Safety Note; Tape Recording - Hughes & Kettner REPLEX Manual

REPLEX-MANUAL
DRIVE OUTPUT REVERB
SAT
VOLUME VOLUME
BYPASS REVERB
CONGRATULATIONS AND THANK YOU FOR
CHOOSING A HUGHES & KETTNER REPLEX!
Like all members of the Hughes & Kettner Tube Tools Series,
the REPLEX is a thoroughly musical tool for professional
musicians. It was made in Germany with a dedication to
impeccable workmanship and was designed for absolute
stage-worthiness. Featuring an innovative combination of
analog tube circuitry and digital effects, the REPLEX
captures the advantages of both worlds in a single device.
On the one hand, you get the musical expressiveness of
authentic tube circuitry and, on the other, leading-edge
technology and maximum reliability.
REPLEX faithfully replicates the effects of vintage tape echo
devices and tube reverb amps. Perhaps the most
remarkable feature of the REPLEX is the Vintage Factor
knob. Set to the far left position, it generates the standard
effect of a digital delay. As you rotate the knob clockwise,
the device delivers the sound of vintage echo devices,
pumping out complex distortion and frequency
modulations with increasing intensity.
Two different tape-delay types (single or dual-head),
the reverb section, and a true hardwire bypass may
all be activated via footswitches.
WE WISH YOU ALL THE FUN AND SUCCESS IN THE
WORLD WITH THE TONE OF YOUR NEW REPLEX!
DELAY SINGLE HEAD DUAL HEAD SECOND HEAD
FEEDBACK VINTAGE FACTOR TIME TIME VOLUME
SINGLE HEAD DUAL HEAD
DELAY DELAY
1. INTRODUCTION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5
2. JACKS AND CONTROL FEATURES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6
2.1 CABLE CONNECTIONS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6
2.2 KNOBS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6
2.3 SWITCHES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6
3. TROUBLESHOOTING . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6
4. TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6

SAFETY NOTE:

Please bear in mind that the tube installed in the REPLEX is a
powered high-voltage component. Never open up the
chassis of the Replex yourself; take the device to a
qualified, certified technician for service or repairs.
Warning: Use the original AC power supply only. The REPLEX
is a tube-driven device that draws a relatively great
amount of current for a stomp box. A less powerful power
supply will self-destruct and take the Replex with it.
Using the wrong power supply can cause a fire and
lead to further damage and injury. Use only the
original AC power supply.
1. INTRODUCTION
If you have never used an actual tape echo device, the
following section should give you an idea of what these
vintage beasts are all about. It describes how this type of
device works and what its primary features are:
A) TAPE RECORDING:
In contrast to a normal digital delay, which generates a 1:1
copy of the original signal, many factors influence the tone
of a tape echo device. The original signal is recorded by a
magnetic tape recorder. The recorded signal is played
back after a certain amount of delay time, whereby the
playback signal is subject to mechanical influences as well
as tape saturation and the momentary quality of the tape
dependent on wear. This creates unique distortion and
frequency modulations that conventional digital delays
simply are not capable of emulating.
In addition, vintage tape echo devices were equipped
with tube circuits that generated harmonic distortion at
higher recording levels. This audio enhancement merged
with the side effects of magnetic tape recording to create
a very musical tone that, even in today's age of diversity,
sounds entirely unique.
B) TUBE CIRCUITRY:
When driven at higher levels, tubes generate a very soft
and musical brand of distortion. The response of tubes to
the level of input signals is highly complex - they compress
signals and generate a rich spectrum of overtones.
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