PRODUCT OVERVIEW
The XXL is an overdrive stomp box. Plain and simple? Not quite.
Why is everyone running around on a scavenger hunt for the ultimate
vintage pedal or tube amp? To get those great sounds we’ve all been listening to on vinyl.These searches, for the most part, are in vain. Even if
you find the unit you want, chances are it won’t give you that sound. Or
you’ll get hosed. Or worse, both.
We at Tech 21 set our sights on finding a way to harness the sounds
of yesterday and incorporate our exclusive technology to give today’s
players new options. No other overdrive pedal has ever offered
a control to manipulate the structure and balance of odd and
even harmonics.
With its unique WARP
TM
control, the XXL gives you a spectrum of
tones, including traditional distortion, classic tube amp overdrive, and vintage fuzz, all in one unit. Born decades ago, these timeless sounds will
continue to be the preferred choice of guitarists for decades to come.
Characteristic of all Tech 21 products, the XXL will not depersonalize
your guitar tone. Most importantly, the XXL is highly interactive with the
dynamics of your individual playing style, your individual musical style, and
your instrument’s individual tonality. It is engineered to be a useful, versatile, cost-effective means of stimulating your creativity and ultimately, finding your innermost, individual expression.
APPLICATIONS
The XXL is designed for use with any amp --tube or solid state, vintage or modern.You can achieve the same results using the XXL with any of our highlyacclaimed SansAmpTMmodels of Tube Amplifier Emulators, as there is no speaker
simulation circuitry within the XXL. It can also bring depth and soul to any multiprocessor that otherwise leaves you uninspired.
Simply plug your guitar into the XXL, and the XXL into the input of your amp (or
the input of a SansAmp).
GUIDE TO CONTROLS
LEVEL
adjusts the output level without altering any tonal characteristics.
DRIVE adjusts the overall amount of gain and overdrive.
TONE is a level-compensated passive tone control. Inspired by the tone controls
of the ‘60s and ‘70s, in typical Tech 21 fashion, we’ve added a twist.At max, it’s
flat. However, as you go towards the mid-point, it boosts the low end and adds
body, giving you the warmest sound.Then, as you decrease from the mid point, it
cuts highs --without changing the level. From minimum to maximum, the transition is smooth.The XXL’s exceptionally flexible Tone control offers greater compatibility with your existing gear.
WARP
TM
allows you to manipulate the odd and even harmonic structure within
the realm of distortion. It is the key to an entirely new dimension in sound control.The median point (indicated by the double arrows) will yield traditional distortion, well-suited for chords and rhythm parts. Extreme settings work particularly well with individual notes.They become smoother, fatter, thicker, juicier.As
you decrease Warp from the median point, you get higher amounts of even har-
monics, to give you the overdrive like that of a Class A tube amp. Increasing the
War p setting oversaturates the unit.After an initial pick attack, the note will “sag”
and constrict, then dilate and enlarge. Sustaining that note will cause it to “sing.”