User Manual

FLASHBACK 2 X4 DELAY
Flagship Delay Pedal Expanded with 3 MASH Switches, Tap Tempo,
New Crystal, Analog and Tape Delays and 6 Delay Presets
2 FLASHBACK 2 X4 DELAY User Manual

Table of Contents
Important Safety Instructions....................................... 3
Legal Disclaimer.............................................................. 3
Limited warranty............................................................. 3
1. About this Manual...................................................... 4
2. Introduction................................................................ 4
2.1 Unpacking.............................................................................. 4
2.2 True Bypass............................................................................ 4
2.3 Setting Up.............................................................................. 4
3. TonePrint..................................................................... 4
3.1 What are TonePrints?.......................................................... 4
3.2 Transferring TonePrints to your pedal ........................ 5
3.3 Editing TonePrints with the TonePrint App............... 5
4. Inputs, Output and Controls..................................... 6
4.1 Power / Computer connection....................................... 6
4.2 Audio in and out.................................................................. 6
4.3 Other rear panel features................................................. 6
4.4 Switching................................................................................ 6
4.5 Effect controls....................................................................... 7
4.6 Delay types............................................................................ 7
5. Operation ................................................................... 8
5.1 Signal chain placement .................................................... 8
5.2 MASH switch......................................................................... 8
5.3 Using the looper.................................................................. 9
5.4 Expression Pedal Setup..................................................... 9
6. Bypass Mode............................................................. 10
6.1 True Bypass and Buffered Bypass explained........... 10
6.2 Switching between True Bypass and
Buffered Bypass.......................................................................... 10
6.3 Kill-dry on/off...................................................................... 10
7. Maintenance.............................................................. 10
7.1 Updating the firmware..................................................... 10
8. MIDI............................................................................ 11
9. Links........................................................................... 11
10. Specifications.......................................................... 12
3 FLASHBACK 2 X4 DELAY User Manual

Important Safety 9. Do not defeat the safety purpose of the polarized 20. Please keep the environmental aspects of battery
Instructions or grounding-type plug. A polarized plug has two blades disposal in mind. Batteries must be disposed-of at a
with one wider than the other. A grounding-type plug battery collection point.
has two blades and a third grounding prong. The wide 21. Use this apparatus in tropical and/or
blade or the third prong are provided for your safety. If the moderate climates.
provided plug does not fit into your outlet, consult an
electrician for replacement of the obsolete outlet.
10. Protect the power cord from being walked on or LEGAL DISCLAIMER
pinched particularly at plugs, convenience receptacles, Music Tribe accepts no liability for any loss which
Terminals marked with this symbol carry
and the point where they exit from the apparatus. may be suffered by any person who relies either
electrical current of sufficient magnitude
to constitute risk of electric shock. 11. Use only attachments/accessories specified by wholly or in part upon any description, photograph,
Use only high-quality professional speaker cables with the manufacturer. or statement contained herein. Technical specifications,
