Introducing ZIO, the All-in-one Preamp/Booster/Buffer
After seventeen years and more than fifty innovative digital gear designs, Source Audio is releasing a completely analog pedal for the first time. This must be something special – and it is! ZIO is different than most other preamp pedals, which usually only serve one purpose. Instead, it gives players four classic preamp types that can be used in various places of the signal path to create first-class live and studio sounds::
• JFET for a transparent, flat frequency curve – zero coloring or distortion
• LOW-CUT cuts lows without affecting mid to high frequencies – for a tighter sound with less 'tubby' bottom-end and added headroom
• STUDIO replicates "Pultec Trick" equalization – adds clarity by cutting the 'mud frequencies' and adding mid-range articulation
• E-PLEX was inspired by the preamp in a vintage tape delay unit – for focused and subtle grit
Idea of the design: "Make Everything Sound Better!"
The acronym ZIO is composed of the impedance symbol Z and the initial letters of Input and Output. That is because the pedal takes a guitar's high impedance signal, sweetens the tone, and puts out a strong low impedance signal that stays unaffected by the following signal chain. With the help of the output control, up to +20dB of signal boost can be achieved. The Tone toggle switch offers three capacitance voicings to brighten or darken the tone – a perfect tool to adjust the sound to different cable runs and compensate signal loss. In always-on operation, the footswitch can alternatively be used as a mute switch.
Thanks to components of highest quality (e.g. Burr Brown JFET op-amps), extreme clarity and responsive pick dynamics are achieved. At the same time, ZIO maintains the ideal body and warmth of the instrument. In effect, the pedal qualifies for all kinds of uses:
• at the front of the effects chain to shape the rest of the outgoing tone
• after the drive pedals as an overall tone sweetener or clean volume boost
• at the end of the pedalboard to drive a long cable run or as a restorative device to recreate the sound of a guitar going directly into the input of the amplifier
• in the amp's effects loop to drive the power amp even harder, or to compensate for a level mismatch between two channels
