Element / Element XP Owner’s Manual
IMPORTANT SAFETY INSTRUCTIONS WARNING FOR YOUR PROTECTION READ THE FOLLOWING: KEEP THESE INSTRUCTIONS HEED ALL WARNINGS FOLLOW ALL INSTRUCTIONS The apparatus shall not be exposed to dripping or splashing liquid and no object filled with liquid, such as vases, shall be placed on the apparatus. CLEAN ONLY WITH A DRY CLOTH. FOR INDOOR USE ONLY. DO NOT BLOCK ANY OF THE VENTILATION OPENINGS. INSTALL IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE MANUFACTURER’S INSTRUCTIONS.
IMPORTANT SAFETY INSTRUCTIONS ELECTROMAGNETIC COMPATIBILITY The symbols shown above are internationally accepted symbols that warn of potential hazards with electrical products. The lightning flash with arrowpoint in an equilateral triangle means that there are dangerous voltages present within the unit. The exclamation point in an equilateral triangle indicates that it is necessary for the user to refer to the owner’s manual. These symbols warn that there are no user serviceable parts inside the unit.
Warranty We at DigiTech® are very proud of our products and back-up each one we sell with the following warranty: 1. Please register online at digitech.com within ten days of purchase to validate this warranty. This warranty is valid only in the United States. 2. DigiTech warrants this product, when purchased new from an authorized U.S. DigiTech dealer and used solely within the U.S., to be free from defects in materials and workmanship under normal use and service.
Table of Contents Overview �����������������������������������������������������2 The Effects �������������������������������������������������25 Introduction ��������������������������������������������������������������������� 2 Wah (Element XP Only) ����������������������������������������������� 25 Features ����������������������������������������������������������������������������� 3 Compressor �������������������������������������������������������������������� 25 User Interface & Connectors
Overview Introduction The Element and Element XP provide a compact and cost-effective guitar effects processing solution. But don’t let that fool you. The Element Series processors offer a powerful effects processing platform and complete feature set, so you can tantalize your creativity, improve your chops, and explore the endless possibilities of guitar effects, all with one simple-to-use, compact device. The Element has 31effects to choose from and allows you to run 8 effects simultaneously.
Features • 37 Effects (Element XP) / 31 Effects (Element) • 12 Amp & 6 Distortion Models To Choose From • Built-In Drum Machine With 45 Drum Pattern Loops Including Metronome • Built-In Tuner • Built-In Expression Pedal (Element XP Only) • 200 Presets (100 User Presets / 100 Factory Presets) • 9 Simultaneous Effects (Element XP) / 8 Simultaneous Effects (Element) • 20 FX Banks & 20 Tone Banks To Choose From • Mono / Stereo Output • Aux Input For Playing Along With Your Favorite Songs • 1/8” Headphone Output
User Interface & Connectors Top Panel 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 1. LED DISPLAY This display shows the preset numbers when navigating presets (in Play Mode) and effect settings when editing (in Edit Mode). 2. SELECT KNOB This knob serves as both a preset selector and editing control. In Preset Mode, turning this knob will change between presets. In Edit Mode, this knob will modify the currently selected effect or option. 3.
4. EDIT BUTTONS These left/right arrow buttons access effects and drum machine settings for editing. 5. EXPRESSION PEDAL (Element XP only) The Expression Pedal is used to control effects in real time. A single effect can be controlled by the expression pedal per preset. 6. EFFECTS CHAIN These icons provide a graphical representation of the internal effect signal chain used in the Element/Element XP.
Rear Panel 1 2 3 4 5 1. INPUT Connect your guitar to this high impedance 1/4” instrument input. 2. AUX IN Using a stereo 1/8” cable, connect the headphone output of a portable music or CD player to this 1/8” TRS jack to play along with all your favorite music. Adjust the output level of your playback device and the Element/Element XP’s Master Level to achieve the proper mix balance. 3. MAIN OUTPUT This 1/4” TRS jack supports mono or stereo operation.
NOTE: When only the headphones are connected, Speaker Cabinet Compensation (SCC) will be enabled to make the audio sound like it is actually being played through an amplifier. When a plug is connected to the 1/4” Main Output, SCC is disabled in the Headphone Output and all outputs are set for mono operation. See "Speaker Cabinet Compensation (SCC)" on page 21 and "Mono/Stereo Operation" on page 21 for more information. 5. POWER JACK Connect the included PS0913DC power supply to this power input jack.
