Review: Cherub WMT-555C tuner and metronome

If you want a combined mandolin tuner and metronome to use when practicing, that will help you progress with your playing but also to be used to tune your mandolin, we recommend the Cherub WMT-555C.

At first glance you will get a little bit confused on how to change mode from tuner to metronome, but if you try just a little,  you will be satisfied with this desktop tuner and it will become your companion whether you are a mandolinist or a guitarist.

Cherub WMT-555C packaging is very good and it includes:

I believe that the clip-on pickup is a good idea that may help you with acoustic instruments in a noisy environment but the real bonus is the earphone, I think you can imagine why!

The Cherub WMT-555C combines both a metronome and a tuner in a single device, therefore usage is expected to be more complex than single tuners. Nevertheless once you understand how to change mode (from metronome to tuner and vice versa), everything else is very easy.

As the Cherub WMT-555C is chromatic, you can easily deal with non-standard tunings, as it will read any note you play. Finally, the earphone feature is welcomed, especially for the metronome.

The Cherub WMT-555C visibility is good, especially when using the elevation feature as the screen view angles are not very wide. The elevation is possible via the integrated elevator stand, for optimum viewing of the tuner display.

I did not witness any visibility problem due to direct sunlight, as I tested this at my garden in Greece, during summer. You can not get more sun than this, right? Also, this metronome/tuner is most frequently used inside the house, when practising, so no problem whatsoever.

Finally, the lack of wide angles may prove to be a problem, especially if there is lack of space where you practice. For example, if you use a music stand, it may be difficult to position the Cherub in a way where visibility is maximised, so you may end up putting it instead temporarily on your foot.

The Cherub WMT-555C is a discrete tuner due to its low profile, that can be left on your coffee table or the music stand without any concern. The black colour and the simple design enables it to blend in and disappear.

There is no WOW with this tuner, if this what you are after. In this case you may have to look for more gadget-like tuners, such as the SNARK SN-8.

With the Cherub WMT-555C, things are looking good, since the power save feature conserves battery power.

I own this tuner for three years now, and I have changed batteries only three times.

The result: there is low probability that you will not have enough battery for your nice tuner when you need it!

Τhis Cherub WMT-555C is a versatile little equipment, as it is:

So, this tuner is a valuable tool for practising at home and also for tuning even in noisy environments (yes I consider a gig to be noisy!).

You will find the tuner to be very versatile, as it can be set for standard tuning, all notes, common alternate tunings, including F, Bb, Eb. You can even set the reference pitch. The default reference pitch is A=440.0 Hz tuning, but pro musicians, especially classical musicians, can set the reference pitch from 435Hz to 445Hz. This capability can not match a mobile app tuner such as iPhone GuitarTuner, reviewed here, that can reach 392.0 Hz (French Baroque) or go all the way up to 528.0 Hz (DNA Repair) or even the SNARK SN-8 tuner . But, if you are not a classical mandolinist, this will not bother you.

The Cherub  has a built-in metronome, which is pressing for 1-2 seconds the Mode button.

Once the metronome is activated, one tap on the On/Off butoon, activates the metronome to the previous setting e.g. 100bpm, indicated by a moving bar on the front panel display.

The tempo can be adjusted by tapping the up/down buttons at the front of the device, and the supported range is 30bmp to 230 bmp.

The beat can be adjusted by tapping the mode button at the front of the device, and it supports -/4, 1/4, 2/4, 3/4, 4/4, 3/8 and 6/8 beats.

The value can be adjusted by tapping the value button at the front of the device, and it supports one quarter note, two eighth notes, four sixteenth notes, doted eight note, and rest and eight note.

I found that the metronome feature really useful, as you need a metronome that uses sound in order to practice. Also, having an earphone can spare your family/friends from the headache, right?

Finally, when compared to a mobile app tuner such as iPhone GuitarTuner, reviewed here, you find that the mobile apps provide additional features such as chord and scale charts which are very useful. You don't expect that from a tiny digital tuner, I know, but still, having a complete chords database with you is a nice feature.