DWELL: The original Fender reverb unit’s Dwell control wasbasically the volume control for its tube preamp(which is very similar to the preamp in all Fenderamps). So the Dwell knob sets how hard the transformer and springs are being driven. The Topanga’s Dwell knob works the same way, controlling how hard the virtual spring circuit is driven, from a very mellow reverb to the over-the-topreverb that made the original famous.
MIX: Full counter-clockwise is dry-signal only and full clockwise is reverb signal only. Just set to the amount of reverb you want. Do note though that if you hit an overdriven amp (or overdrive pedal) with the Topanga, you’ll need to run the Mix control lower to obtain the same balance. This is true for the original unit too.
TONE: Essentially, this control is a low-pass filter for the reverb signal coming out of the spring tank. We’ve duplicated this architecture in the Topanga to give you the authentic sound. Most people run the Tone wide open but you can back off the control to obtain mellower background reverb sounds
VOL: We’ve added the ability for you to control the overall output of the Topanga. The Volume knobcontrols both your dry signal’s volume as well as the reverb and affects the output gain of thediscrete preamp.
Topanga runs from 9 to 18 volts using a standard DC center-negative power supply for pedals. Make sure you’re using a supply that provides at least 100mA. 9 volts will sound great all around. But if you want even more output and an even healthier boost to your dry signal with increased headroom, try all the way up to 18 volts! Oh, and Topanga does not run on batteries.