Tech 21 RK5 Fly Rig Owner`s Manual

POWER REQUIREMENTS

Utilizes included 12V DC power supply, 150mA, center negative.
Individual power supplies are provided for specific voltages
(100V, 117V, 230V, 240V) with corresponding plugs appropriate for each
country. For replacement Tech 21 power supply, please contact your
local dealer/distributor, or Tech 21.
Maximum power consumption: approx 100mA.

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 or register online.

Note: This equipment has been tested and found to
comply with the limits for a Class B digital device, pursuant
to part 15 of the FCC Rules. These limits are designed to

in a residential installation. This equipment generates, uses and can radi­ate radio frequency energy and, if not installed and used in accordance
with the instructions, may cause harmful interference to radio commu­nications. However, there is no guarantee that interference will not
occur in a particular installation. If this equipment does cause harmful
interference to radio or television reception, which can be determined
by turning the equipment off and on, the user is encouraged to try to
correct the interference by one or more of the following measures:

• Reorient or relocate the receiving antenna.

• Increase the separation between the equipment and receiver.

• Connect the equipment into an outlet on a circuit different from that
to which the receiver is connected.

• Consult the dealer or an experienced radio/TV technician for help.

provide reasonable protection against harmful interference

WARRANTY:

ONE YEAR LIMITED. 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.

REPAIRS:

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 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM, EST: 973-777-6996.

Hand-built in the U.S.A. using high-quality components sourced
domestically and around the globe.

T: 973-777-6996 • F: 973- 777-9899
E: info@tech21nyc. com • www.tech21nyc .com
©2014 Tech 21 USA, Inc . (rev 9. 16)

OWNER’S MANUAL

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

mulation in professional applications for recording direct and per-

E
forming 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

nd bass. Each product is thoughtfully and respectfully designed by B.

a
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 Richie Kotzen RK5 Signature Fly Rig®is not simply another version
of the Fly Rig 5 with his name slapped on it. This version was devel­oped in close collaboration with Richie, whose input was invaluable.
Meticulous about every facet of his playing, singing, songwriting and
tone, Richie’s attention to the details of this pedal was nothing less.

The RK5 is 11.5 inches long and weighs just over 18 oz. While Richie
primarily uses his RK5 live in conjunction with his standard amp rig, this
sleek, compact unit embodies an entire rig on its own. At its heart, is the
all-analog SansAmp, which makes it possible to go direct to a PA or
mixer. For effects, you have the essentials: a reverb, a delay with tap
tempo, a powerful boost, and Richie’s Signature OMG overdrive.

For fly gigs across the globe, jamming at the local hang, and last minute
sessions, you’ll be the first one ready to go. You can stop stressing over
what to pack and agonizing over what to leave behind. You can stop
dreading cheesy backline loaners and overheating at the mere thought of
your touring rig going down. Just pop your RK5 into your guitar case
and head for the door.

APPLICATIONS

As a PRE-AMP or STOMPBOX with a guitar amp. You can
connect the RK5 in-line just as you would a standard distortion pedal. If
the pre-amp of your amplifier is imparting too much of its own charac­ter on the pedal, plug into the low level input and set the pre-amp as
clean and neutral as possible. As most amps tend to be on the bright
side, you may need to start with High in the SansAmp section below
12 o’clock and adjust as necessary.

Also, be aware that most tube amps have a tone stack. When every­thing is on max, they tend to cut the mid-range. So don’t be surprised
to find that the flattest sound is achieved with bass and treble at mini­mum, and mid at max. Since most tube amp passive tone stacks work in
a similar fashion, we recommend this as a good starting point and ad­justing to taste.

You can also plug into the effects loop return (if the amp has one). This
will disable the entire pre-amp of the amp for a truer representation of
the sound.

For DIRECT RECORDING or DIRECT to PA. All of the tone
shaping and cabinet emulation needed is already incorporated into the
SansAmp section of the pedal. The RK5 automatically converts your
guitar signal to Low Z allowing you to plug into a variety of inputs that
would normally load down your guitar’s signal. It can be plugged into
mixers (live and studio), workstation/recorders, and even directly into
the sound card on a computer.

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THE INS AND OUTS

1/4” INPUT: 1megOhm instrument level. For normal operation, sig-

al level to Input should be close to that of a standard electric guitar

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(approx -10dBm / 250mV). The input is designed with the same sensi­tivity and loading characteristic as a tube amp.

!! WARNING !! DO NOT RUN THE SPEAKER OUT-

PUT OF ANY AMP directly into a SansAmp input.

Severe damage to the amp and the SansAmp will result.

