AXESS ELECTRONICS UNZ1™ Un-Buffer Axess Electronics

Designed and hand-built (by Mario) in Canada.

The UNZ1 Un-Buffer allows dearly loved fuzz pedals and other impedance [ Z ] sensitive effect pedals to sound “right” when fed with a low Z signal; such as from a buffer, wireless receiver, a guitar with active pickups, or another effect pedal.

The benefits of directly connecting a guitar to a good input buffer, before anything else, has been very well documented; buffers prevent the loading and loss of (1) high end frequency response (2) signal level, and (3) low end punch, due to cable capacitance and the imperfectly designed input stage/circuitry of some pedals. These problems still occur even if all of the pedals have true-bypass switching, which also adds inconsistent tone to the equation — because every time a different pedal is turned on or off, the guitar sees a different load, and it responds differently to each load. Every additional pedal and every extra foot of cable in a rig, results in more and more loss and loading, that only a buffer can prevent.

The UNZ1 Un-Buffer enables reaping the benefits of plugging a guitar directly into a buffer and still being able to use a fuzz pedal or other impedance sensitive effects, anywhere in the signal path that follows. The active circuit converts a low impedance signal back to high impedance, restoring the magical interaction between guitar and fuzz pedal, even though they are not directly connected to one another.

Analog effect pedals, and guitars, have a dynamic and interdependent relationship, and so when two devices are connected together — they interact with one another. The signal that passes between the two devices is a unique result of the characteristics of the output and input circuit of those two devices. So, you cannot substitute one device or the other, and expect the exact same results, but you can get close! And the UNZ1 will get you there by making a buffered and/or low-Z signal “look like” a guitar’s pickup, allowing for an authentic interaction with the input of fuzz pedals or other impedance sensitive effects.

Jacks, Power and Enclosure:

• ¼” TS (tip / sleeve) input and output jacks with KMMK SquarePlugSP Series friendly placement and spacing.
• Side mount power LED enables visibility even in hard to see install locations, such as underneath pedalboards.
• Housed in a compact; 3.72 x 1.55 x 1.29in. (94.5 x 39.4 x 32.8mm) and rugged #1590A style die-cast aluminum enclosure for years of reliable use and performance.
• Powered with 9VDC via a 2.1 x 5.5mm barrel plug with a negative centre pin (like Boss pedals) and the current draw is less than 100mA (adapter not included).