IK Multimedia Introduces the Z-Tone Buffer Boost
June 25, 2020 · 6 sources
IK Multimedia announced the Z-Tone Buffer Boost, a compact pedal that combines tone shaping, buffering, DI and clean boost in one unit for guitar. The pedal is built around the company's Z-TONE impedance circuit, which lets a player change how their pickups respond, and it offers a choice of PURE and JFET input stages for total transparency or added harmonics1. At launch it was priced at $169.99 excluding taxes and was available from the IK Multimedia online store and from IK authorized dealers worldwide2.
Guitar World reported that the pedal puts the impedance and gain-staging circuitry of IK's AXE I/O audio interface into a pedal-sized enclosure, providing a buffered signal for longer pedalboards and cable runs3. The AXE I/O, as Trevor Curwen later wrote in his Guitar World review, "has now spawned two smaller utility units, the Z-Tone Buffer Boost and Z-Tone DI, which may be ideal for guitarists who want that front-end behavior without the USB audio capability"4.
IK Multimedia described the unit as follows:
"Z-TONE Buffer Boost combines professional tone shaping, buffering, DI and clean boost in one compact pedal for guitar"5
Controls and what they do
The pedal's controls, as given by the maker and covered in the press, are set out below16.
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| Z-TONE | Adjusts input impedance, from 1 MΩ down to 2.2 kΩ in PASSIVE mode, and approximately 20 kΩ in ACTIVE mode |
| Instrument toggle | Adapts the pedal to active or passive instruments |
| Input stage toggle | Selects the Class-A JFET input buffer or the PURE input stage |
| Gain | Sets gain from -8dB to +8dB |
| Boost | Sets boost from 0dB to +10dB |
| Bypass footswitch | Bypasses the pedal entirely |
| Boost footswitch | Engages the boost function |
The PURE and JFET input stages give the player a choice between total transparency and added harmonics1.
The pedal's external power uses positive outside polarity, the opposite of the center-negative standard used by most modern pedals, so a typical daisy chain supply will not work without the right cable. It can also run on a 9V battery, or on +48V phantom power through its balanced XLR output1.
What reviewers said
In his review, Guitar World's Trevor Curwen found that "the Z-Tone Buffer Boost packs a massive amount of utility in one pedal. It's an asset for your pedalboard with practical" recording capabilities4.
Sources (6)
- Z-TONE Buffer Boost, IK Multimedia
- Z-TONE DI and Buffer Boost Now Available, IK Multimedia, 2020-06-25
- IK Multimedia seeks to optimize the feel and tone of your guitar with the Z-Tone Buffer Boost pedal, Guitar World, 2020-06-25
- IK Multimedia Z-Tone Buffer Boost & Z-Tone DI review, Guitar World, 2020-10-01
- TONEX Capture, IK Multimedia
- NAMM 2020: IK Multimedia Z-TONE buffer boost and Z-TONE DI, gearnews.com, 2020-01-17