Sound City SC 30 User manual

OWNERS MANUAL
SC 30™
www.soundcityamp.com

2© 2018 Sound City® Amplification. All rights reserved. Specifications subject to change without notice.
Welcome to Sound City®!
Congratulations and thank you for choosing Sound City® Amplification.
The New Sound City SC30 Combo is evolved from the original Dave Reeves designed Sound City
One Hundred from which the new Sound City Master One Hundred and Master Lead 50 amplifiers
were created. Hewing closely to the bold sonic foundation of its bigger brothers, the SC30 delivers
unusual clarity, punch and sweetness for its size and power.
Linking the expressive Gold Lion KT66 “Kinkless Tetrodes” to the classic Reeves inspired phase
inverter design in a cathode biased configuration yields a remarkably rich harmonic balance and
tonal detail from single coils and humbuckers alike. Driving those big boles, the 12AT7 based
Dierential Pair phase inverter produces ample voltage for a smooth and eortless transition into
thick power amp saturation. The 5AR4 tube rectified power supply insures responsive power sup-
ply recovery with a natural and understated compression that yields expressive chime and sustain
without excessive sag.
To top it o, we utilize a genuine Partridge inspired paper insulated output transformer to deliver
the sonic payload to a specially created and carefully evolved rendition of the original Sound City
Power Speaker, right down to the original label design.
No detail was overlooked in the execution of the SC30 design. With chief design engineer Steven
Fryee at the helm, the Sound City SC30 brings over 30 years of award winning PCB design to
bear in order to realize all of its sonic potential in a reasonably priced package. Whether you are
a pedal aficionado or a “straight-in” player, you’ll find the SC30 ready, willing and able to deliver
inspired and eortless tonal expression.
THE EVOLUTION OF A LEGACY
FEATURES
X30 Was Class A design
XSpecial design 12“ 75W 8Ω Sound City Power Speaker by Fane
XControl Panel: Input, Normal Volume, Brilliant Volume, Treble, Middle, Bass, Reverb
XTube driven Accutronics 3-spring reverb.
XPower Tubes: Genelex Gold Lion KT66 Matched Pair, cathode biased. Also accepts 6L6, 5881, etc.
No biasing required
XPreamp Tubes: V1 - 12AX7 Tung-Sol, V2, V3 - 12AX7A Ruby Selected, V4, V5 – 12AT7 Ruby Selected
XRectifier Tube – Sovtek 5AR4
XSpeaker outputs: 4Ω, 8Ω, 16Ω
XSize: W 24-3/8“ x H 19-1/4“ x D 9-1/8“ (62 cm x 49 cm x 23 cm)
XWeight: 48 lbs (22 kg)

3© 2018 Sound City® Amplification. All rights reserved. Specifications subject to change without notice.
SAFETY INSTRUCTIONS
IMPORTANT SAFETY INSTRUCTIONS
This symbol warns the user of dangerous voltage levels localized within the enclosure.
This symbol advises the user to read all accompanying literature for safe operation of the unit.
XRead, retain, and follow all instructions. Heed all warnings.
XOnly connect the power supply cord to an earth grounded AC receptacle in accordance with the voltage
and frequency ratings listed under the AC input on the rear panel of this product.
XWARNING: To prevent damage, fire or shock hazard, do not expose this unit to rain or moisture.
XWARNING: Tubes get hot. Do not reach into back of amp unless the tubes are cool.
XUnplug the power supply cord before cleaning the unit exterior (use a damp cloth only). Wait until the
unit is completely dry before reconnecting it to power.
XMaintain at least 12 inches (30 cm) of unobstructed air space behind the unit to allow for proper venti-
lation and cooling of the unit.
XThis product should be located away from heat sources such as radiators, heat registers, or other pro-
ducts that produce heat.
XThis product may be equipped with a polarized plug (one blade wider than the other). This is a safety
feature. If you are unable to insert the plug into the outlet, contact an electrician to replace your obso-
lete outlet. Do not defeat the safety purpose of this plug.
XProtect the power supply cord from being pinched or abraded.
XThe power supply cord of this product should be unplugged from the outlet when le unused for a long
period of time, or during electrical storms.
XThis product should be serviced by qualified service personnel when: the power supply cord or the plug
has been damaged; or objects have fallen, or liquid has been spilled onto the product; or the product
has been exposed to rain; or the product does not appear to operate normally or exhibits a marked
change in performance; or the product has been dropped, or the enclosure damaged.
XDo not drip nor splash liquids, nor place liquid filled containers on the unit.
XCAUTION: No user serviceable parts inside, refer servicing to qualified personnel only.
XSOUND CITY® amplifiers and loudspeaker systems are capable of producing very high sound pressure
levels which may cause temporary or permanent hearing damage. Use care when seing and adjusting
volume levels during use.
XHazardous voltages may be present within the chassis even with the power switch o and power cord
connected. Therefore, disconnect the power cord from the rear panel power inlet before servicing. The
power inlet must remain readily operable.

