User Manual

Radial Engineering Ltd.

X-AMP Reamper™

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 ampliﬁ ers

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. The Radial X-Amp

is an active ‘impedance and level-matching device’ that converts line level

signals from a mixing console or tape recorder to guitar level signals to

drive one or two guitar ampliﬁ ers without introducing ground-loops or noise.

To start Reamping, one would generally record a dry guitar or bass track

using a direct box such as the Radial JDI, Radial J48 or Radial JDV.

Record a

Dry Track

Radial J48

Active DI

Afterwards, the pre-recorded dry track is routed through the X-Amp, which

in turn is connected to a guitar ampliﬁ er. The ‘Reamped’ sound is recorded

to new tracks.

Recorder

(dry track)

Guitar

Amps

Radial

X-Amp

Mic

Reamp Track

The advantages of recording a track this way are many: Once the

original track has been recorded, the engineer and producer can try

different ampliﬁ ers and sounds without tiring out the player with relentless

repetition. For the player-engineer, the track can be recorded, then the

player can then sit in the control room and listen to a variety of guitar effects

or ampliﬁ ers before committing a ﬁ nal sound to the track.

The X-Amp can also be used on other instruments. Keyboard tracks can

be given extra life by warming up their sound by sometimes driving them

through distortion pedals or tube guitar amps. Vocal tracks can also be

twisted into new sounds by introducing these fun effects.