Telonics TCA-500C Combo Amp
47
PB-009289 Rev E
When all signal connections have been made and checked, connect the (-) 9 V power jack on the
rear panel of the TCA-500 Mini-Combo amplifiers to the effects pedal using the provided power
cable.
Note that some “Stomp Box” effects pedals are designed to accept only very low-level signals
(such as guitar output only). Such units must therefore be installed between the user’s volume
pedal and the input of the TCA-500 amplifier. Overdrive – Type Stomp pedals are typically
installed in this manner.
NOTE:
All of the above and similar “pedals” are designed for “series” connection. This means that they
mix together in varying degrees, the original “dry” sound of your guitar, with the “wet” or
processed sound (reverb, delay, etc.).
As such, they MUST be used in the Pre-EQ Insert Loop and are NOT SUITABLE to be
inserted in a Parallel Effects Loop.
To be suitable for use in a parallel effects loop, an effects unit must have a fully
PARALLEL mode, which means that it is FULLY WET – no dry sound must be allowed to
pass through, at all. (If any dry signal is passed through such an effects unit, it is delayed
due to the digital processing time required by the analog-to-digital and the digital-to-analog
converters within the effects unit – it’s just a fact of life, it takes a certain amount of time to
do these necessary conversions.
Then, when this delayed dry signal is mixed back with the pristine, clean dry signal which
was not sent out to the effects unit, phase cancellation occurs at various frequencies, which
forms a “comb” filter whose peaks and nulls are a function of the delay required in each
individual delay unit (so it will vary from unit to unit).
The resultant sound can vary from OK to horrible, depending on the effects unit and the
frequencies played through the amplifier.
That is why all high-end effects are set to “parallel mode” only, and connected to the
parallel effects loop of studio equipment, and the TCA-500 series amplifiers.
“Fully wet” stomp boxes” may” be available; however after testing many, we are not aware of
even one we can recommend at this time.
TCA-500
C
OMBO AND
H
EAD
-
ONLY
M
ODELS
Normally, small stomp box effects units are not used with TCA-500 Combo and Head-only
Amplifiers since they are provided with a 1U rack space to accommodate full-on professional
effects units and the Handy-Patch remote MIDI controller.
Nonetheless, in the event that the user wishes to stomp box effects units with these models, they
should be connected in the manner described above for the TCA-500 Mini-Combo Amplifiers.
However, the user must be aware that these models DO NOT provide a 9 VDC power source for
stomp box effects units. Rather, they offer 24 VDC for the Handy-Patch remote MIDI controller.
(This 24 VDC output jack may alternatively be used as a second power source for Telonics
model FP-100 foot volume pedals.)
NOTE that the 24 VDC output jack on these models is wired CENTER PIN POSITIVE (+),
outer barrel negative (-).
