Source Audio Soundblox Multiwave Distortion User Manual
Controls, Effects, Troubleshooting

Controls
EFFECt
The effect knob selects which effect
type will be used. There are 21 effect
positions around the knob as well
as a setting for
CALIBRATE
. For
information on the individual settings
see the next section. See the Use with
Hot Hand section for information on
calibration.
sUstAIn
There is a compressor in front of the
distortion. The
SUSTAIN
knob adjusts
the input gain of the compressor,
while the threshold remains fixed.
The compression ratio is 4:1, mean-
ing that a 24 dB change in the input
produces only a 6 dB change in the
compressor output. The attack and
release time constants are fairly
quick. Increasing the
SUSTAIN
control
will result in a higher signal level
going to the distortion, even when
DRIVE
remains fixed. Increasing the
amount of compression on the signal
effectively creates more sustain.
DrIVE
The
DRIVE
control adjusts the gain
of the signal going into the distortion
section. You probably don’t want to
max out both
SUSTAIN
and
DRIVE
at
the same time, even for rock and roll.
oUtPUt
Adjusts the output level of the effect.
This is useful for setting the level of
the effect compared to the bypass
signal. Note that because the effect
compresses the signal, the dynamic
range of the distorted signal will be
less compared to the dry signal. This
should be accounted for when setting
levels.
on/oFF
The
ON/OFF
switch engages or dis-
engages the effect. When the effect is
engaged, the
ON/OFF LED
will be lit.
The
LED
will be off in bypass mode.
The
ON/OFF
switch is also used to
start the calibration routine when the
EFFECT
knob is set to
CALIBRATE
.
See the section on Use with Hot Hand
for more details.
EFFECts
Here are some brief descriptions of
the effects included in the Multiwave
Distortion. The
EFFECT
knob settings
are split into two major categories:
MULTI BAND
and
SINGLE BAND
.
MULTI BAND
settings use the band
splitting discussed in the feature
section and the
SINGLE BAND
set-
tings do not. Each main category
contains 3 sub-categories:
NORMAL
,
FOLDBACK
, and
OCTAVE
. For each
sub-category, turning the effect knob
clockwise will tend produce more
dramatic effects.
MUltI BAnD
norMAl 1-3
These three settings are best for
maximum clarity of the individual
notes in a chord. These distortion
curves are similar to standard
distortions.
FolDBACK 4-9
The foldback of the distortion curve
greatly increases the distortion
components for these settings. The
higher numbered effects have more
foldback creating even more distor-
tion. Big chords may not work well.
oCtAVE 10-14
Settings 10 and 11 give the purest
octave effect. Settings 12 through
14 also have foldback and can get
pretty strange. Unlike classic octave
effects, chords can produce some
useful results.
sInGlE BAnD
norMAl 15-16
These two settings are fairly conven-
tional distortion sounds.
FolDBACK 17-19
With the entire guitar signal pro-
cessed through a single foldback
distortion curve, there will be
much more intermodulation-type
distortion produced.
oCtAVE 20, 21
20 is the purest single band octave
effect, and 21 includes some foldback.
troUBlEshootInG
Noise:
Low Power
Change batteries or plug in a DC power supply.
Near noise source
Move pedal away from power supplies and other
equipment.
Other equipment
Remove other effects from signal chain,
see if noise persists.
Bad cables
Swap out audio cables.
Low volume:
Low power
Change batteries or plug in a DC power supply.
Hot Hand doesn’t work:
Low power
Change batteries or plug in a DC power supply.
Not calibrated properly
Calibrate the Hot Hand (see Use with Hot Hand).
Not connected
Check Hot Hand connections.
Knobs don’t work /light up:
Low power
Change batteries or plug in a DC power supply.
Wrong power supply
Use correct power supply (see Quick Start).
Corroded input cable plug
Check input cable plug for corrosion on sleeve,
swap out cable if necessary.
TRS (stereo) cable used
Only use mono cable for input cable.
For additional assistance, please visit www.sourceaudio.net
Dimensions
•
L
: 7 inches
•
W
: 4 inches
•
H
: 2 inches (including knobs)
Weight
•
1.25lbs
Power
•
110mA @
9V DC
(max 145mA
with Hot Hand Wireless Adapter)
•
15-20 hours battery life
•
NEGATIVE
tip power jack
Audio Performance
•
115dB
DNR
audio
ADC
•
24-bit audio conversion
•
56-bit digital data path
•
Analog bypass
sPECIFICAtIons
1. PoWEr
To power the unit, insert 4 AA batteries (included) or connect a
Source Audio SA150 9 Volt DC power supply to the 9V DC jack
(A)
.
Note: Power supply must be
REGULATED
, minimum 200mA, and use a
negative tip plug. Use of a non-Source Audio power supply may cause
damage and void the warranty.
2. GUItAr/AUDIo ConnECtIons
Next, plug your guitar (or other instrument) into the jack labeled
GUITAR IN
(B)
via a standard ¼-inch cable. Connect your amp (or
other audio device) to the GUITAR OUT
(C)
jack, again with a standard
¼-inch cable. Both input and output are mono signals.
Note: The unit will not power up until a
MONO
¼-inch plug is inserted into
the guitar input. This is to conserve power when the unit is running on bat-
teries. Don’t forget to unplug the cable from the input when the unit is not in
use—otherwise the batteries will continue to drain.
3. sEnsor In (optional)
To use your Multiwave Distortion with a Hot Hand sensor: Connect
the sensor to the SENSOR IN
(D)
jack and follow any instructions
supplied with the sensor. The sensor input works with both wired and
wireless sensors.
4. BrIEF KnoB AnD PEDAl DEsCrIPtIons
(see Controls section for more details)
• SUSTAIN
adjusts input gain to the front-end compressor
• DRIVE
the amount of distortion gain applied to the signal.
• OUTPUT
adjusts the output level of the effect.
• ON/OFF
engages and disengages the effect.
QUICK stArt
D
B
C
A