Hughes & Kettner zenTera Users Manual
zenTera - MANUAL
3
3
ENGLISH
1. FOREWORD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4
2. BEFORE POWERING UP . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5
3. OVERVIEW . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5
4. FRONT PANEL . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6
4.1 KNOB FUNCTIONS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7
4.2 EFFECTS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10
4.3 PRE EFFECT MODE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10
4.4 TABLE OF INS FX EXAMPLES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10
4.5 TABLE OF MOD FX, DELAY AND REVERB FX EXAMPLES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11
5. AMP MODELS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12
6. REAR PANEL . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14
7. SPECIAL FUNCTIONS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16
7.1 WAH WAH . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16
7.2 GLOBAL EQ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16
7.3 TUNER . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16
7.4 STORE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .17
7.5 FOOTSWITCH . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .17
7.6 TAP . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .17
7.7 PEDAL ASSIGN . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .18
8. THE SYSTEM MENU . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .18
8.1 MEMORY PROTECTION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .18
8.2 MODE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .19
8.3 WAKE UP . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .19
8.4 READ VALUES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .19
9. MIDI . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .20
9.1 MIDI SETUP BASE CHANNEL . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .20
9.2 MIDI PROGCHG . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .20
9.3 MIDI SETUP DEVICE ID . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .20
9.4 MIDI SYSEX SEND . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .21
9.5 MIDI SYSEX RECEIVE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .21
9.6 MIDI DUMP . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .21
9.7 MIDI IMPORT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .21
9.8 MIDI MAPPING . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .21
10. FOOTSWITCH ASSIGN . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .21
11. VOLUME PEDAL . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .22
11.1 VOLUME PEDAL RANGE MINIMUM / MAXIMUM . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .22
11.2 CV PED TYPE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .22
11.3 CV PED CALIB MIN/MAX . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .22
11.4 Z-BOARD BANK CHANGE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .22
11.5 Z-BOARDCALIB . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .23
12. SOFTWARE VERSION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .23
13. MY zenTera® . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .23
14. MAINTENANCE AND SERVICE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
15. TROUBLESHOOTING . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .24
16. TECHNICAL DATA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .25
17. AC POWER . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .26
18. MIDI IMPLEMENTATION CHART . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .51
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ENGLISH
The zenTera®’s user panel is essentially divided into
two segments:
• amp section
• effect section
The layout of the amp section should look familiar
to you - it is arranged much like that of an analog
amp. The GAIN, BASS, MID, TREBLE, PRESENCE and
VOLUME knobs rotate to far left and far right
positions. You can dial in values from 0 to 10. Only
the AMP TYPE knob is a rotary encoder with an
infinite control range. The knobs of the selected
amp type respond just like those on the original
model. In this respect the zenTera®handles exactly
like its analog forebears. In some cases, it gives
you additional tweaking options beyond those of
the original. You’ll find that the extra soundshaping options come in handy and that they
make musical sense. The effect section puts an
arsenal of delay, modulation and reverb effects at
your disposal. You'll find it easy to dial in sounds
without a great deal of editing. Activate the
desired effect subsection by tapping MOD FX,
DELAY or REVERB. Twist the TYPE knob to activate
the various effect models and PARA 1 and PARA 2
to set effect parameters. All effects can be set to
PRE (like a stomp box that plugs into the front end
input) or POST (in front of the power amp, giving
you stereo effects) preamp. Tap the TYPE knob to
switch the given effect PRE or POST preamp.
• Check and make sure that the local current and
the amp's AC power rating are identical before
you plug the zenTera®'s mains cord into an AC
outlet. Ensure that air can circulate freely
around your amp's ventilation ducts. Place the
amp on a stable platform in a location
protected from mechanical and thermal
influences that could endanger the operating
safety of the amp or the safety of anyone
nearby. The manufacturer is not liable for any
damage to the amp due to improper use.
Caution! Note that the zenTera®should not be
exposed to extreme cold over longer periods.
It is possible that low temperature can drain the
internal battery’ s charge. The battery powers the
system when it is switched off and it is constantly
recharged when the amp is powered up.
GAIN AMP TYPE BASS MID TREBLE PRESENCE PRESET DELAYMOD FX REVERB TYPE PARA 1 PARA 2
TUNER STORE
INPUT POWERVOLUME MASTER
3. OVERVIEW
2. BEFORE POWERING UP
amp section effect section
®
!
