www.radialeng.com ® True to the Music USER GUIDE Radial Engineering Ltd. 1588 Kebet Way, Port Coquitlam BC V3C 5M5 Tel: 604-942-1001 • Fax: 604-942-1010 Email: info@radialeng.
Radial XAMP REAMP User Guide ® Table of Contents ™ ® Page Overview ......................................................................... 1 Input Panel ...................................................................... 2 Output Panel ................................................................... 3 Getting Ready To Remap................................................ 5 Connecting And Using The X-Amp ................................. 6 Adjusting Levels And Adding A Second Amp ...............
True to the Music ® OVERVIEW Designed as a creative tool, the Radial X-Amp is an active device that allows pre-recorded instrument tracks to be sent through guitar amplifiers and effect devices. Since guitar amps and recording devices work at different signal levels, they are not directly compatible. In essence, the X-Amp allows these devices to ‘speak’ to each other.
True to the Music ® FEATURE SET: INPUT PANEL 1 2 3 4 5 6 1. LINE LEVEL XLR INPUT: The input to the Radial X-Amp is a balanced line level female XLR. This is typically fed from the output of a recording device or mixing console. The XLR connector is wired with pin-2 hot following the AES standard. 2. GROUND: A ground lift switch disconnects pin-1 ground at the XLR input. Depressing this switch assumes you will be providing a ground path via the OUT-1 to your amplifier.
True to the Music ® FEATURE SET: OUTPUT PANEL 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 8. LEVEL CONTROL: The output LEVEL control sets the volume level going to the guitar amplifiers. This potentiometer is recessed to prevent accidental change and is adjusted using a guitar pick or flathead screwdriver. 9. CLIP LED INDICATOR: To ensure the signal from the mixer or recorder does not overload the X-Amp, a clip indicator on the front panel provides clear viewing. If this LED illuminates, reduce the signal level. 10.
True to the Music ® STEP-1: RECORD A DRY TRACK WITH A DIRECT BOX As most Reamping is performed with an electric guitar, we have chosen to discuss the process using this example. The same process applies with bass, voice, keyboard, violin or 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: CONNECTING THE X-AMP TO YOUR AMP Start by ensuring all amp and mixer levels are turned down. Place the X-Amp near your amplifiers in the studio. As soon as you connect the 15v/400mA power supply, the power LED on the front panel illuminates indicating the X-Amp is active and ready to use. NOTICE: Before connecting the X-Amp to your guitar amplifier, make sure that it is equipped with a grounded 3-prong AC power cable.
True to the Music ® STEP-3: ADJUSTING THE LEVEL Start by setting the X-Amp’s input LEVEL control to the 12 o’clock position. Play the dry track and turn up your recorder/ mixer output until the CLIP LED on the X-Amp blinks occasionally with peaks in the recording. Now reduce the recorder/ mixer level a bit so the clip light does not blink at all. This will ensure the X-Amp‘s output signal is clean. Next test the connection to your amp. It’s a good idea to set up a clean sound on your amp at first.
True to the Music ® STEP-5 TESTING PHASE The OUT-2 ¼” jack also features a 180° POLARITY reverse switch that is used to ensure both amplifiers are in-phase. To test for phase alignment place the amps side by side and turn up the volume on each amp equally. The POLARITY switch allows you to quickly invert the phase of your second amp. Try the switch in both the 0° and 180° positions and use the one that sounds the fullest. If you change amps or add effect pedals you may re-introduce a phase issue.
True to the Music ® USING THE X-AMP WITH VOICE Often times voices can be too clean and lack that ‘seasoned’ rough edge. By driving a voice track through the X-Amp into a distortion pedal like the Radial Tonebone Classic or through an overdriven amplifier, one can introduce some great vocal effects. Double the clean track with distorted track and then mix them to suit. A subtle extra edge is often all that is needed to warm up a stale track.
True to the Music ® BLOCK DIAGRAM SPECIFICATIONS* Audio circuit type: ...................................................................100% discrete class-A Frequency response: ...........................................................20Hz ~ 15kHz (± 1.0dB) Signal to noise ratio: ...................................... 88dB below instrument level (-20dBu) Dynamic range: ............................................................................................... 119dB Noise floor: ...................
THREE YEAR TRANSFERABLE LIMITED WARRANTY RADIAL ENGINEERING LTD. (“Radial”) warrants this product to be free from defects in material and workmanship and will remedy any such defects free of charge according to the terms of this warranty. Radial will repair or replace (at its option) any defective component(s) of this product (excluding finish and wear and tear on components under normal use) for a period of three (3) years from the original date of purchase.
