Xotic X-Blender
For years, we have been frustrated to hear the signal deterioration when playing through a chain of effects. Because of the narrow dynamic range and multiple filtering, these effects greatly disturbed the directness and trueness of the guitar signal.
Pro-audio mixers standardized Aux send/return function to help solve this problem. This preserved the integrity of the guitar's signal and dynamics by feeding the effect with the signal separate from the main signal.
The X-Blender incorporates pro-audio engineering technology to solve the sonic imperfection some effects produce and was designed to be completely transparent. You'll be amazed by the clarity of the sound!
The X-Blender is a unique tool for the modern guitar / bass player. It's a switch-able series-parallel loop unit. A parallel effects loop allows you to mix or blend the effects with a dry signal (unaffected signal), creating a far more complex tone from your guitar.
Settings:
For Series Mode activation (Figure 1), connect the send jack to the input of the effect. Connect the output jack of the effect with the return jack on the X-Blender. The series loop is active when the red LED bypass switch is lit and the blue LED blend switch is off. In the series mode, all the controls are disabled. The input signal and the output signal are not buffered in this mode.
For Parallel Mode activation (Figure 2), the device is connected the same way as Figure 1 but the blend on/off is switched on. This switch activates the DRY / WET Mix knob which controls the mixture of the DRY signal (unaffected signal) and the effect signal. As you turn the mix knob to the left, you get more DRY signal. Turn the knob to the right, you have more WET signal. This mode is very handy when your effect device thins out the bass or drops the volume. You can reinforce it with the DRY signal and / or adjust the 2 band EQ and the volume control to accommodate the effect signal.
Volume adjusts the main output only when the blend switch is activated. As the above diagram shows, the volume affects both the direct and effect signal.
Boost Switch will give +6dB of volume boost. This function will only work when the blend switch is on.
Treble / Bass controls treble and bass of the effect signal. This two band EQ is activated when the blend switch is turned on.
Phase Inv. Switch This function can be used with vintage type wah or vintage type booster effect. These devices have output signal that are normally out of phase, without phase correction the signals could not be combined properly with the DRYsignal.
Specifications:
Input impedance: 1M ohm
Output impedance: 1K ohm
Current Draw 20mA
AC Adaptor Jack (DC 9 V)
Width 117 mm (4.62 inches) Depth 93 mm (3.65 inches) Height 50 mm (2 inches)
Weight 0.5kg (1 lbs.)
X-Blender MSRP $260