®
converges the most frequently
®
's unprecedented sonic
®
is able to faithfully
®
®
to handle
®
reproduces
®
delivers it in
But there's more cooking in the zenTera®'s sonic
kitchen - a smorgasbord of studio-quality effects,
emulations of vintage stomp boxes and a faithfully
replicated spring reverb. Like the amp's parameters, these effects handle intuitively, without the
nerve-racking tedium of stepping through menus.
All settings may be stored as presets in 128 slots
(100 user presets + 28 factory sounds) and called
up via the front panel, footswitch or MIDI controllers. With this array of user-friendly features, the
zenTera®handles like a dream, satisfying even the
most discerning demands for ease of use. The
zenTera®packs a powerful punch, courtesy of its
brawny 2x100 W stereo power amp. It cuts
through the din at any stage volume, enabling
you to make your musical statement under even
the most demanding conditions. An analog and
digital recording output, a built-in tuner, a tap
function that lets you sync up delay time, a serial
FX loop, a variable headphones out and many
other practical appointments put a remarkable
range of features at your fingertips. And for utmost
handling convenience, we developed the
Z-Board – a remote control for switching the key
functions of Hughes & Kettner®DSM™ Series amps.
With the zenTera®, you've bought a stake in the
future. Its MIDI interface lets you upload software
upgrades at any time and even swap sounds and
system settings with other zenTera®owners.
Here's wishing you lots of fun with the TONE
of your zenTera
®
!
GLOSSARY OF SYMBOLS
W
Turn knob
r
Tap knob or button (click)
s
Tap knob or button twice (double-click)
t
Hold knob or button pressed for a bit longer
(click and hold briefly)
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4.1 KNOB FUNCTIONS
INPUT:
Connect your electric guitar or pick-up-equipped
acoustic guitar to this input (it accepts all input
levels). INPUT SENSITIVITY lets you do just that adjust input sensitivity. Lots of amps are equipped
with jacks offering high and low input sensitivity.
On the zenTera®, you can switch between the two
options by means of an analog stage located in
front of the input transformer.
Double-click sAMP TYPE to select HI input
sensitivity, double-click again to select LOW input
sensitivity. Each option has a distinct sonic
personality. Experiment to find out which option
works best for the sounds you are after. If your axe
is equipped with powerful pick-ups, LOW is
generally your better bet.
GAIN: This knob serves different purposes
depending on the selected amp type. Some of
the original models (BLACK FACE, TWEED DELUXE)
are not equipped with a master volume. For these
models, GAIN serves as a volume knob. For
models that are equipped with both gain and
master knobs, the zenTera®’s GAIN and MASTER
knobs serve the same purposes as their counterparts on the originals.
AMP TYPE:
This knob performs four functions:
s
Double-click it to select input sensitivity.
W
Twist it to select an amp type (see section 5
AMP MODELS).
r
Tap it to access PRE EFFECT MODE (see section
4.3 PRE EFFECT MODE)
t
Press and hold to bypass pre effects by setting
them to BYPASS PRE EFFECT.
BASS, MID, TREBLE, PRESENCE:
Depending on the selected amp type, these
knobs work like those on the original amp.
Because some of the original amps don’t have a
presence knob or a 3-band EQ, the zenTera®’s
knobs are assigned special functions to replicate
all of the originals’ tweaking options (for an indepth explanation of this, see section 5. AMP
MODELS).
VOLUME:
Controls preset volume. Unlike the MASTER knob
setting, this parameter is storable. This lets you dial
in the desired balance of relative levels for all
presets.
GAIN AMP TYPE BASS MID TREBLE PRESENCE PRESET DELAYMOD FX REVERB TYPE PARA 1 PARA 2
TUNER STORE
INPUT POWERVOLUME MASTER
®
by flipping the POWER
®
®
Display
®
display responds immediately to
®
display indicates
• PRESET: Lights up when the amp is in standard
display mode. The bar below PRESET illuminates
when you edit a preset’s settings. Double-click
PRESET to compare the stored preset to the edited
preset.
• INS-FX: Lights up if one of the PRE effects is
activated for this preset. If you elect to use a wahwah, the bar below INS-FX lights up as soon as the
wah-wah is activated via the connected pedal
(for more on this see section 7.1 WAH WAH).
• DELAY: Lights up when one of the delay effects is
activated in the preset. If you choose to patch in
the effect via the PRE circuit, the bar below DELAY
lights up.
• MOD FX: Lights up when one of the modulation
effects is activated in the preset. If you choose to
patch in the effect via the PRE circuit, the bar
below MOD FX lights up.
