User guide

True to the Music
PZ-Pre User Guide
Radial Engineering Ltd.
True to the Music
Radial Engineering Ltd. PZ-Pre User Guide
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Can I use the PZ pre with an electric guitar?
Absolutely! The PZ-Pre will provide an electric guitar with noise
quieting buffers. With dual output instruments that have both
magnetic pickups and a piezo embedded in the bridge, you can
activate the piezo booster for the bridge pickup and select between
both sources easily with the TOGGLE footswitch!
Can I use the piezo booster that came with my pickup?
Sure. Just make sure you turn the PZ-Pre piezo boosters off as
driving one buffer into another will likely cause unnecessary noise
and increase distortion.
Can I use effects pedals with the PZ-Pre?
Yes. You can use pedals before or after the PZ-Pre just like any
other pedal. Positioning an EQ pedal between one instrument
and the PZ-Pre is the best way to add greater control over a
second instrument.
Does the booster come before or after the effects loop?
The power booster circuit is after the effects loop send and return.
This works best to keep your effects levels from causing distortion
when engaging the booster.
Can I use line-level studio effects with the PZ-Pre?
Sometimes. It depends on the ef fects processor. Check to see
if it is designed to accept instrument levels. If it is, you should
be f ne. If not, you may f nd that the PZ-Pre is not generating
suff cient level for the ef fects processor and therefore you will
likely encounter added noise.
Can I drive a power amplifi er directly from the PZ-Pre?
No. The PZ-Pre is a unity-gain preamp and outputs a signal in the
-40dB range which is normal for connecting to musical instrument
amplif ers. Power amplif ers usually require -10dB or +4dB line
level signals to drive them to max output.
Why does the XLR output produce a mic-level signal?
This allows the PZ-Pre’s output to be treated like a microphone
signal for connection to PA and recording mixing consoles.
Can I use the PZ-Pre to record direct into my computer?
Yes, as long as you have a mic-level input on your computer
interface. Mic inputs are the most common form of input on a
mixer so this should not be a problem. Connect the POST -EQ
XLR output to your interface using an XLR mic cable.
Can I use the PZ-Pre with a bass guitar?
Yes. For electric bass consider the Tonebone Bassbone as well.
However, an acoustic string bass would be better served by the
PZ-Pre feature set.
What Radial DI is used for the PZ-Pre outputs?
The balanced XLR outputs on the PZ-Pre are proprietary active
Class-A balanced drivers designed speci f cally to maximize the
performance of the PZ-Pre. They are similar to the active output
stage used on the Radial J48 direct box, except the PZ-Pre uses
a DC power supply instead of phantom power and therefore can
draw more current for even better signal to noise ratio and
headroom performance.
Will I damage the PZ-Pre if the piezo buffers are on by
mistake?
No. Connecting an active pickup with the piezo buf fer engaged
will result in excess unpleasant distortion but it will not harm the
PZ-Pre. For the best sound ensure the piezo buffers are switched
off when connecting active pickups and switched on for passive
pickups.
How do I go about adjusting the three band EQ?
Always start from the neutral setting shown on page 12. When
adjusting the EQ, you will f nd that the least amount of processing
will yield the most natural sound. Excessive EQ boost of one band
may contribute to feedback. Therefore, it is sometimes better to
cut out what is not wanted rather than boosting what is missing.
For example, if the tone lacks bass, consider rolling off the highs
instead of boosting the lows.
Can I control the EQ for each input separately?
No, not directly. However there are a couple of ways to do this. The
best way would be to add an EQ pedal in between the instrument
and PZ-Pre and activate it when needed. Alternatively, you can
insert an EQ pedal in the ef fects loop and activate it with the
BOOST footswitch when needed.
What happens if I plug into INPUT-2 when using INPUT-1 with
a stereo TRS cable?
INPUT-1 is internaly connected to INPUT-2 so a stereo TRS cable
can connect to both inputs with one cable. This internal connection
will be broken if a plug is inserted into INPUT-2. This could be a
quick way to connect a second guitar on the f y and still have one
pickup system connected from the guitar using the TRS cable.
Can the PZ-Pre power a phantom powered microphone?
No. But you can connect a dynamic microphone to the PZ-Pre or
use a battery powered condenser mic.
Can I use the PZ-Pre with a microphone for a harmonica?
Yes. You will need a dynamic microphone with a high-impedance
¼” plug for best results.
1918