Crate Amplifiers GTX120, GTX212 User Manual

Owner’s Manual

GTX212

GTX120

Congratulations!

Y ou are now the proud owner of the Crate GTX120/212 amplifier. This rugged amplifier com­bines outstanding features with serious clean and distorted sounds. An easy to operate DSPsection
lets you dial in a variety of digital effects including reverbs, delays, octave and wah-wahs – with a
separate level control. Crate’s unique Channel T racking feature means that as you switch between
channels and gains, the DSP automatically “tracks” the changes - your DSP settings for each chan­nel are stored and automatically recalled! The supplied three-button footswitch allows you to select
channels, change the overdrive gain, and turn the DSPon and off by “remote control.”

Like all Crate products, your GTX120/212 is designed by musicians, and built using only the
best components. Extensive testing confirms that this amplifier is the absolute best it can be.

In order to get the most out of your new amplifier, we strongly urge you to read the information
contained in this manual before you begin playing.

And thank you

for choosing CRA TE.

TABLE OF CONTENTS:

The Digital Signal Processor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3

Channel Tracking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3

The Front Panel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4, 5

Suggested Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6

System Block Diagram . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7

Technical Specifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .back cover

IMPORTANT SAFETY INSTRUCTIONS

• READ, FOLLOW, HEED, AND KEEPALL INSTRUCTIONS AND WARNINGS.

• DO NOT OPERATE NEAR ANY HEAT SOURCE AND DO NOTBLOCK ANY VENTILATION OPENINGS ON THIS APPARATUS.

• DO NOT USE THIS APPARATUS NEAR SPLASHING, FALLING, SPRAYING, OR STANDING LIQUIDS.

• CLEAN ONLY WITH LINT-FREE DAMP CLOTH AND DO NOT USE CLEANING AGENTS.

• ONLY CONNECT POWER CORD TO A POLARIZED, SAFETY GROUNDED OUTLET WIRED TO CURRENT ELECTRICAL CODES AND

COMPATIBLE WITH VOLTAGE, POWER, AND FREQUENCYREQUIREMENTS STATED ON THE REAR PANEL OF THE APPARATUS.

• PROTECT THE POWER CORD FROM DAMAGE DUE TO BEING WALKED ON, PINCHED, OR STRAINED.

• UNPLUG THE APPARATUS DURING LIGHTNING STORMS OR WHEN UNUSED FOR LONG PERIODS OF TIME.

• ONLY USE ATTACHMENTS, ACCESSORIES, STANDS, OR BRACKETS SPECIFIED BY THE MANUFACTURER FOR SAFE OPERA-

TION AND TO AVOID INJURY.

• THIS APPARATUS DOES NOT OPERATE NORMALLY AND REQUIRES SERVICE WITH ANY PHYSICAL DAMAGE FROM IMPACTOR

ANY EXPOSURE TO MOISTURE.

• SERVICE MUST BE PERFORMED BY QUALIFIED PERSONNEL.

• OUR AMPLIFIERS ARE CAPABLE OF PRODUCING HIGH SOUND PRESSURE LEVELS. CONTINUED EXPOSURE TO HIGH SOUND

PRESSURE LEVELS CAN CAUSE PERMANENT HEARING IMPAIRMENT OR LOSS. USER CAUTION IS ADVISED AND EAR PRO­TECTION IS RECOMMENDED IF UNIT IS OPERATED AT HIGH VOLUME.

CAUTION

RISK OF ELECTRIC SHOCK

DO NOT OPEN

WARNING: TO REDUCE THE RISK OF FIRE OR ELECTRIC
SHOCK, DO NOT EXPOSE THIS APPARATUS TO RAIN OR MOIS­TURE. TO REDUCE THE RISK OF ELECTRIC SHOCK, DO NOT
REMOVE COVER. NO USER-SERVICEABLE PARTS INSIDE.
REFER SERVICING TO QUALIFIED SERVICE PERSONNEL.

