Electro-Harmonix Switchblade Pro Instructions

SWITCHBLADE PRO

Congratulations on your purchase of the Switchblade Pro, our deluxe switching box featuring
true mechanical bypass, soft switching, high quality and low noise buffers, volume controls
for all input signals, high headroom, and a multitude of different possible configurations for
all of your signal routing needs.

CONTROLS

9V Power Jack

capable of delivering at least 170mA to the 9V power jack, such as the EHX9.6DC-200. The
AC Adapter must have a center negative plug. The SWITCHBLADE PRO has a current draw
of 165mA at 9VDC.

INPUT Jack – This ¼” jack is the audio input of the SWITCHBLADE PRO. The input
impedance is 2.2MΩ. This input will accept any audio source that is instrument or line level
up to 4.2V

SEND A Jack – This ¼” jack is an audio output of the SWITCHBLADE PRO. Connect this to
the input of the effect(s) you want in FX loop A or send it to the input of an amplifier. The
output impedance is 220Ω.

RETURN A Jack – This ¼” jack is an audio input of the SWITCHBLADE PRO. Connect this
jack to the output of the effect(s) you want in FX loop A. This jack can also accept another
instrument output. The input impedance is 90kΩ.

SEND B Jack – This ¼” jack is an audio output of the SWITCHBLADE PRO. Connect this to
the input of the effect(s) you want in FX loop B or send it to the input of an amplifier. The
output impedance is 220Ω.

RETURN B Jack – This ¼” jack is an audio input of the SWITCHBLADE PRO. Connect this
jack to the output of the effect(s) you want in FX loop B. This jack can also accept another
instrument output. The input impedance is 90kΩ.

A LEVEL Knob – Controls the volume of signal going into the RETURN A jack. Unity gain is
achieved with the knob at 12:00. Turning this knob fully clockwise achieves a gain of 6dB.

DRY LEVEL Knob – Controls the volume of signal going into the INPUT jack. Unity gain is
achieved with the knob at 12:00. Turning this knob fully clockwise achieves a gain of 6dB.

B LEVEL Knob – Controls the volume of signal going into the RETURN B jack. Unity gain is
achieved with the knob at 12:00. Turning this knob fully clockwise achieves a gain of 6dB.

SERIES/PARALLEL Switch – This switch works in conjunction with the A/B and A+B
footswitches to determine how the input signal is routed through the A and B FX loops. In
SERIES mode, the FX loops are cascaded into one another with the A/B footswitch
determining which FX loop is first. See Fig. 1.

– The SWITCHBLADE PRO operates with a standard 9VDC AC Adaptor

without clipping.

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Fig. 1. Series Mode

Switchblade Pro series signal flow with FX loop A selected and A+B engaged

In PARALLEL mode, the input signal is routed to the A and B FX loops simultaneously. With
the A+B footswitch engaged, both signals will be mixed together at the output. With the
A+B footswitch disengaged, only FX loop A or B will be engaged which is determined by the
A/B footswitch. See Fig. 2.

Fig. 2. Parallel Mode

Switchblade Pro parallel signal flow with A+B engaged (A/B setting irrelevant)

If using the SWITCHBLADE PRO to switch between two amplifiers, set the
SERIES/PARALLEL switch to PARALLEL in order to utilize both amps at the same time.

BYPASS FOOTSWITCH – This soft footswitch engages the SWITCHBLADE PRO, routing
the signal on the INPUT jack to the SEND jacks. The signal routing is via relay and true
mechanical bypass.

A/B FOOTSWITCH – This soft footswitch selects between FX loop A (RED) and FX loop B
(GREEN). With the SERIES/PARALLEL switch set to SERIES mode and the A+B footswitch
engage d (both FX loops on ), the A/B foo tswitch de te rmines whi ch FX loop is fir st in the signal
chain.

A+B FOOTSWITCH – This soft footswitch engages both FX loops A and B, regardless of
configuration (e.g. two effects loops, two amps via the SEND jacks, two instruments via the
RETURN jacks, etc.).

PHASE A & B SWITCHES – These internal slide switches allow the signals at the SEND A
and SEND B jacks to be flipped 180°. This is for use with effects whose output signals are
out of phase with the input signal. To access these switches, remove the four screws on the
bottom of the SWITCHBLADE PRO and remove the lid. Be careful not to touch any
components other than the PHASE A/B switches for danger of shocking sensitive
components.

CONFIGURATIONS

The SWITCHBLADE PRO offers many different possible configurations to satisfy your various
effects pedal, amp, and instrument routing needs. Here are a few examples.

SERIES EFFECTS

Shown below are two effects chains that can be used individually as clean (delay and reverb)
and dirty (overdrive and phaser) sounds, but can also be used in series (FX loop B  FX loop
A) when engaging the A+B footswitch.

CONFIGURATIONS (cont.)

PARALLEL EFFECTS

This is an example of two effects chains that you may want to use in parallel. The synth
pedal is feeding the delay in FX loop B while the compressor is feeding the reverb pedal in
FX loop A. With the SERIES/PARALLEL toggle switch set to PARALLEL, each FX loop is
independent and does not affect the other. The outputs of each FX loop are summed and
sent to the guitar amp.