CRATE GX-900H - Owner's Manual Immediate Download

GX-

900H

GX-

2200H

GX-

900H

GX-

2200H

Owner's Manual

for the

Guitar Amplifiers

Owner's Manual

Guitar Amplifiers

GX-900H/GX-2200H Guitar Amplifiers

Congratulations!

You are now in possession of one of the finest sounding, hardest-hitting amplifiers you could ever hook

your axe to, the Crate GX-900H or GX-2200H head units. Part of our exciting new Excalibur Series, these

amplifiers share the spotlight with no one. Except you.

Like all Crate products, your Excalibur guitar amplifier is Musician Made in the U.S.A., using only the best

components. Extensive hands-on evaluation by real-life musicians helped shape the design of this amplifier

into what it is: a sonic powerhouse capable of producing incredible tones and volume levels you just can't get

from any stock amplifier in its class.

Extensive testing at many stages in its production, including a final "audition" by a skilled musician, insures

you that your Excalibur amplifier is the best it can be. In order to get the best possible performance, please

read this manual before you use the amplifier.

And thank you for choosing

Contents:

Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3

Features . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3

The Front Panel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4

The Rear Panel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5

Some Suggested Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6

System Block Diagram . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7

Technical Specifications . . . . . . . . . .back cover

THIS EQUIPMENT HAS BEEN DESIGNED AND ENGINEERED TO PROVIDE SAFE AND RELIABLE OPERATION. IN ORDER TO PROLONG THE LIFE OF

THE UNIT AND PREVENT ACCIDENTAL DAMAGES OR INJURY, PLEASE FOLLOW THESE PRECAUTIONARY GUIDELINES:

CAUTION: TO REDUCE THE RISK OF ELECTRIC SHOCK, DO NOT OPEN CHASSIS; DO NOT DEFEAT OR REMOVE THE GROUND PIN OF THE POWER

CORD; CONNECT ONLY TO A PROPERLY GROUNDED AC POWER OUTLET.

WARNING: TO REDUCE THE RISK OF FIRE OR ELECTRIC SHOCK, DO NOT EXPOSE THIS EQUIPMENT TO RAIN OR MOISTURE.

CAUTION: NO USER-SERVICEABLE PARTS INSIDE. REFER SERVICING TO QUALIFIED SERVICE PERSONNEL.

CAUTION: IF YOU USE AUDIO AMPLIFIERS PROFESSIONALLY OR IN WORK RELATED SITUATIONS AS AN EMPLOYEE, THE OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY

AND HEALTH ADMINISTRATION (OSHA) HAS SPECIFIED REGULATIONS CONCERNING PROLONGED EXPOSURE TO HIGH SOUND PRESSURE LEV-

ELS. PLEASE REFER TO THE CODE OF FEDERAL REGULATIONS DOCUMENT 29CFR1910 FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION.

CAUTION

RISK OF ELECTRIC SHOCK

DO NOT OPEN

CAUTION: TO REDUCE THE RISK OF ELECTRIC SHOCK,

DO NOT REMOVE COVER.

NO USER-SERVICEABLE PARTS INSIDE.

REFER SERVICING TO QUALIFIED SERVICE PERSONNEL.

ATTENTION

RISQUE D'ELECTROCUTION

NE PAS OUVRIR

ATTENTION: POUR REDUIRE D'ELECTROCUTION NE PAS

ENLEVER LE COUVERCLE. AUCUNE PIECE INTERNE N'EST REPRABLE

PAR L'UTILISATEUR. POUR TOUTE REPARATION, S'ADRESSER A UN

TECHNICIEN QUALIFIE.

VORSICHT

ELEKTRISCHE SCHLAGGEFAHR

NICHT OFFENEN

VORSICHT: ZUR MINIMIERUNG ELEKTRISCHER SCHLAGGEFAHR NICHT

DEN DECKEL ABENHMEN. INTERNE TEILE KONNEN NICHT VOM

BENUTZER GEWARTET WERDEN. DIE WARTUNG IS QUALIFIZIERTEM

WARTUNGSPERSONAL ZU UBERLASSEN.

