overload LED CLIP (1) will shortly light up
with music peaks. Then slightly turn back the
control until the LED stops lighting up.
The LED CLIP will also indicate overload
of the effect processor. Therefore, when you
select another effect, the LED may light up
despite the same input level. In this case,
also turn back the control INPUT LEVEL
accordingly.
4) Match the output level with the control OUT-
PUT LEVEL (5) to the subsequent unit. The
level indication (7) is used to adjust the level:
If one of its red LEDs CLIP lights up, turn
back the control OUTPUT LEVEL according-
ly to prevent overload of the output. If you do
not reach the desired output level, advance
the controls EFFECT (4) and DIRECT (3).
5) Select the desired effect with the selector
switch (10). A description of the different
effects can be found in the following chapter.
6) Adjust the effect intensity with the control
EFFECT. To obtain a very high intensity, turn
back the control DIRECT accordingly.
7) Depending on the effect selected, it will be
possible to adjust 1, 2 or 4 effect parameters
with the control FX VARIATION (8). The table
on page 3 gives an overview of the adjustable
parameters. A description of these parame-
ters can be found in the following chapter.
For effects with two adjustable parame-
ters, press the button TAP/ F1 (9) to change
the function of the control FX VARIATION: If
the LED above the button does not light up,
adjust parameter 1; if it lights up, adjust
parameter 2. For the effect DELAY/ REV, four
parameters are adjustable, see chapter 6.5.
Note: If you select another effect, its parameter 1
will be set to the value of the last use. The position
of the control FX VARIATION has no effect. The
parameter will not be set to the value correspond -
ing to the control position before the control has
been actuated.
8) For fine adjustment of the effect, repeat steps
4, 6 and 7, if required.
9) To activate / deactivate the effect, press the
button BYPASS/F2 (11) or use a footswitch
connected to the jack BYPASS / F2 (15). With
the effect deactivated, the green LED ON
above the button BYPASS /F2 will light up.
Note: With the control DIRECT set to "0" and the
effect deactivated, no signal will be audible at the
OUTPUTS (17).
10) After operation, switch off the unit wit the
POWER switch.
6 Description of Effects
6.1 Hall, Room, Plate
These three effects are used to create a
natural reverberation. The reverb decay time
and the brightness of the effect signal are
adjustable with the control FX VARIATION (8)
[
table on page 3].
Hall simulates the reverberation in a large hall. It
is characterized by long early reflections and a
soft, long reverberation. This effect is often used
for solo instruments and lead vocals.
Room simulates the reverberation in an empty
room of medium size. It is characterized by short
and distinct early reflections and a short reverb
decay time. This effect is ideal for percussion
instruments.
Plate simulates the sound of a reverb plate. In
the past, reverb plates were used in studios to
create artificial reverberation. They provide a
reverberation with emphasis on the high fre-
quencies. There are no early reflections so that
information concerning the size of the room is
missing and the sound of the effect is somewhat
artificial. This reverberation is often used for solo
instruments and vocals.
6.2 Vocal, Gate
These reverb effects do not simulate natural
acoustics; they are used to create special
effects.
Vocal simulates the reverberation in a large hall,
however, with the addition of small echoes to
improve the characteristics of vocals. The reverb
decay time and the brightness of the effect sig-
nal are adjustable with the control FX VARIA-
TION (8).
Gate (gated reverb) simulates a reverberation
that is cut off by a noise gate when the reverb
signal falls below an adjustable value instead of
slowly decaying. This effect is ideally suited for
percussion instruments of very short sound, e. g.
snare drums and kick drums. The reverb decay
time and the gate threshold are adjustable with
the control FX VARIATION.
6.3 Vocal Echo, Delay
The MFX-104 offers two echo effects for various
applications:
Vocal Echo: This effect is ideally suited for
vocals. It creates echoes with a different delay
time in the left and right stereo channels. The
delay time is adjustable with the control FX
VARIATION (8).