4© 2018 Sound City® Amplification. All rights reserved. Specifications subject to change without notice.
CHANNEL VOICING
IT ALL STARTS HERE
The Input Sensitivity of an amplifier, commonly referred to as gain, determines how much overdrive and
sustain your guitar will produce. Tonal balance determines how the amp will respond to your playing style
and sound with a particular guitar. Like all amplifiers, the SC30 combo has tone and volume controls. Un-
derstanding the unique interactive nature of these features will give you total control over tonal balance,
gain and power amplifier distortion. The NORMAL/BRILLIANT configuration is the key to dialing in the SC30
sound and volume to your specific requirements.
The NORMAL and BRILLIANT volume controls set the input stage and power amp gain amount as you rotate
the knobs clockwise.
The NORMAL volume feeds a full range gain stage the delivers deep low end and a subtle top end sparkle.
As you increase the volume, the tonal balance develops a faer smoother character. This stage is ideal for
dialing in a big dynamic punch that cleans up nicely when backing o on the guitar volume.
The BRILLIANT volume feeds a somewhat hoer gain stage with a rolled o low end and a pronounced
midrange emphasis. As the gain is increased, the tonal balance is shis from upper mid emphasis to a lo-
wer mid emphasis with a noticeable onset of preamp distortion. This will produce a thick meaty tone. The
forward top end voicing of this stage allows you to turn down the tone control on your guitar for a sweet
sustaining “Woman Tone” vibe.
The internally ”jumpered“ input allows you to blend the NORMAL and BRILLIANT voicings.
VOLUME
INPU T
NORMALBRILLIANT

5© 2018 Sound City® Amplification. All rights reserved. Specifications subject to change without notice.
CHANNEL VOICING
The Sound City power amp section is noticeably dierent than the typical amplifier you’re probably used to, and
this is important in understanding how to unlock the beast within.
Start with seing the BRILLIANT and NORMAL volumes for your desired tonal balance The lower the levels,
the cleaner the amp will sound, the higher the levels, the louder and more overdriven the amp will become as
you begin to push the output stage into saturation. Either volume control will drive the amp into saturation/
overdrive.
As you will see, by experimenting with combinations of seings you can cover an awful lot of tonal territory
before you even begin to start thinking about tone control seings. See page 9 for sample seings.
For guitars with humbuckers
When using humbucking pickups with
enhanced midrange output, push the
normal volume more than the brilliant
volume.
For guitars with single coils
When using single coil pickups, push
the brilliant volume more than the
normal volume.
Dierent combinations of NORMAL and BRILLIANT volume control seings will have a dramatic eect on the
response of the amplifier and the personality of your instrument. Once you get familiar with the action of these
controls and you’ll be amazed at how easy it is to make any guitar sound mellow, fat, soulful or aggressive.
TRY THESE BASIC SETTINGS SUGGESTIONS AS A STARTING POINT
VOLUME
INPU T
NORMAL BRILLIANT
VOLUME
INPUT
NORMALBRILLIANT
VOLUME
INPU T
NORMAL BRILLIANT
VOLUME
INPUT
NORMAL
BRILLIANT

6© 2018 Sound City® Amplification. All rights reserved. Specifications subject to change without notice.
REVERB
MAINS
ON BASS MIDDLE TREBLE BRILLIANT NORMAL
VOLUME
INPUT
SOUND CITY SC30
®
FRONT PANEL OVERVIEW
SOUND CITY®SC30 FUNCTIONS
FRONT PANEL, RIGHT TO LEFT
1. INPUT – This input sends the signal of your guitar to both the NORMAL volume and BRILLIANT volume.
PREAMP GAIN / VOLUME SECTION
2. NORMAL VOLUME – Sets the volume of the normal gain stage. This first gain control also serves as a tone
shaping control, counter-clockwise for crisp and articulate, clockwise for thick and saturated.
3. BRILLIANT VOLUME – Sets the volume of the brilliant gain stage. This first gain control also serves as a
tone shaping control, counter-clockwise for clean and bright, clockwise for snappy and mid focused.
EQUALIZATION SECTION – Passive / Interactive tone controls.
4. TREBLE – Passive High frequency equalization.
5. MIDDLE – Passive Mid frequency equalization.
6. BASS – Passive low frequency equalization.
POWER AMP RESPONSE SECTION
7. REVERB – Controls the tube-driven 3-spring reverb.
AC POWER / STANDBY
8. MAINS – Switches main AC power on or o (down is “on“). There is no standby switch. Allow a minute or
two for tubes to warm up.
1
2345678