• REVERB: Lights up when one of the reverb
effects is activated in the preset. If you choose to
patch in the effect via the PRE circuit, the bar
below REVERB lights up.
When you edit (W) one of the active preset’s
parameters, say BASS, the word BASS and the
stored value are displayed in the lower text line.
The large numerical display on the right indicates
the current value. The bar below PRESET lights up.
Note: To compare the stored preset with the
current setting, double-click sPRESET. The bar
below PRESET extinguishes and the most recently
stored preset appears. Another double-click switches the display back to your edited settings (the
bar below PRESET lights up again).
W
Turn the knob to activate the respective effect
subsection AND control the volume of the
effect that you are blending in with the dry
signal just like you would the mix knob of a
parallel FX loop.
t
Press and hold it to activate BYPASS REVERB –
that is, to bypass the effect. This lets you A/B
the sound with and without effect. Tap it again
to reactivate the effect.
Table of REVERB effects:
• HALL REV
• SPRING REV
• GARAGE REV
• STAGE REV
• SMALL REV
• BRIGHT REV
• NORMAL REV
• WARM REV
Select individual effects using TYPE (see the section
TYPE).
Note: The given effect is also bypassed when you
turn MOD FX, DELAY or REVERB to the far left
position.
TYPE: This knob also performs three functions.
W
Twist the knob to select individual effects from
the MOD FX, DELAY and REVERB subsections.
r
Tap it to select the PRE signal routing option
(this is akin to plugging a stomp box into the
front panel input). A bar lights up below DELAY,
MOD FX or REVERB in the display to
indicate that this option has been
selected. Tap it again to switch the
effect to POST, in other words, in front of the
power amp. The bar disappears from the
display. The two options have distinctive sonic
characteristics. A pre effect runs through all
amp sectors while a post effect is inserted very
near the end of the signal chain. Here too you
should experiment to find out which signal
routing configuration works best for which
situation.
s
Double-click TYPE to activate the WAH WAH
(see section 7.1). Then twist the TYPE knob to
select FAT WAH or CRY WAH (late ‘60s Vox wah).
Use the PARA 1 or PARA 2 knob to activate
(ON; a bar appears in the display under INS-FX)
or deactivate the WAH WAH (OFF; see section
7.1 WAH WAH).
Note: The TYPE knob responds only if an effect
subsection has been activated.
PARA 1 und PARA 2: Alongside other discrete
functions, these two knobs perform the following
functions jointly:
W
Turn the knobs to edit the parameters of the
selected effect (see the table at the end of this
chapter showing MOD FX, DELAY and REVERB
effects.
r
Tap them to load the current value of the
parameter into the display without changing it.
s
PAR A 1 performs yet another function: You can
connect a standard sustain pedal to the
zenTera®for the purpose of switching presets
(see the section 7.5 FOOTSWITCH). To switch
back and forth between two presets, one must
be "marked". This is done by double-clicking
PARA 1. For more on this, see section 7.5 FOOTSWITCH.
s
Double-click PAR A 2 to activate RECORDING
OUT. Now you can twist PARA 1 to control the
active preset’s presence and PARA 2 to control
its volume.
MASTER:
W
It controls the level of the power amp. This knob
is global, meaning that it affects all presets. Its
setting cannot be stored.
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Table of MOD FX modulation effects:
• CHORUS M(ono)
• CHORUS ST(ereo)
• FLANGER 1 M(ono)
• FLANGER 1 ST(ereo)
• FLANGER 2 M(ono)
• FLANGER 2 ST(ereo)
• PHASER
• PHASER XL
Select individual effects using TYPE (see the section
TYPE).
DELAY: This knob also performs three functions.
r
Tap it to activate the effect subsection without
affecting the given effect’s volume level. (The
activated effect is factory set to POST; see
section 3 below and section TYPE for more
on this).
W
Turn the knob to activate the respective effect
subsection AND control the volume of the
effect that you are blending in with the dry
signal just like you would the mix knob of a
parallel FX loop.
t
Press and hold it to activate BYPASS DELAY –
that is, to bypass the effect. This lets you A/B
the sound with and without effect. Tap it again
to reactivate the effect.
Table of DELAY effects:
• ECHO
• PINGPONG
• TAPE ECHO
• TAPE HALLO
• TAPE MULTI
• HOLD ECHO
• HOLDPINGPONG
• HOLD TAPE
Select individual effects using TYPE (see the section
TYPE).
