Little Labs PCP Instrument Distro

The Little Labs PCP Instrument Distro is an engineer's toolbox for electric guitar, bass and vintage effects. It is a very useful tool in all aspects of production from live shows to tracking to overdubbing to mixing.

The Little Labs PCP Instrument Distro is designed to eliminate the many headaches involved in recording guitars. It is also a valuable tool in live guitar sound, and as an aid when utilizing vintage guitar effects on any instrument. So, what does the Little Labs PCP do, exactly? Well, probably a better question is, "What DOES'NT it do?"

The Little Labs PCP Instrument Distro contains a one-in three-out guitar splitter (five when using the mult and line driver) featuring transformer isolated guitar level/impedance outputs with phase reverse, ground lift, and level adjust on each output. It also contains an audiophile direct box and guitar cable line driver designed with the same circuit topology as the Little Labs Multi Z DI. Three professional-level to guitar impedance-level interfaces for re-amping. Basically, you are able to take the DI signal of your guitar (-10dBv) and immediately interface it with professional +4dBu level equipment (like a Pultec EQ or an LA-2A, for instance), and then route back through the PCP and record that signal while also sending it on to a guitar amplifier. It also works in the opposite direction as well. If you want to run a pre-recorded or line level signal out through a stomp-box guitar pedal, then you can do that, and then re-optimize that signal to be recorded again at +4dBu line level. Ingenious.

The Little Labs PCP Instrument Distro is a work-bench for those who want to take crafting guitar sounds to an entirely new level for themselves. The Little Labs PCP has been helping the biggest and most innovative names in guitar and recording for many years, and is a cornerstone product of the Little Labs brand.

The Direct Box
Not an after thought, the Direct Box in the Little Labs PCP utilizes a similar circuit topology as the HI Z input on the Little Labs Multi Z Direct Box (another fine Little Labs Product). The Direct box is active and has 16db of gain, you will not experience the level loss associated with passive directs. In almost all cases you will be able to use it at line level, rather than mic level, eliminating the need to run through a microphone preamplifier. The Little Labs PCP is powered by a regulated low impedance 48 volt dc@250ma power supply with a large reservoir capacitance to give it BALLS. Compare it to that phantom or battery powered active direct and see why power supply matters.

The Guitar Splitter
Guitar splitters have a bad rap in the guitarist community due to the changing of the guitars sound which can occur when using them. Solving this is a difficult task because dealing with the high impedance pickups in guitars, different cable capacitance, input impedances, and length of cable, etc. can make a huge difference in the sound of the guitar. The Little Labs choses to get a pleasing sound with high impedance transformer isolated outputs. Will your guitar sound different when splitting to different amps using the Little Labs PCP rather than plugging directly into the amp? Probably yes, but it will be close and pleasing. Do them a favor if comparing, use a female to female quarter inch barrel connector, and rather than plugging directly into the amp from the guitar, use both cables as would be used when using the splitter. The Little Labs PCP instrument input impedance is high: 10,000,000 ohm. By design, this will not load down your instrument pickups. This works well for the direct box portion of the Little Labs PCP and has the added advantage of being able to mult off your instrument to another device and only the external device will load the pickup. The high impedance instrument input is sent out to the three output sections which, when instrument is selected, are directed to the phase reverse switch, the ground lift switch, and the level trim for each of the three outputs. The three front panel outputs are high impedance, and are not meant to drive any more cable then a normal guitar to amplifier length. The natural pickup loading of an average length cable feeding an amp effects not only the high frequency of the guitar but the envelope of the attack when plucking the strings. The specially selected output transformers in the Little Labs PCP emulate a guitar pickups impedance. These special transformers maintain the natural roll off and attack which occurs when feeding one amp when splitting off to 3 (1 pcp) or 6 (2 pcps utilizing expansion) amps, without the ground loops and phasing problems of other splitter boxes. The sound of a guitar amp when the guitar feeding it is converted to a low impedance, as in some other cheaper non-transformer-isolated splitter boxes, it is found to be a bit bright and have a hard attack.

Little Labs PCP Instrument Distro Features

• A one-in three-out guitar splitter (expandable to two-in six-out) featuring transformer isolated guitar level/impedance outputs with phase reverse, ground lift, and level adjust on each output
• An Audiophile highest quality line level direct box
• Allows three +4 dB balanced pro level inputs, which can be summed together as well as with the instrument input, to feed the guitar level/impedance outputs for feeding guitar pedals/effects and or amplifiers for "re-amping", thus easily enabling, like never before, doubling of guitar parts through the instrument amp
• A guitar line driver for when a low output impedance is necessary to drive a long cable (utilizing a combo or twin amp and you need to play in the control room)
• Allows prerecorded direct guitar parts to be utilized live, through the guitar amp, allowing the guitar player to play along without missing a lick
• Has NO modern hierarchical menus; Use your imagination, the possibilities are limitless
• This box is a professional, well made, robust, super flexible, and easy to use tool
• Selectable power supply (from 120v to 230v)

Little Labs PCP Instrument Distro Includes

• Little Labs PCP Instrument Distro
• Power Supply
• User Manual
• 3 Year Warranty