Where Do I Put The Zio - Source Audio ZIO User Manual

Where Do I Put the ZIO?

Despite being dubbed a "Front End", the ZIO is a flexible pedal that can be strategically placed
anywhere in your signal path depending on how you intend to use it. There are no hard-set "rules"
for where to put your ZIO, but we've included a few signal path suggestions below.
Front of the Pedalboard
The ZIO is a great candidate to be the first pedal in your signal path. This is the most common place
to put the ZIO in your chain. It can be used to "drive" the rest of the signal path and sculpt the tone
& feel signal heading to the rest of your pedals and ultimately to the output destination (amp,
simulator, interface, mixing board, etc.). Its true bypass architecture means it will not interfere with
any picky fuzz pedals placed after it and can actually help to improve their performance.
After Drive/Gain Section
When used as a clean boost, ZIO can be placed after your dirt (distortion, overdrive, fuzz) section to
shape the overall tone and output level of these pedals, making it an excellent final gain stage.
Running overdrive pedals before the ZIO allows the ZIO to further shape the tone of these pedals.
Using the CIRCUIT and OUTPUT control, you can determine the overall shape, voice, and output level
of your signal heading outbound, similar to the preamp section of an amplifier.
End of the Pedalboard
When used like a buffer or signal restorative device, the ZIO is best placed at the end of the signal
path after the last pedal, right before the amplifier or final signal destination. For best results, do an
A/B comparison between your tone directly into your amplifier vs. into your pedalboard with the ZIO
engaged. Tweak the settings on your ZIO until the two tones match. We recommend using the JFET
circuit as a starting point since this is the most uncolored circuit, but any of the four circuits will have
its own unique feel and character.
SA271 ZIO User Guide 8