"IT IS NECESSARY FOR THE USER TO REFER TO THE INSTRUCTION MANUAL"

"REFERREZ-VOUS AU MANUAL D'UTILISATION"

"UNBEDINGT IN DER BEDIENUNGSANLEITUNG NACHSCHLAGEN"

EXPLANATION OF

GRAPHICAL SYMBOLS:

"DANGEROUS VOLTAGE"

"DANGER HAUTE TENSION"

"GEFAHLICHE SPANNUNG"

Introduction:

Crate's new GX-900H and GX-2200H are feature-packed, professional-strength powerhouses which can

deliver incredible sounds and outrageous volume levels. Rugged construction, reliable American craftsman-

ship and two solid state channels of pure, guitar power are some of trademarks the these new amplifiers:

amplifiers good enough to wear the Excalibur badge.

The clean channel is smooth and pure, even at high volume levels. The distortion channel offers a wide

range of sounds from slightly crunched to screaming mad, with two separate gain controls it's like getting a

third channel free. Both channels feature separate reverb level controls and three bands of equalization for

total tone control. The clean channel also sports a bright switch for added flexibility. The front-panel

footswitch offers "remote control" of channel selection and the dual gain controls, and the rear-panel effects

loop allows connection of your favorite effects with minimum noise and maximum performance.

The GX-900H is capable of pumping 90 watts of sonic bliss into loads as low as 2 ohms; the GX-2200H,

220 watts into 2 ohms. Be warned: Crate's Excalibur amplifiers are about as serious a weapon as you can

wield.

Features:

Here's a quick overview of some of the GX-900H/GX-2200H's features and controls. Additional information

can be found on the pages indicated.

· Solid state circuitry for reliable service and incredible tones.

· Two completely separate channels with independent level, tone and reverb controls (page 4).

· Two gain controls for the distortion channel, accessible by a front-panel switch or footswitch (page 4).

(Consider it a "bonus" channel: three channels for the price of two!)

· Footswitch control for channel selection and the distortion channel's dual gains by using a two-button

footswitch (such as Crate's CFP-2) (page 4).

· Effects loop for noiseless use of your favorite processors and effects (page 5).

· Durable black Tolex covering and silver-colored logo and hardware for high cosmetic appeal and stage

presence.

· Musician made in the U.S.A.

· Crate's available, exclusive 5-year warranty (U.S. only - see your dealer in other areas for warranty

details). Activate it by returning the enclosed survey card!

GX-900H/GX-2200H Guitar Amplifiers

1. INPUT: Accepts the mono 1/4" plug

of the signal cable from your guitar or

wireless receiver.

CHANNEL A, the distortion channel:

2. GAIN ONE: Sets the signal gain for

the distortion channel, thus controlling

the amount of distortion. Serves as the

"low to medium distortion control;"

accessible through the gain select switch

(#3) or a footswitch. Gives you sounds

from nearly clean to really crunchy.

3. GAIN SELECT: Switches between

the two gain controls (#2, 4). Switch in,

gain two is selected (gain one is disabled)

both LEDs light. Switch out, gain one

is selected only the LED under the

word "one" lights. When a footswitch is

used, this switch doesn't do anything,

but the LEDs work the same.

4. GAIN TWO: Also sets the gain for the

distortion channel. Serves as the "low to

high distortion control," also accessible

through the gain select switch (#3) or a

footswitch. Gives you sounds from near-

ly clean to screaming dirty. Acts as a third

channel: set gain one for a rhythm

crunch, set gain two for screaming leads.

Be more creative, more expressive;

have more fun!

5. LOW: Sets the level of the lower fre-

quencies for the distortion channel.

Offers a range of 18 dB at 100 Hz.

6. MID: Sets the level of the middle fre-

quencies for the distortion channel.

Offers a range of 10 dB at 1 kHz.

