SWR Mo' Bass, Owner'S Manual

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A Few Words Concerning Heat
One of the most asked questions about our amplifiers is why they tend to get warmer than other amps. The chassis of your
amplifier can get quite warm during normal usage. This is especially true if you are using a 4 ohm total impedance in the
Bridged mode. This is because a 4 ohm impedance (or 2 ohms per channel in the Stereo mode) introduces the least
efficient condition of the unit (in terms of power drawn from the outlet in relation to power produced in the speakers). The dif-
ference in these two figures can be as high as 300 watts. This would be the equivalent of putting a 300 watt light bulb inside
a metal box, which would obviously get quite hot.
Most musical instrument amplifiers on the market today use steel for their chassis, which does not conduct heat as well as
aluminum. The Mo' Bass uses an all aluminum chassis and front panel because it has less impurities than steel, is less
susceptible to rust, and is a better conductor of heat. This results in the chassis acting as an additional heatsink, drawing
heat away from heat-producing components inside and thus extending their life. In this manner, we feel we have produced
a more reliable amplifier, but, at the same time, the outside of the Mo' Bass will get warmer than cases made out of steel.
The one condition you should be aware of is if one or more of the power amplifiers in your unit becomes "over-biased."
This condition can be recognized by turning your amplifier on and letting it sit "idle" (without speakers plugged in and without
playing it). If your unit starts getting hot under these conditions, it may be over-biased. This situation should be attended to
and can be easily remedied in about 15 minutes by a qualified service technician. A power amp can become over-biased
through continuous vibration or by any large jolt received in shipping, etc.
Mode Diagrams
Following the FAQ section (Pages F1 and F2) are several pages of mode diagrams (MD1 through MD6). These diagrams are
provided to give the Mo’ Bass user a visual guide to proper connection procedures. Beginning with simple connections (MD1)
and gradually becoming more complex (MD6), these diagrams outline the various connection possibilities available from the
Mo’ Bass.
Suggested Settings
Following the Mode Diagram section (Pages MD1 through MD6) are several pages of Suggested Settings. These are meant
to be used as a starting point only, as we realize that every user will get something completely different out of the Mo' Bass
due to the dynamic sensitivity of the entire unit, especially when combining effects. But, just so you know what kind of
sounds we've been hearing around the factory from various players, we offer these possibilities to try for yourself.
We performed these tests using a standard Jazz bass with the Preamp Volume set at '5' (except where otherwise noted).
Of course, you can try any of these sounds in either Single Channel of Dual Mode, and you can set the Master Volumes
as loud as you want (just so long as your speaker cabinets and your neighbors can handle it). Have fun!
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