master's degree in journalism, and has spent the past decade writing and editing for guitar publications including MusicRadar, Total Guitar and Guitarist, as well as a decade-and-a-half performing in bands of variable genre (and quality). In his free time, you'll find him making progressive instrumental rock under the nom de plume Maebe.