Radial Engineering BigShot MIX Owner's Manual

www.radialeng.com

Radial Engineering Ltd.
1638 Kebet Way, Port Coquitlam BC V3C 5W9
Tel: [phone] Fax: [phone]
email: [e-mail]

BigShot MIX
Owner’s Manual

True to the Music

Radial BigShot MIX users guide v1.0 - Part #: R870 1160 00
Subject to change without notice

BigShot MIX User Guide

Radial Engineering Ltd.

LIMITED THREE YEAR TRANSFERABLE WARRANTY

Radial Engineering Ltd. (“Radial”) warrants this product to be free from defects in
material and workmanship and will remedy any such defects free of charge according
to the terms of this warranty. Radial Engineering will repair or replace at its option any
defective component(s) of this product, excluding the  nish, the footswitch (footswitch
is warranted for 90 days) and wear and tear from normal use, for a period of three
(3) years from the original date of purchase. In the event that a particular product
is no longer available, Radial Engineering reserves the right to replace the product
with a similar product of equal or greater value. To make a request or claim under
this limited warranty, the product must be returned prepaid in the original shipping
container (or equivalent) to Radial Engineering or to an authorized repair centre and
you must assume the risk of loss or damage. A copy of the original invoice showing
date of purchase and the dealer name must accompany any request for work to be
performed under this limited warranty. This limited warranty shall not apply if the product
has been damaged due to abuse, misuse, misapplication, accident or as a result of
service or modi cation by any other than an authorized repair centre.

THERE ARE NO EXPRESSED WARRANTIES OTHER THAN THOSE ON THE FACE
HEREOF AND DESCRIBED ABOVE. NO WARRANTIES, WHETHER EXPRESSED
OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO, ANY IMPLIED WARRANTIES
OF MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, SHALL
EXTEND BEYOND THE RESPECTIVE WARRANTY PERIOD DESCRIBED ABOVE
OF THREE YEARS.

RADIAL ENGINEERING SHALL NOT BE RESPONSIBLE OR LIABLE FOR ANY
SPECIAL, INCIDENTAL OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES OR LOS S ARISING
FROM THE USE OF THIS PRODUCT. THIS WARRANTY GIVES YOU SPECIFIC
LEGAL RIGHTS, AND YOU MAY ALSO HAVE OTHER RIGHTS, WHICH MAY VARY
DEPENDING ON WHERE YOU LIVE.

BigShot MIX User Guide

Radial Engineering Ltd.

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INPUT - This ” jack connects
from your instrument.

SEND - This ” jack connects
to the input of an effect pedal.

RETURN - This ” jack
connects to the output of an
effect pedal.

LEVEL - This recessed control
sets the mix ratio between the
direct signal and effect pedal.

7

5

9VDC - 2.1mm connection
jack for standard 9 volt power
adaptors (center tip negative).

POLARITY - This two position
switch is used to compensate
for effect pedals that invert
their outputs to prevent phase
cancellation.

OUTPUT - This ” jack connects
to your ampli er.

LOOP - Heavy-duty footswitch
with LED status indicator.

FEATURES AND FUNCTIONS

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2

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BIGSHOT MIX SPECIFICATIONS

Audio connections: .................4 x ” phone jacks

Input / Output impedance: ......1M Ohms / 1k Ohms

Switching: ...............................Heavy-duty footswitch with LED indicator

Power: ....................................9 Volt DC, center negative barrel plug

2.1mm inside dia. (5.5mm O.D.)

Current draw: .........................40mA max current draw with LED on

Size: .......................................3” x 3” x 2”

True to the Music

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INTRODUCTION

Congratulations on your purchase of the Radial BigShot MIX. Radial products
are easy to use and this short manual contains all the information you need to
start using your BigShot MIX right away. For more information on the BigShot
MIX and other Radial products, visit our website, www.radialeng.com.

The BigShot MIX is an active class-A effects loop that allows you to blend
the natural sound of an instrument with effect pedals. A standard effects loop,
like the BigShot EFX, switches between true bypass and it’s effects loop. The
BigShot MIX also switches between true bypass and it’s effect loop, except
the loop works more like an auxiliary send on a mixing console. Just like an
audio engineer in the studio mixes a vocal track with reverb, the BigShot MIX
allows you to mix in the effect pedals while the natural tone of your instrument
goes direct through to your amp. This is a big advantage with instruments that
rely on their natural tone like acoustic and bass guitars. For all instruments the
BigShot MIX is a unique way to create new tones. Like all Radial pedals the
MIX is made road and stage tough with 14-gauge steel construction, a double­sided PC board and a heavy-duty footswitch.

CONNECTING THE BIGSHOT MIX

Before connecting the BigShot MIX, make sure your ampli er is turned off and
all volume levels are set to zero. This will avoid any loud pops that could cause
speaker damage. To start, set the LEVEL control at 12 o’clock (or halfway).

