User Manual

ManualsBrandsElectro Harmonix ManualsGuitar EffectsBit Crusher - PEDAL FOR REDUCING BITS AND SAMPLING FREQUENCY

Congratulations on your purchase of the MAINFRAME, a powerful but easy-to-use

sample rate reducer and bit crusher. Introducing old-school digital audio sounds

into your music has never been easier. A broad range of controls help you fine-

tune the digital artifacts, and the innovative Sample Rate Tuning Mode makes it

easy to match the sample reduction to a pitch, even on the fly. Access the

MAINFRAME and immerse your tone in the sounds of the arcades, consoles, and

terminals of yesteryear.

WARNING: Your Mainframe comes equipped with an Electro-Harmonix 9.6DC-200BI

power supply. The Mainframe requires 90mA at 9VDC with a center negative plug. Use

of the wrong adapter or a plug with the wrong polarity may damage your Mainframe and

void the warranty. Do not exceed 10.5VDC on the power plug. Power supplies rated for

less than 90mA will cause the Mainframe to act unreliably.

- FEATURES -

 Sample Rate Reduction ranging from 48kHz to 110Hz

 Bit Depth Reduction ranging from 24-bit to 1-bit

 Selectable High/Low/Band-Pass filter to shape the artifacts of the bit crushing

and sample rate reduction

 Sample Rate Tuning Mode allows you to set the sample rate to match the key

of a song, or continually adjust the sample rate based on what you play on

your instrument

 Programmable preset or expression pedal setting allows you to save your

sound or control any combination of the Mainframe’s knobs with an external

expression pedal

 Secondary knob parameters allow you to fine-tune the Mainframe’s effect

 High quality buffered bypass and silent switching

- SPECIFICATIONS -

 Audio input impedance: 2M

 Audio output impedance the OUTPUT jack: 500

 Current draw: 90mA

 Maximum input signal level: 6.25 dBu (4.5V peak-to-peak)

Summary of content (12 pages)

PAGE 1
Congratulations on your purchase of the MAINFRAME, a powerful but easy-to-use sample rate reducer and bit crusher. Introducing old-school digital audio sounds into your music has never been easier. A broad range of controls help you finetune the digital artifacts, and the innovative Sample Rate Tuning Mode makes it easy to match the sample reduction to a pitch, even on the fly. Access the MAINFRAME and immerse your tone in the sounds of the arcades, consoles, and terminals of yesteryear.
PAGE 2
CONTROLS AND CONNECTIONS 1. VOL Knob This knob sets the master output level of the Mainframe. 2. BLEND Knob This knob blends between the dry guitar signal and the effect signal. As the knob is turned clockwise, the output ranges from completely dry guitar to a fully effected signal with the filter applied. 3. BIT DEPTH Knob As this knob is turned clockwise, the bit depth of the signal is reduced, producing a distorted, noisy tone. 4.
PAGE 3
6. FILTER FREQ This knob controls the frequency of the Mainframe’s filter. As the knob is turned up, the frequency increases. The frequencies cut/passed by the filter vary by the filter type: HPF: Frequencies above the FREQ knob setting are passed, frequencies below are cut. BPF: The FREQ knob controls the center frequency of a pass band. Frequencies above and below this center frequency are cut. LPF: Frequencies below the FREQ knob setting are passed, frequencies above are cut.
PAGE 4
SAMPLE RATE TUNING MODE In Sample Rate Tuning Mode, the Mainframe analyzes your input signal in real-time, and sets the sample rate to match the pitch of your signal, or a set interval above your signal. You can use this mode to lock the sample rate to a certain pitch for a song, or you can keep it constantly tuning along with every note you play. HOW TO TUNE THE SAMPLE RATE 1. Double-tap the footswitch to enter Sample Rate Tuning Mode.
PAGE 5
PRESERVING OR DISCARDING THE TUNED SAMPLE RATE  Once locked, the tuned sample rate will be maintained even if the pedal is powered off and on.  To discard the tuned sample rate, turn the SAMPLE RATE knob, or reenter Sample Rate Tuning Mode by double-tapping the footswitch.  The interval range set by sample rate tuning mode is also saved until the SAMPLE RATE knob is turned again in Sample Rate Tuning Mode.
PAGE 6
PRESET AND EXPRESSION PEDAL USE The Mainframe can store one custom setting in memory. This custom setting can function as a preset with a snapshot of the toggle switch and each knob position, or as a custom expression pedal setting allowing you to sweep any combination of knobs between two saved positions in any direction. Press the EXP/PRESET button to activate the saved setting.
PAGE 7
CREATING A CUSTOM EXPRESSION SETTING 1. Press and hold the EXP/PRESET button until the green LED starts blinking slowly. This is heel-acquisition mode for an expression setting. 2. Turn any of the knobs to the settings you would like to use for the heel position of the expression pedal. 3. Press and release the EXP / PRESET button. The green LED will start blinking quickly, indicating that the heel expression settings have been saved and the Mainframe has entered toe-acquisition mode. 4.
PAGE 8
RECALLING / UNLOADING A PRESET OR EXPRESSION SETTING 1. Press and release the EXP / PRESET button. The green LED will light, and the Mainframe will load your saved expression setting or preset. 2. If an expression pedal is present, any knobs that are saved to the expression setting are disabled and the expression pedal controls those parameters. If no expression pedal is present, the Mainframe loads the saved positions of all knobs.
PAGE 9
POWERING UP WITH A SAVED PRESET OR EXPRESSION SETTING If power is removed from the Mainframe while a preset or expression setting is active, it will be active when the Mainframe is powered up again, regardless of knob and toggle switch position. Note: If there are alterations that haven’t been saved when power is removed from the Mainframe, the changes will be lost and the saved version of the preset or expression setting will be loaded.
PAGE 10
SECONDARY KNOB FUNCTIONALITY The Mainframe allows you to take even more control over the bit crushing effects by accessing “hidden” parameters through Secondary Knob Mode. Use the secondary knob functions to fine tune the exact tone you want from the Mainframe. USING SECONDARY KNOB MODE 1. Press and hold the footswitch. While holding the footswitch, press the EXP/PRESET button. The Red LED will blink to indicate that you are in Secondary Knob Mode. 2.
PAGE 11
FILTER PEAK Knob: Input gain Controls the input gain of the Mainframe. As this knob is turned clockwise, the gain increases, producing a hard-clipping distortion. Factory default is with this knob fully counter-clockwise. ERASING SECONDARY KNOB SETTINGS To erase all secondary knob settings and restore them to factory defaults, first unplug the Mainframe from power. Press and hold the footswitch. Then, while holding the footswitch, plug power back in to the Mainframe.
PAGE 12
WARRANTY INFORMATION Please register online at http://www.ehx.com/product-registration or complete and return the enclosed warranty card within 10 days of purchase. Electro-Harmonix will repair or replace, at its discretion, a product that fails to operate due to defects in materials or workmanship for a period of one year from date of purchase. This applies only to original purchasers who have bought their product from an authorized Electro-Harmonix retailer.