Tech 21 DP-3X, Owner'S Manual

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NOTEWORTHY NOTES
1) Using with active basses. Active electronics have higher out-
put and typically generate more noise. To compensate, we recommend
disengaging the Gain switch and, if necessary, lowering the volume on
your bass. Additionally, experiment with using flat EQ settings and/or
decreasing the Drive and Comp controls.
2) Compression. If the output of your bass is very high, even low
compression settings will sound very compressed. Also, be aware that
higher settings can contribute to feedback, which can be useable.
3) Using the dUg DP-3X with headphones. Settings may
sound brighter through the headphones, so simply adjust the controls
accordingly. Remember to disengage the headphone switch when going
direct to a mixing board or amplifier, as it will easily clip the signal.
4) Tech 21 controls are unusually sensitive and tend to per-
form well beyond what would be considered “normal.” So you need
not set everything at max to get maximum results. For instance, to
brighten your sound, rather than automatically boosting High all the
way up, try cutting back on Low first.
5) To find the best settings for interacting with your other gear,
you may need to use radically different settings for each individual way
you use it. You need not be discouraged or suspect something is wrong
with the unit. If you’ve got your sound, you’ve simply found the right bal-
ance to complement each individual piece of gear. We recommend you
start with the tone controls at 12 o’clock and cut or boost as necessary.
6) Tech 21 pedals have exceptionally low noise levels.
However, they may amplify noise emanating from the input source. To
minimize noise, we recommend active electronic instruments have the
volume set at about 75%. Since active basses do not lose tone when
the volume isn’t all the way up, this allows some room to go up and
down and keeps your output from being super hot. If you need to
boost, do so slowly and sparingly. Also check for pickup interference
by moving your guitar or turning the volume off. Be aware single coil
magnetic pickups are more likely to generate noise.
7) Placement notes: The dUg DP-3X can be treated as an ampli-
fier or pre-amp when it comes to setting up your signal chain:
Place the following effects BEFORE the dUg DP-3X:
Phaser/Vibe, Overdrive, Wah.
Place the following effects AFTER the dUg DP-3X:
Delay, EQ, Flanger, Phaser (yes, after is good, too), Pitch Shifter, Reverb.
8) Buffered bypass eliminates the shortcomings associated with
“true bypass” (pops and clicks, and high-end loss when multiple pedals
are connected together), as well as signal loss associated with other
types of switching circuits.
9) Custom actuators. All Tech 21 pedals feature smooth, custom,
silent-switching actuators.
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