www.radialeng.com Radial Amp Driver X•AMP User Guide Radial Engineering 1638 Kebet Way, Port Coquitlam BC V3C 5W9 tel: 604-942-1001 fax: 604-942-1010 email: info@radialeng.com Radial Engineering is a division of C•TEC (JP CableTek Electronics Ltd.
True to the Music Radial X-Amp Owners Manual Page Table of Contents: Caution statement, please read before using......... 2 Introduction - What is the X-Amp?.......................... 3 Input panel............................................................... 5 Output panel............................................................ 6 Using the X-amp...................................................... 7 Grounding options................................................... 10 FAQs......................
True to the Music Please read before connecting your Radial X-Amp Caution must be used when connecting electronic equipment to the X-AMP. The X-AMP bridges all electronic equipment connected to it so faulty wiring or incorrect grounding of any of the equipment may cause a shock hazard to be present and/or damage to the X-AMP or other connected equipment.
True to the Music INTRODUCTION Designed as a creative tool, the Radial X-Amp is an active reamplifying device that allows prerecorded instrument tracks to be sent through guitar amplifiers and effect devices. Although the Radial X-amp is new, the process of re-amping tracks has been around for years. Historians credit jazz guitar great Les Paul as the first to employ the concepts of reamplifying sound in the 1950s as there was no other way to double tracks or create echo effects.
True to the Music To further advantage the user, the X-Amp features two outputs: Output-1 is a direct active output while output-2 is transformer isolated. This allows two amps or effect pedals to be used simultaneously without introducing hum or noise caused by so-called ground loops. To further reduce opportunity for noise, the X-Amp features two ground lift switches to allow optimal ground conditions in complex environments.
True to the Music INPUT PANEL FEATURE SET 1. Balanced line level input connector The input to the Radial X-Amp is a balanced 600-ohm line level. This is typically driven from the line level output from a recording device or from a console. The XLR female connector is wired with Pin 2 hot following the AES standard. 2. Ground lift for pin-1 at XLR A ground lift switch disconnects the pin-1 ground at the XLR side input.
True to the Music OUTPUT PANEL FEATURE SET 6. Power-on LED indicator The power-on LED will immediately illuminate when the 15VDC supply is connected. There is no power switch on the X-Amp and leaving the X-Amp on will not harm the unit. 7. Output level control The output LEVEL control sets the level going from the two 1/4” output connectors to the guitar amplifiers. This recessed potentiometer is adjusted using a guitar pick or flat-head screwdriver. 8.
True to the Music USING THE X-AMP Step 1 – Record a dry track As most re-amping is performed with an electric guitar, we have chosen to discuss the process using this as an example. The same process applies with voice, keyboard, violin and any other instrument. Start by recording a dry track using a high quality direct box (DI) such as the Radial JDI, Radial J48 or Radial JDV. Keep in mind that cheap DI boxes sound less realistic, have limited dynamic range and tend to have less warmth.
True to the Music Step-2 – Driving the signal back to the X-Amp Using a standard balanced XLR cable, you should be able to drive the X-Amp from your recording console 300 feet away without any appreciable noise. This is the advantage of balanced lines! Make sure you use good quality cable throughout the chain. NOTICE: Before connecting the X-Amp to your guitar amplifier, make sure that your guitar amp is equipped with a proper 3-prong AC connector.
True to the Music Step -3 - Adjusting the level The X-Amp is equipped with a level control to ensure the signal coming from the dry track of the mixing console matches the level from your guitar. Because guitar amplifiers do not have input level meters, start by taking note of your amplifier settings by plugging your guitar directly into your amp. Using your ears is the best way to set the level and tone.
True to the Music GROUNDING OPTIONS The radial X-Amp is equipped with two ground disconnect switches. One is located at the XLR input that lifts pin-1 to allow the X-Amp to derive its ground from the Direct Out-1 connector. It is important to note that this connection is the primary ground and should be connected at all times. A second ground connection is provided for Isolated Out-2 and is set in a ‘lifted’ as a factory default. This switch is located on the side panel and accessed with a tweaker.
True to the Music Can I drive effect pedals with the X-Amp? Absolutely! The X-Amp is perfect for this type of thing! Connect the same way as with an amplifier as described in the manual. Have fun and experiment! Will my guitar effects sound the same if I bring them back into the mixer without going through my guitar amplifier? No. Guitar effect pedals are designed to go through the limited bandwidth of a guitar amplifier where the highs are naturally rolled off by the absence of a tweeter.
True to the Music THE HISTORY OF RE-AMPING We recently looked into the history of re-amping and were amazed at the response we received by asking around. These are brief historical accounts and letters we received. Many thanks to Frank Wells at Pro Sound News and Mitch Galagher at EQ magazine for helping us track down these folks. When we asked recording historian Doug Mitchell 1, Associate Professor at Middle Tennessee State University the question: ‘Who invented re-amping’.
True to the Music actually refining a process, which had been utilized for decades, and exploring its possibility for use in rock music. The process of “re-amping” is often used in film sound design as well. In order for sounds recorded in a post production environment to match the scene, it is common for them to be re-recorded utilizing a reamping procedure. In film sound this process is also termed “worldizing”. The first use of the term “re-amping” is vague.
True to the Music In the 1980’s Whirlwind also produced a device that could accommodate low-to-hi conversion using a transformer. In 1994, Reamp® commercialized the process by producing a box that incorporated a transformer and a volume control. This allowed the user to adjust the volume at the amplifier instead of at the mix position. In 1996, the 1st generation Radial™ JDI was introduced.
RADIAL ENGINEERING 3 YEAR LIMITED WARRANTY RADIAL ENGINEERING (a division of J.P Cabletek Electronics Ltd.) “Radial” warrants this product to be free from defects in material and workmanship to the original owner and will remedy any such defects free of charge according to the terms of this warranty.
