ADA
GCS-5
GUITAR CABINET SIMULATOR / DI USER MANUAL
The GCS-5 is a Direct Injection (DI) box with user adjustable guitar cabinet simulations and a headphone output, designed for the studio, stage and silent practice. The GCS-5
is an all-analog circuit that runs on a standard 9-volt AC adapter (ADA Part Number 240013G5) or a pedal board power supply rated at 200mA or more.
Turn any full-range passive or powered monitor speaker or sound system into a dynamic guitar cabinet
Record directly from your pedal board without speakers or microphones or use the HEADPHONE OUTPUT for silent practice
Get guitar cabinet feedback from your stage monitor
Connect directly to the output of your power amp by inserting the GCS-5 between the power amp output and your speaker cab or load box
Full frequency range DI box in FULL RANGE mode
Real cabinet resonance at all levels and driver compression at high levels adds an organic depth and realism to your guitar tone
CONTROLS
Selectable VINTAGE (alnico) or MODERN (ceramic) speaker character. We have focused on the two extremes of speakers, the alnico (Jensen) and the ceramic
(Celestion and Eminence)
Selectable AMERICAN or BRITISH Speaker cone types for high-mid coloration
Selectable SEALED or OPEN BACK cabinet types to emphasize the cabinet’s natural resonance between low and mid frequencies
Selectable 12” or 10” speaker size
Variable MICROPHONE PLACEMENT control to “position” the mic at the EDGE for deep or CENTER for bright frequency responses
¼” phone jack INPUT with a direct, un-buffered PASS THROUGH ¼” phone jack. This effectively splits the signal to feed both a guitar amplifier and a mixing
console or for connecting a speaker cabinet or your load box
POWER AMP DIRECT CONNECT with 20dB INPUT PAD, allows for inserting the GCS-5 between your power amp output and your speaker cabinet or load box.
Balanced OUTPUT at LINE LEVEL with a GROUND LIFT switch for Pin 1
¼” HEADPHONE OUTPUT with a VOLUME control for 16 to 300 Ohms.
HOOK-UP
We do not recommend that you plug your guitar directly into the INPUT of the GCS-5 without plugging first into an effects pedal or buffer. The GCS-5 accepts signal levels
from pedal boards (guitar level) and preamp outputs (line level) or (with the INPUT PAD switch “IN” to 20dB PAD), power amp levels. Please note that the GCS-5 is NOT A
LOAD BOX, and the power amplifier must remain connected to the speakers or have a proper impedance load connected to it in place of the speakers. Preamp, line level
and pedal board level signals can also be connected to the INPUT of the GCS-5 when the 20dB INPUT PAD is switched out. The GCS-5’s HEADPHONE output has a
VOLUME control so you can listen to the cabinet simulation in total isolation. Be sure to
USE ONLY STEREO HEADPHONSES
rated between 16 and 300 ohms impedance
to ensure proper performance.
USING THE BALANCED OUTPUT
The GCS-5 has both single-ended ¼-inch phone jack and balanced XLR OUTPUTS, and both work at the same time. For most sound systems, the balanced output is
preferred because it avoids common audio problems such as ground loops, signal bleed and degradation. The GROUND LIFT switch, which is located on the back panel, is
used to isolate the signal ground of your equipment coming into the GCS-5 from the signal fed to the console. This avoids line frequency hum in your audio signal. The XLR
balanced output is at line level only, and the shield from the XLR cable is connected to the GCS-5 enclosure.
SPECIFICATIONS
INPUT IMPEDANCE: 105k Ohms
OUTPUT IMPEDANCE: 1000 Ohms
HEADPHONE OUTPUT: 16 to 300 Ohms
External Power Supply: 9VDC 200mA 2.1mm pin
Shipping weight: 1.6 lbs
Dimensions: 3.35" (w) x 4.2" (l) x 1.8" (h)
There are many ways to use the ADA GCS-5, and the following are the most common uses.
1.
Go direct to the house sound system from your pedal board for live performances.
Diagram 1: Guitar to pedal board to GCS-5 to console to monitor speakers and house speakers – no stage amp
PART NUMBER: 701422 rev 0.1
Full-Range PA