/4” UNIVERSAL OUTPUT: Unbalanced 1kOhm Low Z instru-

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ment level output. This output can be connected to High Z guitar ampli­fiers (or effects) as well as Low Z mixer and computer inputs. Output level
is unity gain when pedal is in bypass mode. It also drives long cables without
loss of signal integrity, even in bypass.

GOOD TO KNOW BEFORE YOU START

RELATIONSHIP OF THE LEVEL CONTROLS

Signal flow is right to left, from the input to the output. Therefore, the
Level controls follow in the same order, from Boost to OMG Level to
SansAmp Level.

Be aware that the “last” level in the signal path will determine the over­all output level. For instance, when the OMG and SansAmp sections
are engaged, the SansAmp Level determines the overall output level of
the unit. If only the Boost and OMG are engaged, the OMG Level de­termines the overall output level of the unit.

The DLA Level control only affects the mix level of the delay, not the
overall output level.

SET LEVEL CONTROLS FOR UNITY GAIN

Set the level controls so you have the same volume coming from your
speaker/monitor whether the pedal is active or in bypass. This ensures
the next device in the signal chain won't get slammed by a much hotter
signal than what would normally come from the instrument. Similarly,
you wouldn't want a drop in volume, either which would force the next
device to struggle for enough signal.

NOTE: When running the RK5 Output directly to the PA, set the
SansAmp Level fairly high to achieve the best signal-to-noise ratio.

SET ALL OTHER CONTROLS AT NOON, just to get started.

CLIP WARNING

The Level control in the DLA section has a built-in clip warning. Like a
VU meter, the DLA’s Level control will flash red to warn you if the cir­cuit is being over loaded.

You can then trim the corresponding control accordingly: Boost, OMG
Level or SansAmp Level. Bear in mind that occasional blinks (peaks) are
okay and can be expected when you dig into your strings, but it should
not be continuously lit.

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GUIDE TO FUNCTIONS and CONTROLS

OMG Section

(in order of signal flow)

SANSAMP Section

Function #1: BOOST

Boost kicks in up to 21dB of clean boost. While it is in the OMG sec­tion, it also works independently to boost the SansAmp and/or DLA
sections and/or your amplifier.

Function #2: OMG Overdrive

Based upon the Richie Kotzen Signature OMG pedal, this section pro­vides a wide range of overdrive, from clean to aggressive. You can add
personality to a clean amp or use it for extra punch with a dirty amp
tone.

DRIVE: Adjusts the overall amount of gain and overdrive, similar to
when the output section of a tube amp is being pushed. Highly interac­tive with the level of your guitar. For instance, you can clean up the
amount of distortion by decreasing the guitar’s volume (except in very
extreme settings) without having to change the setting on the pedal.
Conversely, you can increase the amount of distortion by simply in­creasing the guitar’s volume.

TONE: Specialized voicing for adjusting the high-end and mid-range
of the OMG section. As you reduce the setting, it will decrease the
high-end without losing mids or getting muddy. At max (noted by the
indicator), it’s flat.

LEVEL: Adjusts the output level of the OMG section.

NOTE: The OMG section, like the OMG pedal, is an effect. It has no

speaker emulation incorporated into the circuitry and is not
designed or intended to be used alone going direct to a mixer or PA.

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Function #3: Tube Amplifier Emulation

The SansAmp technology enables the RK5 to run directly into mixers of
recording desks and PA systems, as well as augment your existing ampli­fier set-up. It can also be used to record directly to tape/disc and en­hance previously recorded tracks. The SansAmp section of the RK5,
focuses on clean tones within the tube amplifier sound spectrum. To
dirty things up, you have the flexibility of using the Drive control, the
Boost function, or you can add overdrive from the OMG section. Or all
three. Each method achieves different tones.

Speaker simulation is an integral part of the circuitry. It is designed for a
smooth, even response as would be achieved by a multiply-miked cabinet,
without the peaks, valleys, and notches associated with single miking. The
shape of the speaker curve will not adversely effect or interfere with the
frequency response of your own cabinet. The speaker simulation works in
tandem with the EQ controls to custom tailor the overall sound.

DRIVE: Adjusts the overall amount of gain and overdrive, similar to
when the output section of a tube amp is being pushed. The first half of
the rotation will increase the volume as well as the overdrive.

LOW, MID, HIGH: On-board post-EQ section gives you full con­trol, like having a studio mixing board at your fingertips. Unlike passive
tone controls that only cut, these active controls cut and boost. At 12
o’clock, they are flat.
LOW is tuned to ±12dB @ 120 Hz.
MID is tuned to ±12dB @ 500 Hz.
HIGH is tuned to ±12dB @ 3.3 kHz.

LEVEL: Adjusts the output level of the unit when the SansAmp sec­tion is engaged. This control has an exceptionally wide range for maxi­mum compatibility with a variety of equipment.
Level Tip: When running the RK5 Output directly to the PA, set the
SansAmp Level fairly high to achieve the best signal-to-noise ratio.