¼" TS or twist-locking plugs pre-installed. All other appearances and other information are subject to
12. Use only with the
installation or modification should be performed only change without notice. All trademarks are the property
cart, stand, tripod, bracket,
by qualified personnel. of their respective owners. Midas, Klark Teknik,
or table specified by the
Lab Gruppen, Lake, Tannoy, Turbosound, TC Electronic,
This symbol, wherever it appears, manufacturer, or sold with
TC Helicon, Behringer, Bugera, Auratone and Coolaudio
alerts you to the presence of uninsulated the apparatus. When a cart
are trademarks or registered trademarks of Music Tribe
dangerous voltage inside the is used, use caution when
Global Brands Ltd. © Music Tribe Global Brands Ltd.
enclosure - voltage that may be sufficient to constitute a moving the cart/apparatus
2019 All rights reserved.
risk of shock. combination to avoid
injury from tip-over.
This symbol, wherever it appears,
13. Unplug this apparatus during lightning storms or LIMITED WARRANTY
alerts you to important operating and
when unused for long periods of time.
maintenance instructions in the For the applicable warranty terms and conditions
accompanying literature. Please read the manual. 14. Refer all servicing to qualified service personnel. and additional information regarding Music Tribe’s
Servicing is required when the apparatus has been Limited Warranty, please see complete details online at
Caution damaged in any way, such as power supply cord or plug musictribe.com/warranty.
To reduce the risk of electric shock, do not is damaged, liquid has been spilled or objects have fallen
remove the top cover (or the rear section). into the apparatus, the apparatus has been exposed
No user serviceable parts inside. Refer servicing to to rain or moisture, does not operate normally, or has Zhongshan Eurotec Electronics Limited
qualified personnel. been dropped. No. 10 Wanmei Road, South China Modern Chinese
Caution 15. The apparatus shall be connected to a MAINS socket Medicine Park, Nanlang Town, 528451, Zhongshan City,
To reduce the risk of fire or electric shock, outlet with a protective earthing connection. Guangdong Province, China
do not expose this appliance to rain and 16. Where the MAINS plug or an appliance coupler is
moisture. The apparatus shall not be exposed to dripping used as the disconnect device, the disconnect device shall
or splashing liquids and no objects filled with liquids, remain readily operable.
such as vases, shall be placed on the apparatus.
17. Correct disposal of this
Caution product: This symbol indicates that
These service instructions are for use this product must not be disposed
by qualified service personnel only. of with household waste,
To reduce the risk of electric shock do not perform any according to the WEEE Directive
servicing other than that contained in the operation (2012/19/EU) and your national
instructions. Repairs have to be performed by qualified law. This product should be taken
service personnel. to a collection center licensed for the recycling of waste
electrical and electronic equipment (EEE). The
1. Read these instructions.
mishandling of this type of waste could have a possible
2. Keep these instructions. negative impact on the environment and human health
3. Heed all warnings. due to potentially hazardous substances that are generally
4. Follow all instructions. associated with EEE. At the same time, your cooperation
in the correct disposal of this product will contribute to
5. Do not use this apparatus near water.
the efficient use of natural resources. For more
6. Clean only with dry cloth. information about where you can take your waste
7. Do not block any ventilation openings. Install in equipment for recycling, please contact your local city
accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions. office, or your household waste collection service.
8. Do not install near any heat sources such as 18. Do not install in a confined space, such as a book
radiators, heat registers, stoves, or other apparatus case or similar unit.
(including amplifiers) that produce heat. 19. Do not place naked flame sources, such as lighted
candles, on the apparatus.
4 FLASHBACK 2 X4 DELAY User Manual

