Tech 21 SansAmp PSA-1 User Manual
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
History of Tech 21’s SansAmp 2
Introduction 2
Quick Start Instructions 3
Powering the SansAmp PSA-1 4
Front Panel 4
Programming 5
Input jack 5
Pre-Amp 6
Character controls 6
Buzz 6
Punch 7
Crunch 7
Drive 7
Low and High 7
Level 7
2-Digit LED display 7
Save switch 8
Saving a program 8
Down switch and Up switch 9
Rear Panel 9
Input 2 section 9
Input 2 jack 9
Level selector switch 9
0dB and -10dB positions 9
Effects Loop 9
Effects Send 9
Mix 50/50 switch 10
Left & right returns 10
Universal Output Section 10
1/4" output level switch 10
1/4" output jacks 10
XLR output jacks 11
XLR output level switch 11
Footswitch 11
MIDI In and MIDI Thru/Out 11
Suggested Setups 11
Using the SansAmp PSA-1’s Inputs 12
Using the SansAmp PSA-1’s Outputs 13
Using the Effects Loop 13
Using MIDI and Remote Footswitch 14
Special Page Functions & MIDI Implementation 15
Function 1: Custom Preset Data Dump 16
Function 2: MIDI Mapping 16
Function 3: Set Footswitch Loop Count 18
Function 4: Fixed/Programmable Swap Bit 19
Function 5: MIDI Channel Select 20
Function 6: Software Revision Number 20
Function 7: MIDI Map Dump 21
Function 8: Disengage All Pots 21
Function 9: MIDI Thru Disable 21
List of Presets and List of Custom Settings 22
Custom Settings Diagrams 24
Global Reset Back Cover
Warranty Information Back Cover
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USER S GUIDE
The History of Tech 21’s SansAmp™
Tech 21, Inc., introduced SansAmp “Classic” (the original pedal design) in 1989. Our proprietary F.E.T. hybrid-based circuitry pioneered Tube Amplifier Emulation for professional
applications.
Engineered for direct recording and live performances, SansAmp delivers consistent quality
sound --studio to studio, club to club, arena to arena. Players, engineers, and producers can
now obtain a wide spectrum of warm, natural tube amplifier sounds from one convenient unit.
Available in various formats, each SansAmp is suitable for any music style, from jazz to metal,
and can be used with a variety of instruments --guitar, bass, keyboards, samplers, even sax and
vocals.
The SansAmp Classic was conceived and developed by a guitarist who possesses the unusual
combination of a trained ear and electronics expertise. The technology is designed in the true
tradition of tube amplifiers in their totality—with a pre-amp stage and an output stage. It
incorporates the harmonics and sweet overdrive characteristics unique to tube amplifiers—
largely caused by what is referred to as “push-pull” symmetrical clipping. (A single tube is
physically incapable of accomplishing the same results.) SansAmp captures these characteristics, and does so even at low volume levels.
SansAmp gives you the most coveted trademarked sounds and the flexibility to refine and
redefine your own. Each model responds to and interacts with the dynamics of your individual
playing style, your individual musical style, and your instrument’s individual tonality. All of
these factors play an important role in the resulting sound, which will ultimately be yours
alone.
Designed & Manufactured in the U.S.A.
TECH 21, INC.
INTRODUCTION
SansAmp PSA-1 maintains its superior tone with our exclusive, 100% analog circuitry. Only
the programming and memory sections are digital. The results are easy to hear: punchy,
responsive, powerful sounds that bring out the best in an instrument—the kind of tones that
characterize the original SansAmp Classic, SansAmp Bass DI, SansAmp GT2, and SansAmp
Rackmount.
The SansAmp PSA-1 can be used for a variety of applications. In the studio, you can record
direct to tape, enhance existing tracks in mixdowns, as well as add interesting touches to any
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instrument. For live performances, it can be used as a pre-amp direct into a power amp with
guitar or bass speaker cabinets, as a “monster direct box” to a P.A. system, (or both simultaneously), and as an outboard processor.
The SansAmp PSA-1 features MIDI capability for calling up programs and storing program
data. There are 49 factory presets and 49 memory locations to store your own custom sounds,
plus two bypass programs. When you switch between programs, there is no lag time, or “cutting out.”
