Source Audio Soundblox 2 Dimension Reverb User Manual

DIMENSION REVERB

USER’S GUIDE

SA225

WELCOME

Thank you for purchasing the Soundblox 2 Dimension Reverb. The
Dimension Reverb features a broad set of painstakingly crafted profes­sional quality reverb effects including models of popular mechanical
reverbs, acoustical reverbs, and our own original effect creations. Each
reverb effect can be customized and tweaked by a full set of useful
controls and additional interface options.

The Dimension Reverb also features a new compact physical format in
addition to many new and useful features designed for easy on-stage use.
Like all Soundblox effects pedals, the Soundblox 2 Dimension Reverb is
also “Hot Hand Ready”.

The Quick Start guide will help you with the basics. For more in-depth in­formation about the Dimension Reverb, move on to the following sections.

Enjoy!

-The Source Audio team

If possible, dispose of the device at a recycling center. Do not dispose of the
device with the household waste.

For full compliance with EN 61000-4-6 standard, input cable must be less
than 3 meters in length.

2 | Welcome

OVERVIEW

DIVERSE SOUND PALETTE

12 unique, rich-sounding reverb effects based on physical spaces and
mechanical reverbs.

DEEP CONTROL SET

Access to Reverb control parameters typically found only on professional
rack systems.

STATE-OF-THE-ART DSP

Our proprietary 56-bit Digital Signal Processor, the SA601, and crystal
clear 24-bit converters.

COMPACT DESIGN

A compact, rugged, cast-aluminum housing.

UNIVERSAL BYPASS™

Select either analog buffered or relay-based True Bypass.

2 USER PRESETS

Easy to configure user presets selectable via two footswitches.

MULTI-FUNCTION INPUT

A multi-purpose control input for use with Hot Hand®, expression pedal,
or MIDI.

Overview | 3

QUICK START

1. POWER

To power the unit, connect the included DC adapter power supply to

the 9V DC jack on the back panel.

Note: Using a non-Source Audio supply could damage the unit. Please

be very cautious when using 3rd party power supplies.

2. GUITAR/AUDIO CONNECTIONS

Next, plug your guitar (or other instrument) into the jack labeled

GUITAR IN via a standard ¼" cable. Connect your amp (or other audio
device) to the GUITAR OUT jack, again with a standard ¼" cable. Both
input and output are mono signals.

GUITAR IN

GUITAR OUT

4 | Quick Start

MULTI-

FUNCTION

IN

MULTI-

FUNCTION

OUT

9V DC

3. BRIEF KNOB, FOOTSWITCH, AND BUTTON DESCRIPTIONS

YW

12

(see Controls section for more details)

• EFFECT KNOB: selects the reverb type to be used.

• TIME: adjusts the duration of the reverb.

• OPTION: adjusts parameter selected by the OPTION SELECT button.

• TREBLE: controls the high frequency damping on the reverb.

• MIX: balances the wet and dry signals.

• OPTION SELECT: selects which parameter will be controlled by the

OPTION knob.

• CONTROL INPUT: selects the external controller type to be used.

• FOOTSWITCHES: Enables/Disables a preset depending on the selected

footswitch. Press and hold to save an edited preset.

PLATE 1

TIME

OPTION
SELECT

E-DOME

ARENA

STAGE

CLUB

PRE-DELAY

(OUTPUT)

DIFFUSE

(RATE)

BASS

(DEPTH)

OPTION TREBLE

ECHO

DIMENSION REVERB

PLATE 2

SPRING 1

SPRING 2

MODVERB

METAL BOXROOM

MIX

DR

ET

HH

MIDI

EXP

CONTROL
INPUT

Quick Start | 5

THEORY OF OPERATION

For those readers interested in seeing exactly what’s happening inside
the Dimension Reverb, figure 1 is a block diagram of the reverb algorithm.

The various control knobs are positioned next to the processing steps

they control.

IN

Volume Trim

OUTPUT

Diffusion

Pre-Delay

DIFFUSE

PRE-DELAY

delay

delay

Delay Times

LFO

LFO

RATE

DEPTH

EFFECT

6 | Theory of Operation

Diffusion

Diffusion

Diffusion

Filtersdelay

Filters

Filters

HF & LF

Damping

TREBLE BASS

figure 1

Unitary

Mixer

Wet

Sum

wet

MIX

dry

Mixer

Gain

TIME

OUT

Feedback

Injection

Looking at the diagram of the algorithm, the input audio signal comes
in initially and goes through a volume control and a diffusion block (con­trolled by DIFFUSE) before entering the pre-delay line. The length of that
delay is set with the PRE-DELAY control. The output of that delay is sent
into the main reverb loop through the injection mixer. The audio circulates
through the main reverb loop consisting of a number of delay lines with
their lengths set by the EFFECT knob. The precise lengths of these delay
lines are varied by an LFO (Low Frequency Oscillator) controlled by the
RATE and DEPTH.

These delay outputs go into additional diffusers (also controlled by

DIFFUSE), then to a block that creates the final wet signal, then to the
injection mixer, and then to the feedback block. The reverb TIME knob
sets the amount of feedback through the loop anywhere from 0.0 (mini­mum time) to 0.993 (maximum time). The higher the feedback, the longer
the sound will continue to circulate through the entire reverb loop. Lower
feedback will make the output signal die away more quickly.

The Unitary Mixer takes all these signals and combines them to produce

the same number of output signals. However, this mixer has special
properties, such that the signal energy leaving the mixer is exactly equal
to the energy going in. This is an important feature that keeps the signal
from ringing excessively at any given frequency. Next there is a bank of
filters that control the high and low frequency damping. The amount of
damping is set by the TREBLE and BASS controls. At this point the signal
flow wraps around back into the delay lines. Meanwhile, the extracted wet
signal is combined with the dry signal (controlled by the MIX knob) and
this becomes the final output.

Theory of Operation | 7

CONNECTIONS

GUITAR IN: Connect your guitar, bass, or other instrument here using a

standard MONO ¼" cable.

GUITAR OUT: Connect this to your amp, pedal, or other audio device.

MULTI-FUNCTION IN (optional): The multi-function input is a flexible

control input for use with external controllers. It can accept digital or
analog signals which allows the Dimension Reverb to interface with the
following accessories:

• SA110/SA115 Hot Hand Wireless Adapter

• SA111 Hot Hand Wired Sensor

• SA161 Source Audio Dual Expression Pedal

• Source Audio Soundblox 2 MIDI Adapter

MULTI-FUNCTION OUT (optional): Use a Source Audio daisy-chain
cable to connect this jack to the sensor/multi-function input of another
Soundblox pedal.

9V DC: Connect the included 9 Volt DC power supply here.

GUITAR IN

GUITAR OUT

8 | Connections

MULTI-

FUNCTION

IN

MULTI-

FUNCTION

OUT

9V DC

CONTROLS: KNOBS

PLATE 1

EFFECT (not labeled)

The effect knob selects which reverb type will be used. There are 12 posi­tions around the knob. For information on the individual settings see the
Effect Types section.

- Continued

ARENA

STAGE

CLUB

E-DOME

PLATE 2

SPRING 1

SPRING 2

MODVERB

METAL BOXROOM

ECHO

Controls: Knobs | 9