Tech 21 Boost D.L.A. Owner's Manual

* Utilizes standard 9V alkaline battery (not included). NOTE:Input jack activates battery.To conserve

energy, unplug when not in use. Power Consumption: approx. 50mA,for battery life of approximately
10 hours.

* USE DC POWER SUPPLY ONLY! Failure to do so may damage the unit and void warranty.

DC Power Supply Specifications:

-9V DC regulated or unregulated, 100mA minimum;

-2.1mm female plug, center negative (-).

Optional factory power supply is available: Tech 21 Model #DC2.

WARNINGS:

* Attempting to repair unit is not recommended and may void warranty.
* Missing or altered serial numbers automatically void warranty. For your own

protection: be sure serial number labels on the unit’s back plate and exterior
box are intact, and return your warranty registration card.

ONE YEAR LIMITED WARRANTY. PROOF OF PURCHASE REQUIRED.Manufacturer war­rants unit to be free from defects in materials and workmanship for one (1) year from date of purchase
to the original purchaser and is not transferable.This warranty does not include damage resulting from
accident, misuse, abuse, alteration, or incorrect current or voltage. If unit becomes defective within war­ranty period,Tech 21 will repair or replace it free of charge.After expiration,Tech 21 will repair defec­tive unit for a fee.

ALL REPAIRS for residents of U.S. and Canada: Call Tech 21 for Return Authorization Number.
Manufacturer will not accept packages without prior authorization, pre-paid freight (UPS preferred) and
proper insurance.

FOR PERSONAL ASSISTANCE & SERVICE:

Contact Tech 21 weekdays from 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM, EST.

MADE IN THE U.S.A.

POWER REQUIREMENTS

T: 973-777-6996 • F: 973-777-9899
E: [e-mail] • www.tech21nyc.com
©2007 Tech 21 USA, Inc.

TECH 21, THE COMPANY

Tech 21 was formed by a guitarist possessing the unusual combination of a trained ear and
electronics expertise. In 1989, B.Andrew Barta made his invention commercially available to
players and studios around the world. His highly-acclaimed

SansAmp™ pioneered Tube

Amplifier Emulation in professional applications for recording direct and performing live, and
created an entirely new category of signal processing.There have since been many entries
into this niche, yet SansAmp continues to maintain its reputation as the industry standard.

With a full line of SansAmp models,Tech 21 also offers effect pedals and MIDI products, as
well as “traditional” style amplifiers for guitar and bass. Each product is thoughtfully and
respectfully designed by B.Andrew Barta himself with the player in mind. Our goal is to pro­vide you with flexible, versatile tools to cultivate, control, refine and redefine your own indi­vidual sound. Tech 21 takes great pride in delivering consistent quality sound,studio to studio,
club to club, arena to arena.

PRODUCT OVERVIEW

The Boost D.L.A. is an analog delay emulator pedal that uniquely incorporates a clean boost
function for up to 9dB of additional volume.With boost and delay in a single pedal, your solos
will jump out with greater dimension.

This pedal is designed with user-tweakable,“lo-fi” analog technology. By manipulating the
controls, you can infuse degrees of warmth and life characteristic of vintage delays.The cir­cuitry intentionally injects the inherent imperfections of vintage delays, which is what makes
them so seductive and nostalgic.

A single,
onds. Flutter introduces modulation which adds a slight shimmering/chorus-like effect of a
vintage tape echo.The Mix, Feedback,Tone and Level controls are 100% analog for warm,
organic sounds.The Boost D.L.A. enables you to explore and custom tailor such delay styles
as digital, vintage tape and bucket brigade.

As with each Tech 21 product, the controls are designed to give you the flexibility to obtain
your desired sound. It is our hope that the Boost D.L.A. will be a useful tool for stimulating
your creativity and, ultimately, providing the inspiration to play your best.

continuously-variable Time control provides a full sweep of delay, up to 1000 millisec-

SIGNAL LEVEL TO INPUT/CONNECTIONS

The Boost D.L.A.is designed to accommodate instrument level signals to the Input, such as the
output of a guitar, the output of distortion pedals, etc. For normal operation, signal level to
should be close to that of a standard electric guitar (approx -10dBm / 250mV).

NOTE:Some amplifier effects loops are line level, which will cause the Boost D.L.A. to distort. It
will also compress the signal and reduce the output.The same may hold true for mixing boards.
Therefore, you may need to obtain a level matching transformer.

Be aware that line level signals will not damage the Boost D.L.A., however the resulting sound
may not be particularly desirable.

Input

GUIDE TO CONTROLS

TIME

Controls the amount of delay. This single, continuously-variable control provides a smooth, full
sweep, ranging from 30 milliseconds up to 1,000 milliseconds.At 12 o’clock,Time is approximately
300 milliseconds.You can easily dial in the exact amount of delay desired with one turn of the
knob.Turning the Time control while playing will transpose the pitch of your guitar note, just like
a vintage analog delay.