"IT IS NECESSARY FOR THE USER TO REFER TO THE INSTRUCTION MANUAL"
“ES NECESARIO QUE EL USUARIO SE REFIERA AL MANUAL DE INSTRUCCIONES.”
"REFERREZ-VOUS AU MANUAL D'UTILISATION"

EXPLANATION OF GRAPHICAL SYMBOLS:
EXPLICACION DE SIMBOLOS GRAFICOS:
EXPLICATION DES SYMBÔLES GRAPHIQUES:

"DANGEROUS VOLTAGE"
“VOLTAJE PELIGROSO”
"DANGER HAUTE TENSION"

=

=

PRECAUCION

RIESGO DE CORRIENTAZO

NO ABRA

ADVERTENCIA: REDUCIR EL RIESGO DE FUEGO O CHOQUE ELÉCTRI­CO, NO LE EXPONE DE ESTE APARATO A LLUVIA O HUMEDAD. PARA
DISMINUOIR EL RIESGO DE CORRIENTAZO. NO ABRA LA CUBIERTA.
NO HAY PIEZAS ADENTRO QUE EL USARIO PUEDO REPARAR DEJE
TODO MANTENIMIENTO A LOS TECHNICOS CALIFICADOS.

ATTENTION

RISQUE D'ELECTROCUTION

NE PAS OUVRIR

ATTENTION: POUR REDUIRE D'ELECTROCUTION NE PAS
ENLEVER LE COUVERCLE. AUCUNE PIECE INTERNE N'EST
REPRABLE PAR L'UTILISATEUR. POUR TOUTE REPARATION,
S'ADRESSER A UN TECHNICIEN QUALIFIE.

GTX120/212 Guitar Amplifier with
DSP & Channel Tracking

The Digital Signal Processor:

Crate’s Digital Signal Processing offers 16 exciting digital effects, accessible through the DSP

Mode control. The effects are described below .

3

Channel T

racking:

Your Crate GTX120/212 gives you the power of Channel Tracking! Once you select a DSP set­ting for each channel, Channel Tracking recalls those DSPsettings automatically – without chang­ing the DSP controls! For example:

• Select the Clean channel. Set the DSP Mode to “8”

(slow deep flange w/reverb)

• Select the Rhythm/Solo channel, Gain 1. Set the DSP Mode to “10” (slow chorus w/reverb)

(the setting for the Clean channel is now saved to memory)

• Select the Rhythm/Solo channel, Gain 2. Set the DSP Mode to “14” (touch wah)

(the setting for the Rhythm/Solo channel, Gain 1 is now saved to memory)

• Reselect the Clean channel (the setting for the Rhythm/Solo channel, Gain 2 is now saved to memory)

Now when you go back to the Clean channel, even though the DSP Mode was last set to “14”
(touch wah), Channel Tracking automatically recalls the last setting for the Clean channel – in this
example, “8” (slow flange). Change to the Rhythm/Solo channel, Gain 1, and “10” (chorus) is
recalled. Change to the Rhythm/Solo channel, Gain 2, and “14” (touch wah) is recalled. That’s the
power of Channel Tracking!

(Note: Even when the power is turned off, Channel T racking still retains the settings – until you change them!)

GTX120/212 Guitar Amplifier with
DSP & Channel Tracking

1

small room reverb

2

medium room reverb

3

large room reverb

4

concert hall reverb

5

short slapback w/small room reverb

6

medium delay w/plate reverb

7

long delay w/large room reverb

8

slow deep flange w/reverb

9

flange w/reverb & delay

10

slow chorus w/reverb

11

chorus w/reverb & delay

12

rotating speaker
13
14
15
16

octave down

touch wah

inverse wah

doubler

Use the DSP Mode control to access

any of the 16 built-in digital effects.

Use the Level control to mix in the

desired amount of each effect.

The Front Panel:

4

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

1: INPUT: Use this 1/4” jack to connect your guitar to the amplifier by means of a shielded instrument cable.

RHYTHM/SOLO CHANNEL: A high gain channel giving you sounds from a slight edge to serious overdrive.

2: RHYTHM GAIN 1: Use this control to adjust the amount of light distortion for the Rhythm/Solo channel. Gain
1 produces less intense distortion than Gain 2 (#3) and is active when the Rhythm/Solo Gain switch (#5) is in
the out position.