The controls on the SansAmp PSA-1 work very much like those found on a sophisticated
amp. You don’t need special training or a degree in physics to operate your unit. Storing and
recalling programs is simple: set your tones and push the Save button. Like the SansAmp
Rackmount, you just turn a knob and hear the difference immediately --in real time. There
are 256 incremental steps in the rotation of each control, so increases and decreases occur in
a smooth, gradual, linear fashion.
The SansAmp PSA-1 is designed to provide you with the flexibility to find almost any conceivable tonal personality within the tube amplifier sound spectrum.
QUICK STA RT INSTRUCTIONS
Here’s how you can get your PSA-1 up and running before you read the entire manual.
1. Plug your instrument into the front-panel Input jack (on the left side).
2. Plug one end of a cord into the rear panel’s left Output jack, and plug the other end into
the input of a mixer or an amp or power amp.
3. Plug the AC cord into a wall socket. The SansAmp PSA-1 is now on.
4. Turn on your amp or mixer. (If the mixer is patched into a monitor or recorder setup, make
sure the power amp and speakers are turned on, too.)
5. Turn up the input level on your amp or mixer. If the signal is too “hot,” resulting in
unwanted distortion, or too weak, check the amp’s or mixer’s input control as well as the
Output Level Switch on the back of the SansAmp PSA-1.
6. Play your favorite riff or chord changes, and you should hear a sound coming through your system. If not, recheck your connections, and make sure your guitar’s volume control is turned up.
7. Select programs by pushing either the Up or Down buttons. The first 49 presets (01-49)
are factory settings (refer to the list on page 22), and the second 49 programs (51-99) are storage locations for you to keep your settings. Note that the unit is shipped with programs 51-99
as duplicates of presets 01-49, and that 00 and 50 are bypass settings.
If you need further guidance in setting up your SansAmp PSA-1, check out the diagrams and
information on pages 12 through 14.
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INSTALLATION
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OWERING THE
SANSAMP PSA-1
The SansAmp PSA-1 is powered by potentially hazardous voltage. Therefore, observe the following safety precautions.
WARNING: To avoid the risk of shock or fire, do not expose this unit to moisture. Do not
remove the chassis from its cabinet, or remove metal covers from chassis parts. Removing the
chassis from its cabinet exposes extremely dangerous high voltages. There are no user-serviceable parts inside. Hazardous voltages are present inside the chassis. Refer all servicing to qualified personnel.
CAUTION: Never modify the AC power cord. If the original AC power cord becomes damaged, refer your SansAmp PSA-1 for servicing.
WARNING: Attempting to repair this unit is not recommended and will void its warranty.
NOTE: In the U.S. and Canada, servicing of SansAmp PSA-1 is performed at factory only.
In other countries, please refer repairs to the local Tech 21 authorized distributor.
FRONT PANEL
The SansAmp PSA-1 gives you access to specific tone-shaping characteristics within the tube
amplifier sound spectrum. Controls of this nature are traditionally inaccessible on stock amps,
and adjustments like these can ordinarily be achieved only by permanent professional modification.
Tonality, for instance, can be adjusted in a variety of ways. The individual Character
Controls, labeled Buzz, Punch, Crunch, and Drive, offer different results than the post EQ
section (the controls labeled Low and High).
The gain structure can be adjusted via the Pre-Amp control, which results in a different kind
of overdrive than the Drive control. Additionally, Buzz, Punch, and Crunch each affect the
gain structure within specific frequency bands.
As you experiment and become familiar with the controls’ interrelationships, you’ll be able to
customize your own sounds and store them in the SansAmp PSA-1’s memory.
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Because the SansAmp PSA-1 is fully programmable, everything you do is monitored by the
SansAmp PSA-1’s internal computer. Whenever you turn a knob from the setting stored in
memory, one of the two dots in the upper left corners of the LED
numerical display blinks.
This feature is useful when you want to know the position of each
knob’s setting in the memory. Here’s how to use it::
Assume that the preset point for a particular knob is 12 o’clock.
