SPL Cabulator User Manual
Manual
Cabulator
Model 2930
Power soak, speaker simulator and D. I. output for guitar amplifiers
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Cabulator
Manual Cabulator, Model 2930
Version 1.2 – 11/2009
Designer: Ralf Reichen, Jens Gronwald
This manual contains a description of the product. It in no way represents a guarantee of
particular characteristics or results of use. The information in this document has been carefully compiled and veried and, unless otherwise stated or agreed upon, correctly describes
the product at the time of packaging with this document.
Sound Performance Lab (SPL) continuously strives to improve its products and reserves the
right to modify the product described in this manual at any time without prior notice. This
document is the property of SPL and may not be copied or reproduced in any manner, in part
or fully, without prior authorization by SPL.
SPL electronics GmbH
Sohlweg 80, 41372 Niederkruechten, Germany
Phone +49 (0)2163 983 40
Fax +49 (0)2163 983 420
E-Mail: info@spl.info
Internet: www.spl.info
The construction of the Cabulator, Model 2930, is in compliance with the standards and regulations of the European Cummunity.
Notes on Environmental Protection
At the end of its operating life, this product must not be disposed of with regular
household waste but must be returned to a collection point for the recycling of
electrical and electronic equipment. The wheelie bin symbol on the product,
user‘s manual and packaging indicates that. The materials can be re-used in
accordance with their markings. Through re-use, recycling of raw materials, or
other forms of recycling of old products, you are making an important contribution to the
protection of our environment. Your local administrative ofce can advise you of the responsible waste disposal point.
WEEE Registration: 973 349 88
© 2009 SPL electronics GmbH. All rights reser ved. Names of other companies and their
products are trademarks of their respective owners.
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Cabulator
Symbols & Notes ............................................................................... 4
Scope of Delivery & Packaging ................................................................ 4
Important Security Information ............................................................... 5
Hook Up ......................................................................................... 5
Placement, Before You Begin .............................................................. 5
Introduction ..................................................................................... 6
Tonehunter and SPL, Tonehunter, SPL, Cabulator ........................................ 6
Advantages, On Stage, Sound Setups .................................................... 7
A Complete – Not Approximated – Simulation, Analog Construction – Analog Function
REAR PANEL ..................................................................................... 8
Power Connection, On and Off, Signal Connections, 1/4“ Jack Sockets ................... 8
Overview, Wiring Examples ................................................................ 9
Rear Panel/Connections ....................................................................... 1 0
Speaker In, Important Warning on Connecting Guitar Amps, Soak Output .............. 1 0
D. I. Output, DC Power, On and Off, Power Connection,
Passive Power Soak ...................................................................... 11
FRONT ........................................................................................... 1 2
Overview .................................................................................... 1 2
... 8
Content
Control Elements ............................................................................... 1 2
Power Soak, Speaker Voicing .............................................................. 1 2
Cabinet: Open/Close, Character: Vintage/Modern,
Leveling the D.I.-Output Signal ............................................................ 13
Setups ........................................................................................... 1 3
Setup 1: Speaker Simulation Only ......................................................... 1 3
Setup 2: Power Soak Only .................................................................. 1 4
Setup 1: Speaker Simulation and Power Soak ............................................. 1 5
Specications .................................................................................. 1 6
Guarantee & Product Registration ............................................................ 1 6
Block Diagram .................................................................................. 1 7
Copy Master: Recall Settings .................................................................. 1 8
Your Notes ...................................................................................... 1 9
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Cabulator
Symbols and Notes
IN THIS MANUAL A LIGHTNING SYMBOL WITHIN A TRIANGLE WARNS YOU ABOUT THE
POTENTIAL FOR DANGEROUS ELECTRICAL SHOCKS – WHICH CAN ALSO OCCUR EVEN AFTER
THE MACHINE HAS BEEN DISCONNECTED FROM A POWER SOURCE.