REVERB: This knob also performs three functions.
r
Tap it to activate the effect subsection without
affecting the given effect’s volume level. (The
activated effect is factory set to POST; see
section 3 below and section TYPE for more
on this).
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®
gauges the time
®
offers a wide selection of the most
4.4 TABLE OF INS FX EXAMPLES
TYPE PARA 1 PARA 2
Fix Wah Frequency 0.23 - 1.55 - -
Fix Wah 2 Frequency 0.50 - 2.20 - -
Mod Wah Rate 0.0 - 10.0 Intensity 0 - 100
Mod Wah 2 Rate 0.0 - 10.0 Intensity 0 - 100
Comp Short Make Up Gain 0.0 - 15.0 Intensity 0 - 100
Comp Medium Make Up Gain 0.0 - 15.0 Intensity 0 - 100
Comp Long Make Up Gain 0.0 - 15.0 Intensity 0 - 100
Tube Scream Gain 0.0 - 10.0 Level 0.0 - 10.0
Fuzz Gain 0.0 - 10.0 Level 0.0 - 10.0
Mid Boost Frequency 0.3 - 1.1 Boost 0.0 - 12.0
Tap AMP TYPE to activate this effect subsection.
Twist TYPE to select individual effects and set
effect parameters by twisting PARA 1 and PARA 2.
Press and hold AMP TYPE to set PRE EFFECT MODE
to BYPASS (see also section AMP TYPE). This lets you
A/B the sound
with and without
effect. If you
want to use an
expression
pedal (see the section FOOTPEDAL) to create
wah-wah effects, you must assign FAT WAH or CRY
WAH to the given presets using the TYPE knob.
• FIX WAH employs a standard tunable wah-wah
filter. Use PARA 1 to set its filter frequencies.
• MOD WAH is an automatic version of a wah-
wah. Use PARA 1 to set its modulation rate.
• COMP SHORT/MEDIUM and LONG are three
compressors with different attack times - short,
medium and long.
TUBE SCREAM is a model of the legendary Ibanez
®
Tube Screamer TS 808.
FUZZ is a model of a popular vintage distortion
box.
Note: Unlike the other effects found in the effect
section, these effects cannot be routed POST preamp. The only signal routing option is PRE, in other
words, into the front end as in the standard analog
setup.
4.5 MOD FX, DELAY AND REVERB
EFFECTS EXAMPLE TABLES
MOD FX.
TYPE PARA 1 PARA 2
Chorus M(ono) Rate 0.1 - 10.0 Depth 0 - 100
Chorus S(tereo) Rate 0.1 - 10.0 Depth 0 - 100
Flanger 1 M(ono) Rate 0.1 - 10.0 Intensity 0 - 100
Flanger 1 S(tereo)Rate 0.1 - 10.0 Intensity 0 - 100
Flanger 2 M(ono) Rate 0.0 - 10.0 Intensity 0 - 100
Flanger 2 S(tereo)Rate 0.0 - 10.0 Intensity 0 - 100
Phaser Rate 0.1 - 10.0 Colour 0 - 100
Phaser XL Rate 0.1 - 10.0 Colour 0 - 100
DELAY
TYPE PARA 1 PARA 2
Echo Time 10 ms - 2 s Feedback 0 - 100
Ping Pong Time 10 ms - 2 s Feedback 0 - 100
Tape Echo Time 10 ms - 2 s Feedback 0 - 100
Tape Hallo Time 10 ms - 2 s Feedback 0 - 100
Tape Multi Time 10 ms - 2 s Feedback 0 - 100
Hold Echo >>PLEASE USE TAP BUTTON<< Feedback 0 - 100
Hold Ping Pong >>PLEASE USE TAP BUTTON<< Feedback 0 - 100
Hold Tape
>>PLEASE USE TAP BUTTON<< Feedback 0 - 100
REVERB
TYPE PARA 1 PARA 2
Hall Rev Time 0.0 - 15.0 Predelay 0 - 100
Spring Rev Time 0.0 - 15.0 Predelay 0 - 100
Garage Rev Time 0.00 - 5.00 Predelay 0 - 100
Stage Rev Time 0.0 - 15.0 Predelay 0 - 100
Small Rev Time 0.00 - 5.00 Predelay 0 - 100
Bright Rev Time 0.0 - 15.0 Predelay 0 - 100
Normal Rev Time 0.0 - 15.0 Predelay 0 - 100
Warm Rev Time 0.0 - 15.0 Predelay 0 - 100
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®
's GAIN knob. GAIN settings of up to
it’s all there for the taking. Particularly for Les Paul
devotees with a penchant for blues and bluesbased rock, sonic heaven is just a touch of a
button away.