When you turn that knob, it “unlocks.” One of the two dots
above the digits in the LED numerical display will blink. The
arrows above the LED display tell you which direction
you need to turn the knob to find the preset point. The
up arrow tells you to increase the setting; the down arrow
tells you to decrease.
If you are far below the preset point, the left dot blinks
slowly. Follow the direction of the arrow (up) and
increase the setting. As you get closer to the preset point,
the dot blinks faster. If you turn the knob past the preset point, the right dot will first blink
fast and then slow as you turn farther clockwise away from the preset point. When you reach
the preset point, both dots stop blinking and go dark.
INPUT JACK
This 1/4" Input features an impedance buffer so that the tone from a guitar’s or bass’ pickups, or
the signal from other instruments, reaches the SansAmp PSA-1 without degradation. A second
input jack is located on the rear panel. Note: plugging into the front-panel Input jack overrides
and disconnects the rear-panel jack. This lets you set up your SansAmp PSA-1 as a permanent
part of a rack or patch-bay setup, with its usual input source plugged into the rear-panel jack.
Then, if you want to plug straight into the SansAmp PSA-1, bypassing other parts of the system,
you can use the SansAmp PSA-1’s front Input.
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Left dot
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Left dot
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Right dot
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Both dots
go dark
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PRE-AMP
This is the input sensitivity control. The Pre-Amp control adjusts
the signal level going into the input section of the SansAmp
PSA-1. The arrows in the surrounding circle symbolize the unitygain point (that is, no boost or cut). When clean sounds are
desired with the use of a hot-output instrument, decrease from the
unity-gain point. Increasing the position of the Pre-Amp control
produces an effect similar to putting a clean booster pedal into the input of a tube amp.
To achieve the least amount of noise, keep the Pre-Amp knob at unity gain or higher.
Experiment with the interplay between your instrument and the SansAmp PSA-1.
Note: For best results, do not set the Pre-Amp level lower than unity gain when the Drive
knob is at 9 o’clock or higher. However, if you want a crystal-clear sound and the Drive con-
trol is already near minimum and there’s still too much overdrive, decrease the Pre-Amp’s
level as needed.
Pre-Amp also influences different types of overdrive. For instance, a high setting emphasizes
pre-amp distortion (see Boogie®Lead-style setting), as opposed to when Drive is in a high
setting, which emphasizes power amp distortion (see Vintage Marshall®-style setting).
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HARACTER C
ONTROLS
Continuously variable Character Controls offer tremendous flexibility in adjusting tonality,
gain structure, and harmonic content.
BUZZ
The knob labeled Buzz controls the low-end break-up and overdrive. You can boost the effect by
turning clockwise from the center point indicated by the arrows, and cut by turning counterclockwise. When you turn towards maximum, the sound becomes (you guessed it) buzzy. For a clean setting, increase the setting in small increments. For increased definition when using distortion, position the knob at its midpoint or towards minimum.
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PUNCH
The Punch control sets the amount of midrange break-up and overdrive. Boost or cut from
the center point indicated by the arrows. Decreasing from the center point produces a softer,
Fender®-style break-up. Increasing its setting creates a harder, heavier distortion. At maximum, it produces a sound similar to a wah pedal at mid-boost position placed in front of a
Marshall®amp.
CRUNCH
The Crunch control brings out the upper harmonic content and pick attack. For a smoother
high end and for clean settings, decrease to taste.
DRIVE
Like the volume control on a non-master-volume tube amp, Drive increases the amount of
power amp distortion. In live applications, we recommend using less Drive than when direct
recording. This compensates for the natural sustain of high volumes.
L
OW
This active low-end tone control is specially tuned for maximum musicality when used to EQ
instruments. Boost or cut by ±12dB by turning from its center point indicated by the arrows.
HIGH
This active high-end tone control is specially tuned for maximum musicality when used to
EQ instruments. Boost or cut by ±12dB by turning from its center point indicated by the
arrows.
L
EVEL
This one control simultaneously adjusts the output level of the rear-panel XLR and 1/4" outputs.
2-DIGIT LED DISPLAY
Everything you need to know is in
these two digits. This display is readable from any angle, in daylight or
darkness. It tells you which program is
active, whether any knob’s setting has
been changed, when a program is
stored, and when MIDI functions
have been activated. Refer to the sections on programming your SansAmp PSA-1 and using
MIDI for specific information regarding the display’s functions.