1. About this Manual 2.3 Setting Up

Thank you for spending your hard-earned money on this TC Electronic product! Connect the included 9 V power supply, or a regulated 9 V power supply with at
We have done our best to ensure that it will serve you for many years to come, least 300 mA and the following symbol (center negative) to the DC input socket of
and we hope that you will enjoy using it. your TC Electronic effect pedal.
This manual is available as a PDF download from the TC Electronic website.

Please read this manual in full, or you may miss

important information.
• Plug the power supply into a power outlet.
Please do not operate your TC device before you have made all connections
to external equipment as described in the “2.3 Setting Up” section. In the • Connect your instrument to the input jack using a 1/4" jack cable.
subsequent sections of the manual, we assume that all connections are made
• Connect the output jack to your amplifier using a 1/4" jack cable.
correctly and that you are familiar with the previous sections.
• The pedal also supports stereo operation (see Chapter 4.2).
We reserve the right to change the contents of this
manual at any time.
To download the most current version of this manual, view the product warranty,
3. TonePrint
and access the growing FAQ database for this product, visit the web page This TC Electronic product supports TonePrints. To learn more about TonePrints,
tcelectronic.com/support/ go to tcelectronic.com/toneprint/

3.1 What are TonePrints?

2. Introduction When you look at your TC Electronic effect pedal, you’ll only see a few knobs.
FLASHBACK 2 X4 DELAY packs our entire delay legacy into a 4-footswitch For some pedals, it’s just one knob. So – one knob, one function, right?
stompbox that's designed for now – and the future. Our groundbreaking MASH
Actually, there’s a lot more to it than meets the eye.
technology adds extra expression capability to a world-class delay stompbox
that responds to your touch and saves precious pedalboard space – and blends
Star-tweaked signature sounds
the ethereal world of delay with the ultimate in personal expression. A dedicated
tap tempo switch gives you direct control over the delay time parameter, and a When TC Electronic builds an effect pedal, the relationship between its controls
built-in looper lets you layer and jam creatively. Add the brand-new Crystal delay and many parameters “under the hood” are defined by developers, musicians
algorithm and two additional TonePrint slots, and the soon-to-be legendary and product specialists who live and breathe sound. This gives you an excellent
FLASHBACK 2 X4 DELAY brings a wealth of new dimensionality to your quest for starting point: a great-sounding pedal with well-balanced controls.
tonal perfection!
But wouldn’t it be cool to have world-famous guitar players – guys like
Paul Gilbert, Guthrie Govan, John Petrucci or Steve Vai – virtually rewire your
2.1 Unpacking effect pedal, defining what should happen “behind the scenes”?
Your TC Electronic effect pedal box should contain the following items:
And how about doing this yourself?
• Your TC Electronic effect pedal
This is exactly what TonePrint allows you to do.
• 1 USB cable (Type A to Mini-B)
TC Electronic is working with top guitar players who explore a pedal’s hidden
• 1 TC Electronic sticker tonal potential, redefining the controls and creating their personal TonePrints.
And we are making these custom TonePrints available to you. Uploading
• 9 V power supply
them to your pedal is really easy (see chapter 3.2 for details) – and with the
• 2 rubber feet amazing TonePrint app, you can even create your own signature pedal, tweaked
specifically to your liking.
• Quick Start Guide
You can change the TonePrints in your pedal as often as you like,
Inspect all items for signs of transit damage. In the unlikely event of transit
and the best part: It’s totally free.
damage, inform the carrier and supplier. If damage has occurred, keep all
packaging, as it can be used as evidence of excessive handling force.

2.2 True Bypass

Here at TC, we have a simple philosophy: When you are using one of our products,
you should hear something great – and when it’s off, you shouldn’t hear it at all.
This is why this pedal sports True Bypass. When it is bypassed, it is really off and
has zero influence on your tone, resulting in optimum clarity and zero loss of
high end.
Sometimes, it is advisable to switch an effect pedal from True Bypass to
Buffered Bypass mode. For more information, see “6.2 Switching the pedal from
True Bypass to Buffered Bypass”.
5 FLASHBACK 2 X4 DELAY User Manual

3.2 Transferring TonePrints to your pedal 3.3 Editing TonePrints with the TonePrint App
TonePrints can be transferred via USB connection or via TCs The TonePrint app allows you to use TonePrints created by your favorite guitar
“Beaming” technology. and bass players. But this is only the start. Using the TonePrint editor within the
app, you can create your very own signature pedal sounds. All of TCs own artist
Transferring via USB – step by step TonePrints in the Library tab (or alternatively all TonePrints in the Templates tab)
can be edited, as can your own User TonePrints. In order to use the editor the
• Connect the pedal to the power supply.
TonePrint pedal must be connected to your computer or smartphone/tablet via
• Connect your pedal via USB cable to your computer or smartphone/tablet USB, like described previously. Simply navigate to a TonePrint or Template and
(use a “USB On-The-Go” adapter for Android devices and the Camera click on the “ ” icon to enter the editor part of the app.
Connection Kit for iOS devices).
Features of the editor part of the app
• Launch the TonePrint app and follow the instructions to turn the TonePrint
selector knob to a TonePrint slot. • Use the TonePrint app to build your own custom sounds and save them in
your pedal or as User TonePrints which will show up in the User tab.
• Find the TonePrint you want to audition or use. You can browse TonePrints
by Artist or Product (i.e. pedal type). Browsing by Artist or Product is • Enjoy complete control over all effect parameters and effect behavior - it's
selected in the Settings part of the app (press the “ ” icon). your vision, your sound.
• Listen to the new sound through your pedal. As long as you’re connected • Customize knob function and knob range to suit your needs and sounds.
via USB, selecting a TonePrint will change the sound in your product
• Audition your sonic creations in real time - make changes on the fly and
immediately.
listen to results immediately.
• Alternatively, you can create your own TonePrint using the editor part of the
• Works with PC, Mac, and smartphones (iOS and Android).
app – see section 3.3.
• Press “Store in Pedal” to store the TonePrint of your choice in the selected
TonePrint slot.
• Turn the TonePrint selector knob to a different slot if you want to store more
TonePrints.

