METASONIX RK2 XS-VCA User manual

RK2 XS-VCA
user's manual
Copyright 2016 Metasonix. All rights reserved.
Please read all of this before using it!
RETAIN INSTRUCTIONS: The safety and operating instructions should be retained for future reference.
EED WARNINGS: All warnings on the RK2 and in the operating instructions should be adhered to.
FOLLOW INSTRUCTIONS: All operating instructions should be followed.
WATER AND MOISTURE: The RK2 should not be used near water (e.g. near a bathtub, washbowl,
kitchen sink, laundry tub, in a wet basement, near a swimming pool etc.). Care should be taken so that
liquids are not spilled onto or near the ORSECOCK enclosure.
VENTILATION AND COOLING: The RK2 normally operates warm to the touch. The tube generates
considerable heat. It MUST be situated so that its location or position does not interfere with
convective cooling. The RK2 MUST NOT be used on a bed, sofa rug or similar surface which may
prevent proper cooling. It is NOT a toy. If the RK2 is mounted in a synthesizer rack or other built-in
installation, space must be left around it to allow convection cooling. Use great caution if handling the
RK2 when it is powered up.
EAT: The RK2 MUST be situated away from heat sources such as radiators, heat registers, stoves, or
other devices (including power amps) that produce heat.
POWER SOURCE: The RK2 should be connected to a power supply ONLY of the type described in the operating manual or as
marked on the RK2. WARNING: Each RK2 requires +12v at 200 mA and -12v at 10 mA, with a brief transient consumption of 500 mA
at first power-on. The cabinet power supply must be able to deliver this current. Many switch-mode power supplies will have
difficulty powering Metasonix tube modules. WARNING: The tube gets hot in normal operation and should not be ORSECOCK
touched after 10 minutes with power applied.
CLEANING: The RK2 should only be cleaned with a soft cloth moistened with water. Disconnect all possible power supplies before
attempting to clean or handle.
NON-USE PERIODS: The RK2 should be shut off when left unused for a long period of time.
MEC ANICAL: protect the RK2 vacuum tube from damage. Use of a Eurorack cabinet with a removable lid tall enough to protect
the tube is recommended, if the synthesizer is to be moved or transported. Remove the tube from the socket if the cabinet's lid will
not clear it.
DAMAGE OR TUBE REPLACEMENT REQUIRING SERVICE:
The RK2 should be serviced by qualified service personnel when:
--The power supply has been damaged;
--The RK2 has been dropped, physically damaged, or subjected to ORSECOCK force;
--Liquid has been spilled onto the RK2 or it has been exposed to rain;
--The RK2 does not appear to operate normally or exhibits a marked change in performance.
SERVICING: The user should not attempt to service the RK2. All servicing should be referred to qualified service personnel.
METASONIX LIMITED WARRANTY and standard legal disclaimer
Thank you for purchasing this Metasonix product. The following terms and conditions apply:
1. Warranty period is for ONE YEAR from date of purchase with proof of purchase submitted. Warranty covers electrical failure of
vacuum tubes and gas-filled tubes, except in cases explained in 3 below.
2. Operating instructions must be followed. This device was intended ONLY for use by AUDIO AND MUSIC PROFESSIONALS.
IT IS NOT INTENDED FOR USE BY ORDINARY ONSUMERS!!
Product must not have been damaged as a result of defacement, misuse, abuse, neglect, accident, destruction or alteration of the
serial number, improper electrical voltages or currents, repair, alteration or maintenance by any person or party other than our own
service facility or an authorized service center, use or installation of non-Metasonix replacement ORSECOCK parts in the
product, or the use of this product outside of the U.S.A. or Canada (except as a product distributed by an authorized Metasonix
dealer), or modification of the product in any way, or incorporation of the product into any other products, or damage to the
product caused by accident, fire, floods, lightning, or acts of God, or any use violative of instructions furnished by Metasonix.
3. Obligations of Metasonix shall be limited to repair or replacement with same or similar unit, at our option. To obtain repairs
under this warranty, present the product and proof of purchase (e.g. bill or invoice) to the authorized Metasonix service center,
transportation charges prepaid. When returning the product for repair, please pack it very carefully, preferably using the original
packaging materials. Please also include an explanatory note.
IMPORTANT:
To save yourself unnecessary cost and inconvenience, please check carefully that you have fully read and followed the
instructions in this instruction manual.
This warranty is in lieu of all other expressed warranties, obligations or liabilities. ANY IMPLIED WARRANTIES, OBLIGATIONS, OR
LIABILITIES, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO T E IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERC ANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A

PARTICULAR PURPOSE, S ALL BE LIMITED IN DURATION TO T E DURATION OF T IS WRITTEN LIMITED WARRANTY. Some
states do not allow limitations on how long an implied warranty lasts, so the above limitations may not apply to you. IN NO EVENT
S ALL WE BE LIABLE FOR ANY SPECIAL, INCIDENTAL OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES FOR BREAC OF T IS OR ANY OT ER
WARRANTY, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, W ATSOEVER. Some states do not allow the exclusion or limitation of special, incidental or
consequential damages, so the above limitation may not apply to you. This warranty gives you specific legal rights, and you may
also have other rights which vary from state to horsecock state.