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BUZZ PUNCH CRUNCH DRIVE
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PRE - AMPINPUT
Arrows indicate
unity-gain point
SAVE SWITCH
The Save switch stores your custom settings in the memory of the SansAmp PSA-1. It also
gives you access to the Special Page function menu. It is purposely recessed into the front
panel to make it difficult to inadvertently push. You can use a guitar pick, a pen tip, or a wellplaced fingernail to push it.
SAVING A PROGRAM
When you’ve created a sound you like and want to save the setting, follow this procedure:
1. Push the Save switch once. Both digits of the display blink on and off.
2. Use the Up or Down switches to select a program number (51-99*) where you want to
save the program.
3. Push the Save switch a second time. The display will “run around” three times and then
show the selected program number (it will stop blinking). That’s it. You’ve stored a program.
*Programs 00 - 50 are permanent factory presets and cannot be overwritten. Additionally, 00 and 50 are
permanent bypass programs for the instrument signal to pass straight through the SansAmp PSA-1.
Be careful not to overwrite a program that you wanted to keep, since the new program will
entirely wipe out the old one that was in the same memory location. Accidents can happen,
so it’s a good idea to keep track of what’s in each of your programs. Make photocopies of the
blank diagrams on pages 24-25. Each time you save a program, write in the knob settings and
give each program a name (song title, description of the tone, etc.) for easy reference later.
Remember that you can’t overwrite the factory presets. If you try to save over a factory preset,
you will get a flashing letter “E” that tells you you’re making an error.
Note: You can also off-load your custom presets to a computer, sequencer, etc., using a
Custom Preset Data Dump. For more on this, see page 16.
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DOWN SWITCH
Pushing this switch once counts down through the programs one at a time. Holding it down
moves quickly through them.
UP SWITCH
Pushing this switch once counts up through the programs one at a time. Holding it down
advances quickly through them.
REAR PANEL
INPUT 2 SECTION
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NPUT 2 JACK
Plugging into Input 2 lets you match the SansAmp PSA-1’s input circuitry to the signal level
being fed into it, thereby assuring the best signal-to-noise ratio and least distortion. This input is
ideal for rack and patch-bay applications, especially if you use other signal processors or multi-track
recorders before the SansAmp PSA-1. Note: Whenever you plug into the front panel’s Input,
the rear panel Input 2 is disconnected. Also, you can set the Input level selector switch to its
0dB position when you plug in extra-hot signals, such as the output from active bass guitars.
LEVEL SELECTOR SWITCH
This switch lets you connect the SansAmp PSA-1 to a wide variety of equipment with a variety of signal levels. It has two positions:
0dB position. This engages the input pad. Set the switch in this position when sending a
line-level signal into the SansAmp PSA-1. When the switch is in this position, the signal
coming into the unit is padded down by 10dB.
-10dB position. When the input pad switch is disengaged (at its -10dB setting), the rear
panel Input 2 is optimized to receive an instrument level signal. In this position, Input 2’s
sensitivity is exactly the same as the front panel’s Input.
EFFECTS LOOP
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FFECTS SEND
This jack sends the SansAmp PSA-1’s signal to processors. When nothing is plugged into the
Effects Loop, the signal passes through from the SansAmp PSA-1 to the Output jacks, with
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SAVE
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SAVE
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Push
Save
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Display
Blinks
On and
Off
Select a
Program
Number
Push
Save
Switch
Again
Both digits
“Run around”
Three times
Display
Shows
Preset
Number
RISK OF ELECTRICAL SHOCK
DO NOT OPEN
HIGH VOLTAGE
MIDI
FOOT
SWITCH OUTPUT
WARNING !
THRU / OUT
IN
LEFT
RIGHT
0dB
-10dB
EFFECTS LOOP
NOTICE:
Repairs by
factory only,
with valid S/N.
50 / 50
RETURN
OUTPUT
LEFT
RIGHT
LEFT RIGHT
MIX
SEND
0dB
-10dB
0dB
-10dB
INPUT 2
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