3: SOLO GAIN 2: Use this control to adjust the amount of heavy distortion for the Rhythm/Solo channel. Gain
2 produces more intense distortion than Gain 1 (#2) and is active when the Rhythm/Solo Gain switch (#5) is
depressed.

4: SHAPE: Use this control to “dial in” the tone for the Rhythm/Solo channel when Gain 2 is selected. Rotating
the control counterclockwise enhances the mid frequencies, while rotating the control clockwise enhances the
low and high frequencies.

5: RHYTHM/SOLO SWITCH: Use this switch to select which gain control is active for the Rhythm/Solo chan­nel. With the switch in the out position, Gain 1 (Rhythm) is selected. When the switch is depressed, Gain 2
(Solo) is selected.

6: LOW: Use this control to adjust the low frequency level of the Rhythm/Solo channel.
7: HIGH: Use this control to adjust the high frequency level of the Rhythm/Solo channel.
8: LEVEL: Use this control to adjust the output level of the Rhythm/Solo channel.
9: CHANNEL SWITCH: Use this switch to select the desired channel. With the switch in the out position, the

Clean channel is selected. When the switch is depressed, the Rhythm/Solo channel is selected.

CLEAN CHANNEL: A normal gain channel designed to give you sounds from crystal clear to medium distortion.

10: LEVEL: Use this control to adjust the output level of the Clean channel.
11: LOW: Use this control to adjust the low frequency level of the Clean channel.
12: MID: Use this control to adjust the midrange frequency level of the Clean channel.
13: HIGH: Use this control to adjust the high frequency level of the Clean channel.
14: DSP LEVEL: Use this control to adjust the amount of digital effect: in its fully counterclockwise posi-

tion the signal will be “dry” (without any effect). As you rotate the control clockwise the amount of effect
increases.

15: DSP MODE: Use this control to select one of the 16 built-in digital effects. The effects are shown on
page 3.

GTX120/212 Guitar Amplifier with
DSP & Channel Tracking

5

11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18

CONNECTING T

O THE INSERT JACK:

The Insert jack (#16) allows you
to patch an external effects
device into the amplifier prior to
its power amp stage. Use Crate’s
STP201, STP202 or STP203
stereo-to-mono Y cord or an
adapter such as Crate’s YPP117
and two 1/4” mono signal cables
to connect the effect as shown in
the adjacent illustration.

16: INSERT: Use this jack to connect an external effects device to the amplifier. Use a stereo 1/4” male Ycon­nector: ring = send, tip = return, sleeve = ground. (Refer to the illustration at the bottom of page 5.)

17: EXTERNAL SPEAKER: Use this jack to connect an external speaker to the amplifier. This jack is wired in
series with the internal speaker(s) which remain active when an external speaker is connected.

18: POWER: Use this switch to turn the amplifier on (top of the switch depressed) and off (bottom of the
switch depressed). The switch is illuminated when the amplifier is on.

19: AC LINE CORD (rear panel, not shown): This grounded power cord is to be plugged into a grounded
power outlet, wired to current electrical codes and compatible with the voltage, power, and frequency require­ments stated on the rear panel. Do not attempt to defeat the safety ground connection.

20: FUSE (rear panel, not shown): The fuse protects the amplifier from damages caused by a faulty AC
power source and/or other problems. If the fuse opens, replace it ONL Ywith the same size and type. If fuses
continue to fail, check the AC source – if the source is okay, contact your Crate dealer for service information.

21: CHANNEL SELECT / GAIN FOOTSWITCH JACK (rear panel, not shown): Use this jack to connect the 1/4”
stereo plug on the footswitch cable to the three-button footswitch (supplied). This allows you to remotely switch
between the Clean and Rhythm/Solo channels and between Rhythm Gain 1 and Solo Gain 2 of the Rhythm/Solo
channel.

22: REVERB FOOTSWITCH JACK (rear panel, not shown): Use this jack to connect the 1/4” mono plug on the
footswitch cable to the three-button footswitch (supplied). This allows you to remotely turn the DSPfunction on and
off.