Connect your guitar to the INPUT jack of the BigShot MIX. Connect the
OUTPUT jack to your ampli er. Connect an effect pedal to the SEND and
RECEIVE jack on the BigShot MIX. You can use as many pedals as you like in
the loop, but for initial testing one pedal will cut down on possible connection
errors. The BigShot MIX is powered by a standard 9V adaptor with a negative
center conductor. The MIX will be active the moment a 9VDC power supply
is connected. Leaving the PB1 on for long periods of time will not cause
damage.

Con rm that the LED is off (bypassed) before continuing. Turn on your amp and
slowly turn up the volume to a low level to test. At this point you should hear
your direct guitar sound. Depress the LOOP footswitch and con rm the LED is
on and any effect pedal in the loop is also active. If all is working correctly, the
sound should be a mixture of your direct guitar sound and the effect pedal.

BigShot MIX User Guide

Radial Engineering Ltd.

BigShot MIX User Guide

Radial Engineering Ltd.

BigShot MIX User Guide

Radial Engineering Ltd.

USING THE BIGSHOT MIX FEATURES

To assist in your understanding the BigShot MIX, follow the block diagram
from left to right as each function is described.

POLARITY REVERSE

Some effect pedals reverse the polarity of the signal passing through them.
When a pedal with a reversed output is used with the BigShot MIX phase
cancellation can occur. Phase cancellation causes comb  ltering and produces
a weak, hollow tone with a drop in volume.

These two diagrams show what happens to your signal with respect to polarity
when an effect pedal that inverts the polarity is used in the BigShot Mix.

In Fig.1 the guitar signal is connected to the BigShot MIX. The signal is buffered
and split into two paths; the direct path and the effect loop path. A pedal In the
effects loop inverts the signal 180° from the direct path. When these two paths
are combined in the mixer section they cancel each other out causing comb
 ltering.

To solve this issue the BigShot MIX is equipped with a polarity reverse switch
that can compensate for a pedal that inverts its output. When the BigShot
MIX is active (LED on) try the POLARITY switch in both positions and use the
setting that produces the fullest sound. If the fullest sound is achieved with the
switch set to 180° then an effect pedal is most likely inverting the signal.

InputOutput

SendReturn

BUFFER

GUITAR

EFX

PEDAL

MIXER

Polarity
Reverse

+

-

+

-

Fig.2

+

-

+

-

Positive Polarity

Positive Polarity

BUFFER

The class-A buffer preserves the natural tone of your instrument by presenting
a high impedance input to your guitar. Radial class-A buffers are 100%
discreet (no IC chips) and sound great. The buffer allows the signal to be split
and drives effects pedals connected to the BigShot’s effect loop.

F/X LOOP

The SEND and RETURN jacks use standard ” guitar cables. The SEND
jack connects to the effect pedal input and the RETURN jack connects to
the pedal’s output. Pay close attention when connecting these jacks as most
errors are made here.

LEVEL

The LEVEL control sets the amount of signal that is returned from the effect
pedal. The control is recessed to prevent accidental movement. A guitar pick
can be used like a screw driver to turn the recessed knob. When the control
is set at minimum position (full counter-clockwise) the BigShot MIX will output
100% direct sound. As the control is turned clockwise the effect pedal sound
is mixed with the direct sound. When set at maximum (full clockwise) the
BigShot MIX will output a 50%-50% mix of direct and effect signals. Adjust the
LEVEL control to  nd the ratio of direct to effect that sounds best to you. The
LEVEL control works best when the effect pedal your using to maximum effect
or 100% wet signal.

ACTIVE MIX SECTION

This circuit mixes the direct signal with the signal returning from the BigShot’s
effects loop. The class-A active mix section works in the same way a mixing
console does to combine two signals ensuring that nothing is lost and the
full-range natural sound of both signals is maintained. The active circuit also
has the bene t of preventing the next device in the chain from affecting the
performance of the BigShot MIX.

LOOP FOOTSWITCH

A heavy-duty true bypass footswitch allows you to remove the BigShot MIX
from the signal path for a direct connection to your amp. The LED status
indicator will be off when the BigShot MIX is bypassed.

Note: Set pedal for 100% effect.

Figure 2 shows the same setup except the polarity reverse switch is shown
inverting the signal before the effect pedal. By feeding the pedal a signal that
has been reversed we trick its output to be in phase with the direct signal
path.

Phase

Cancellation

Fig.1

+

-

+

-

BUFFER

GUITAR

EFX

PEDAL

MIXER

+

-

Negative Polarity

+

-

+

-

Positive Polarity

Direct Path

Loop Path

+

-

Positive Polarity