Beaming TonePrints to your pedal – step by step

• When not connected via USB, simply launch the TonePrint app on your
smartphone.
• Navigate to the TonePrint you want to use. You can browse by Artist or by
Product (as described above).
• Plug your guitar or bass into the pedal.
• Turn your TonePrint pedal on.
• Turn up the volume on your instrument and set the pickup selector to
one pickup.
• Hold the speaker of your smartphone next to the chosen pickup and touch
“Beam to Pedal”. Follow instructions on your screen. A series of green flashes
of the LED will confirm successful beaming.
6 FLASHBACK 2 X4 DELAY User Manual

4. Inputs, Output and Controls

(3) (4) (5) (6) (1) (2) (7)

(10) (11) (12) (13) (14) (15)

(16)
(9)

(8)

(7) MIDI IN/THRU – Connect a MIDI controller to the MIDI IN jack to control
4.1 Power / Computer connection preset changes, delay tempo, and other parameters. Pass the MIDI
(1) To power up your pedal, connect a power supply to its power input socket. information on to another device with the THRU connector.
The power input socket of your TC Electronic effect pedal is a standard See Chapter 8 for details.
5.5/2.1 mm DC plug (centre = negative).
Your TC Electronic effect pedal requires a 9 V power supply providing 300 mA
4.4 Switching
or more. To minimize hum, use a power supply with isolated outputs. (8) FOOTSWITCHES – The footswitches perform 5 functions –
preset, tap tempo, bank select, looping, and MASH.
(2) USB port - Use the standard Mini-B USB port on your TC Electronic
effect pedal to connect your pedal to a computer. If there are firmware • To turn one of the preset effects on, tap footswitch A, B or C. To turn the
updates for this pedal, they can be installed using the USB port – effect off, tap the same footswitch again. Note that 2 banks of presets
see “7.1 Updating the firmware”. are available.
• The TAP footswitch can be tapped in rhythm to set the desired tempo.
4.2 Audio in and out The LED will flash to indicate the current tempo. Note that taps are always
(3) AUDIO INPUT - The audio inputs are standard 1/4" jacks (mono/TS). Connect “heard” by the pedal as quarter notes, even though the Subdivision knob
your guitar to the mono audio input using a regular 1/4" instrument cable. will determine the actual delay rhythm.
The pedal also accepts stereo signals using a pair of 1/4" TS cables.
• Holding the TAP footswitch will toggle the 2 preset banks. Bank 1 is
(4) AUDIO OUTPUT - The audio outputs are standard 1/4" jacks (mono/TS). indicated by red LEDs, while bank 2 has green LEDs. Note that bank selection
Connect the audio output of your pedal to the next device in the signal chain, can also be achieved by pressing up on the Bank/Store switch.
either with a single cable or with a pair of 1/4" cables for stereo operation.
• When the Delay type selector knob is set to LOOP, the footswitches will
control Record, Play/Pause, Play Once, and Undo/Redo.
4.3 Other rear panel features See section 5.3 for details.
(5) EXPRESSION PEDAL – Connect a ¼" TS cable to a 25 kΩ linear pot
• The footswitches also control the MASH function assigned to each switch.
expression pedal to control delay time, feedback, and/or level.
See section 5.2 for details.
See Chapter 5.4 for details on configuring parameters. .
(9) INDICATOR LEDs – The LEDs above footswitches A, B and C will light to
(6) BYPASS/KILL DRY – The bypass modes can be conveniently switched from
indicate that the pedal is engaged. When preset bank 1 is selected, the LEDs
the rear panel, and are set to true bypass and kill dry off from the factory.
light red, and light green when bank 2 is selected. The LED above the TAP
See Chapter 6 for details about these alternate bypass modes.
footswitch will flash red in time with the current delay tempo. LEDs also
indicate various looping functions as detailed in Chapter 5.3.
7 FLASHBACK 2 X4 DELAY User Manual