TWEED 4x10 N(ormal Channel)
Though the Bassman was initially designed for bass
guitars, blues and rockabilly players adopted it
and turned it into a guitar amp tour de force.
Ranking among the most versatile amps ever, its
unrivalled qualities in conjuring clean and
raunchier sounds à la Brian Setzer or Eric Clapton
are legendary.
BRIT CLASS A
The amp for classic guitar-driven pop and rock.
Judging by the many stellar songwriters who
appear on its reference list, this amp would
undoubtedly be the hands-down winner in a poll
of songsmiths. Unarguably, its EL84-loaded, Class A
power amp delivers the sweetest harmonic
distortion of all tube amps. And its flexible tone
controls with the legendary Cut and Top Boost
circuits elicit chiming, sparkling sounds as well as
fat lead tone. Cranked wide open, it also delivers
gritty, roots rock-approved goods. Note that the
zenTera®'s PRESENCE knob takes over the CUT
function. The Top Boost circuit is integrated into
the MID knob, which is handy because this lets
you dial smoothly rather than switch hard from
Normal to Top Boost mode.
HOT CLASS A
This model delivers the lead tone of the early
masters Ritchie Blackmore, Rory Gallagher, Brian
May, et al. A ‘60s-era Range Master Treble Booster
plugged into the front end of this amp was the
secret ingredient in these world class guitarists’
recipes for jaw-dropping rock tone.
PLEXI 50
This British EL34-powered classic made music
history. Many a genre-defining steel-string slinger
wielded its considerable sonic clout to leave an
indelible mark on the face of modern music. With
its hair-trigger response, the PLEXI does exactly
what the position of your guitar's volume knob tells
it to. Turn the volume down low, and you get fat,
clean tone with shimmering top end. As you crank
the knob, you can hear that vintage rock roar
unfold.
PLEXI 100
The PLEXI on steroids, this 100-watt sensation
literally rocked the late '60s and continued to
dominate the heavy rock scene throughout the
'70s and well into the '80s. A staple of innumerable
rock productions, this amp's dynamic response
made it the tool of choice for many an audio
alchemist. Indeed, it can be said with some
authority that this beast's big, cutting sound
defined what great rock tone is all about. It will
also make you the object of fear and loathing in
your neighborhood, because you won't feel the
full fury of its sonic assault until you crank it to
the hilt.
HOT PLEXI
Back in the taste-challenged ‘80s, the Plexi 100’s
already considerably oomph was beefed up with
an added gain stage. Alongside more gain, this
hot-rodder’s trick lent the amp the kind of ”brown”
sound heard on early Van Halen records.
BRIT HIGH GAIN
A logical outgrowth of the razor-edged sound of
British steel, this amp delivers gear-grinding overdrive and meltdown lead sounds with truckloads
of sustain and in-your-face punch. The tone
controls are tweaked to deliver the response of a
modern-day boutique amp, adding many shades
and hues to your sonic palette. Less subtly, its
scooped mids elicit a merciless metal edge, while
its over-the-top high end has been rumored to
peal paint at a hundred paces.
BRIT ULTRA
A zenTera®special, this is what you get when you
hop up a British 100-watt amp until it is hot enough
to roast weenies. And, frankly, the result is aweinspiring - the fattest and most creamy lead sound
imaginable.
SOLO 100
The cream king among lead amps, this amp
abounds with the kind of singing tone, infinite
sustain and musical feedback made famous by
perennial wailers Gary Moore and Carlos Santana.
Still got the blues, indeed!
RECTIFIED
This amp's peerless tone is the product of three
rectifier tubes. A real firecracker, it throws red-hot
sparks of distortion for a fresh, dynamic tone. With
its fat, bad and downright angry overdrive, this
amp can take on many guises. Playing a key role
in the rise of grunge in the '90s, it has since
become the tool of choice for New Metal
merchants. And with good reason, for few other
amps can match its intensity and depth of musical
expression, particularly for soloing.
WARP
(Hughes & Kettner Warp 7, 2001)
Our take on the ‘90s-era Nu Metal sound, this
model is even more evil-sounding then
comparable amps. In fact, it offers more of
everything. This one’s a sustain monster.