Function #4: Reverb

This is like having a tube amp with a built-in reverb. It emulates the rich
ambiance of a vintage spring reverb, minus the annoying artifacts. This
single, continuously-variable control provides a smooth, full sweep to
easily dial in the amount of reverb desired.
Reverb Tip: When using the Reverb in front of an amp, the amp will
compress the signal and the reverb will become more pronounced.
Therefore, you will most likely need to have a lower setting than you
would if you went through an effects loop. For instance, a Reverb setting
at 10 o’clock through an effects loop may need to be adjusted to 8 o’­clock through the front of an amp in order to get the same results.

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DLA Section

Function #5: Delay with Tap Tempo

Voiced for the sounds of a vintage tape echo and is based upon our own
Boost DLA pedal.

TIME: Controls the amount of delay. This single, continuously-variable
control provides a smooth, full sweep, ranging from 28 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.

DRIFT: Rather than evenly modulating the delayed signal, Drift adds a
random, unpredictable element to the modulation that is more true to
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 special effects.

REPEATS: Feeds back the delayed signal to the input of the delay cir­cuit 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. At max, it will self-oscillate.
Repeats Tip: When using the DLA in front of an amp, the amp will
compress the signal and the repeats will become more pronounced.
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
Repeats setting at 10 o’clock through an effects loop will yield 3 repeats.
However, through the front of an amp, you may find a setting of 8 o’clock
will give you the same results.

LEVEL: Adjusts the output level of the DLA section only. Also func­tions as a clip warning (see page 2).

TAP TEMPO: Dedicated footswitch makes it simple to just tap in
the delay tempo you want during your performance. Tap Tempo will
override the Time setting (and conversely, turning the Time knob will
override the Tap Tempo). The Tap Tempo works in Bypass so you can set
it ahead of time. A special feature of the Tech 21 Tap Tempo is that it
will not change the pitch of your guitar tone when you change the pace
from faster to slower or slower to faster. This provides a seamless tran­sition for on-the-fly adjustments if your drummer drifts.

THE HIDDEN CHORUS

You can create a chorus-like effect by turning up the Drift control. For
a preview, use only the DLA section and set Level at max, Repeats at
min, Drift at noon, Time at min.

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OTEWORTHY NOTES

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1) Knob Grippers.The RK5 is shipped with four (4) “knob grip­pers,” one on each Level control. They are intended to facilitate the
knobs you will adjust most often and can easily be moved around. If
desired, optional 10-packs are available for purchase. Please see our
website Accessories page for details.

2) Using the RK5 with a Power Engine 60. Simply connect
the 1/4” output of the RK5 to the 1/4” input of the Power Engine 60.
Be aware the Power Engine 60 utilizes a ground independent trans­former, which may pick up hum from the auto-switching power supply.
Therefore, the XLR input of the Power Engine 60 should be grounded.
You can make your own grounding plug by modifying a male XLR con­nector by soldering Pin 1 to Pin 3 and inserting into the XLR input of
the Power Engine 60 per the diagram below.
NOTE: If you’re not into soldering, a Tech 21 grounding plug is avail­able for purchase. Please see our website Accessories page for details.

3) Using the RK5 with headphones. The RK5 will drive aver­age headphones at moderate volume. We recommend using a mono
1/4-inch to stereo 3.5mm adapter plug so both sides are operational.

4) Tech 21 controls are unusually sensitive and tend to per­form well beyond what would be considered “normal.” So you need
not set everything at max to get maximum results. For instance, to
brighten your sound, rather than automatically boosting High all the
way up, try cutting back on Low first.

5) 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 piece of gear. We recommend you
start with the tone controls at 12 o’clock and cut or boost as necessary.

6) Tech 21 pedals have exceptionally low noise levels.

However, they may amplify noise emanating from the input source. To
minimize noise, we recommend active electronic instruments have the
volume set so that the clip light barely comes on when in Bypass, and
have the tone controls positioned flat. If you need to boost, do so
slowly and sparingly. Also check for pickup interference by moving
your guitar or turning the volume off. Be aware single coil pickups are
more likely to generate noise.

7) Placement notes: The RK5 can be treated as an amplifier or
preamp when it comes to setting up your signal chain:

Place the following effects BEFORE the RK5:

Booster, Compression, Fuzz, Phaser/Vibe, Overdrive, Wah.

Place the following effects AFTER the RK5:

Delay, EQ, Flanger, Phaser (yes, after is good, too), Pitch Shifter, Reverb.

8) 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.

9) Custom actuators. All Tech 21 pedals feature smooth, silent­switching actuators that are licensed by other major manufacturers.

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