4.5 Effect controls DYNAMIC

Please note that the knob assignments on your TC Electronic pedal are the default This is a replica of the legendary Dynamic Delay initially introduced in the
assignments. Using the TonePrint app, you can rewire knobs so they control one renowned TC 2290. The delay’s output level is actively altered by the dynamics
or several parameters of your choice. of the input level. While playing, the delay level is attenuated, and in between
phrases the delay level is increased. This allows you to play with a relatively large
(10) Delay type selector – Select the type of delay, TonePrint slot, or enable
amount of delay without muddying fast riffs.
the looper with this knob. The available delay types are described in the
following section (4.6).
2290 MOD
(11) SUBDIVISION knob – This switch determines the note intervals that the
Take the 2290’s pristine sound, send it through three (!) chorus pedals… et voilà.
delay repetitions are based on. The options are dotted quarter, quarter
If you’re into the sound of The Edge, you don’t want to miss this setting. Oh, and
note, quarter note triplet, dotted eighth, eighth note, eighth note triplet,
while you’re at it, try playing around with the SUBDIVISION knob.
sixteenth note, quarter plus eighth note, quarter plus dotted eighth, dotted
eighth plus eighth, and a custom subdivision.
CRYSTALS
(12) DELAY knob – Use this knob to adjust the time of the delay. Most delay
The Crystals effect pitch shifts the echoes up an octave through each delay loop,
types have a range of 20 ms to 7000 ms (7 seconds!).
creating a haunting and other-worldly sound. This is a very unique effect that
(13) FEEDBACK knob – Use the Feedback knob to determine the number of may open some interesting options, particularly when paired with the
delay repeats. MASH function.
(14) BANK/STORE switch – Press the switch up to toggle between presets 1-3
REVERSE
or 4-6. Bank 1 is indicated by red LEDs (presets 1-3), and Bank 2 is indicated
by green LEDs (presets 4-6). If you’ve been around for some time, you know the drill: Record a guitar part on
tape. Flip the tape over. Play it back. This is a classic effect made famous by guitar
Adjusting any of the knobs will override the current preset. To keep these
legends such as Jimi Hendrix – and although it’s kind of “old school”, the reverse
changes, press the Bank/Store switch down briefly.
effect still seems to inspire people to try out new things.
(15) LEVEL knob – This knob adjusts the volume level of the delay repeats.
The direct, unprocessed signal is always passed through at the original LOFI
(unity) level. The Level knob only controls how prominently the delay
Fed up with hi-fi? Try the “Lofi” setting to get that dirty feel.
repeats are mixed with the dry signal.
(16) MASH LED - This will light up when the MASH function is engaged by PING PONG
pressing down firmly on one of the footswitches. The LED gets brighter
Like the ball in the eponymous game, the delay repeats jump from left to right
as the footswitch receives more pressure, giving visual feedback to how
(provided you’re using both outputs for a stereo signal). The effect is really wide.
the expression is controlling the assigned parameter(s). See section
While this effect is ideal for stereo, it works well in mono, too.
5.2 for details.
LOOPER
4.6 Delay types
Set the Delay type selector to LOOP to use the built-in audio looper.
2290 This functionality is explained in ‘Chapter 5.3 Using the looper’.
Once upon a time… (i.e., back in 1985) TC Electronic released the 2290 Dynamic
TONEPRINT
Digital Delay. It set the bar for professional delays for years to come, even paving
the way for tap tempo control with its “learn” function, and is still held in high Select one of the 6 TonePrint settings to access a default setting, or create your
regard among delay enthusiasts. Use the “2290” delay for the crispest and own presets! See Chapter 3 for more details on creating and loading TonePrints.
cleanest delay you can imagine. This is the standard.

ANALOG
This is as close as you can get to the charming nature of an old analog transistor
bucket-brigade delay without buying the real thing! With every repeat, you get
more of that old-school “fade to grey” vibe.

TAPE
Who doesn’t love the smooth sound of an old tape echo machine? This new-and-
improved algorithm meticulously replicates every aspect of authentic tape delay,
including the pitch shifting that occurs when the delay time is altered.
8 FLASHBACK 2 X4 DELAY User Manual

5. Operation
5.1 Signal chain placement
The FLASHBACK 2 X4 can be used several ways depending on your situation. While there isn’t necessarily a right and wrong use, here are the most common scenarios.

