tech21 PW60 User manual

WARNINGS
•Attempting to repair this unit is not recommended and may void its warranty.
•Missing or altered serial numbers automatically void the warranty. For your own
protection, be sure the serial number labels on the unit and exterior box are intact.
ONE-YEAR LIMITED WARRANTY
Manufacturer warrants unit to be free from defects in materials and workmanship for
a period of one (1) year from the date of purchase. This warranty does not include
damage resulting from accident, misuse, abuse, alteration, or incorrect current or
voltage. If unit becomes defective within warranty period, Tech 21, Inc. will elect to
repair or replace it free of charge. After warranty period expires, manufacturer will
repair defective unit for a fee.
PROOF OF PURCHASE IS REQUIRED FOR ANY REPAIR
For residents of the U.S. and Canada, please call Tech 21’s main headquarters for
shipping instructions and a Return Authorization Number. Tech 21 will not accept
packages without prior authorization, pre-paid freight (UPS preferred), and proper
insurance.
FOR PERSONAL ASSISTANCE & INQUIRIES
Contact Tech 21, Inc., weekdays from 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM, Eastern Standard Time.
DESIGNED AND MANUFACTURED IN THE U.S.A.
333 West 52nd Street, New York, NY 10019
Tel: [phone] / Fax: [phone]
E-Mail: info@tech 21nyc.com
Website: www.tech21nyc.com
© 1999 Tech 21, Inc.
Fill in the following information for future reference:
Model Number __________________________________
Serial Number______________________________________
Dealer’s Name _____________________________________
Dealer’s Address ___________________________________
Date of Purchase ___________________________________
Owner's Manual
POWER ENGINE 60
POWER ENGINE 60T

TECH 21, THE COMPANY
Tech 21, Inc., was formed by a guitarist possessing the unusual combination
of a trained ear and electronics expertise. In 1989, B. Andrew Barta incorpo-
rated Tech 21 and made his invention commercially available to players and
studios around the world. His highly-acclaimed SansAmp™ pioneered
Tube Amplifier Emulation in professional applications for recording direct
and performing live, and created an entirely new category of signal process-
ing. While there have since been many entries into this niche, SansAmp
continues to maintain its reputation as the industry standard.
After developing a variety of SansAmp models, Tech 21 expanded its offer-
ings to include effect pedals; a compact, battery operable MIDI footcon-
troller, the MIDI Mouse; as well as “traditional” style amplifiers for guitar
and bass. Each product is thoughtfully and respectfully designed by
B. Andrew Barta himself with the player in mind. Our goal is to provide you
with flexible, versatile tools to cultivate, control, refine and redefine your
own individual sound. Tech 21 takes great pride in delivering consistent
professional quality sound, studio to studio, club to club, arena to arena.
1

POWER ENGINE 60, AN OVERVIEW
Available in two versions, the Power Engine 60 series can easily be
mistaken for basic, powered extension cabinets. At first glance, the Power
Engine 60 complements our popular Trademark 60 combo amp, and the
Power Engine 60T includes a high-frequency horn to go with our dual-chan-
nel Bronzewood 60 acoustic combo. Each are 1x12 open-back cabinets with
60 watts of transparent power, XLR input, 1/4” input, XLR output, and indi-
vidual level control.
What is yet another new multi-functional concept from Tech 21, these
handsome cabinets can also be used with any direct recording device or
acoustic pre-amp, analog or digital, tube or solid state, in stomp box or
rackmount formats, from any manufacturer. (We happen to be partial to
SansAmp, of course, but that’s just us.) So now you can take all those great
direct sounds you’ve spent so much time creating out to a gig and simply
plug into a Power Engine 60. You can amplify all your personal settings
without getting any additional coloration. Just volume, no tone. Should you
need to compensate for unforgiving rooms, however, we have included
convenient, 3-band, active EQ controls to compensate for difficult venues.
Whether you need a powered extension cabinet for your Tech 21 amp,
SansAmp or pre-amp gizmo du jour, there’s no limit to how much power you
can have. With its ground-independent inputs and output, Power Engine 60s
can be daisy-chained from New York to Tokyo (and back!).
2
IMPORTANT SAFETY INSTRUCTIONS
The Power Engine 60 is powered by potentially hazardous voltage. Therefore,
observe the following safety precautions:
WARNING: To avoid the risk of fire, electric shock or injury, do not expose this unit
to moisture. Do not remove the chassis from its cabinet, or remove metal covering
from chassis parts. Removing the chassis from its cabinet exposes extremely danger-
ous high voltages. There are no user-serviceable parts inside. Hazardous voltages
are present inside the chassis. Refer all servicing to qualified personnel.
CAUTION: Never modify the power cord. If the original power cord becomes dam-
aged, refer your unit for servicing.
WARNING: Attempting to repair this unit is not recommended and may void its war-
ranty. NOTE: In the U.S. and Canada, servicing is performed at factory only. In other
countries, please refer repairs to the local Tech 21 authorized distributor.
ADDITIONAL PRECAUTIONS:
1. Do not allow liquids or objects to penetrate unit.
2. When in use, provide proper ventilation at top and back of unit.
3. During heavy use, chassis may get hot to the touch. Handle with care.
4. Protect unit from strong impact.
5. Do not locate near heat.
6. This unit must be earth grounded.
QUICK START INSTRUCTIONS
Here’s how you can get your Power Engine 60 up and running before you read the
entire manual. Note: By not reading the manual, you’ll miss out on how to get the
most out of your new investment!
1. Plug your amp or pre-amp/processor output into the XLR input (preferably) or 1/4”
input of the Power Engine 60.
2. Be sure your amp or pre-amp/processor is already turned on. (See “Noteworthy
Notes” #1: Powering Up and Powering Down.)
3. Be sure the volume of the Power Engine 60 is turned down and then plug the AC
cord of the Power Engine 60 into a wall socket and turn it on.
4. Play your guitar and you should hear a sound coming through the Power Engine 60. If
not, check that all volume controls are turned up, recheck your connections, and be sure
your cable isn’t faulty. If there is still no sound, refer to factory or qualified technician.
3