TIP
RING
SLEEVE

RETURN

SEND

GROUND

Stereo-to-mono Y-cord:

to Insert

jack

to Insert
jack

(STP201, 3'

STP202, 6'

STP203, 9')

(YPP117)

(1/4"-TO-1/4"

MONO CABLES)

to
effect
"OUT"
jack

to

effect

"IN"
jack

External Effect

TIP

RING

SLEEVE

Y-adapter and 2 cables:

External Effect

RING

RING

TIP

TIP

to
effect
"OUT"
jack

to

effect

"IN"

jack

GTX120/212 Guitar Amplifier with
DSP & Channel Tracking

Suggested Settings:

6

"Just a 'Lil Nasty"

"Pol

"Octave Down 'n Dirty"

H

IN

"Mean & Obscene"

GTX120/212 Guitar Amplifier with
DSP & Channel Tracking

"Sweet 'n Clean"

"Wah Full

IN

System Block Diagram:

7

R

GTX120/212 Guitar Amplifier with
DSP & Channel Tracking

INPUT

BUFFER

RHYTHM/SOLO

CHANNEL

GAIN 1

CLEAN

CHANNEL

LOWLEVEL MID HIGH

FLEX WAVE

STAGE

SHAPE

ACTIVE

GAIN 2

SHAPE

EQ

LOW

HIGH LEVEL

CHANNEL

SELECT

DSP

MODE

LEVEL

MIX

AMP

POWER

AMP

DAMPING

CIRCUIT

INSERT

SPEAKE

EXT.

SPEAKER

GTX120/212 Guitar Amplifier with
DSP & Channel Tracking

GTX120/212 TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS:

Output Power Rating 120W RMS @ 5% THD, 4Ω, 120 VAC
Speaker Size and Rating GTX120 (1) Custom Design 12”, 4Ω

GTX212 (2) Custom Design 12”, 8Ω
Input Impedance 470kΩ
Total System Gain Overdrive Ch Gain 1: 88dB, all controls @10; Gain 2: 110dB

Clean Ch 58dB, all controls @10
Maximum Input Signal Accepted 7 volts peak-to-peak
Rhythm/Solo Channel Low Control 11dB range @ 80Hz

Shape Control Proprietary Circuit

High Control 10dB range @10kHz

Clean Channel Low Control 22dB range @ 80Hz

Mid Control 14dB range @ 600Hz

High Control 28dB range @ 10kHz

Power Requirements 120 VAC, 60Hz, 95VA; 100VAC, 50/60Hz, 95VA;

230VAC, 50Hz, 95VA

Size and Weight GTX120 17-1/2” H x 20” W x 11” D, 34 lbs.

GTX212 21” H x 26.5” W x 11” D, 50 lbs.

www.crateamps.com

@2002 SLM Electronics, a division of St. Louis Music, Inc • 1400 Ferguson Avenue • St. Louis, MO 63133

47-476-07 • 04/02

The GTX120/212 is covered with a durable charcoal gray Tolex material: wipe it clean with a lint-free cloth.

Never spray cleaning agents onto the cabinet. Avoid abrasive cleansers which would damage the finish.

Crate continually develops new products, as well as improves existing ones. For this reason, the specifications

and information in this manual are subject to change without notice.

Declaration Of Conformity

#34, Effective 01-01-2001

Manufacturer’s Name: SLM Electronics

Production Facility: 11880 Borman Drive, St. Louis, MO 63146, USA
Production Facility: 700 Hwy 202 W, Yellville, AR 72687, USA
Shipping Facility: 1400 Ferguson Ave., St. Louis, MO 63133, USA
Office Facility: 1400 Ferguson Ave., St. Louis, MO 63133, USA

Product Type: Audio Amplifier
Complies with Standards:

LVD: 92/31/EEC, 93/68/EEC, & 73/23/EWG
Safety: EN60065
EMC: EN55013, EN55020, EN55022, EN61000-3-2,

& EN61000-3-3

Supplementary information provided by:

SLM Electronics - R & D Engineering

1901 Congressional Drive, St Louis, MO 63146, USA

Tel.: [phone], Fax: [phone]