Example 1: Before the amp’s input

Input

Guitar
Chorus Drive pedal
(mono or stereo

Combo Amp Input

FLASHBACK 2 x4 DELAY

(Optional amp
for stereo operation)

When using the FLASHBACK 2 X4 before the amp’s input, it is generally best to place it after your other pedals. If any stereo effects are used before the delay pedal,
you can preserve this stereo signal by connecting to both of the FLASHBACK 2 X4’s inputs and sending the output jacks to different amps or to a stereo input on a mixer.

Example 2: In the amp’s FX loop

5.2 MASH switch

The MASH function on the FLASHBACK 2 X4 is a very exciting and innovative
feature that allows continuous control of a desired parameter through pressure
on one of the footswitches. This opens up countless creative possibilities,
particularly with the user-defined TonePrints.
The standard toggle function of the footswitches reacts to single, quick presses
FLASHBACK 2 x4 DELAY of the switch to engage a preset. If you press the switch slightly harder and
hold it down, the MASH function will engage, causing the associated MASH LED
FX Return FX Send to light up slightly. As you press down harder on the switch, the LED lights up
brighter and the parameter that has been assigned to this function will change
accordingly. Releasing the footswitch will exit the MASH function and the LED
will turn off, but the pedal will still be engaged. This operation is the same for
Input
MASH parameters assigned to footswitches A, B and C.
Guitar Note that the pressure needed to reach the maximum MASH level is only 10 kg
(around 20 pounds), which can be achieved just by squeezing with your fingers.
You shouldn’t need to lean too much weight on the pedal. With some practice,
Combo Amp this feature will become familiar and expressive much like a wah or
volume pedal.
The FLASHBACK 2 X4 input can handle a very wide range of signal levels thanks to
Using the TonePrint app, you can assign your own parameters (up to 3!) to this
high internal headroom, and can easily be used with guitar or line-level signals.
unique feature and save a custom preset that allows you to create sounds that
Simply connect the amp’s Send jack to the the pedal’s input, and connect the
very few delay units have been capable of before. See Chapter 3 for more details
output to the amp’s Return jack.
on TonePrints.
9 FLASHBACK 2 X4 DELAY User Manual

5.3 Using the looper • Navigate to the Product Settings tab and click the 'Calibrate expression
pedal' button.
With the looper built into your FLASHBACK 2 X4, you can record and play back
grooves and lines to play along with. You can even overdub your recording an
unlimited number of times.
The first round of recording always sets the length of the loop. The duration of a
loop can be up to 40 seconds in mono and 20 seconds in stereo, regardless of how
many overdubs you make.
If an overdub exceeds the length of the loop, a third round of recording begins.
This gives a very natural logic and musical feel when recording loops.
The DELAY and FEEDBACK knobs are inactive in Loop mode.
Recording and playing loops:
• Set the Delay type selector to LOOP.
• Feel the groove and prepare for recording. Tap the 1st/REC footswitch to
start your recording and begin playing. The LED flashes red.
• To stop recording, press the REC footswitch again. Flashback Delay
• Follow the instructions for calibration.
immediately switches to playback mode and starts playing the loop.
In playback mode, the LED is green.
• To overdub your recording, press the REC switch once more.
The LED now blinks.
• Use the LEVEL knob to adjust the volume of the loop.
• Press the 2nd/Play/Pause footswitch to stop a loop that is playing back.
Press it again to start playing the loop from the beginning.
• To stop a loop at the end of its cycle, press the 3rd/Play Once footswitch.
The LED will flash until the end of the loop cycle, and the loop will stop.
• To undo the previous overdub, press the 4th/Undo footswitch. • When the heel and toe positions have been established, click 'Done'.
Press again to add the overdub back in.
• Navigate to the Expression Pedal tab to assign parameters that will be
• To delete all recordings, press and hold the 4th/Undo footswitch. controlled with the expression pedal. The pedal response curve is indicated
in a graphic display, and a peg will move along the curve as the pedal is
Note that loops are not stored across power cycles.
rocked back and forth.
5.4 Expression Pedal Setup
Connecting an expression pedal allows continuous control of feedback length,
delay time or delay level. You will be able to define which parameters are
controlled with the pedal, as well as the range of control. For example, if
controlling the delay level with a pedal, you may not want the “heel down”
position to turn the delay level all the way off, and you may not want the
“toe down” position to actually reach maximum output level achievable with
the Level knob.
It’s important to note that the FLASHBACK 2 X4 does not work with standard
250 kΩ guitar volume pedals. You will need a 25 kΩ linear pot expression pedal
for proper function.
Follow these steps to assign one or more parameters to an expression pedal:
• Connect an expression pedal to the EXP PEDAL input.
• Connect your pedal to a computer or smartphone/tablet via USB cable.
• Open the TonePrint app.
10 FLASHBACK 2 X4 DELAY User Manual