Connection Diagrams Before connecting the Element/Element XP processor to an amplifier, it is recommended that you turn down the amplifier's master volume control and make sure that the power to your amplifier and the Element/Element XP are turned off. To turn the Element/Element XP on or off, connect or disconnect the included power supply from the POWER input jack.
Stereo Amp Configuration Amp 1 Amp 2 Harman PS0913DC Power Supply Guitar INPUT AUX IN OUTPUT 9VDC 300 mA 1/4” Stereo Y Cable 1/4” Stereo Y Cable 1/4” Stereo Y Cable Ground (-) Left (+) Left Channel Left (+) Left (+) Ground (-) Ground (-) Right Channel Right (+) Right (+) Ground (-) Right (+) NOTE: The 1/4" Output must be configured for stereo operation for this type of setup. See "Mono/ Stereo Operation" on page 21 for more information.
Stereo Recording Configuration Computer Audio Recording Interface Line In Line In 1 2 Harman PS0913DC Power Supply Guitar INPUT AUX IN OUTPUT 9VDC 300 mA 1/4” Stereo Y Cable FireWire or USB 1/4” Stereo Y Cable 1/4” Stereo Y Cable Left (+) Ground (-) Left (+) Left Channel Left (+) Ground (-) Ground (-) Right Channel Right (+) Right (+) Ground (-) Right (+) NOTE: The 1/4" Output must be configured for stereo operation for this type of setup.
Headphone/Practice Configuration Harman PS0913DC Power Supply Guitar INPUT Portable Music Player AUX IN OUTPUT 9VDC 300 mA Headphones Optional 11
Operation Modes Explained There are two modes of operation in the Element/Element XP: Play Mode and Edit Mode. Play Mode When the Element/Element XP is powered on, the unit will be in Play Mode. Play Mode is indicated by the effect LEDs being lit for the effects which are active in the currently loaded preset and the currently loaded preset number being displayed in the LED display. Play Mode is the normal operating mode and allows you to navigate presets using the SELECT knob or FOOTSWITCHES.
Navigating Presets There are two banks of presets in the Element/Element XP: the user preset bank and the factory preset bank. From the factory, the user and factory preset banks will contain the same presets. Therefore, factory preset 45 will be the same as user preset 45 and so on. User presets appear in the LED display as 1-100 and factory presets appear as F1-F00. Preset banks will automatically round-robin when navigating.
Selecting A Tone Bank Tone Banks allow you to select from a preset library of 20 different tones. These tones consist of clean, distortion, and amp tones. Select from a variety of genre-based amp tone defaults ranging from Blues to Metal to Country. Behind the scenes, the Wah (Element XP only), Compressor, Amp/Distortion, EQ, and Noise Gate are configured to create a specified tone. You can then further refine the sound by editing each effect’s settings.
Selecting An FX Bank FX Banks allow you to select from a preset library of 20 different effect chains. Behind the scenes the Mod FX, Delay, and Reverb are configured to create a specified combination of effects. You can then further refine the sound by editing each effect’s settings. Note that changing between different FX Banks does not change the Wah (Element XP only), Compressor, Amp/Distortion, EQ, or Noise Gate settings, as these processing modules belong to the Tone Bank.
Editing Effects Selecting a preset and/or Tone/FX Bank is the fastest and easiest way to achieve the sound your after. However, if you just can’t seem to quite get the sound you're after it’s time to edit some effects. To edit effects: 1. Press either of the EDIT buttons repeatedly until the LED for the effect you wish to edit is lit. For a list of effect settings, see "The Effects" on page 25. 2.
Storing/Copying Presets The STORE button is used to save modifications made to a preset’s settings. The STORE button’s LED will light whenever effect settings have been changed from their stored value, indicating the changes must be stored to memory to be retained. Preset setting changes must always be stored to a user preset memory location, since factory presets cannot be overwritten. The Element and Element XP have 100 user preset memory locations.
To copy a preset: 1. From Play Mode, use the FOOTSWITCHES or SELECT knob to load the preset you wish to copy. 2. Press the STORE button once. The current preset number will begin flashing in the LED display. 3. Use the SELECT knob to select the user preset memory location at which you would like to copy the preset (indicated in the display). 4. Press the STORE button again to complete the copy procedure. Sd will be briefly displayed in the LED display, indicating the preset is being stored.