ACOUSTIC
(Hughes & Kettner Montana 1998)
The Montana model was developed specifically
for piezo-equipped acoustic guitar. It softens the
piezo’s harsh – some might say ugly - edge and
adds silky highs, plenty of body and lots of warmth
to the tonal spectrum. Rarely have electric players
felt so good and so at home on stage with an
acoustic.
ATS CLEAN
(Hughes & Kettner ATS 100, 1988)
Our first dual channel guitar combo, the ATS is
now considered the classic clean machine
among solid-state amps. Cherished by jazz
guitarists for its tonal balance and warmth, it also
delivers top-drawer, effects-laden pop sounds in
the vein of The Police’s axe man Andy Summers.
JC CLEAN
An ‘80s classic, this one delivers fresh, crisp and
transparent clean sound with presence galore as
showcased in Prince’s Hendrix homage
Purple Rain.
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ENGLISH
• The EFFECTS LOOP is not routed to the
RECORDING OUT. This means you can do things
like add further effects to your sound to suit your
taste, while the F(ront)O(f)H(ouse) sound tech is
free to blend the guitar signal into the overall mix
using his own effects.
ANALOG LEFT/RIGHT: Patches the RECORDING
OUT signal out at line level while simulating the
original amps' speakers.
DIGITAL S/PDIF: The digital version of the
RECORDING OUT (24 bits; 44.1 kHz sampling rate).
STAGEBOARD: Port designed to take the optional
Hughes & Kettner®Z-Board.
Note: This is not an interface for connecting a PC.
MIDI IN/OUT/THRU: Standard MIDI trio. Connect a
standard MIDI board here. It also serves as the
interface for loading software updates and
communicating with the factory-included zenTera
®
SoundDiver™. The MIDI IN port features a discrete
fuse-equipped phantom power circuit by which
the zenTera®powers external MIDI pedals.
Sub-D connector’s pin out
1. MIDI Out + (current source)
2. n.c.
3. MIDI Out – (current sink)
4. MIDI In + (current source)
5. MIDI In – (current sink)
6. Phantom Power (not stabilized, +11V
DC/ max. 600mA)
7. Phantom Power – negative ( 0V )
FOOTSWITCH: Stereo jack for connecting a 1-way
or 2-way switch/pedal. It lets you switch to the
next higher preset number (UP), next lower preset
(DOWN), or back and forth between two presets
(TOGGLE). For the latter alternative, you must
assign a marker to one of the two presets (see
section 7.5 FOOTSWITCH). The zenTera®detects the
polarity (1-way or 2-way) of the connected
switch/pedal when it is switched on.
FOOT PEDAL: Stereo jack designed to take an
expression pedal for controlling VOLUME or WAH
WAH. The volume function is the default setting
and remains of until you assign a wah-wah effect
for the given preset in WAH WAH MODE (see
section 7.1).
1
6
425
3
7
®
is equipped
RETURN: Connect your effects device’s outputs to
these inputs jack. You can also use the RETURN
jacks to connect an external signal source such as
an audio playback device. However, keep in
mind that in this interrupts the zenTera®preamp’s
signal path. In other words, the zenTera®is unable
to output both the external signal and its internal
signal.
Here’s how to get around that problem: If you
want to practice to a backing track, connect
your CD player to just one side of the effects
return and adjust the playback track’s volume on
the CD player. If you use presets with stereo
effects, you must set the zenTera®to mono in the
System menu.
HEADPHONES: Connect headphones to this jack.
You can control the volume of the headphones
output independently of the MASTER knob setting.
Like the RECORDING OUT, this circuit features
speaker simulation that replicates the sound of the
original amp.
Note that the internal loudspeakers are not muted
automatically when you plug in headphones. If
you want to mute the zenTera®'s speakers, turn the
MASTER volume knob all the way down.
RECORDING OUT: Analog and digital stereo output
for connecting the zenTera®to a mixing console or
a PC. Software Version 2.3 features an enhanced
RECORDING OUT enabling volume and presence
settings to be programmed and stored with each
preset.
Note: In some gigging scenarios, it can be
beneficial to send a separate signal to the PA via
RECORDING OUT.
SPEAKERS LEFT
CAUTION!
TO PREVENT THE RISK OF FIRE AND SHOCK
HAZARD DON´T EXPOSETHIS APPLIANCE TO
MOISTURE OR RAIN. DO NOT OPEN CASE;
NO USER SERVICEABLE PARTS INSIDE.
REFER SERVICING TO QUALIFIED SERVICE
PERSONNEL.
REAR PANEL AND VENTILATION OPENINGS
MAY BECOME TOO HOT TO TOUCH!