7© 2018 Sound City® Amplification. All rights reserved. Specifications subject to change without notice.
REAR PANEL OVERVIEW
REAR PANEL, LEFT TO RIGHT
1. AC MAINS INPUT – Connect to a grounded outlet in accordance with the voltage and frequency specified
on the rear panel of your amplifier.
Use only the factory supplied cord set or a UL approved equivalent type.
2. MAINS FUSE – Protects the amplifier from electrical faults. Replace only with type and rating specified on
the rear panel of your amplifier.
Warning! Replace only with same fuse type and rating.
3. SPEAKER OUTPUTS - There are three speaker output jacks: 16 ohm, 8 ohm and 4 ohm. The factory supplied
speaker is 8 ohms.
WARNING: Do not handle speaker plugs when tubes are hot. Do not reach into back of amplifier when
tubes are hot.
4. REVERB JACKS – The 3-spring reverb connects here.
12 3 4
5AR4 KT66 KT66 12AT7A 12AT7A 12AX7A 12AX7A 12AX7A
Tube locations from right to le (looking at the back of the amp)
Tube types are factory selected for superior performance, consistent tone quality and reliability. While substi-
tuting other brands may not cause damage to the amplifier this may aect amplifier performance in unpre-
dictable ways. For best performance, replace only with factory recommended tubes. Warning! Substituting
other tube types is not recommended.
Factory recommended tubes are listed under each location.
Tube No. Factory Fied Tubes Function / Comments
V1 (shielded tube) 12AX7A Tung-Sol Gain Stage 1: Normal and Brilliant Input
12AX7WB Sovtek Use in place of Tung-Sol for smoother top end
and less upper mids
12AX7 China Selected Use in place of WB if more gain is required
V2 (shielded tube) 12AX7A/7025 China Gain Stage 2: Tone Control Driver
V3 (shielded tube) 12AX7A/7025 China Gain Stage 3: Phase Inverter Buer
V4 (shielded tube) 12AT7A/China Reverb Driver
V5 (shielded tube) 12AT7A/China Phase Inverter
V6 – V7 KT66 Genalex Gold Lion Power Tubes
V8 5AR4 E-H Rectifier
V1V2V3V4V5V6V7V8

8© 2018 Sound City® Amplification. All rights reserved. Specifications subject to change without notice.
REAR PANEL OVERVIEW
The new Sound City Power F70GS speaker is specially engineered for the SC30 Combo. It is designed to
reproduce low notes with unusually good control for a combo of this size. The top end is smooth and open
sounding, which not only enhances the clean sound, but helps extend the range and ambience of the reverb
system. When pushed hard, the speaker rolls smoothly into distortion and this contributes to the rich harmonic
structure of the overdrive.
The F70GS is an 8 ohm speaker and is conservatively rated at 75 was, meaning it can actually withstand a
much higher peak power when called upon to do so.
Every speaker requires a nominal break-in period before it achieves its intended performance and this is true
of the F70GS. For best results, simply play the way you play and let the speaker break in according to your
playing style and volume preference.
Each player has a dierent idea about how reverb should respond. The SC30 reverb is tube driven and the
3-spring unit is specially suited for this amplifier and speaker combination.
At first you may find the reverb control to be a bit sensitive. The reverb system is designed to produce a clear
ambient sound regardless of playing volume. A normal reverb seing at bedroom volume will be around 10
to 12 o‘clock, while at gigging volume, you will probably set it at around 9 to 10 o‘clock.
SPEAKER INFORMATION
THE SC30 REVERB
The SC30 output stage uses 2 selected and matched Genalex Gold Lion KT66 power tubes in a Cathode
Biased Push-Pull configuration. Though something of a misnomer, this topology is biased at what is typically
referred to as Class A operation. Its most important feature is that it is self-biasing and maintains its own op-
timum bias as long as both of the power tubes are in good operating condition. Since no bias adjustment is
required when swapping or replacing the power tubes, no internal or external bias provisions or test points
are provided.
Please note that Class A operation basically means that the power tubes are operating at full power regard-
less of whether or not any sound is being amplified, so it is important to turn the amplifier o during breaks,
and powered down when not in use to keep things cool and to extend tube life.
Even though you may follow this advice carefully, you will still observe that the amplifier tends to run hot.
This is normal and there is plenty of ventilation in the chassis design and all of the critical components and
transformers are designed to withstand much more heat than you will normally experience during typical
operation.
POWER OUTPUT AND POWER TUBES

