Tone King Ironman II Mini User manual

Tone King
Tone King Tone King
Tone King
Ironman II Mini
Ironman II MiniIronman II Mini
Ironman II Mini
User’s Manual
User’s ManualUser’s Manual
User’s Manual
1.1 2/4/2016
Tone King Amplifiers
A division of Premier Builders Guild LLC
www.toneking.com
[e-mail]
1

Safety Instructions
Safety Instructions Safety Instructions
Safety Instructions
1. Please read these instructions, and keep them for reference.
2. Please follow all instructions described here.
3. Do not use this apparatus near water.
4. Clean only with a dry cloth.
5. Do not block any entilation openings.
6. Do not operate near any heat sources such as radiators or heat registers.
7. Protect the power cord from being walked on or pinched, particularly at the plugs
and at the point where they exit from the apparatus.
8. Only use attachments/accessories specified by the manufacturer.
9. Refer all ser icing to qualified ser ice personnel. Ser icing is required when the
apparatus has been damaged in any way. For example, if the power supply cord or
plug is damaged, liquid has been spilled or objects ha e fallen into the apparatus, the
apparatus has been exposed to rain or moisture, does not operate normally, or has
been dropped.
2

Contents
Contents Contents
Contents
1. ntroduction / Product Description 4
2. Specifications 5
3. Front Panel Controls 6
Attenuation Control 6
Range Switch 6
Solo Button 6
Presence Switch 6
4. Back Panel Controls 7
9VDC Power Input 7
Line-Out 7
Speaker Jack 7
Amplifier Jack 7
5. Battery Replacement 8
6. Connecting the ronman Mini 8
Speaker Connection for Combo Amps 9
Connection for Silent Recording / D.I. 9
7. Attenuation Dial 10
8. Getting a Great Sound at Home 11
The Effect of Your Acoustical En ironment 11
Floor Reflections 11
Where to Place the Amp 11
Carpeting 11
9. Warranty 12
10. CE Declaration 13
3

1. Introduction - Product Description
1. Introduction - Product Description1. Introduction - Product Description
1. Introduction - Product Description
Purpose of an Attenuator
Purpose of an AttenuatorPurpose of an Attenuator
Purpose of an Attenuator
Many intage tube guitar amplifiers need to be cranked up to full olume in order to
achie e any amount of o erdri e and distortion. This type of amplifier does not usually
ha e a Master Volume control, and is designed so that all o erdri e and distortion
happens in the output stage, and not in the preamp. An example of this type of amp is
the Fender Deluxe, or Vox AC-30.
This type of amp can create difficulties in managing the olume le el, since it needs to
be running at full output power to achie e o erdri e and distortion. A power attenuator
sol es this problem. It is connected between the output of the amplifier and the
speaker, and it allows you to send a specified fraction of the amp's output power to the
speaker. The remainder of the amp's output power is dissipated within the attenuator
itself. This way, the amp can run at full output power, and control the olume le el
with the attenuator.
Tonal Quality
Tonal Quality Tonal Quality
Tonal Quality
The tonal quality deli ered by an attenuator depends on the design of the attenuator. A
simple, low-cost attenuator will generally deli er less than spectactular results – muddy
sound with blurred attack, buzzy artifacts, and other defects.
The Ironman II Mini employs Tone King's state-of-the-art Ironman II architecture, with
proprietary design features which make it particularly effecti e at maintaining the
natural sound and feel of your amplifier at e en the lowest olume le els.
Tec nical Details
Tec nical DetailsTec nical Details
Tec nical Details
Here are a few of the technical features that make the Ironman II Mini a particularly
transparent, natural sounding attenuator:
1. Tuned Reactive Load
1. Tuned Reactive Load1. Tuned Reactive Load
1. Tuned Reactive Load
To preser e the natural response and feel of an amplifier, it is critical that the
output tubes see the proper loading. The Tuned Reacti e Load of the Ironman-II
mirrors the impedance cur e of a real speaker, which results in a more natural tone
and feel than the simple resisti e load used in most attenuators.
2. Volume Compensation Circuitry
2. Volume Compensation Circuitry2. Volume Compensation Circuitry
2. Volume Compensation Circuitry
The ear percei es sound differently at low and high olume le els, which is why
many attenuators may sound thin and muffled at lower settings. The Ironman II
o ercomes this phenomenon with its' proprietary Volume Le el Compensation
Circuitry. This circuitry adjusts the tonal balance at each attenuation step, to
ensure that the sound you hear is always as deep, rich, and present at low olume
as it is at high olume.
3. Damping Factor Correction
3. Damping Factor Correction3. Damping Factor Correction
3. Damping Factor Correction
A loudspeaker performs differently when dri en with ery little power, compared to
its response at full power. The Ironman-II's Damping Factor Correction Circuitry
compensates for this effect, making the speaker perform more naturally at low
olume so it retains the feel of a cranked amp, e en at bedroom olume.
4