TONE

100% analog shelving filter of 6dB per octave. Effects the tone of the delayed signal.At maximum
(5 o’clock), it has no effect on the signal of the delay.As you decrease the setting,it will reduce
the high-end to round off the signal and add warmth.So that,like an analog echo,each successive
repeat will be darker.
Tone Tips: To slightly warm up the sound, experiment between 1-3 o’clock.To radically darken
the tone, experiment between 12-7 o’clock.
With the Boost D.L.A.in front of a distorted or slightly distorted amp, set the Tone control to
make the repeats darker than the straight signal, between 11-1 o’clock.This will keep the straight
and delayed signal from “fighting” with each other.

FEEDBACK

100% analog circuit. Feeds back the delayed signal to the input of the pedal to generate the num­ber of repeats.At minimum (7 o’clock), you will hear one repeat.As you increase the setting,the
repeats will follow accordingly until they are almost infinite.
Feedback Tip: With the Boost D.L.A. in front of an amp, the amp will compress the signal and
make the low level repeats louder.Therefore you will most likely need to have the setting lower
than you would when running through an effects loop. For instance, you may find a Feedback set­ting at 10-11 o’clock through an effects loop will yield 3-4 repeats. However, through the front of
an amp, you may find a setting of 4 o’clock will yield the equivalent.

THE INS AND OUTS

1/4” INPUT: 1megOhm high impedance input, same as traditional tube amps.Also switches

battery power on/off.To avoid battery drain, unplug when unit is not in use.

1/4” OUTPUT: 1kOhm low impedance output drives long cables without loss of signal

integrity, even in bypass.

MIX

100% analog circuit.Adjusts the ratio of direct and delayed signal.While most delay pedals provide
a maximum 50/50 mix ratio via a level control,the Tech 21 Mix control offers a sweep from 100%
dry to 100% wet.This gives you more flexibility when you want to run through a parallel effects
loop without annoying phase cancellation, and to make the delayed signal louder than the direct
signal for special effect.

FLUTTER

Introduces modulation which adds a slight shimmering/chorus-like effect of a vintage tape echo.At
minimum (7 o’clock), there is no effect. At maximum, there will be a drastic shifting of the pitch,
which can be used for extreme special effects.

LEVEL / BOOST

100% analog circuit.Adjusts the overall output level. Increasing from unity gain (12 o’clock) pro­vides additional boost, up to 9dB.
Level tip: If you have a 100% wet signal going through a parallel effects loop, use the Level to
adjust the mix of dry and effected signal.

BYPASS

Buffered bypass eliminates the shortcomings associated with “true bypass” (pops and clicks, and
high-end loss when multiple pedals are connected together), as well as signal loss associated with
other types of switching circuits.

PLACEMENT NOTES

The general rule of thumb with time-based effects, is to place them last in the signal chain. Here
are some points to consider:

1) Into an amp’s effects loop. This will give you the cleanest, most true representation of the
effect because it is last in the chain --after the amp’s tone shaping, compression and distortion. It
is the closest way to replicate how delays are used in a recording studio.

2) In front of an amp.The amp’s tone, compression and distortion will all change how a delay
sounds.The amp will distort, brighten and raise the level of the Boost D.L.A., which will give you
more of a ‘70s sound. For a more natural sound, reduce the Mix, Feedback and Tone controls as
needed.

3) After an amp emulator (such as a SansAmp) or distortion pedal into an amp. Set
your amp completely clean to achieve similar results to running through an effects loop.

NOTEWORTHY NOTES

1) To find the best settings for interacting with your other gear, you may need to use radically
different settings for each individual way you use it.You need not be discouraged or suspect
something is wrong with the unit. If you’ve got your sound, you’ve simply found the right balance to
complement each individual type of gear.

2) When recording through a studio mixer, set the Boost D.L.A.at 100% wet. Use the AUX
send/return of the mixer and use the effects knob on the mixer channel to bring in the desired
amount of delay.

3) Stereo imaging for a ‘70s jazz chorus sound. With,for instance, two Tech 21 Trademark
60 combo amps, plug your guitar into one amp, use the Effects Send to the Boost D.L.A. set at
100% wet, a short delay and Flutter at 12 o’clock.Then run the Boost D.L.A. to the Effects Return
of the second amp.

4) The Boost D.L.A. is very responsive. Our controls are unusually sensitive and tend to
perform well beyond what would be considered “normal.”

5) LED indicator light. When battery runs low, the LED will become noticeably dim. Power
consumption is 50mA.With a fresh battery, you can expect the Boost D.L.A. to operate for
approximately 10 hours of continuous use --more than enough for a full gig.To conserve battery
life, unplug the unit during breaks and any other time it is not in use.We recommend opting for a
power supply (Tech 21 Model #DC2 or equivalent), as it is environmentally-friendlier, will ensure
operation, save money on batteries,and relieve stress trying to remember when you last changed
the battery.