Page 3 Palmer PDI-09 Owners Manual
The NORMAL setting achieves the linear response characteristics similar to that of an open “2x12”
cabinet. The MELLOW setting would produce a speaker sound much like that of the vintage
American speakers that tend to deliver a warmer, softer sound. Us the BRIGHT setting if you want the
more crunchy, aggressive sound associated with a typical British speaker.
GND LIFT: Ground-Lift-Switch. As mentioned earlier, The Junction delivers a balanced floating signal.
Use LIFT when you have a grounded device and console. In some cases, when devices connected
to the PDI-09’s input are not grounded (for example-battery or adapter powered effect devices), a
bright humming is produced. Eliminate the humming by switching the PDI-09 to GND.
CAUTION
All audio transformers are quite sensitive to magnetic fields. Before you permanently install the PDI-09
in the back of your amp, you should make sure the location is suitable by temporarily installing the
device. Make sure it is not too close to the output transformer, or you will get inductance hum.
TIPS
EQ Tips: Cabinets with 10” speakers often have more presence than 12” speakers. Boosting the
lower frequencies (80-120HZ) at the mixing console will give you a “fatter” sound similar to that of the
4x12 cabinet. By adding upper mid range frequencies (2-4KHZ) and cutting the lower frequencies,
you would produce the thinner open back 2x10 sound. Somewhere in between you will get the 2x12
cabinet sound. Remember, these tips would be used to enhance the filter settings of the PDI-09.
Trying to accomplish the same thing by using a conventional DI box would not have the same results.
The PDI-09 is more than just an alternative to a microphone. Suggestions such as hooking up your
distortion pedal or pedal board direct using the PDI-09 can lead to exciting new directions.
Additional new possibilities present themselves in using a lower wattage amplifier cranked to the max
for distortion and then plugging it into a larger amplifier using the PDI-09. You have just turned a
tonally cool, smaller amplifier into a larger, stage compatible amplifier. To accomplish this setup, you
must have a specially wired cable and connect your amplifier as follows: First, connect the smaller
amplifier speaker output to the ¼” input of the PDI-09 using a speaker cable. Then connect your
speaker or appropriate load box to the ‘THRU’ jack using an additional speaker cable. Now, buy or
make a shielded cable that is ¼” mono male (guitar plug) wired to female XLR/Cannon. The
XLR/Cannon end must be wired with pin 2 hot, wired to the tip of the ¼” plug, and pin 3 wired to the
shield or sleeve of the ¼” plug. NOTE: Pin 1 of the XLR is left open or unused. This unbalances the
output of the PDI-09 and allows you to plug directly into the input jack of a larger amplifier.
Another option would be to drive rack effects at line level and then use your favorite stereo power
amplifier to power your speaker cabinets. You have just turned your amplifier into a pre-amp.
Have fun experimenting with your Palmer PDI-09 “The Junction”