6. Bypass Mode 7. Maintenance

6.1 True Bypass and Buffered Bypass explained 7.1 Updating the firmware
True Bypass mode is a hard-wire bypass that gives absolutely no coloration of TC may provide updates for the built-in software of your pedal, the firmware.
tone when the pedal is bypassed. This is the default mode for your effect pedal.
Updating your TC pedal’s firmware requires...
Using True Bypass on all pedals is a perfect choice in setups with a few pedals and
• a computer running Microsoft Windows or OS X with a standard USB
relatively short cables before and after the pedals.
interface
If...
• the specified DC power supply for your pedal.
• you use a long cable between your guitar and the first pedal or
Preparing the firmware update
• if you use many pedals on your board or
• Download the newest firmware from the “Support” page for your TC pedal.
• if you use a long cable from your board to the amp,
There are updaters for Microsoft Windows (these are ZIP archives containing
... then the best solution will most likely be to set the first and the last pedal in the firmware installer) and for OS X (these are disk image files containing the
the signal chain to Buffered Bypass mode. firmware installer).
• Unplug all cables (including the power supply) from your TC pedal.
Can you hear the difference between a pedal in True
Bypass or Buffered Bypass mode? • Connect the pedal to your computer using a USB cable.
Maybe, maybe not – many factors apply: active vs. passive pick-ups, single-coil • Press and hold the footswitch on your TC pedal. If your TC pedal has more
vs. humbucker, cable quality, amp impedance and more. We cannot give a single than one footswitch, press and hold the leftmost footswitch.
ultimate answer. Use your ears and find the best solution for your setup!
• Insert the DC power supply plug.
Delay spillover • The LED on your pedal should turn green. If your TC pedal has more than
one LED, the leftmost LED should turn green. This indicates that the pedal is
When the pedal is in True Bypass mode, switching a preset off will turn the entire
ready to receive the software update.
pedal off, including the delay trails that would normally be heard fading away
naturally. In Buffered Bypass mode, disengaging a preset will still allow those • Release the footswitch.
echoes to “spill over” and fade out naturally even though the pedal is no longer
• Your TC pedal will now be recognized as an updatable device.
processing delays for the incoming audio. If this is an important feature for you,
it may affect your decision to use Buffered over True Bypass.
Applying the firmware update
6.2 Switching between True Bypass and • Quit all MIDI-related applications (e.g. your DAW) on your computer and
Buffered Bypass launch the firmware updater you have downloaded in step 1.
While some TC pedals require the back to be removed, the bypass mode on the • In the firmware updater app, select your TC pedal from the drop-down list
FLASHBACK 2 X4 can be easily switched on the rear panel. under the “STEP 1” heading.
• When the “Update” button under the “STEP 2” heading turns green, click it.
6.3 Kill-dry on/off
• The updated firmware will now be transferred to your TC pedal. Wait for the
When you activate Kill-dry, the direct signal is removed from the pedal’s output.
progress bar to reach 100%. When the update procedure is complete, the
This mode can be useful when you place the FLASHBACK 2 X4 in an amp’s parallel
pedal will automatically restart.
effects loop. Parallel loops have their own mix control, so you can send a strong
delay-only signal from the pedal back to the amp, and use the loop mix knob to
set an appropriate mix of delay signal. This can theoretically preserve more of the
amp’s original tone by avoiding passing the entire signal through additional
A/D conversion.
11 FLASHBACK 2 X4 DELAY User Manual