9© 2018 Sound City® Amplification. All rights reserved. Specifications subject to change without notice.
SOUND SETTING EXAMPLES
Mississippi Queen
REVERB
MAINS
ON BASS MIDDLE TREBLE BRILLIANT NORMAL
VOLUME
INPUT
SOUND CITY SC30
®
Crossroads
REVERB
MAINS
ON BASS MIDDLE TREBLE BRILLIANT NORMAL
VOLUME
INPUT
SOUND CITY SC30
®
All Right Now
REVERB
MAINS
ON BASS MIDDLE TREBLE BRILLIANT NORMAL
VOLUME
INPUT
SOUND CITY SC30
®
Scule Buin‘
REVERB
MAINS
ON BASS MIDDLE TREBLE BRILLIANT NORMAL
VOLUME
INPUT
SOUND CITY SC30
®
Day Of The Eagle
REVERB
MAINS
ON BASS MIDDLE TREBLE BRILLIANT NORMAL
VOLUME
INPUT
SOUND CITY SC30
®
Lile Wing / Freedom
REVERB
MAINS
ON BASS MIDDLE TREBLE BRILLIANT NORMAL
VOLUME
INPUT
SOUND CITY SC30
®Lile Wing
For strat in middle/
bridge Pick up seing
Freedom
For strat at bridge
pickup seing
For Les Paul
style guitars
For Strat
style guitars
NORMAL BRILLIANT
VOLUME
INPUT
NORMAL BRILLIANT
VOLUME
INPUT

10 © 2018 Sound City® Amplification. All rights reserved. Specifications subject to change without notice.
TROUBLESHOOTING GUIDE
Product specifications are subject to change without notice.
SPECIFICATIONS
MODEL: SC30 Combo
MODEL NUMBER: SC30C
POWER REQUIREMENT: 150W
POWER OUTPUT:
30W RMS @ 5% THD, 1kHz sine into 8Ω
INPUT IMPEDANCE: 470KΩ
OUTPUT IMPEDANCE: 4Ω / 8Ω / 16Ω
FUSE: 100V UNITS: MAINS T3.5A, 250V.
120V UNITS: T3A, 250V.
220V-240V UNITS: T1.6A, 250V.
DIMENSIONS:
HEIGHT: 19 ¼ in (49 cm)
WIDTH: 24 ⅜ in (62 cm)
DEPTH: 9 ⅛ in (23 cm)
WEIGHT: 48 lb (22 kg)
WON’T TURN ON
1. Make sure AC cord is securely connected at both
ends.
2. Verify the power source with something you
know works.
3. Check the mains fuse, and replace if necessary. If
it blows again, refer to qualified service personnel.
NO SOUND
1. Check input cable.
2. Make sure the channel volumes are turned up.
3. Check speaker cable to see if it is disconnected
or shorted.
4. Check for a blown speaker.
5. Look at the preamp and power tubes to see if
they are lighting up.
RUNNING HOT
1. Make sure that the unit has adequate ventilation.
2. Make sure that the speaker is plugged in the
correct output jack.
3. Power tubes may be drawing excessive current
(refer to qualified service personnel).
NOTE:
This amplifier is cathode biased. This means the
power tubes are operating at full power whether or
not you are playing it. Because of this, the amplifier
will generate significant heat when operated for an
extended time. Therefore, always turn the amplifier
o when taking breaks or when not in use. This will
extend tube life and improve long term reliability.
DISTORTION
1. Check the impedance seing.
2. Check the speaker cable for shorts.
3. Check the speaker.
4. Check the signal level at other devices in the
signal path.
5. Power tubes may be weak (refer to qualified
service personnel).
BLOWING MAINS FUSE
1. Bad power tube or other internal power supply
component (refer to qualified service personnel).