AN EXCLAMATION MARK (!) WITHIN A TRIANGLE IS INTENDED TO MAKE YOU AWARE OF
IMPORTANT OPERATIONAL ADVICE AND/OR WARNINGS THAT MUST BE FOLLOWED. BE
ESPECIALLY ATTENTIVE TO THESE AND ALWAYS FOLLOW THE ADVICE THEY GIVE.
The symbol of a lamp directs your attention to explanations of important functions or applications.
Attention: Do not attempt any alterations to this machine without the approval or supervision
of SPL electronics GmbH. Doing so could nullify completely any and all of your warranty/guarantee rights and claims to user support.
Scope of Delivery & Packaging
The scope of delivery comprises the Cabulator, the external power supply, the guarantee card
and this manual.
Please keep the original packaging. In case of a service procedure the original packaging
ensures a safe transport. It also serves as a safe packaging for your own transports if you do
not use special transportation cases.
Important Security Information
Please note and retain this manual. Carefully read and follow all of the safety and operating
instructions before you use the machine. Be doubly careful to follow all warnings and special
safety instructions noted in this manual and on the unit.
Connections: Only use the connections as described. Other connections can lead to health
risks and equipment damage.
Water and humidity: Do not use this machine anywhere near water (for example near a wash
basin or bath, in a damp cellar, near swimming pools, or the like). In such cases there is an
extremely high risk of fatal electrical shocks!
Insertion of foreign objects or uids: Never allow a foreign object through any of the
machine‘s chassis openings. You can easily come into contact with dangerous voltage or
cause a damaging short circuit. Never allow any uids to be spilled or sprayed on the machine.
Such actions can lead to dangerous electrical shocks or re!
Opening the unit: Do not open the machine housing, as there is great risk you will damage the
machine, or – even after being disconnected – you may receive a dangerous electrical shock!
Electrical power: Run this machine only from sources which can provide proper power at the
prescribed rating. When in doubt about a source, contact your dealer or a professional electrician. To be sure you have isolated the machine, do so by disconnecting the power cord from
your wall connection. Be sure that the power cord plug is always accessible. When not using
the machine for a longer period, make sure to unplug it from your wall power socket.
Cord protection: Make sure that your power and signal cords are arranged to avoid being
stepped on or any kind of crimping and damage related to such event. Do not allow any equipment or furniture to crimp the cords.
Power connection overloads: Avoid any kind of overload in connections to wall sockets,
extension or splitter power cords, or to signal inputs. Always keep manufacturer warnings
and instructions in mind. Overloads create re hazards and risk of dangerous shocks! >
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Cabulator
Lightning: Before thunderstorms or other severe weather, disconnect the machine from wall
power (but to avoid life threatening lightning strikes, not during a storm). Similarly, before
any severe weather, disconnect all the power connections of other machines and antenna and
phone/network cables which may be interconnected so that no lightning damage or overload
results from such secondary connections.
Air circulation: Chassis openings offer ventilation and serve to protect the machine from overheating. Never cover or otherwise close off these openings. Never place the machine on a soft
surface (carpet, sofa, etc.). Make sure to provide for a mounting space of 4-5 cm/2 inches to
the sides and top of the unit when mounting the unit in racks or on cabinets.
Controls and switches: Operate the controls and switches only as described in the manual.
Incorrect adjustments outside safe parameters can lead to damage and unnecessary repair
costs. Never use the switches or level controls to effect excessive or extreme changes.
Repairs: Unplug the unit from all power and signal connections and immediately contact a qualied technician when you think repairs are needed – or when moisture or foreign objects may accidentally have gotten in to the housing, or in cases when the machine may have fallen and shows
any sign of having been damaged. This also applies to any situation in which the unit has not
been subjected to any of these unusual circumstances but still is not functioning normally or its
performance is substantially altered.
In cases of damage to the power supply and cord, rst consider turning off the main circuit
breaker before unplugging the power cord.
Replacement/substitute parts: Be sure that any ser vice technician uses original replacement
parts or those with identical specications as the originals. Incorrectly substituted parts can
lead to re, electrical shock, or other dangers, including further equipment damage.
