Overstayer SATURATOR NT-02A User manual
SATURATOR
MODEL NT-02A
USER GUIDE
All rights reserved. All features and specifications subject to change without notice
SAFETY AND INSTALLATION
Installation
1. Before attaching the DC plug of an adaptor to equipment, please unplug the adaptor
from the AC power and verify the unit is within the voltage and current rating on the
equipment.
2. Keep the linkage between the adaptor and its power cord tightly as well as connecting
the DC plug to equipment properly.
3. Protect the power cord from being trodden on or being squashed.
4. Use only an approved power cord, do not defeat the safety grounding pin which must
be connected to earth at all times (do not use a ground lift).
5. Keep good ventilation for the unit in use to prevent it from overheating. Do not install
near any heat source or device that produces heat.
6. An approved power cord should greater or equal to SVT, 3G×18AWG or H03VV-F,
3G×0.75mm2.
7. If the final equipment is not used for long period of time, disconnect the equipment
from power supply to avoid being damaged by voltage peaks or lightning strike.
Warning / Caution !!
1. Risk of electrical shock and energy hazard. All failure should be examined by a qualified
technician. Please do not remove the case of the adaptor by yourself!
2. Risk of fire or electrical shock. The openings should be protected from foreign objects
or dripping liquids.
3. Using wrong DC plug or forcing a DC plug into an electronic device may damage the
device or cause to malfunction.
4. Adaptors should be placed on a reliable surface. A drop or fall could cause damage.
5. Do not use or install in places with high moisture or near the water.
6. Do not use or install in places with high ambient temperature or near fire source.
7. Disconnect the unit from the AC power before cleaning. Do not use any liquid or
aerosol.
8. Please contact your local qualified recyclers when you want to dispose this product.
All rights reserved. All features and specifications subject to change without notice
DESCRIPTION
The Overstayer Saturator is a 100% analog dual channel harmonics and distortion
processor, with tone shaping filters and multiple amplifiers for a wide of array of
character, from subtle thickening to extreme distortion, balanced to taste with an
integrated blend control.
FRONT PANEL CONTROLS
LOW CUT - 12 dB (2 pole) sweepable high pass filter with a separate Resonance
control. Wide range sweepable from 30 Hz to 4.7KHz, and the Resonance can be driven
into oscillation. This is the start of the signal path, and helps define the shape of the
distortion and harmonics that follow. The Low Cut circuit is bypass-able with the
corresponding button.
RES - The resonance control for the high pass filter. Controls the amount of peaking
at the cutoff frequency. With high resonant peaks dialed in, the filter can add in huge
amounts of low end, while cutting the subs below the set freq. Monstrously huge kick
drums, giant dub style basses, telephone filter fx, self oscillating harmonics are all
easily possible with the Saturator filter section.
BOOST - Adds a fixed amount of clean gain to raise low level signals and overdrive
whatever is next in line. Also engages a pad after the GAIN amp to compensate for the
added gain. Functions like a clean boost pedal on the front end of an amplifier.
SATURATION - Discrete amp. Controls the amount of non-linear amp saturation and
soft clipping. Wide ranging character from subtle harmonic distortion to extreme
analog saturation. The saturation section can by bypassed and removed from the
audio path, while still allowing use of the filters and Shape 3 circuit.
SATURATION LED - Green LED displays when incoming audio passes the saturation
threshold, allowing for quick setup into the sweet spot.
HIGH CUT - Fixed 6dB lowpass filter at 6KHz tames the highs especially with high gain
distortion.
GAIN - Discrete op amp primarily provides clean gain, but can be clipped and
overdriven with boost or high gain settings.
SHAPE 3 - Activates a pre and post emphasis filter to shape the distortion response of
the entire unit, and adds 3rd harmonic saturation circuit. This function can be used in
conjunction with the “Saturation” or independently.
BLEND - Control to set a balance between the source signal and processed signal.
All rights reserved. All features and specifications subject to change without notice
OUTPUT - This sets the final output level post blend.
IN - Master bypass for both channels of the Saturator NT-02A.
OPERATION
The Low cut filter resonance can be driven into self oscillation at high settings (7+), and
depending on the gain and frequency will create very LOUD tones! Setting the RES just
on the verge of feedback and then tuning it to the source can make musically related
harmonics and sustain, super fun. Lower RES settings can be tuned to kicks and basses
for thick low boosts.
The Saturator has several gain stages in series, each with different characteristics.
In order of signal flow, the stages are:
1. BOOST - Fixed gain amplifier to provide clean gain to overdrive whatever amps
follow, similar to using a clean boost pedal to overdrive a tube amp. Also engages a
pad after the GAIN amp.
2. SATURATION - Amp stage with the greatest harmonic distortion and soft clipping.
Can be subtle (tapping the LED above it) for thickening and warming, to extreme
distortion.
3. GAIN - Provides clean gain, but can be overdriven, especially used in conjunction
with BOOST.
4. SHAPE 3 - Activates a pre and post emphasis filter and adds 3rd harmonic saturation
circuit. The pre emphasis is inserted before the BOOST stage, so engaging this shapes
the response of all preceding stages. The amount of harmonics is determined by the
signal level, (the GAIN control). The LED to the right of blend indicates the soft clip
point of shape 3)
We find experimenting with each stage individually to start can be helpful. SHAPE 3
changes the response of all the stages, so SATURATION will respond differently
whether SHAPE 3 is in or out. This can be easily heard by running a full bandwidth
signal through like a drum loop, set the SATURATION until there is clipping, then
engage SHAPE 3. The low frequency content will be retained with SHAPE 3 in, and the
harmonics will be shifted upwards in frequency.
The most subtle mode, and sometimes the most useful when we are just looking to
make things bigger and thicker is to start with only SHAPE 3 engaged, and adjust the
GAIN starting at 0 control to taste. The LED to the right of blend indicates the soft clip
point, so starting here and inching up there is a wide sweet spot of soft clipping and
compression without distortion. Match peak levels to the bypassed signal to see how it
All rights reserved. All features and specifications subject to change without notice
increases apparent volume. For a more dramatic effect engage SATURATION and
spread the load a bit between the amps, still set conservatively.
Please contact us at [email protected] with any questions.
http://overstayeraudio.com
http://www.facebook.com/overstayeraudio
Copyright 2013 Overstayer Recording Equipment, Inc.
All rights reserved. All features and specifications subject to change without notice
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