THE INS AND OUTS
1/4” INPUT
Accepts 1/4” output of your pre-amp/processor or amplifier. This specialized input
features an isolation transformer to eliminate ground loops when using the Power
Engine 60 in conjunction with an amplifier. Be aware that this transformer loads down
passive guitar inputs. If you would like to plug your guitar directly into the Power Engine
60, either use an active guitar or any buffered type of effect pedal (Boss®, Ibanez®,
Tech 21, etc.) in bypass mode in order to drive the low input impedance of the cabinet.
XLR IN
Balanced XLR input accepts XLR output of your pre-amp/processor or amplifier. This
specialized input is also linked to the isolation transformer to eliminate ground loops
when using the Power Engine 60 in conjunction with an amplifier or chaining with addi-
tional Power Engine 60s.
NOTE: If you have the choice, we recommend utilizing the XLR input of the Power
Engine 60. Additionally, we advise against using both inputs at the same time.
XLR OUT
Balanced low impedance XLR parallel output is connected directly to the input, so
that the signal bypasses the tone controls. For live gigs, you can use this output
directly into the P.A. system so you won’t need to mic the Power Engine 60.
GROUND LIFT
Connects or disconnects the ground between the XLR output of the Power Engine 60
and the mixer. We recommend starting with the ground lifted. If necessary, connect
the ground by pushing the button in.
4
TONE SECTION
The Power Engine 60 includes convenient, on-board, 3-band active EQ controls,
which cut and boost, rather than traditional passive controls which only cut. This
gives you greater control over a larger range of adjustability to compensate for
virtually any situation.
NOTE: These tone controls only affect the power amp and speaker, not the XLR out-
put. The signal going into the 1/4” input or XLR input passes straight through. So you
can tailor your stage sound to the room without affecting the sound out of the P.A.
Additionally, be aware that you need not set everything at max to obtain maximum
results. (See “Noteworthy Notes” #2: EQ.)
LOW, MID, HIGH
Boost or cut ±12dB from the center point (12 o’clock).
ODDS AND ENDS
LEVEL
Adjusts the volume level of the Power Engine 60. (Refer to “Noteworthy Notes” #3:
Volume.)
SPEAKER
Our 100-watt, 8 special design 12” speaker gives you full range response. The
Power Engine 60’s speaker is the same as the one in our Trademark 60 combo amp,
and the Power Engine 60T’s speaker and high-frequency horn are the same as those
in our Bronzewood 60 acoustic combo.
FUSE
Replace with similar type and same value: 3A/110-120V; 1.6A/220-250V.
IMPORTANT REMINDER: Disconnect power cord before changing fuse.
5
CAUTION: CHASSIS MAY GET HOT FROM HEAVY USE. XLR
IN
1/4"
INPUT
LOW
MID
HIGH
XLR
OUT
GRND
LIFT
LEVEL
POWER
ON/OFF
AC 100V ~ 50/60 HZ 120W
AC 117V ~ 60 HZ 120VA
AC 230V ~ 50 HZ 120VA
AC 240V ~ 50 HZ 120VA
MODEL #PW- 60
MODEL #PW- 60T
3A/117V
F 1.6A/250V
FUSE
RISK OF ELECTRIC SHOCK. DO NOT OPEN. RISQUE DE CHOC ELECTRIQUE. NE PAS OUVRIR.
DO NOT EXPOSE THIS EQUIPMENT TO RAIN OR MOISTURE. NO USER SERVICEABLE PARTS
INSIDE. REFER SERVICING TO QUALIFIED SERVICE PERSONNEL.
CAUTION / ATTENTION:
DISCONNECT POWER CORD BEFORE CHANGING
FUSE. DEBRANCHER AVANT DE REMPLACER
LE FUSIBLE.
CAUTION / ATTENTION:
REPLACE FUSE WITH SAME TYPE AND RATING.
REMPLACER PAR UN FUSIBLE DU MEME TYPE.
MADE IN U.S.A.
®Registered trademarks of their respective companies.

