Radial JX62 Guitar and Amp Switcher

Radial Engineering Ltd. introduces the Radial JX62, a six input guitar switcher with two amplifier outputs designed for live touring.

Radial JX62

Related Feature:
Wireless Guitar Systems

This piece of gear is designed to help artists and technicians manage complex guitar rig setups reliably, with enough flexibility to handle a wide variety of signal chaining combinations. It will be on display at their Musikmesse 2014 booth, which is located in Hall 8, Aisle E12.

The Radial JX62 has six guitar input channels with ¼” inputs that goes to its own amp or dedicated direct box. Each channel can be activated via dedicated switches and you can use all channels simultaneously.

Each channel has a recessed ‘set & forget’ Trim control that will let you set all of the levels uniformly should the output from the guitars or wireless systems need to be balanced out. The trim control on channel 1 and 2 can also function as a “Drag” control – you can use them to adjust the load when using a wired connection to a magnetic pickup. This system is based on the class-A circuit topology as used on the Radial JD7, which is according to the press release is used by guitarists such as Carlos Santana, Neil Schon, Steve Vai and John Petrucci.

For further flexibility, channels 5 and 6 come with a built-in Radial direct box that can be used for acoustic guitar, electric bass and other acoustic instruments like the banjo, mandolin or even a violin. This signal may be routed to feed either the direct out, the main AB bus output or both. Radial mentioned that the direct box output is transformer isolated to eliminate noise and equipped with a polarity reverse to help reduce feedback on stage.

Radial JX62

For monitoring, each channel has a PFL (pre-fade listen) switch that routes the signal to a headphone amp and tuner output. This will let guitar techs check the signal from the guitar before handing it off to the artist. A master mute switch can be engaged between sets to turn off all outputs other than the PFL/tuner.

The rear panel of the unit is also fully loaded, featuring stacked in/thru connectors on all input channels plus balanced XLR outs on channels 5 & 6. There is even an effects loop section with separate send and receive jacks so you can insert a pedalboard in between the input channels and the two guitar amp outputs.

Two ¼” outputs are used to feed two amplifiers and there are also separate XLR outputs to feed the PA system for acoustic instruments. These outputs can also be routed to the balanced input of popular digital processors like the AxeFX or POD HD X.

Switching between amps is done via a simple AB select switch. There are also additional two switches that will let you override the AB function to activate both amps when needed. The two guitar amp outputs are transformer isolated to eliminate hum and buzz caused by ground loops, and there is a handy 180° polarity reverse function to ensure the two amps play in phase.

David ‘Shuu’ Guidish, Radial’s Central Regional Territory Manager, shares the story behind the JX62’s design: “Before joining Radial, I spent over 17 years on the road as a guitar tech. During this time, it became abundantly clear that a guitar switching system must be easy to use, quiet, dependable and bullet proof to handle the rigors of professional touring. When designing the JX62, the Radial R&D team discussed the feature set with me, along with a number of other touring pros, before putting the pieces together. The combination of a guitar switcher with built-in DI boxes for acoustics and bass, along with an amp switcher and tuner out, truly makes the JX62 a unique and essential piece of gear.”

Like other Radial products, the JX62 is housed in a sturdy 14 gauge steel chassis with powder coated finish, designed to withstand the rigors of professional touring. The new JX62 is scheduled to start shipping in Spring 2014 with a retail price of around $1000, and they will be made in Radial Engineering’s facility in Canada. Head over to Radial Engineering for further details.

Related Articles:

BluGuitar BluBOX Speaker Cabinet Simulator

Radial Tonebone Bumper

Radial Mix-Blender Pedal

Radial Headload Guitar Amp Attenuator & DI Box

Radial JDI Stereo Passive DI Box


Take a look at the amps that made our Top 10 list.
 

Leave a Reply