Important Security Information
Safety inspection: Be sure always to ask a service technician to conduct a thorough safety
check and ensure that the state of the repaired machine is in all respects up to factory standards.
Cleaning: In cleaning, do not use any solvents, as these can damage the chassis nish. Use
a clean, dry cloth (if necessary, with an acid-free cleaning oil). Disconnect the machine from
your power source before cleaning.
Placement
Place the unit on a level and stable surface. The unit’s enclosure is EMC-safe and effectively
shielded against HF interference. Nonetheless, you should carefully consider where you place
the unit to avoid electrical disturbances. It should be positioned so that you can easily reach
it, but there are other considerations. Try not to place it near heat sources or in direct sunlight,
and avoid exposure to vibrations, dust, heat, cold or moisture. It should also be kept away
from transformers and motors. Always ensure sufcient air circulation by keeping a distance
of 4-5 cm/2 inches to the top and sides of the unit.
Placing the unit upon a guitar amplier is obvious and intended: the height of the feet is
sufcient to also place the Cabulator above a handle. The direction of the grip tray in the
Cabulator’s cover is chosen to especially support holding the unit when connections are
made on the rear panel. Apart from that primary purpose the grip tray is always a perfect pick
holder.
Hook Up
Before you begin
Make sure that the POWER SOAK control is turned fully left before you power up the unit.
Now control volume. Note that too high levels can damage hearing!
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Cabulator
Introduction
Tonehunter and SPL
The Cabulator is a cooperative developmental effort between the guitar amp rm of
Tonehunter and SPL. It brings together many years of experience from the professional music
scene, combining specialized knowledge of electric guitarists and SPL‘s established international reputation in the research and development of analog studio electronics.
This mutual effort of these two rms has been the basis for new ideas such as the Cabulator
cabinet and miking simulator, which formed the basis for the unique Cabulator concept. Both
units have the potential to revolutionize the working life of the guitarist and the recording
studio engineer.
Tonehunter
The rm Tonehunter has a long experience pursuing the goal of fullling the sonic wishes of
professional guitarists. This includes tube ampliers, effects units, support for live and studio
sessions as well as custom set designs from instruments, cables and effects machines to
pickups, amps and speaker cabinets. The Tonehunter team is comprised exclusively of musicians with extensive audio engineering backgrounds who, in contact with their customers,
are always at the forefront of new, no-compromise developments that fulll the highest user
expectations.
SPL – Sound Performance Lab
SPL boasts decades of experience in the development and production of analog and digital
audio processing equipment in the professional music, lm, multimedia and broadcasting
industries. Our products enjoy a rst rank, worldwide reputation for innovation, user friendliness and consistently superior performance.
To SPL’s technological milestones belong the patented Vitalizer® sound optimizing, the
rst level-independent analog dynamic envelope shaping tool (the Transient Designer®),
the pioneering introduction of the rst discrete 5.1 surround recording system (Atmos® 5.1)
and the development of the SPL SUPRA op-amps with an unprecedented operating voltage
of 120 volts. These SUPRA op-amps form the basis for SPL‘s mastering series for stereo and
multi-channel applications and with their performance set new benchmarks in audio signal
processing that are clearly a step beyond all existing analog or digital audio formats.
In 2008 SPL created the rst Analog Code® plug-ins to also enrich the area of computer-based
music production with SPL’s processing innovations.
Cabulator
The SPL Cabulator combines three main features for e-guitar ampliers: power soak, speaker
simulation, and D.I. output.
The Cabulator’s purely analog design excludes latencies. It thereby gives the guitarist a direct
response with an authentic punch.
The analog simulation allows to reproduce even the most subtle guitar amp nuances. The
Cabulator recreates the real harmonics structures and the dynamic response of a miked
cabinet – and delivers signals in recording quality.
With the Cabulator, the engineer gets a rst-class guitar signal in seconds – both for studio
recordings or for a live mix.
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