11 © 2018 Sound City® Amplification. All rights reserved. Specifications subject to change without notice.
CERTIFICATE OF COMPLIANCE AND CONFORMITY
Certificate of Compliance
Restriction of the use of Hazardous Substances (RoHS)
We certify that all of our products (exceptions see listed below) are compliant with the European Union Directive
2002/95/EC for the Restriction of the use of certain Hazardous Substances in Electrical and Electronic Equipment
(RoHS).
No Lead (Pb), Cadmium (Cd), Mercury (Hg), Hexavalent Chromium (Cr+6), PBB or PBDE is intentionally added
to these devices. Any trace impurities of these substances contained in the parts are below the RoHS specified
threshold levels.
All information provided in this Certificate of Compliance is accurate to the best of our knowledge as of the
date this Certification was issued.
Certificate of Compliance
Registration, Evaluation, Authorization and Restriction
of chemicals (REACh)
We declare that all of our products are compliant with European Union Directive EC1907/206 for the Registration,
Evaluation, Authorization and Restriction of chemicals (REACh), and contain none or less than 0.1% of the
chemicals listed as hazardous chemicals in the REACh regulation. All information provided in this Certificate
of Compliance is accurate to the best of our knowledge as of the date this Certification was issued.
Declaration of Conformity
EMC and Low Voltage Directive (CE)
Product Name: SC30 Combo
Model Number: SC30C
This is to certify that the product listed above complies with the following European Union Council Directives
and Standards relating to electromagnetic compatibility (EMC Directive 89/336/EEC) and the low voltage
Directive (73/23/EEC).
This declaration of conformity of the European Communities is the result of an examination carried out by
Electromagnetic Engineering Services, Inc. in accordance with European Standards EN 50081-1, EN 50082-1
and EN 60065 for low voltage, as laid down in Article 10 of the EMC Directive.
Group Eleven, LLC.
6850 Vineland Ave. Unit P
North Hollywood, CA 91605 USA

12 © 2018 Sound City® Amplification. All rights reserved. Specifications subject to change without notice.
LIMITED WARRANTY
Subject to the obligations and exclusions found below, this product is warranted by Sound City Amplifica-
tion, LLC., (herein SCA) against manufacturing defects in materials and workmanship for the period of Five
(5) Years from the date of purchase, with the exception of the tubes, fuses and speakers where applicable,
which carry a 90 day warranty.
The warranty period commences on the date of purchase by the original user. Performance under this war-
ranty must be obtained at one of the following: an SCA Authorized Service Station, by returning the unit to
the SCA factory with prior wrien authorization, or (in countries outside of the United States) by a represen-
tative SCA distributor.
Obligations
1. This warranty will be honored only on the presentation of the original proof of purchase.
2. Transportation of the product to and from an authorized SCA service outlet is the responsibility of the user.
Units sent directly to the SCA factory for warranty repairs must be authorized by SCA and shipped prepaid.
Exclusions
1. This warranty shall not cover adjustment of consumer-operated controls as explained in the appropriate
instruction manual, or products that have been altered or have missing, or defaced serial numbers.
2. This warranty shall not apply to the appearance of accessory items including but not limited to, cabinets,
cabinet parts, or knobs.
3. This warranty does not apply to uncrating, setup, installation, or the removal and reinstallation of products
for repair.
4. This warranty shall not apply to repair or replacements necessitated by any cause beyond the control of
SCA including, but not limited to, any malfunction, defects, or failure caused by or resulting from unautho-
rized service or parts, damaged or broken tubes, incorrect line voltage, improper maintenance, modifica-
tion or repair by the user, abuse misuse, neglect, accident, fire, flood, or other Acts of God.
5. Responsibility for the repair of any SCA product sold outside of U.S. boundaries is borne by the SCA re-
presentative in that particular country or territory. Also, the warranty term and conditions may be dierent
from those stated above. Please contact the SCA distributor or dealer in your country for more informati-
on.
The foregoing is in lieu of all other expressed warranties, and SCA does not authorize any party to assume
for it any other obligation or liability. In no event shall SCA be liable for special or consequential damages
arising from the use of this product, or for any delay in the performance of this warranty due to causes
beyond our control. Some states do not allow limitations on how long an implied warranty lasts and/or do
not allow the exclusion or limitation of consequential damages, so the above limitations on implied warranty
and consequential damages may not apply to you. This warranty gives you specific legal rights. You may have
other rights that vary from state to state.
WARRANTY REGISTRATION
U.S. and Canadian residents may register their Sound City product(s) online at www.soundcityamp.com by selec-
ting and completing the Warranty Registration form. All other international residents please contact the authori-
zed distributor your Fryee product was purchased from. For a list of international distributors please visit www.
soundcityamp.com
SOUND CITY AMPLIFICATION, LLC
C/O GROUP ELEVEN, LLC
6850 VINELAND AVE. UNIT P
NORTH HOLLYWOOD, CA 91605
TEL [phone] FAX [phone] www.SoundCityAmp.com
Copyright 2017 Sound City Amplification, LLC