NOTEWORTHY NOTES & CONSIDERATIONS
1) Powering Up and Powering Down. To avoid the typical loud pop and
potential harm to the speaker and/or horn, power up in this order:
For mono applications:
1st: Trademark 60, Bronzewood 60, or Pre-amp/processor
2nd: Power Engine 60
For stereo applications:
1st: Stereo processor
2nd: Trademark 60, Bronzewood 60, or Pre-amp/processor
3rd: Power Engine 60
2) EQ. We recommend starting with all controls flat. Then use each sparingly as
needed for whatever room you’re in. Remember, you need not set everything at max
to obtain maximum results. It would be rare that turning all the tone controls up
would accomplish a favorable sound. In most instances, a slight cut of the Mid
control should be adequate.
3) Volume. When chaining the Power Engine 60/60T with a Trademark 60/
Bronzewood 60, be sure to set the Level control to match (approx.) the output volume
of the amp. If the Power Engine 60/60T is set higher than the amp, it may cause
undesirable distortion. Note: Rely on your ears. The position of the level knobs of the
amp and Power Engine 60 may not necessarily be the same.
4) Enjoy !
POWER ENGINE 60/60T SPECIFICATIONS
Note: With on-going product development and improvements, specifications and/or
the cosmetic appearance of these units may change without prior notice.
Model Numbers: PW60 and PW60T
Input Impedance: 10k
Nominal Input Level: -20dBm to +4dBm
Optimal Output Load: 8
Power Output: 60W
Maximum Power Consumption: 120W
AC Input Power (factory set): 100V, 117V, 220V, 230V, 240V
Cycles: 50/60 Hz
NOTE: AC power cannot be switched.
See authorized dealer/distributor for voltage
modification information.
PW60 Speaker: Model #2112-A, Special design 12” / 100W - 8
PW60T Speaker: Model #2112-W, Special design 12” / 100W - 8
PW60T Horn: Model #2125-H, Special design / 60W - 8
Dimensions: 20”w x 17”h x 11”d
PW 60 Weight: 33 lbs.
PW60T Weight: 35 lbs.
Optional Accessories: •Black vinyl cover with white logo
•Flight case with hammered aluminum finish,
lock and casters
Accessories and replacement parts (i.e., knobs, grill panel, speaker, horn, logo plate,
handle, etc.) are available through your authorized dealer, distributor or directly from
Tech 21, Inc.
6 7

BRONZEWOOD 60 POWER ENGINE 60T POWER ENGINE 60T
TRADEMARK 60 POWER ENGINE 60 POWER ENGINE 60
SANSAMP XLR
DIRECT OUT
XLR
IN
POWER ENGINE 60/60T POWER ENGINE 60/60T POWER ENGINE 60/60T
XLR
OUT
SANSAMP XLR
DIRECT OUT
XLR
IN
XLR
OUT
XLR
IN
XLR
OUT
INPUT
INPUT
RETURN
INPUT SEND
BRONZEWOOD 60
Power Engine 60 Hook-Up Diagrams (MONO) Power Engine 60 Hook-Up Diagrams (STEREO)
TO CHAIN OR TO P.A.
XLR
OUT
XLR
IN
TO CHAIN OR TO P.A.
PRE-AMP/
PROCESSOR
INPUT
XLR
IN
XLR
OUT
XLR
OUT
XLR
OUT
XLR
IN
TO CHAIN
OR TO P.A.
PRE-AMP/
PROCESSOR
POWER ENGINE 60/60T
XLR
OUT
XLR
OUT
TO CHAIN
OR TO P.A.
TO CHAIN
OR TO P.A.
TO CHAIN
OR TO P.A.
INPUT
POWER ENGINE 60/60T
SANSAMP
XLR
DIRECT
OUT
POWER ENGINE 60T
XLR
OUT
TO CHAIN
OR TO P.A.
STEREO EFFECTS
PROCESSOR*
INPUT
L R
INPUT
TRADEMARK 60
SANSAMP
XLR
DIRECT
OUT
XLR
OUT
INPUT
TO CHAIN
OR TO P.A.
POWER ENGINE 60
XLR
OUT
INPUT
TO CHAIN
OR TO P.A.
POWER ENGINE 60
STEREO EFFECTS
PROCESSOR
L R
INPUT
INPUT
STEREO EFFECTS
PROCESSOR*
L R
INPUT
INPUT
Use a line matching
transformer, such as
Shure Model #A95UF,
or equivalent
*When available,
it is preferable
to use XLR jacks
*When available,
it is preferable
to use XLR jacks