Sound City SC 20 Manuel utilisateur

OWNERS MANUAL

SC 20™

www.soundcityamp.com

Welcome to Sound City®!

Congratulations and thank you for choosing Sound City® Ampliﬁcation.

The Sound City SC20 tube combo is the perfectly executed gigging and recording ampliﬁer. The

SC20s compact size and uncomplicated control set belies its expansive tonal range and versatility.

Within its classic, understated exterior lies an ultra-versatile sonic platform that delivers pedal

friendly performance as easily as it does dynamic plug and play expression.

With 20 plus-was of ultra-responsive power driving a custom 12“ Sound City Power Speaker,

you‘ll ﬁnd yourself in command of the legendary Sound City dynamics that helped launch the big-

sound revolution in 1967. The SC20s sparking tonal palee comes courtesy of a matched pair of

Mullard 6V6 power tubes, producing a rich natural sustain, topped o with the instantly recogni-

zable tube-driven Accutronics reverb.

Cranking up the volume pushes the power tubes into blissfull overdrive. Simply stated, you‘ll ﬁnd

the full-bodied performance of the Sound City SC20 tube combo to be without peer, regardless

of size and power.

THE EVOLUTION OF A LEGACY

FEATURES

X20 Was

XSpecial design 12“ 50W 8Ω Sound City® Power Speaker

XControl Panel: Input, Normal Volume, Brilliant Volume, Treble, Middle, Bass, Reverb

XTube driven Accutronics 3-spring reverb

XPower Tubes: Mullard 6V6 Matched Pair

XPreamp Tubes: V1 - 12AX7 Tung-Sol, V2, V3 - 12AX7A Ruby Selected, V4, V5 – 12AT7 Ruby Selected

XSpeaker outputs: Dual Parallel 8Ω

XSize: W 20-1/2“ x H 16-3/4“ x D 8-3/8“ (52 cm x 42.5 cm x 21 cm)

XWeight: 35 lbs (16 kg)

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.

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 SC20 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 SC20

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

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

REVERB

MAINS

ON BASS MIDDLE TREBLE BRILLIANT NORMAL

VOLUME

INPUT

SOUND CITY SC20

FRONT PANEL OVERVIEW

SOUND CITY®SC20 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.

2345678

REAR PANEL OVERVIEW

REAR PANEL, LEFT TO RIGHT

1. AC MAINS – 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 two parallel speaker output jacks: 8 ohms. 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

6V6 6V6 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 6V6 Mullard Power Tubes

V1V2V3V4V5V6V7

REAR PANEL OVERVIEW

The new Sound City Power F50G speaker is specially engineered for the SC20 Combo. It is designed to re-

produce 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 F50G is an 8 ohm speaker and is conservatively rated at 50 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 F50G. 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 SC20 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 SC20 REVERB

SOUND SETTING EXAMPLES

Mississippi Queen

REVERB

MAINS

ON BASS MIDDLE TREBLE BRILLIANT NORMAL

VOLUME

INPUT

SOUND CITY SC20

Crossroads

REVERB

MAINS

ON BASS MIDDLE TREBLE BRILLIANT NORMAL

VOLUME

INPUT

SOUND CITY SC20

All Right Now

REVERB

MAINS

ON BASS MIDDLE TREBLE BRILLIANT NORMAL

VOLUME

INPUT

SOUND CITY SC20

Scule Buin‘

REVERB

MAINS

ON BASS MIDDLE TREBLE BRILLIANT NORMAL

VOLUME

INPUT

SOUND CITY SC20

Day Of The Eagle

REVERB

MAINS

ON BASS MIDDLE TREBLE BRILLIANT NORMAL

VOLUME

INPUT

SOUND CITY SC20

Lile Wing / Freedom

REVERB

MAINS

ON BASS MIDDLE TREBLE BRILLIANT NORMAL

VOLUME

INPUT

SOUND CITY SC20

®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

TROUBLESHOOTING GUIDE

Product speciﬁcations are subject to change without notice.

SPECIFICATIONS

MODEL: SC20 Combo

MODEL NUMBER: SC20C

POWER REQUIREMENT: 100W

POWER OUTPUT:

20W RMS @ 5% THD, 1kHz sine into 8Ω

INPUT IMPEDANCE: 470KΩ

OUTPUT IMPEDANCE: 8Ω

FUSE: 100V UNITS: MAINS F2.5A, 250V.

120V UNITS: T2A, 250V.

220V-240V UNITS: F1A, 250V.

DIMENSIONS:

HEIGHT: 16 ¾ in (42.5 cm)

WIDTH: 20½ in (52 cm)

DEPTH: 8 ⅜ in (21 cm)

WEIGHT: 35 lb (16 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).

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).

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