Ser. No.
100 WATTS
SPEAKERS RIGHT SERIAL EFFECTS LOOP
100 WATTS
LEFT
RETURN
RIGHT LEFT
SEND
RIGHT
HEAD
PHONES
RECORDING
OUT
DIGITAL
IN OUT THRU
MIDI + STAGEBOARD PHANTOM POWER FUSE
T 500 mA / SB 500 mA
FOOT
SWITCH
T : UP / TOGGLE
R : DOWN
FOOT
PEDAL
T : + 5 V / R : CV
S: GROUND
MADE IN ST. WENDEL/GERMANY
ANALOG
EXTERNAL SPEAKER MIN. 8 Ω
INTERNAL SPEAKER MIN. 16 Ω
EXTERN. INTERN.
EXTERNAL SPEAKER MIN. 8 Ω
INTERNAL SPEAKER MIN. 16 Ω
EXTERN. INTERN.
S/PDIFLEFT RIGHT
STAGE
BOARD
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ENGLISH
2) You can opt to mute the zenTera®while you are
tuning. Use PARA 2 to preset the amp’s level for
the duration of the tuning procedure:
M = muted, 1, 2, 3 = three different levels. The
given setting appears in the display following
the center frequency.
3) The pitch of the most recently plucked string is
indicated at the end of the second display line.
7.4 STORE
Press STORE to save preset settings. The indicator in
the display flashes. Then select the desired
memory slot for the preset using the PRESET knob.
To name the preset, use PARA 1 to move the
cursor and select the desired letters, numbers or
symbols from the available font. If you tap PARA 2
once you have made your selection, the cursor
automatically jumps to the next position, sparing
you the necessity of having to navigate with
PARA 1. The preset is stored by pressing STORE
repeatedly. You can cancel or quit the storage
process at any time by pressing TUNER or TAP.
NOTE:
• Only the PRESET and PARA 1 and 2 knobs are
enabled during the storage process. All other
knobs are disabled.
• If you want to edit and store presets you must
deactivate MEMORY PROTECTION in the System
menu (see section 8.1 below).
7.5 FOOTSWITCH
You can connect a standard 1-way or 2-way
switch/pedal to the zenTera®and use it to switch
to the next higher preset number (UP), next lower
preset (DOWN), or back and forth between two
presets (TOGGLE). Go to the System menu to
assign the desired UP/DOWN/TOGGLE function
(see section 10). Turn TYPE until FOOTSWITCH
ASSIGN appears in the display. Use PARA 1 or
PARA 2 to select UP, DWN or TGL. The zenTera
®
detects the type of connected switch.
• With a 1-way pedal, you can only switch presets
in ascending order – upwards, that is.
• A 2-way pedal lets you switch upwards with one
switch and downwards with the other.
• To switch back and forth between two presets
with a 1-way or 2-way switch/pedal, you must
select the appropriate setting in the System
menu and assign a marker to one of the two
presets. To do this, select the desired preset and
double-click PARA 2. This sets the marker. Select
the second preset. You can then switch back
and forth via sustain pedal between this most
recently selected preset and the preset that you
assigned the marker to. This is a convenient
option whenever two sounds suffice or you
forgot to bring your Z-Board.
7.6 TAP
In addition to letting you sync up delay to the
tempo of a song manually, the TAP button gives
you another option: you can use it to create short
samples of guitar patterns or riffs (up to 25
seconds). The zenTera®plays these samples back
in repeating loops so that you can play a melody
or another riff over them. The optionally available
Z-Board is far better suited for this purpose than
the TAP button on the amp, because you have to
press and hold the latter while you're recording
samples.
offers two different wah-wahs:
®
wah-wah (Cry
offers you a choice of two WAH WAH
®
in different venues, you
To activate the GLOBAL EQ, press and hold the
PRESET knob. EQUALIZER ON or OFF appears in the
display. If OFF appears, press and hold PRESET
once more. The EQ activates and the BASS, MID,
TREBLE and PRESENCE knobs are enabled for
adjusting the GLOBAL EQ. BASS adjusts the bottom
end, MID the low mids, TREBLE the upper mids,
and PRESENCE the top end frequencies. You can
switch the EQ (Preset) on and off to hear how the
modifications affect the sound. Once you are
satisfied, leave the EQ on and exit the menu by
briefly tapping TUNER.
Note: If the GLOBAL EQ was on when you switched
the amp off, the amp indicates this when you
switch it on again. GLOBAL EQ flashes in the
display for about eight seconds. The idea here is
of course to remind you that the EQ is still
enabled.