7. HIGH: Sets the level of the upper fre-

quencies for the distortion channel.

Offers a range of 17 dB at 6 kHz

8. LEVEL: Controls the overall volume

level for the distortion channel.

9. CHANNEL SELECT: Switches be-

tween the clean channel (switch out,

LED on) and the distortion channel

(switch in, LED off). When a footswitch is

used, this switch doesn't do anything.

CHANNEL B, the clean channel:

10. LOW: Sets the level of the lower fre-

quencies for the clean channel. Offers a

range of 25 dB at 70 Hz. Lets you fatten

up the bottom end of your sound.

11. MID: Sets the level of the middle

frequencies for the clean channel. Offers

a range of 14 dB at 800 Hz. Lets you

create sounds from "in the distance" to

"in your face."

12. HIGH: Sets the level of the upper

frequencies for the clean channel. Offers

a range of 29 dB at 10 kHz. Lets you

add brilliance and crystal clear highs to

your sound.

13. LEVEL: Controls the overall volume

level for the clean channel.

14. BRIGHT: Boosts the upper frequen-

cies when pressed in. Adds a brightness

to the sound. Off in the out position.

15. REVERB, CHANNEL A: Sets the

amount of reverb effect applied to chan-

nel A. Turned all the way to the left ("0")

the signal is "dry" (no reverb). Turning it

towards the right increases the wetness

(amount of reverb) of the signal.

16. REVERB, CHANNEL B: Sets the

amount of reverb effect applied to chan-

nel B. Turned all the way to the left ("0")

the signal is "dry" (no reverb). Turning it

towards the right increases the wetness

(amount of reverb) of the signal.

17. FOOTSWITCH: Accepts the stereo

1/4" plug from a two-button footswitch

(such as Crate's CFP-2) for remote chan-

nel switching and switching between gain

one and gain two on channel A. Ring

controls channel selection, tip controls

the gains. With a footswitch plugged in,

the front-panel switches #3 and #9 don't

do anything.

18. POWER: (not shown): Turns the

amp on and off, "on" being the UP posi-

tion. The ON LED next to the Excalibur

logo lights when the amp is turned on.

The Front Panel:

Input

Footswitch

Gain Two

010

Low

010

Mid

010

High

010

Level

010

Gain One

010

Low

010

Mid

010

High

010

Level

010

Channel A

010

Channel B

010

GX-900H/GX-2200H Guitar Amplifiers

19. EFFECTS LOOP LINE OUT:

Sends a signal out to your effects devices

or signal processors. Lets you add

effects, with lowest noise. Uses a shield-

ed signal cable with mono 1/4" plugs.

Also doubles as a source for a post-EQ,

pre-amp signal to send your signal to a

mixing board, recorder, powered moni-

tor or external amplifier.

20. EFFECTS LOOP LINE IN: Re-

ceives the signal from your effects or

processors. Uses a shielded cable with

mono 1/4" plugs. Also doubles as a

direct feed to the power amp section,

bypassing the input and preamp stages.

Useful for "slaving" a pair of amps

together.

21. SPEAKERS: Connects the amp to

your speaker cabinet(s). Uses speaker

cables with mono 1/4" plugs. These

jacks are wired in parallel. Make sure that

your speaker combination never totals

less than 2 ohms! Use the chart below to

help determine parallel loads. If in doubt,

ask your dealer.

CAB IMP # CABS TOTAL IMP

4 ohms

2 ohms

8 ohms

4 ohms

8 ohms

2 ohms

16 ohms

8 ohms

16 ohms

4 ohms

16 ohms

2 ohms

22. POWER CORD: Connects the amp

to a grounded AC power outlet. Use

only a grounded outlet! DO NOT

defeat the ground prong of the cord! If

the amplifier is used outside of the

United States, see the area's Crate deal-

er for the proper power cord or consult a

local professional electrician.

The Rear Panel:

GX-900H/GX-2200H Guitar Amplifiers