Available Drum Patterns Available Drum Patterns Display Number Description Display Number Description 1 BEATS 1 24 BLUES 3 2 BEATS 2 25 BLUES 4 3 BEATS 3 26 GROOVE 1 4 BEATS 4 27 GROOVE 2 5 BEATS 5 28 COUNTRY 1 6 BEATS 6 29 COUNTRY 2 7 ROCK 1 30 COUNTRY 3 8 ROCK 2 31 JAZZ 1 9 ROCK 3 32 JAZZ 2 10 ROCK 4 33 JAZZ 3 11 ROCK 5 34 JAZZ 4 12 ROCK 6 35 HIPHOP 1 13 HARD ROCK 1 36 HIPHOP 2 14 HARD ROCK 2 37 HIPHOP 3 15 HARD ROCK 3 38 WORLD 1 16 HARD R
Using The Tuner The built-in tuner allows you to effortlessly tune your guitar and offers 4 different tuning references as shown in the table to the right. In most cases you will use the standard tuning reference, which is A440 (A=440Hz). This is the default tuning reference setting in the Element/Element XP.
Setup Mono/Stereo Operation Mono/stereo operation, for both the Main Output and Headphone Output, is determined by whether or not a plug is connected to the 1/4" Main Output jack. If a plug is connected to this jack, all outputs are automatically configured for mono operation, just plug in your amp and play. If no plug is connected to the 1/4" Main Output jack, the outputs default to stereo operation for headphone use.
Speaker Cabinet Compensation is now enabled on all outputs. NOTE: Once enabled, SCC will remain active only while the unit is powered on. After a power cycle, the SCC enabling procedure must be performed again if you want SCC to be enabled. Expression Pedal Calibration (Element XP Only) The Expression Pedal on the Element XP comes pre-calibrated from the factory. However, in the event the Expression Pedal does not function properly, it can be re-calibrated using the below Pedal Calibration procedure.
Expression Pedal Assignment (Element XP Only) The Expression Pedal on the Element XP can be assigned to control the Volume, Wah, Whammy™, YaYa™, or one of several other effects with your foot. You can also assign Minimum (pedal toe up) and Maximum (pedal toe down) values. These Min and Max values will set the range in which the Expression Pedal is allowed to control the assigned effect. The following table shows the effect controls available for Expression Pedal control.
To assign an effect to the Expression Pedal for control and set the Min/Max values: 1. Any effect you wish to assign to the Expression Pedal must be turned on before it can be assigned. For information on turning an effect on, see "Turning Effects On & Off" on page 16. 2. From Play Mode, press the right arrow EDIT button repeatedly until the EXP (Expression) LED is lit.
The Effects The Element XP offers 37 different effects with the ability to run 9 effects simultaneously. The Element offers 31 different effects with the ability to run 8 effects simultaneously. Both provide 12 amp/cabinet models to choose from. The following section describes each of these available effects and amp/cabinet models. Wah (Element XP Only) Wah is an effect controlled by the Expression Pedal and makes the guitar sound as if it’s saying "Wah.
Amp/Distortion Models The Element/Element XP have 6 Distortion and 12 Amp/Cabinet models to choose from. Each Amp/Distortion option is identified by a pair of letters (e.g., td) and has nine settings (i.e., 1-9), except the Acoustic Guitar Simulator which has only one setting. As the value of the number is increased, the Amp/Distortion gain increases (the signal becomes more distorted). Each Amp Model has a Cabinet Model assigned to it as shown in the following table.
EQ The 3-band EQ lets you further shape the tone of each preset. Each EQ band is identified with a pair of letters (e.g., bA represents the bass band) and has nine settings (i.e., 1-9). Settings 1-4 represent EQ cut (1 = 12dB cut, 2 = 9dB cut, 3 = 6dB cut, 4 = 3dB cut). Settings 6-9 represent EQ boost (6 = 3dB boost, 7 = 6dB boost, 8 = 9dB boost, 9 = 12dB boost). A setting of 5 represents no cut or boost (flat). The following table shows the available EQ options.