7.3 TUNER
Activate the built-in tuning device by tapping
TUNER. The term TUNER appears in the first line of
the display. A large “+” appears when the string’s
pitch is sharp (too high), a “-“ when the pitch is
flat (too low), and “OK” when the string is tuned to
pitch. You can also see this indicated in the tuning
meter – a chain of lights at the bottom of the
display. Various values can appear in the second
line. Let’s take a closer look at these:
1) The selected center frequency of the reference
note A is indicated at the beginning of the line.
You can calibrate it within a range of 435 to 445
hertz using PARA 1.
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ENGLISH
8.2 MODE
This feature lets you adapt the zenTera®to a 2x 12"
or a 4x 12" loudspeaker configuration. The first
option is designed for the zenTera®combo’s
internal speakers, the latter option for connecting
an additional 4x 12" cabinet. Note that this circuit
was fine-tuned using the Celestion®Greenbackloaded Hughes & Kettner CC 412 as the reference
cabinet. That’s why this 4x 12” cab delivers the
best sonic results for this application.
Beyond that, you can determine for both loudspeaker configurations if the output signal is sent in
stereo or mono to the power amp and
RECORDING OUT. Turn TYPE until MODE appears in
the display. Use PARA 1 or PARA 2 to select MONO
2x 12 or STEREO 2x 12", or MONO 4x 12" or STEREO
4x 12".
8.3 WAKE UP
When you power the zenTera®up, it comes on line
in one of two selectable modes.
1. with the preset that was active before you last
switched it off: LAST PRESET.
2. with the settings that were active before you
switched it off: LAST SETTING.
To select your preferred option, proceed as
follows: Turn the TYPE knob until WAKE UP appears
in the display. Use the PARA 1 or PARA 2 knobs to
set either LAST PRESET or LAST SETTING. The
difference is that in the first case, edits made but
not stored are reset. In other words, the preset
reports back in its original stored state. In the latter
case, these modifications are retained. This is an
important distinction to make, particularly in live
situations when you have tweaked your sound on
stage to suit the venue. With the latter option, in
the event of a power outage the sound that you
were using prior to the power failure would be
automatically be available to you when power is
restored. With the former, you would be required
to dial the settings in again manually.
8.4 READ VALUES
If you want the amp to display the parameters of
a preset (as they were stored), turn TYPE until READ
VALUES appears in the menu. Use PARA 1 or
PARA 2 to successively dial all settings into the display. This is a special feature designed to provide
a view of a preset's settings without changing
them. They are displayed in the following
sequence:
• Preset Name
• Amp Type
• Sensitivity
• Gain
• Bass
• Mid
• Treble
• Presence
• Volume
• Wah Wah
• Insfx Name
• Insfx Para1
• Insfx Para2
• Modfx Name
• Modfx Mix
• Modfx Para1
• Modfx Para2
• Modfx Pre bzw. Modfx Post
• Delfx Name
• Delfx Mix
• Delfx Para1
• Delfx Para2
• Delay Pre bzw. Delay Post
• Rev Name
• Revfx Mix
• Rev Para1
• Rev Para2
• Reverb Pre bzw. Reverb Post
• Pedal Assign
• Rec. Presence
• Rec. Level
8.1 MEMORY PROTECTION
you want to protect your user presets (1 - 100)
against unintentional overwriting, you can enable
memory protection in this menu. Note that if you
choose to do so, you must also disable it before
you can edit your presets. Turn TYPE until MEMORY
PROTECTION appears in the display. Use the PARA
1 or PARA 2 knob to activate or deactivate
memory protection. (ON/OFF).
®
7.7 PEDAL ASSIGN
Press and hold PARA 1 to activate PEDAL ASSIGN
MODE. Now every knob on the zenTera®can be
controlled via the wah-wah pedal on the Z-Board
(you can still activate the wah-wah by flooring the
pedal on the Z-Board). As an alternative, you can
also connect an expression pedal to the rear
panel FOOTPEDAL jack. Assigning a parameter to
the pedal: Press PARA 1 until the display reads
PEDAL ASSIGN. PEDAL ASSIGN mode is active. Turn
the desired knob - say GAIN, PARA 1, REVERB, etc.
- and confirm with STORE. Now you can use a foot
pedal to control the parameters of whatever knob
you dialed. You can cancel or quit PEDAL ASSIGN
mode at any time by pressing STORE.
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