4
Operation: setting up and turning on
Preparation
Before turning the unit on, turn all knobs on the front panel fully anti-clockwise.
The unit is capable of producing very high output levels and, if you send a high input signal through it, might
generate enough of an output to damage your mixer, amp, speakers or ears. It’s best to start quietly and
gradually turn levels up, so that you keep control of the unit’s overall output level.
Also, ensure that the front panel’s
stand by/mains
switch is in the up (
standby
) position.
Connecting a spring reverb tank
To connect a spring reverb, plug the 0.25” jack plug of a mono jack-phono cable into the main unit’s
tank
send
output. Now plug the cable’s phono plug into the
IN
socket of one of the spring reverb tanks provided
with the unit.
Plug the phono plug of a second jack-phono cable into the spring tank’s
OUT
socket, and plug that lead’s
jack plug into the main unit’s
tank return
input (see rear panel: 7).
Powering up the unit
Plug a mains “kettle” lead into the power input socket on the unit’s rear panel (see rear panel: 2 above).
Now, switch on (down) the mains power switch on the unit’s rear panel (see rear panel: 1 above). The red
LED on the unit’s front panel will light up.
Leave the unit to warm up for about 30 seconds. During this time, the unit’s valves will reach their optimum
working temperature, and will glow gently inside the case.
Now set the front panel’s
stand by/mains
switch (front panel: 10) to its
down
(
mains
) position. The unit is now
fully powered up, and the front panel’s green LED will light up. The unit is now ready for use.
Operation: mute buttons
Important:
when changing valve mode (
triode/pentode
), changing the setting of the
input gain
switch, or
setting the
effect
switch, press and hold in the
mute
button of the relevant channel. This precaution is
necessary because sudden changes in signal volume can cause very loud pops in the unit’s output.
THE MUTE BUTTONS ARE THERE TO PROTECT YOUR OTHER AUDIO EQUIPMENT AND YOUR
EARS.
Operation: getting a signal
Start with all front panel knobs turned fully anti-clockwise.
Turn the
master out
knob clockwise about halfway.
With an audio signal connected to the unit’s
in
socket, turn the
original
knob up gradually. You should hear
some of your audio signal, unaffected, coming through the unit.
Operation: amplification/distortion
First, check that the effect switch is down
, so that the unit’s amplification/distortion stage is not muted.
Turn all knobs fully anti-clockwise. Now turn up the
amplifier
knob and the
master
output knob about halfway
Gradually turn up the
master drive
knob to drive the mini power valve amp inside the unit.
The
master drive
knob controls the drive level in a triode or pentode (switchable) amplifier/distortion stage.
Turning up the
master drive
level drives the unit’s amplification/distortion stage harder, and can produce
some very hard distortion effects, especially with high-level inputs from, for example, professional audio
equipment or a CD player.
