IK Multimedia Z-TONE Buffer Boost

Preamp/DI pedal with advanced tone shaping

Guitar & bass pedalboards are all about exploring new tones & textures, creating a wide range of sound for your instrument. Z-TONE® Buffer Boost takes your live rig to a new level, letting you shape the sound of your instrument with the input circuits from our award-winning AXE I/O interface.

Key Features

• Active/Passive pickup selector
• PURE channel for transparent sound
• JFET channel adds warmth & harmonics
• Z-TONE variable impedance control creates a wide range of tones
• Buffers signal for longer pedalboards & cable runs
• Boost circuit adds volume & drive
• Alternate outs for mixers & PAs
• Ground lift switch eliminates buzz & hum
• Designed and made in Italy

Z-TONE Buffer Boost Specifications

Topology

• Ultra low noise, high bandwidth and ultra low distortion preamp, buffer and direct box, with boost control and variable gain and input impedance.
• Transformer-based galvanically isolated balanced output and electronically buffered low impedance unbalanced output.
• PURE and JFET input stages for total transparency or added harmonics.

Audio specs

• I/O Gain: Unitary, from 1/4” input JACK to both 1/4” and XLR outputs when GAIN is at 0dB and Z-TONE at the SHARP position.
• Gain Range: From -8dB to +8dB
• Boost range: From 0dB to +10dB
• Input impedance - Z-TONE set on PASSIVE mode: Variable from 1MΩ down to 2.2kΩ
• Input impedance - Z-TONE set on ACTIVE mode: Approx 20kΩ
• Output impedance, unbalanced out: 56Ω
• Output impedance, balanced out: 600Ω
• Max input level before clipping: +13dBm when powered by 48V phantom, +9dBm when powered by 9V battery
• Dynamic Range: better than 114dB(A) for both outputs, input gain at 0dB
• Total Harmonic Distortion, balanced output, 1kHz, +4dBm input: 0.0033% (PURE), 0.2% (JFET)
• Total Harmonic Distortion, unbalanced output, 1kHz, +4dBm input: 0.00055% (PURE), 0.2% (JFET)
• Frequency response: from 5Hz to 30kHz -1dB
• Phase deviation: 0° +/-10° from 20Hz to 20kHz

Power

• Phantom power: +48V phantom on Balanced output
• Battery power: 9V - not included
• External DC power: 9VDC, positive outside - not included
• Current consumption from P48 phantom power source: 6.5mA

Dimensions

• Size: 10.8cm/4.25" x 12cm/4.72" x 5.8cm/2.28"
• Weight: 600g/21.2oz

Package includes

• Z-TONE Buffer Boost unit