Delay: For this classic echo effect, the number
of echoes is adjustable with the control FX VARI-
ATION. To define the delay time, shortly press
the button TAP/ F1 (9) [at least 4 times]. The
interval between the last two actuations will
define the delay time (1.3 sec. max.). Thus, the
delay time is adjustable to precisely one beat,
e. g. to synchronize the beat of the echoes.
6.4 Chorus, Flanger, Phaser,
Tremolo, Rotary
These effects are modulation effects, i. e. the
input signal is varied (e. g. in its pitch) and mixed
to the original input signal. Depending on the
type of variation, various effects will result.
Chorus: This effect is used to make an instru-
ment or a voice sound "richer". To obtain this
effect, part of the input signal is delayed (approx.
30 ms), the pitch is slightly varied all the time
(vibrato) and mixed to a part of the original input
signal. The frequency of the vibrato is adjustable
with the control FX VARIATION (8).
Flanger: The Flanger effect was originally cre-
ated when the same piece of music was played
simultaneously on two tape decks and the output
signals of the units were mixed. Since the two
units were not completely in sync due to toler-
ances, varying time differences would result
between the signals. When the signals of the
tapes were mixed, various frequencies sweep-
ing across the frequency spectrum would cancel
each other due the variations in speed. Slowing
down a tape reel ("flange") would systematically
increase the intensity of this effect. From the
acoustic point of view, you get the impression of
a jet plane flying through the music. The speed
of the frequency cancellations is adjustable with
the control FX VARIATION.
Phaser: The distortion in sound typical of the
Phaser is created when the phase of a part of the
input signal is shifted and mixed to a part of the
original input signal. The control FX VARIATION
defines the phase shifting speed. The effect is
mainly used for guitars, electric pianos and key-
boards.
Tremolo: A tremolo is created when the volume
of a signal is rapidly increased and decreased
alternately. The effect is ideally suited for guitars,
bass guitars and keyboards. The speed of the
change in volume is adjustable with the control
FX VARIATION.
Rotary: This effect simulates rotating speakers
(Leslie effect). The effect became popular in the
era of the Hammond organ for which it was
mainly used. Today it is also often used by gui-
tarists. The "rotation speed" is adjustable in two
levels with the control FX VARIATION:
position 0 – 5 = slow
position > 5 = fast
6.5 Effect combinations Chorus / Rev,
Delay / Rev, Chorus / Delay
Chorus / Rev: The effects Chorus and Room are
activated at the same time. The frequency of the
Chorus vibrato is adjustable with the control FX
VARIATION (8) [
Chorus].
Delay / Rev: The effects Delay and Hall are acti-
vated at the same time. Four parameters are
adjustable with the control FX VARIATION:
1. Delay time
2. Number of echoes
3. Volume ratio between echo effect and reverb
effect
4. Reverb decay time
If the LED ON above the button BYPASS / F2
(11) does not light up, it will be possible to set the
parameters 1 and 2. Press the button TAP/ F1 (9)
to select the parameter adjustable with the con-
trol FX VARIATION:
LED of button BYPASS / F2 not lighting up
LED of button TAP/ F1
adjustable parameter
not lighting up
lighting up
number of echoes
To adjust the parameters 3 and 4, keep the but-
ton BYPASS / F2 pressed until its LED starts
flashing. Press the button TAP/ F1 to switch the
control FX VARIATION to the setting of the fol-
lowing parameters.
LED of button BYPASS / F2 flashing
LED of button TAP/ F1
adjustable parameter
ratio between echo effect
not lighting up
and reverb effect
lighting up
reverb decay time
Note: It will also be possible to activate / deactivate the
effect with the button BYPASS / F2 while its LED
keeps flashing. For this purpose, simply press the
button briefly.
To return to the selection of the first two param-
eters, keep the button BYPASS / F2 pressed
again until its LED stops flashing.
Chorus / Delay: The effects Chorus and Delay
are activated at the same time. The frequency of
the Chorus vibrato is adjustable with the control
FX VARIATION (
Chorus).
GB
delay time
9