Metropolis User
Manual
Please read
safety instructions before operating this amplifier!!!
Features:
-
Single
channel all tube design
-
Gain, Bass,
Treble, Middle, Volume & Presence controls
-
Schizo 6 Position
Tone Gain Structure Switch
-
15 or 30 Watt
EL84 Class A Power Amp Section
-
Tube Reverb with
Reverb control, (Reverb model has no Middle tone
control)
-
Tube Reverb with
Reverb, Drive & Tone controls + Footswitch Input
(Reverb model has no Middle tone control)
-
Available as
Head, 1x12, 2x12, 2x10 or 4x10 Combo
DIMENSIONS and WEIGHTS: Are subject to change
anytime, Please measure your amp carefully
if a Custom Case is being made. All measurements include
handle and rubber feet. Weights include our shipping box
and packaging.
-
HEAD -
10 7/8" height x 20 1/2" width x 11 3/8" depth,
38 pounds
-
1x12 COMBO
- 21 7/8" height x 20 3/4" width x 11 1/4"
depth, 50 pounds-15 watt model, 55 pounds-30
watt model
-
2x12
COMBO - 20" height
x 25 3/4" width x 10 1/2" depth, 72 pounds
-
2x10
COMBO - 17 1/2" height x 24 3/8" width x
10" depth,
-
4x10
COMBO - 26 1/2"
height x 24 1/2" width x 10" depth, 75 pounds
Inputs Non-Reverb Model: There are two instrument
inputs on the Metropolis, each is voiced differently.
One is a normal (high, labeled X) input and the other
(labeled Y) is even more open sounding. This gives you
more tonal variety, we suggest you try different guitars
through each input to explore new tones.
Reverb Model: Reverb circuits can load amps down at
times and take a little of the openness away. That's why
we designed the Reverb model to have a normal (labeled D
for Dry) and a Reverb (labeled R) input. We gave you the
option to decide when you need the reverb circuit. For
example, in a room that is naturally ambient you may
prefer to use the Dry input. (The first series of Reverb
models didn't have a separate reverb input) On both
models, the inputs are not switchable via an A/B Box due
to the inner circuitry.
Tone and Schizo Controls: Even though the Metropolis
is a single channel amp, it is extremely versatile and
gives you a variety of different feels and sounds. The
combinations of Schizo, Gain and Tone put you in charge
of where you want to go. The Bass, Middle, Treble and
Presence controls allow you to set a wide range of tonal
variation. Go easy on the Bass and Treble they're very
effective. The Reverb model doesn't have a Middle
control because of the limited space on the front panel.
It has a fixed setting of the Middle which is about half
way up, if it would have the control. The Schizo switch
is a Midrange Contour adjustment to enhance the
sensitivity of the amp to different styles of playing,
different guitars, different cabinets and different pick
up configurations. Depending on your gain and tone
settings, each of the Schizo functions can be made to
help your guitar "speak". Position 1 at the far left is
the brightest most open, and essentially each setting as
you move to the right of the switch is darker, or
fuller. Some very basic indications are given in the
chart below. Again, the gain and tone settings will make
a big difference, so experiment as much as you can. We
start with all the settings at 12 o'clock.
Function |
Description |
Suggestion |
Schizo 1 |
full
& bright |
neck
pickup lead |
Schizo 2 |
midrange cut |
classic clean tone, spanky funk |
Schizo 3 |
low &
high boost |
jangle crunch, middle pickup lead |
Schizo 4 |
midrange boost |
fat
strat, humbucker growl |
Schizo 5 |
low &
mid boost |
bridge pickup cranked |
On
the first series of Metropolis the Schizo switch was
laid out differently. The sound changed more linear from
position 1 to 5. Position 2 was 3. We think the new one
is more versatile.
Suggestion: Turn the bass, treble and middle
controls all the way down and the gain, presence and
volume controls all the way up. Start on Schizo 5
position. This gives you a very grainy high gain sound
(One of Reinhold Bogners favorites).
Gain and Volume: The Gain control sits between
Schizo and the tone controls (in the sound chain). It
doesn't only change the gain it also interacts with your
tone controls. Experiment what works best for you. The
volume control decides how much of a signal you send to
the power amp. In the first third of it's total range it
determines how loud your amp will be. In the last two
thirds it acts more like a tone fatness control. The
more you turn it up the fuller your sound gets. This is
helpful if you have a big sounding guitar and like the
tone/feel of a fuller fatter Schizo position but it
would be too muddy or overloaded for the power amp. You
could turn down the volume, from full to one third, to
keep the tone from the pre amp but have the amp just as
loud as before. Vise versa, if you have a thin sounding
guitar and like a open Schizo position you can fatten
the tone up with the volume control.
Reverb: The reverb circuit on the Metropolis sits in
front of the pre-amp. It uses an EL 84 power tube to
drive it and two 12AX7 pre amp tubes for the return. The
Reverb control on the front panel lets you mix the
reverb into the dry sound. You need to be plugged into
the reverb input (upper jack) otherwise the whole reverb
circuit is bypassed and your guitar signal goes directly
into the pre amp. Optional "Tone and Drive" controls as
well as a Footswitch input jack are available. "Tone and
Drive" controls on the back of the amp chassis allow you
to personalize the sound of your Reverb and "tune" it to
the kind of room or musical attitude you like. Deep
watery surf? Punk-a-ska-billy? Bright, tight jazz? Or
just a bit of space to move around…Explore… Start with
the controls at 12 o'clock. Drive does just that, drives
the circuit harder as you turn the knob clockwise > sort
of like a bigger room or longer reverb time. The Tone
control makes it brighter or darker/sweeter> like
changing the room from wood to concrete. The reverb
foot-switch jack can use any standard passive on/off
latching foot-switch. You definitely have a "ton" of
reverb now!
On
the first series of Metropolis the reverb circuit was
between pre and power amp driven with two 12AX7's and
had only a reverb control.
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