2. Specifications
2. Specifications2. Specifications
2. Specifications
5

3. Front Panel Controls
3. Front Panel Controls3. Front Panel Controls
3. Front Panel Controls
Attenuation Knob
Attenuation KnobAttenuation Knob
Attenuation Knob
The Attenuation knob selects between the 6 a ailable attenuation steps. For each
attenuation step, there are three possible attenuation le els, as determined by the Solo
button and the Range switch. This will be discussed in detail in section 4 below.
Range Switc
Range SwitcRange Switc
Range Switc
The Range switch selects the relati e attenuation le el when the Solo function is
inacti e, and therefore determines the amount of olume increase you get when the
Solo function is acti ated. More detail will be pro ided in section 4.
Solo Button
Solo ButtonSolo Button
Solo Button
The Solo footswitch selects between two different attenuation le els, to pro ide a olume
boost for soloing or other purposes. The use of the Solo function will be described in
detail in section 4.
Presence Switc
Presence SwitcPresence Switc
Presence Switc
The Presence switch pro ides subtle control of brightness and compression. It allows
you to tailor the response to match your acoustic en ironment, and to correct for an
o erly bright amplifier. Three settings are pro ided: 0db (brightest setting), -3db, and
-6db (darkest setting).
6

4. Back Panel Controls
4. Back Panel Controls4. Back Panel Controls
4. Back Panel Controls
9V DC Power Input
9V DC Power Input9V DC Power Input
9V DC Power Input
The 9V DC power input is used to supply power for the Solo Indicator LED. When
power is applied ia the 9V DC input, the LED is powered by the external power source,
and not from the internal batteries. If no external power source is connected, the LED
is powered by the internal 2xAA batteries.
Power supplied by either the batteries or the external power source is only used to
operate the Solo indicator LED. No other internal circuitry requires power to operate.
Thus, the unit will be fully functional with no power source connected (neither battery
nor external 9V supply), but the Solo LED indicator will not work without power.
Line Out
Line OutLine Out
Line Out
The Line-Out jack pro ides a line le el signal which can be used to dri e a mixing
board, a guitar or instrument amplifier, or any line-le el input.
Speaker Jack
Speaker JackSpeaker Jack
Speaker Jack
The speaker is to be connected to the Speaker jack. This jack can be used to dri e any
8-ohm speaker. It should be connected using a mono 1/4" speaker cable. You may
need to use an adapter as well if the speaker is terminated with a 1/4" plug, as in a
combo style amplifier.
Amplifier Jack
Amplifier JackAmplifier Jack
Amplifier Jack
The Amplifier jack is to be connected to your amplifier's "speaker" output, using a 1/4"
mono speaker cable. The amplifier's impedance selector (if it has one) must be set to
the 8 ohm position.
7

