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SAFETY INFORMATION

1.  Please read these instructions carefully. 

2.  Keep all information and instructions in a safe place. 

3.  Follow the instructions. 

4.  Observe all safety warnings. Never remove safety warnings or other information from the equip-

ment. 

5.  Use the equipment only in the intended manner and for the intended purpose. 

6.  Use only sufficiently stable and compatible stands and/or mounts (for fixed installations). Make 

certain that wall mounts are properly installed and secured. Make certain that the equipment is 

installed securely and cannot fall down. 

7.  During installation, observe the applicable safety regulations for your country. 

8.  Never install and operate the equipment near radiators, heat registers, ovens or other sources of 

heat. Make certain that the equipment is always installed so that is cooled sufficiently and cannot 

overheat. 

9.  Never place sources of ignition, e.g., burning candles, on the equipment. 

10.  Ventilation slits must not be blocked. 

11.  Do not use this equipment in the immediate vicinity of water (does not apply to special outdoor 

equipment - in this case, observe the special instructions noted below. Do not expose this equip-

ment to flammable materials, fluids or gases. 

12.  Make certain that dripping or splashed water cannot enter the equipment. Do not place containers 

filled with liquids, such as vases or drinking vessels, on the equipment. 

13.  Make certain that objects cannot fall into the device. 

14.  Use this equipment only with the accessories recommended and intended by the manufacturer. 

15.  Open the device for changing the battery, do not modify this equipment. 

16.  After connecting the equipment, check all cables in order to prevent damage or accidents, e.g., 

due to tripping hazards. 

17.  During transport, make certain that the equipment cannot fall down and possibly cause property 

damage and personal injuries.

18.  If your equipment is no longer functioning properly, if fluids or objects have gotten inside the equip-

ment or if it has been damaged in another way, switch it off immediately and unplug it from the 

mains outlet (if it is a powered device). This equipment may only be repaired by authorized, qualified 

personnel. 

19.  Clean the equipment using a dry cloth. 

20.  Comply with all applicable disposal laws in your country. During disposal of packaging, please 

separate plastic and paper/cardboard. 

21.  Plastic bags must be kept out of reach of children.

22.  If the equipment has been exposed to strong fluctuations in temperature (for example, after trans-

port), do not switch it on immediately. Moisture and condensation could damage the equipment. Do 

not switch on the equipment until it has reached room temperature. 

23.  Do not step on the power cord. Make certain that the power cable does not become kinked, espe-

cially at the mains outlet and/or power adapter and the equipment connector. 

24.  When connecting the equipment, make certain that the power cord or power adapter is always 

freely accessible. Always disconnect the equipment from the power supply if the equipment is not 

in use or if you want to clean the equipment. Always unplug the power cord and power adapter from 

the power outlet at the plug or adapter and not by pulling on the cord. Never touch the power cord 

and power adapter with wet hands. 

25.  To disconnect the equipment from the power mains completely, unplug the power cord or power 

adapter from the power outlet. 

26.  Unplug the power cord and power adapter from the power outlet if there is a risk of a lightning strike 

or before extended periods of disuse.

CAUTION: 

  

CAUTION

RISK OF ELECTRIC SHOCK

DO NOT OPEN

There are no user serviceable parts inside. Have repairs carried out only by qualified service personnel. 

CAUTION – HIGH VOLUME LEVELS WITH AUDIO PRODUCTS!

This equipment is intended for professional use. Therefore, commercial use of this equipment is subject 

to the respectively applicable national accident prevention rules and regulations. As a manufacturer, 

Adam Hall is obligated to notify you formally about the existence of potential health risks. Hearing dam-

age due to high volume and prolonged exposure: When in use, this product is capable of producing high 

sound-pressure levels (SPL) that can lead to irreversible hearing damage in performers, employees, and 

audience members. For this reason, avoid prolonged exposure to volumes in excess of 90 dB. 

MANUFACTURER’S WARRANTY & LIMITATION OF LIABILITY 

You can find our current warranty conditions and limitation of liability at: http://www.adamhall.com/

media/shop/downloads/documents/manufacturersdeclarations.pdf

To request warranty service for a product, please contact Adam Hall GmbH, Daimler Straße 9, 61267 Neu 

Anspach / Email Info@adamhall.com / 49 (0) 6081 / 9419-0

       

   PROPER DISPOSAL OF THIS PRODUCT 

(WASTE ELECTRICAL AND ELECTRONIC EQUIPMENT) 

(Valid in the European Union and other European countries with waste separation) 

This symbol on the product, or the documents accompanying the product, indicates that this appliance 

may not be treated as household waste. This is to avoid environmental damage or personal injury due to 

uncontrolled waste disposal. Please dispose of this product separately from other waste and have it 

recycled to promote sustainable economic activity.

CONCEPT

For many guitarists, the optimal distorted guitar sound is still that of an overdriven tube amp power stage 

producing especially harmonious sounding overtones. The problem: in high-powered amplifiers, this is 

often connected with an unbearable, even unhealthy volume level until one finds the “sweet spot”. When 

using a lower powered amplifier, on the other hand, the threshold is quickly reached at which the clean 

sounds are not loud enough and unwanted distortion occurs too soon. Now the Palmer Power Pad offers 

a solution to the problem. When connected between the amplifier and the speaker cabinet, it can con-

vert more than 80 % of the delivered output power into heat. Thus the volume is reduced dramatically.

