Congratulations!
Y ou are now the proud owner of the Crate MX120R amplifier. This rugged amplifier delivers
serious clean and distorted sounds through its premium 12” Crate Custom speakers. Channel
selection, Crate’s exclusive Shape circuit, and reverb on/off are controllable by using the supplied
footswitch. An insert jack allows virtually noise-free connection of your favorite ef fects.
Like all Crate products, your MX120R 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
TABLE OF CONTENTS:
Important Safeguards and Precautions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3
The Front Panel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4,5
Suggested Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6
System Block Diagram . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7
Technical Specifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .back cover
IMPORTANT SAFETY INSTRUCTIONS
• READ, FOLLOW, HEED, AND KEEP ALL INSTRUCTIONS AND WARNINGS.
• DO NOT OPERATE NEAR ANYHEATSOURCE AND DO NOTBLOCK ANY VENTILATION OPENINGS ON THIS APPARATUS.
• DO NOT USE THIS APPARATUS NEAR SPLASHING, FALLING, SPRAYING, OR STANDING LIQUIDS.
• CLEAN ONLYWITH LINT-FREE DAMPCLOTH AND DO NOT USE CLEANING AGENTS.
• ONLYCONNECT POWER CORD TO APOLARIZED, SAFETY GROUNDED OUTLET WIRED TO CURRENT ELECTRICAL CODES AND
COMPATIBLE WITH VOLTAGE, POWER, AND FREQUENCY REQUIREMENTS 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.
• ONLYUSE 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 IMPACT OR
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 SYMBÔLESGRAPHIQUES:
"DANGEROUS VOLTAGE"
“VOLTAJE PELIGROSO”
"DANGER HAUTE TENSION"
=
=
PRECAUCION
RIESGO DE CORRIENTAZO
NO ABRA
PRECAUCION: PARA REDUCIR EL RIESGO DE INCENDIOS O DESCARGAS
ELECTRICAS, NO PERMITA QUE ESTE APARATO QUEDE EXPUESTO A LA
LLUVIA O LA 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: PROTÉGEZ CET APPAREIL DE LA PLUIE ET DE L'HUMIDITÉ
AFIN D'ÉVITER TOUT RISQUE D'INCENDIE OU D'ÉLECTROCUTION. 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.
Important Safeguards and Precautions:
3
All Crate products are designed for continuous safe operation.
Abiding by the following rules can help prevent damage to your
amplifier, yourself and others.
• The amplifier is equipped with a three-pronged AC power
cord. To reduce the risk of electrical shock, NEVER remove
or otherwise attempt to defeat the ground pin of the power
cord.
• Connect the amplifier ONLY to a properly grounded AC
outlet of the proper voltage for your amp.
• Avoid sudden temperature extremes, rain and moisture.
Also, avoid sudden and intense impact. (If the unit has
been subjected to any of the preceding abuses, have it
looked at by an authorized service center.)
• Do not expose the unit to splashing or dripping liquid. Do
not place liquid filled objects on the unit.
• NEVER set the amplifier on a support that will not bear its
weight.
• Always keep the total speaker impedance at or above the
rated load.
• Unplug the amplifier before cleaning it. NEVER spray liquid
cleaners onto the amplifier. Wipe it with a slightly dampened, lint-free cloth to remove dirt and film.
• DO NOT use the amplifier if it has sustained damage to the
chassis, controls, or power cord. Refer the unit to an
authorized service center for inspection.
• Prolonged exposure to high volume levels may cause permanent hearing loss or damage. Such damage is progressive and irreversible!
The Front Panel:
4
1: INPUT : Use this 1/4” jack to connect your guitar to the amplifier by means of a shielded instrument cable.
OVERDRIVE CHANNEL: A high gain channel giving you sounds from a slight edge to serious overdrive.
2: GAIN 1: Use this control to adjust the amount of light distortion for the Overdrive channel. Gain 1 pro-
duces less intense distortion than Gain 2 (#3) and is active when the Gain switch (#5) is in the out position.
3: GAIN 2: Use this control to adjust the amount of heavy distortion for the Overdrive channel. Gain 2 pro-
duces more intense distortion than Gain 1 (#2) and is active when the Gain switch (#5) is depressed.
4: SHAPE: Use this control to “dial in” the tone for the Overdrive 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. This control is active only when Gain 2 is selected.