5. Battery Replacement
5. Battery Replacement5. Battery Replacement
5. Battery Replacement
The Ironman II Mini requires either two AA
batteries or an external 9V power source to power
the Solo indicator LED. Power is not needed for
any part of the attenuation circuitry. The
attenuator is fully functional without a power
source, but operating without a power source
makes it difficult to determine the status of the
Solo feature.
To install or replace the batteries, first remo e
the battery co er on the bottom of the unit by
remo ing the two screws. Install batteries in as
shown here, then replace the battery co er.
6. Connecting t e Ironman II Mini
6. Connecting t e Ironman II Mini6. Connecting t e Ironman II Mini
6. Connecting t e Ironman II Mini
The diagram below shows the proper connection of the Ironman II Mini. Proper 1/4"
mono speaker cables must be used to connect both the amplifier and speaker.
Standard instrument cables are not sufficient for this purpose, and could result in
damage to the amplifier.
8

Speaker Connection for Combo Amps
Speaker Connection for Combo AmpsSpeaker Connection for Combo Amps
Speaker Connection for Combo Amps
The speaker connection in a combo amp (i.e. an amplifier with a built-in speaker)
usually consists of a 1/4" mono plug attached to the speaker, which is plugged into the
Speaker Out jack on the amplifier chassis. For this type of connection, you will need to
use a special adapter to connect the speaker plug to the cable used for connection to
the Ironman. This adapter is called a "Female-Female" adapter, and it looks like this:
Connection for Silent Recording / D.I.
Connection for Silent Recording / D.I.Connection for Silent Recording / D.I.
Connection for Silent Recording / D.I.
The Ironman II Mini may be used as a simple reacti e load for silent recording or D.I.
purposes. It will pro ide a proper load to your amplifier, with no speaker attached. The
drawing below shows how to connect the Ironman for this purpose.
9

7. Attenuation Dial
7. Attenuation Dial7. Attenuation Dial
7. Attenuation Dial
The amount of attenuation is determined by three controls: the Attenuation dial, the
Range switch, and the Solo button.
At each of the 6 steps of the Attenuation dial, three different attenuation le els are
possible, depending on the state of the Range switch and Solo button. The example
below shows how each of the 3 different attenuation le els are selected.
10

8. Getting a Great Sound at Home
8. Getting a Great Sound at Home8. Getting a Great Sound at Home
8. Getting a Great Sound at Home
T e Effect of Your Acoustical Environment
T e Effect of Your Acoustical EnvironmentT e Effect of Your Acoustical Environment
T e Effect of Your Acoustical Environment
When playing in a large room or on a big stage, getting a great sound from your amp is
usually easy. Generally, in this type of setting, can simply crank the amp up to full
power, and it will sound great.
Playing at home, or in any small room, is a different story. In a case like this, the
acoustic properties of the room can ha e a big influence on the sound you hear, and
can often cause problems.
There are many types of problems that can happen in a small room. Here are a few
suggestions for how to deal with them:
Floor Reflections
Floor ReflectionsFloor Reflections
Floor Reflections
If you ha e the amp sitting on a hardwood, tile, or concrete floor in a small room, it may
sound harsh in the upper midrange, because of reflections off the floor directly in front
of the amp. To help sol e this problem, you might try placing a small piece of carpet (or
a doormat, for example), directly in front of the amp.
W ere to Place t e Amp
W ere to Place t e AmpW ere to Place t e Amp
W ere to Place t e Amp
Most small combo amps sound best when placed directly on the floor. Hoer er, if you
find that your amp sounds too bassy or boomy in the low end, you might try raising it
up at least 6” off the floor to e en out the bottom end.
In a small room, you will find that the sound you hear is greatly influenced by the
location of the amp in the room, and by the orientation of the amp with respect to the
listening position (i.e. if the amp is pointing at you or away from you).
I strongly suggest experimenting by mo ing the amp around to different places in the
room, playing through it at each location, to find the place that sounds the best.
Carpeting
CarpetingCarpeting
Carpeting
Carpeting can cause problems as well, and it’s not quite as simple as rolling off the high
frequencies and making the amp sound dark. Often, the problem is that it causes a dip
in a certain region in the midrange, lea ing a hole in the lower midrange that makes the
amp sound harsh and brittle in the top end. This generally can’t be helped by mo ing
the amp to a different location in the room. The only solution I’ e found is to raise the
amp up a few inches off the floor. You may lose some bottom end in doing this, but the
positi e effect in smoothing the midrange response will more than make up for it.
11

