Many effect pedals on the market use circuitry that is active even when the effect is
turned off. This “bypass” circuitry typically has high harmonic distortion and minimal
headroom, both of which can greatly affect the tone and dynamics of your playing.
Some pedals use a bypass design that loads the guitar signal down even when the
pedal is switched off. The cumulative effect of these issues can result in a loss of tone,
dynamics, and high frequency response - even when all your pedals are OFF.
The Switch Doctor is a true bypass switcher, which means that, when all of the pedal
loops are switched off, your guitar signal goes directly from the input jack to the output
jack, bypassing all of the cables, connectors and pedals in the effect chain.* In order
to achieve a “straight wire” type of true bypass, the Switch Doctor utilizes relays. This
provides the most transparent bypass possible. However, because relays are
mechanical switches, it is understood that they inherently cause some noise when
switching.
* when the Input Buffer is switched OUT.
Input Buffer
The Switch Doctor features a high quality, discrete, Class A input buffer circuit which
can help to prevent high frequency losses due to cables and connections. In many
cases the buffer will improve the overall clarity of tone. However, sometimes a direct
connection between the guitar and the amplifier is desired. And, some pedal inputs
(fuzz pedals, etc) are designed such that their tone relies on a direct connection with
the guitar's pickups. For these reasons, the buffer circuit can be bypassed using the
BUFFER switch in the upper right corner. Experiment with having the buffer in or out
and use which sounds best for your setup.
Control Function Switches
The control function switches, SW1 and SW2, can be used for controlling any functions
on an amplifier or an effect device which would normally require a typical on/off
switch. These switches can be used for amp channel switching in place of the
amplifier's dedicated footswitch. Each switch can be independently configured to be
latching or momentary and either normally-open or normally-closed. Refer to
CONNECTIONS – SW1 and SW2 and SETUP MODE – Fn.1 and Fn.2
A 3
rd
switch function (SW3) can also be configured by using the 4
th
pedal bypass loop.
(see CONNECTIONS – Pedal Loops on page 3). This can be useful for toggling an
additional amp function such as tremolo or boost.
MIDI Functions
MIDI Program Changes
MIDI Program Change commands can be used for recalling presets on devices that
15
Summary of Contents for Switch Doctor
Page 1: ...VERSION 2 Features Benefits and Operation 2013 2015 Decibel Eleven ...
Page 2: ......
Page 8: ...REAR PANEL DIAGRAM ...
Page 12: ...TOP PANEL CONTROLS ...