5: GAIN: Use this switch to select which gain control is active for the Overdrive channel. With the switch in
the out position, Gain 1 is selected. When the switch is depressed, Gain 2 is selected.
6: LOW: Use this control to adjust the low frequency level of the Overdrive channel.
7: HIGH: Use this control to adjust the high frequency level of the Overdrive channel.
8: LEVEL: Use this control to adjust the output level of the Overdrive channel.
9: CHANNEL SWITCH: Use this switch to select either channel. With the switch in the out position, the
Clean channel is selected. When the switch is depressed, the Overdrive channel is selected.
CLEAN CHANNEL: A normal gain channel designed to give you crystal clear sounds 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: REVERB LEVEL: Use this control to adjust the amount of reverberation: in its full counter clockwise
position the signal will be “dry” (without any reverb). As you rotate the control clockwise the amount of reverberation increases.
15: INSERT : Use this jack to connect an external effects device to the amplifier. Use a stereo 1/4” male Y
connector: ring = send, tip = return, sleeve = ground. (Refer to the illustration to the right.)
16: EXTERNAL SPEAKER: Use this jack to connect the amplifier to an external speaker. The internal
speaker is disconnected when this jack is used. The minimum impedance for the external speaker is 4 ohms.
5
17: ON LED: This LED will illuminate when power is applied to the amplifier.
18: POWER: Use this switch to turn the amplifier on and off.
19: AC LINE CORD: (Rear panel, not shown:) This grounded power cord is to be plugged into a ground-
ed power outlet, wired to current electric codes and compatible with 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 ONLY with 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 stereo 1/4” plug of the supplied three-button footswitch for remote control of channel selection and gain
selection.
22: REVERB FOOTSWITCH JACK: (Rear panel, not shown:) Use this jack to connect the mono 1/4” plug
of the supplied three-button footswitch for remote control of reverb on and off.
CONNECTING TO THE INSERT JACK:
The Insert jack (#15) allows
you to patch external effects
into the amplifier just prior
to its power amp stage. Use
Crate’s STP201, STP202 or
SP203 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
to the immediate right.
Stereo-to-mono Y-cord:
to Insert
(STP201, 3'
STP202, 6'
STP203, 9')
TIP
TIP
RING
jack
SLEEVE
to
effect
"OUT"
jack
effect
"IN"
jack
External Effect
RING
to
RETURN
SEND
GROUND
Y-adapter and 2 cables:
TIP
to Insert
RING
SLEEVE
(YPP117)
TIP
jack
(1/4"-TO-1/4"
MONO CABLES)
to
effect
"OUT"
jack
effect
External Effect
to
"IN"
jack
RING
Suggested Settings:
6
Clean:
Blues:
Rhythm:
Lead:
System Block Diagram:
7
R
EXT.
SPEAKER
CIRCUIT
DAMPING
AMP
POWER
SPEAKE
INSERT
MIX
AMP
REVERB LEVEL
SELECT
CHANNEL
CLEAN
CHANNEL
BUFFER
INPUT
LOWLEVEL MID HIGH
STAGE
FLEX WAVE
EQ
SHAPE
ACTIVE
GAIN
CHANNEL
OVERDRIVE
HIGH LEVEL
LOW
SHAPE
SELECT
GAIN
MX120R TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS:
Output Power Rating 115 watts RMS @ 5% THD 4 ohms, 120 VAC
Gain, Overdrive Channel Gain 1 = 88dB, Gain 2 = 110dB
Gain, Clean Channel 58dB
Tone Control Range. Low Overdrive = 11dB @ 80Hz, Clean = 22dB @ 80Hz
Tone Control Range, Mid Overdrive = Shape Control, Clean = 14dB @ 600Hz
Tone Control Range, High Overdrive = 10dB @ 10kHz, Clean = 28dB @ 10kHz
Maximum Input Signal Accepted 7 volts peak-to-peak
Internal Speaker (2) 12” Crate Custom Design, 8 ohm
Power Requirements 120 VAC, 60Hz, 95VA
100/115VAC, 50/60Hz, 95VA
100/115VAC, 50/60Hz, 95VA
Size and Weight 21” H x 26.5” W x 11” D, 50 lbs.
The MX120R is covered with a durable black 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.
www.crateamps.com
@2001 SLM Electronics, a division of St. Louis Music, Inc • 1400 Ferguson Avenue • St. Louis, MO 63301
18-160-51 • 06/02
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