Premier Builders Guild LLC
Limited Warranty
Premier Builders Guild LLC
201 S. ighland Avenue, Suite 204
Pittsburgh, PA 15206
This warranty gives you specific legal rights; you may also have other rights which vary from state to state. There are
no express warranties except those listed below.
Length of Warranty
This warranty shall remain in effect for five years from the date of sale of the product as shown on the original bill of
sale.
What is Covered
This warranty covers all defects in material and workmanship in this product, with the following exceptions:
1. Damage or deterioration of the cabinet, or any other cosmetic damage which occurs after delivery is not
covered by this warranty.
2. Damage after initial delivery resulting from accident, unreasonable use, or neglect, is not covered by this
warranty.
3. Damage resulting from the performance of repairs by someone other than the Tone King Amplifier
Company is not covered by this warranty.
4. Damage occurring during shipment or delivery of this product to the Tone King Amplifier Company
after initial delivery of the product is not covered by this warranty.
5. Vacuum tubes are considered a user-replaceable item, as they are expected to wear out and require
replacement over a reasonable period of time. Tubes are warranted to be serviceable for a period of 90
days from the date of sale.
6. The speaker(s) in this amplifier has(have) been selected for use only with this amplifier. If the
speaker(s) of this amplifier is(are) connected to an amplifier other than the intended amplifier, any
warranty of this speaker shall be deemed void.
What We Will Pay or
The Tone King Amplifier Company will pay for all labor and material expenses to fix or replace all items covered
under this warranty. The customer will pay shipping charges to return the product to the Tone King Amplifier
Company. If the necessary repairs are covered under this warranty, the Tone King Amplifier Company will pay any
shipping charges required to return the product to the customer.
Limitation of Implied Warranties
All express or implied warranties of merchantability and fitness for a particular purpose are limited in duration to the
length of this warranty, unless otherwise provided by state law.
Exclusion of Certain Damages
The Tone King Amplifier Company’s liability is limited to the repair or replacement, at our option, of any defective
product, and shall in no event include incidental or consequential damages of any kind. Some states do not allow
limitations on the length of an implied warranty and/or do not allow the exclusion of incidental or consequential
damages, so the above limitations and exclusions may not apply to you.
Obtaining Warranty Service
If your unit requires service, it should be returned to the Tone King Amplifier Company at the address listed above.
Before returning the unit, you must contact the Tone King Amplifier Company and obtain return authorization.
12

Premier Builders Guild, LLC
201 S. ighland Avenue, Suite 204
Pittsburgh, PA 15206
412-362-0309
DECLARATION O CON ORMITY
We, Premier Builders Guild, in coordination with CES Laboratories, declare, taking this declaration under
our total responsibility, that the below models are in conformity with the provisions of the following EC
Directive(s) when installed in accordance with the installation instructions contained in the product
documentation:
2006/95/EEC Low Voltage Directive
2004/108/EEC EMC Directive
EN60065:2014
EN55013:2013
And that the standards and/or technical specifications have been applied to the following families of
products:
Manufacturer/Importer
CE Marking Date: 6/17/2015
Signature Date: 8/25/2015
Issue Date: 8/25/2015
Approved By:
Chandra Garudachar
President
CES LABORATORIES
Prepard By:
Jyotsna Bedi
23361 Cypress Pt
13
Falcon
Imperial MK II
Sky King
Royalist 15
Royalist 45
Falcon Grande
Ironman II Mini