Mod FX The Element/Element XP offer a variety of modulation and pitch effect types to choose from. Each modulation effect is identified by a pair of letters (e.g., PH for phaser) and has nine settings (i.e., 1-9). These settings include a variety of configurations that generally range from a more subtle effect (lower settings) to a more extreme effect (higher settings). The following table shows the available Mod FX options.
• Tremolo The tremolo effect modulates the volume of the signal at an even rate. • Panner The panner effect modulates the sound from left to right at an even rate. • Vibrato The vibrato effect modulates the pitch of the incoming signal at an even rate. • Rotary Speaker The rotary speaker effect is an emulation of a classic Leslie amplifier/speaker which included a spinning horn and woofer or sound-directing duct.
Delay Delay is an effect that records the incoming signal then plays it back a short time later. The recorded signal can repeat just once or several times, depending upon the type of delay. The Element and Element XP offer 4 different delay types: Analog Delay, Digital Delay, Ping Pong Delay, and Tape Delay. Each of these delay types have 5 seconds of delay time available, with the exception of the Analog Delay which has up to 350ms.
The second delay setting is Delay Time. Delay Time is indicated in the LED display by a value between 10-990 (10ms-990ms) or 1.0-5.0 (1.0-5.0 seconds respectively in 100ms (0.1 second) increments), as shown in the table below. As previously mentioned, the Analog Delay is the exception and provides up to 350ms of delay time. Available Delay Time Options Option (Shown In Display) Description 1-35 (Analog Delay) 10ms-350ms in 10ms increments (Analog Delay) 1-99 10ms-990ms in 10ms increments 1.0-5.
Element Preset List User Factory 1 F 1 2 User Factory User Factory Rectified 35 F35 Big Comfort 69 F69 Funky Flange F 2 Tough Echo 36 F36 Stacked 70 F70 Guitar Organ 3 F 3 Clean Detune 37 F37 Take the 5th 71 F71 Ultra Detune/Delay 4 F 4 Fuzz Pie 38 F38 Retro Phase/Delay 72 F72 Lenny Flange 5 F 5 Roadhouse 39 F39 Jazz Box 73 F73 Lo Fi 6 F 6 Oh My 80s 40 F40 7 Avenged 74 F74 Soft Attack 7 F 7 Comp Clean 41 F41 Almighty Twin 75 F75 Purple Smog
Element XP Preset List User Factory 1 F 1 2 Name User Factory Rectified 35 F35 F 2 Tough Echo 36 3 F 3 Clean Detune 4 F 4 5 Name User Factory Name Big Comfort 69 F69 Funky Flange F36 Stacked 70 F70 Guitar Organ 37 F37 Take the 5th 71 F71 Ultra Detune/Delay Fuzz Pie 38 F38 Retro Phase/Delay 72 F72 Lenny Flange F 5 Roadhouse 39 F39 Jazz Box 73 F73 Lo Fi 6 F 6 Oh My 80s 40 F40 7 Avenged 74 F74 Soft Attack 7 F 7 Comp Clean 41 F41 Almighty Twin
Technical Information Factory Restore The Factory Restore procedure will return the Element/Element XP to its factory default state. WARNING! The Factory Restore procedure will reset all modified user presets and return them to their factory default settings. This procedure is permanent and cannot be undone. To perform the Factory Restore procedure: 1. Start with the power cable disconnected (unit powered down). 2. Press and hold the STORE button while connecting the power cable.
Specifications General Specifications A/D/A Converter: Sampling Frequency: DSP Section: Simultaneous Effects: Preset Memory: Drum Machine: Dimensions: Unit Weight: 24-bit high performance audio 44.1 kHz AudioDNA2™ DSP Processor 8 (Element) 9 (Element XP) 100 User Presets (1-100) / 100 Factory Presets (F 1-F00) 45 Patterns 6.25" (L) x 4.5" (W) x 2.25" (H) (Element) 6.25" (L) x 8" (W) x 2.25" (H) (Element XP) 0.75 lbs. (Element) 1.20 lbs.
8760 South Sandy Parkway Sandy, Utah 84070 WEB: digitech.com SUPPORT: digitech.com/en-US/support Element / Element XP Owner's Manual 5037184-A DigiTech is a registered trademark of Harman. © 2013 Harman. All Rights Reserved. DigiTech, Johnson Amplification, DOD, Grunge, YaYa, AutoYa, and Whammy are trademarks of Harman in the U.S. and other countries.