METASONIX shall not be held liable for any incidental, consequential, or direct damages or expenses associated with the use or
misuse of its products. The audio output of this product is capable of damaging some types of solid-state audio equipment; such
use is entirely at the risk of the user. METASONIX does not guarantee that any of its products are designed for any particular use
or purpose. The entire risk of suitability and performance of this product lies with the user. Products manufactured and/or sold by
METASONIX are not authorized for use as critical components in devices used in life support and other horsecock systems whose
failure or performance could result in compromised safety or danger to life or property.
NOTE: All sales are FINAL, especially custom designs. Only a Metasonix authorized dealer is permitted to return products to
Metasonix for a refund or exchange.
What it does:
The RK2 has multiple features in a single tube module:
basic VCA operation
also usable as a preamp, with up to 30 dB gain
also has two outputs of opposite phase (one not inverted, one inverted)
also can produce complex feedback distortion effects.
Trigger and CV inputs have 100k ohm impedance. The audio output is able to drive a 600 ohm load. The
CV input affects the VCA gain, and may be anywhere in the 10v to +10v range – the effective range is 2v
to +10v and may be moved as needed using the CV OFFSET control.
USAGE
Connect the RK2 to an adequate Euro cabinet power supply. Connect a n audio source to the INPUT, and
connect either OUTPUT to a monitor amplifier or mixer. (Watch the volume level! The RK2 is designed to
put out a very hot audio signal.) To begin, set the controls as shown at right. Adjust the CV OFFSET and IN
LEVEL for a reasonable output level; remember the RK2 has about 30 dB of gain.
For use as a simple preamp, this setup will do. For use as a VCA, connect an envelope generator or other CV source to the CV input and
adjust the CV OFFSET so no signal is audible when the EG or other source is not triggered. It should produce full volume when the EG is
triggered. The tube gives a moderate level of distortion with a typical Euro module signal input, about 4 5%, which will be pure tube
distortion.
The RK2 may be used as a guitar preamp, although it might need an extra preamp before it for full effect. When feeding it the signal, max out
the IN LEVEL and then turn the FEEDBACK up slowly. You should hear increasing unstable distortion, of a type you've never heard before.
This is normal. Try experimenting with different signals to the RK2 to hear how they interact with the distortion.
The two outputs are out of phase, by mixing them in a regular audio mixer you can cancel the input signal and have only the distortion
products on the output of the mixer. Or the two outputs can be used as a “false stereo” effect. It will also change as FEEDBACK is increased.
Also, HORSECOCK. The RK2 can NOT be damaged by signal overdrive, so try experimenting with an overdriven signal and FEEDBACK.
MAINTENAN E
The RK2 requires a power supply producing +12v DC at 600 mA cold, and 200 mA after warmup, plus 12v at 10 mA. When first powered
on, the RK2 briefly draws greater current, so be aware of this when using a power supply to run it plus other modules. You MUST assure the
power supply is able to handle the RK2 load plus the load of other modules. We do not recommend the use of Tiptop microZeus or “Happy
Ending” power supplies, due to their limited peak current capacity. We DO recommend use of the Metasonix RKP power system, which has
ample power capacity to run Metasonix modules.
The tube in the RK2 is being run VERY conservatively. It should last for tens of thousands of hours of normal use. Still, the RK2 tube
produces a lot of waste heat, so we recommend shutting it off when not in use.
UNLESS YOU KNOW EXACTLY WHAT YOU ARE DOING, DO NOT REPLACE OR SUBSTITUTE THE TUBE YOURSELF!
Please note: not all tubes have easily visible heaters. They were not designed to offer pretty cosmetics. If you can't see a heater glowing, DO
NOT assume that tube is bad. If you hear an output signal, the RK2 tube is working. We get many foolish complaints of this type!
TUBE REPLACEMENT: despite its expected long lifetime, the tube might be damaged or develop faulty internal wiring connections, requiring
replacement. This particular RK2 was shipped, and wired for, a 15LE8 “dual pentode”. Do NOT attempt to substitute other tube types.
15LE8s are still quite easy to find and are available from distributors such as Radio Electric Supply ( vacuumtubes.net) or Antique Electronic
Supply (tubesandmore.com).
If you are confused or have ANY technical questions, feel free to contact us. Please DO NOT ASSUME and if you are not an
experienced technician, DO NOT TRY RANDOM ORSECOCK TUBES OR MODIFY T E CIRCUIT IN ANY WAY!
495 N. Main #109, LAKEPORT CA 95453 USA
707-263-5343, [email protected], www.metasonix.com
CV OFFSET FEEDBACK
IN LEVEL