The PDI06 is a power attenuator for live applications. This permits practical volume reduction in five 

increments from 70 % to 18 % for stage and practice room situations. An additional level makes the 

speaker completely mute; the PDI06 then functions as a LOAD BOX and absorbs the entire output power 

of the amplifier. On the other hand, a bypass switch can be used to send the full output power to the 

speaker cabinet. We have good reasons for designing the device so that the volume cannot be reduced 

to a “whisper”. Guitar speakers are supposed to amplify the quiet acoustic instrument signal. In order 

to deliver the desired sound, they require a minimum power to set the membrane in motion. However, 

this is typically more than the aforementioned “whisper”. However, if your application only permits this 

low volume level, we recommend using the “load box” setting and reproducing the signal via a home or 

studio monitoring system with the additional help of a Palmer PDI09. For more information: see below.

In a manner comparable to that of a speaker, the PDI06 loads the amplifier as an impedance and not just 

as a purely ohmic resistance. The PDI06 is completely passive in operation and thus does not require 

a power connection.

SETUP

The PDI06 MkII should be set up in a location with unimpeded air access. The ventilation slits in the 

cover must never be covered. Because the device generates heat, avoid placing it next to other sources 

of heat. A good location, for example, would be next to the guitar amplifier, since this also results in short 

cable distances. All connecting cables to the PDI06 must be speaker cables with TRS mono plugs. A ca-

ble from the amplifier to the PDI06 and a cable to the speaker cabinet are required. Because it is possible 

to connect two cabinets to the device, an additional cable may also be necessary. The connectors of the 

PDI 06 are self-explanatory. The cable from the amplifier output is connected to the “FROM AMPLIFIER” 

socket. There are two “TO SPEAKER” sockets as outputs for speakers. Both sockets are wired in parallel 

and thus are equivalent and can be used in any order. It is important to select the correct impedance 

for the connected equipment. On the amplifier, the impedance must be selected in accordance with the 

version of the PDI 06. Thus for an 8 ohm PDI06, the amplifier must also be set to 8 Ohms, and/or the 

corresponding output must be used. The same applies for the speakers. Because there are two sockets, 

it is possible to connect either one 8 Ohm or two 1 Ohm cabinets. With a 4 Ohm PDI06, one can connect 

one 4 Ohm cabinet or two 8 Ohm cabinets.

NOTE: The 16 Ohms  Version  only  has one speaker  output  as two  outputs would  require  32 Ohms

OPERATION

Once the cables have been connected, the amplifier can be turned on. To attenuate the output power, the 

rocker switch labelled “BYPASS/ATTENUATOR” must be set to the ATTENUATOR position. The indicator 

knob is used to attain a stepwise reduction in volume. The 70 % setting results in the minimum reduction 

and the 18 % setting in the maximum reduction of the speaker level. An additional level labelled “LOAD-

BOX” mutes the connected speakers. The output power delivered by the amplifier is entirely absorbed 

by the PDI06. In combination with a Palmer PDI09, “The Junction”, this provides an outstanding way to 

record the guitar tone you want without being a nuisance to others. The PDI09 is a special DI box that 

simulates the sound of guitar speakers. The PDI09 is connected between the amplifier output and the 

input of the PDI 06. Then a realistic sounding signal can be sent from the balanced XLR output of the 

PDI09 to, for example, a mixing desk. This capability can also be used live to transmit the guitar sound 

to the PA system without using a microphone. The PDI06 is used to adjust the stage volume of the guitar 

speakers without affecting the signal sent to the engineer at the mixing desk. The “BYPASS” position of 

the rocker switch completely removes the PDI06 as a load from the signal path, so that the full amplifier 

output power reaches the connected speakers.

SAFETY INFORMATION

The PDI06 converts the unwanted volume into heat. The maximum output power of the connected 

amplifier should not exceed 120 W RMS. Always make absolutely certain that good air circulation is pro-

vided for to avoid dangerous accumulation of heat. Please remember that the useful life of your power 

amplifier tubes is directly dependent on the power output generated. This means that your power stage 

tubes will probably not last as long if you always run your amplifier at full power.

SPECIFICATIONS

Model name:

PDI06

Product type:

power attenuator

Type:

passiv

Channels:

1

Input type:

unbalanced

Inputs:

1

Input connectors:

6.3 mm Jack

Output type:

unbalanced

Outputs:

2

Output connectors:

6.3 mm Jack

Controls:

rotary attenuation switch, bypass

Dummy load:

yes

Dummy load impedance:

8 or 16 Ohm

Max. load:

120   W

Voicing fi lter:

no

Power attenuator:

yes

Transformer isolated outputs:

no

Cabinet material:

sheet steel / aluminium

Cabinet surface:

powder coated / anodized

Width:

120 mm

Depth:

120 mm

Heigth:

50 mm

Weight:

2.4 kg

PDI06

POWER ATTENUATOR 8 or 16 OHM - Manual

© Palmer Musical Instruments, Adam Hall GmbH, D-61267 Neu-Anspach, Daimlerstr. 9, Germany TEL: ++49 (0)6081 94190

FAX: ++49 (0)6081 43280 WEB: www.adamhall.com, www.palmer-germany.com EMAIL: info@palmer-germany.com

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