7
Turn On
– Once you’ve completed the steps above, you can plug in your
bass and turn on the unit (plug it in first, ok?) and let’s get started. We
recommend turning your system on with the Master Volume control set to
its minimum position. This will prevent any unexpected signal from being
sent to your speakers. Once the unit is on, set the Master Volume to about
9:00 on a clock face. (By the way, we use a clock face to tell you where to
set controls. We’re talking about an old-style clock here. You know, one
with
hands
.)
Setting Your Level
– Remember, begin with the Input Gain completely
OFF – fully counter-clockwise. All EQ should be set flat, that is, at 12:00 –
straight up.
While playing your lowest note (or loudest), slowly turn the Input Gain to
approximately 12:00 or 1:00. You can go higher if needed, but you should
not hear any distortion from the amplifier. The idea here is to set the Input
Gain as high as possible
without any distortion
. This will give you the best
signal through the rest of the amplifier.
Once you have properly set your Input Gain, turn the Master Volume up to a
comfortable listening level and proceed with the rest of the setup process.
SETTING YOUR EQ
The frequencies that you’ll need to boost or cut are dependent upon your
instrument and your individual playing style. Extreme settings of boost or
cut are unlikely to be necessary or helpful.
Using the EQ Controls
– Before you begin to twiddle knobs, let’s talk
about a few things. Excessive boosting of one or more EQ frequencies may
cause an overload in the EQ section. This is a
Very Bad Thing
and needs to
be corrected immediately.
Remember, too, that our EQ controls are passive (to give you a great old-
school sound) but are meant to turn both ways – not just UP! This means
that you can enhance a certain frequency spectrum either by boosting that
frequency or by cutting the adjacent frequencies. This latter method has the
advantage of maximizing potential headroom.
