Radial Engineering JDX Direct-Drive™ Amp Simulator & DI

Guitar amp simulator for pedalboards

• Eliminates need to bring an amp to the gig
• 4 x 12 half-stack & open back combo tones
• Employs Radial’s popular JDX tone shaping

The Radial™ JDX Direct-Drive is a unique and powerful device that emulates the sound of a guitar amplifier while doubling as a direct box. Unlike a typical direct box that merely transfers the sound of the pedals to the PA, the Direct-Drive simulates the tone and feel of a real guitar amp, producing a much more realistic sound. In other words, with the Direct-Drive on your pedalboard, you can do a gig without carrying an amp to the club. The design begins with a traditional ¼” guitar input and passive thru-put to feed a stage amp. This is then followed by a dedicated tuner output that is buffered in order to eliminate loading on the pickup or noise from the quartz clock. The guitar signal is then passed through a series of carefully sculpted filters to create Radial’s signature JDX tone. This is modelled after the sound of a Shure SM57™ in front of a Marshall™ 4x12 cabinet. The Direct-Drive goes further with two more voicing settings: the first adds a vintage Marshall™ tube head character to the signal path while the second delivers a tone reminiscent of an early Fender Twin™. The two amp tones can be further tailored using a presence switch for extra sparkle. The guitar signal exits the Direct-Drive via either a ¼” guitar-level output or via a balanced XLR to feed the PA. The direct box output is outfitted with a 180° polarity reverse switch to help phase-align monitors with the stage amp along with a ground lift switch to help eliminate hum and buzz caused by ground loops. The Direct-Drive may be powered using a standard 9V power supply or typical pedalboard power brick.

As with all Radial products, the Direct-Drive is made to handle the rigors of professional touring with 14-gauge steel throughout. This not only helps prevent damage to the internal PCB, it also reduces susceptibility to noise from external magnetic fields. The Radial JDX Direct-Drive… one small step on a pedal board, one huge step for the guitarist!

Note: The companies mentioned above are not related to Radial or bmusic and are only referenced in order to give the reader a sense of the type of tone the Direct-Drive will produce at the various voicing settings.

Using the Direct-Drive without an amp

Connect your pedals to the Direct-Drive and enjoy the natural tone of a guitar amp using the PA system or monitors instead of an amp. Select between three voice settings to find the one that works best.

Using the Direct-Drive with your amp

Use the Direct-Drive at the output of your pedalboard to feed your amp and the PA at the same time. This allows the engineer to mix the two signals to get the best tone out of the PA system.

Using the Direct-Drive for silent recording

With the Direct-Drive as your amp, quietly record your guitar directly from your pedalboard. Use the ¼" output to feed an effects processor and mix to create amazing tonal textures.