8. MIDI 9. Links
The FLASHBACK 2 X4 is equipped with MIDI IN and THRU jacks, allowing an
Support resources
external MIDI controller to control preset and parameter changes. An incoming
MIDI clock signal will also override the pedal’s own Delay Time knob, but will not • TC Electronic Support: tcelectronic.com/support/
affect the Subdivision setting.
• TC Electronic – product software: tcelectronic.com/support/software/
The following charts detail the control and program changes accepted by
• TC Electronic – all product manuals: tcelectronic.com/support/manuals/
FLASHBACK 2 X4. Note that the MIDI receive channel is 6.
• TC Electronic user forum: forum.tcelectronic.com/
Preset Changes
TC Electronic on...
Initiating a program change will load the associated preset and un-bypass the
pedal. To bypass the currently-selected preset, either use program change 1 • the Web: tcelectronic.com/
(all FX off) or use the bypass command (cc 12) if you need to toggle the same
• Facebook: facebook.com/tcelectronic
preset on/off.
• Google Plus: plus.google.com/+tcelectronic/
Preset number Program change
• Twitter: twitter.com/tcelectronic
Bypass All 1
Preset A / Bank 1 2 • YouTube: youtube.com/user/tcelectronic
Preset B / Bank 1 3
Preset C / Bank 1 4
Preset A / Bank 2 5
Preset B / Bank 2 6
Preset C / Bank 2 7

*Note that depending how the MIDI controller handles program change messages (0-127 or 1-128),
the program number may need to be 1 digit higher than what is listed in the chart.

Parameter Control

Preset number Control change

Subdivision (modifier 2) 1
Delay time (modifier 3) 2
Feedback (modifier 4) 3
Delay level (modifier 1) 4
Tap tempo 13
MASH switch (active FX engine) 5
Exp Pedal (jack must be unplugged) 11
Bypass (active FX engine) 12
Looper Record 6
Looper Play/Pause 7
Looper Play Once 8
Looper Undo/Redo 9
Looper Stop+Clear 10

Note that the modifiers (knobs) can control up to 3 user-selectable

parameters, so MIDI control may affect more than just the parameters listed.
Custom controller setups can be arranged via the TonePrint app, and each
TonePrint slot can store unique modifier configurations.
12 FLASHBACK 2 X4 DELAY User Manual

10. Specifications
Connectors

Inputs 2 x 1/4" TS, unbalanced

Impedance ≥1 MΩ
Outputs 2 x 1/4" TS, unbalanced
Impedance 100 Ω
Expression pedal input 1/4" TRS connector
USB port Mini-B USB connector for firmware
updates and TonePrint App
MIDI In/Thru 5-pin DIN connector
Bypass mode True bypass (buffered bypass
selectable)

Power

Connector Standard 5.5/2.1 mm DC, center negative,

9 V, ≥300 mA (included)

Physical

Dimensions (HWD) 56 x 235 x 145 mm (2.2 x 9.3 x 5.7")

Weight 1.3 kg (2.9 lbs)
13 FLASHBACK 2 X4 DELAY User Manual

FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS
COMMISSION COMPLIANCE
INFORMATION

FLASHBACK 2 X4 DELAY

Responsible Party Name: Music Tribe Commercial NV Inc.

Address: 5270 Procyon Street
Las Vegas, NV 89118
USA
Phone Number: +1 702 800 8290

FLASHBACK 2 X4 DELAY
complies with the FCC rules as mentioned in the following paragraph:
This equipment has been tested and found to comply with the limits for a ClassB
digital device, pursuant to part 15 of the FCC Rules. These limits are designed
to provide reasonable protection against harmful interference in a residential
installation. This equipment generates, uses and can radiate radio frequency
energy and, if not installed and used in accordance with the instructions, may cause
harmful interference to radio communications. However, there is no guarantee that
interference will not occur in a particular installation. If this equipment does cause
harmful interference to radio or television reception, which can be determined
by turning the equipment off and on, the user is encouraged to try to correct the
interference by one or more of the following measures:
• Reorient or relocate the receiving antenna.
• Increase the separation between the equipment and receiver.
• Connect the equipment into an outlet on a circuit different from that to which the
receiver is connected.
• Consult the dealer or an experienced radio/TV technician for help.
This equipment complies with Part 15 of the FCC Rules. Operation is subject to the
following two conditions:
(1) This device may not cause harmful interference, and
(2) This device must accept any interference received, including interference that
may cause undesired operation.
Caution!
Any changes or modifications not expressly approved by the party
responsible for compliance could void the user's authority to operate
the equipment.