Mesa/Boogie High-Wire Owner's Manual

SAFETY PRECAUTIONS:
• Read these instructions.
• Follow these instructions.
• Heed all notes and warnings.
• Do not use this device near water.
• Clean this device only with a dry cloth.
• Keep these instructions for future reference.
• Damage to this device by improperly connected and/
or grounded equipment is not covered under warranty.
• This device contains no user-serviceable parts and in-
cludes components which are susceptible to damage
by electrostatic discharge (ESD).
• Be sure to use only a properly rated "wall-wart" power
adapter or universal pedalboard power supply, with
extra attention paid to the correct polarity, voltage and
current. Applying the wrong polarity, improper voltage
or insufficient current to this device may cause poor
and/or inconsistent tone, performance, and even dam-
age! Refer to the CONTROLS & CONNECTIONS and
Owner's Manual
SPECIFICATIONS sections for more information.
• Do not defeat an amplifier's safety ground - which is
provided by the 3-prong AC power-cord plug! Doing
so may not only be ILLEGAL, but it may also pose a
SHOCK or ELECTROCUTION HAZARD.
Congratulations on your choice of MESA/Boogie ® and wel- impedance and other finely tuned characteristics which mimic
®
come to the MESA Family! The same passion for excellence, that of a high quality tube amplifier, and it includes an RFI fil-
commitment to quality and dedication to customer satisfaction ter to minimize the possibility of radio-frequency interference
is present in each and every product we make in our one-and- and noise. It presents a dynamically ideal load to a guitar that
only shop in Petaluma, California, U.S.A. Rest assured that the remains steadfast, resulting in a tone that is consistent, while
very same people that hand-build the finest amplifiers in the still allowing the guitar to breathe, live, and react - like plugging
world, also built your HIGH-WIRE™ DUAL BUFFER/OUTPUT directly into the front of a tube amplifier.
BOOST and you have access to the same resources for help
that all our customers do. Call on us anytime and enjoy! The integrated output line-driver circuit is capable of driving a
long unbalanced cable run, via shielded 1/4" TS instrument
HIGH-WIRE™ DUAL BUFFER/OUTPUT BOOST cable. It also incorporates a mini-toggle fixed boost, and a
stomp-switch selected variable boost, to slightly increase the
level reaching a back-line amplifier (making up for any losses
The HIGH-WIRE™ DUAL BUFFER/OUTPUT BOOST re-
or compensating for different guitars), and to drive the amp's
solves the deep-rooted signal loss and inconsistent tone
input harder!
issues faced by guitarists due to; capacitive loading, imped-
ance loading and mismatching, and changes to a pickup's
A dual-function STOMP switch allows selecting the variable
resonant frequency/peak, as a result of varying effect pedals
BOOST, or a MUTE for silent tuning and guitar changes. To
and interconnecting cables. It accomplishes this by providing
activate the variable boost, as set by the BOOST knob, simply
the two constants in every guitar rig, the guitar and amplifier,
press the STOMP switch, a blue BOOST LED indicate's when
with a resolute load and source, via its input buffer and output
it's on. Press the STOMP switch again to turn it off. To activate
line-driver, respectively. The two circuits form an effects loop,
the MUTE, hold down the STOMP switch for about 3/4-of-a-
which segregates the guitar and amplifier from the variables
second, a red MUTE LED indicate's it's on. Press the STOMP
on a pedalboard, easily handles many pedals, interconnecting
switch again to exit the MUTE mode, and the HIGH-WIRE™
cables, and effortlessly drives a long cable run to the back-line
DUAL BUFFER/OUTPUT BOOST will return to on or off
amplifier. The input buffer converts the guitar's high-impedance
BOOST state it was in, prior to activating the MUTE.
signal to low-impedance, which also minimizes its susceptibility
to noise, interference, and even some of the switch "popping"
The HIGH-WIRE™ DUAL BUFFER/OUTPUT BOOST's stra-
associated with true-bypass pedals. The output line-driver
tegic first-in last-out position in the audio signal path also allows
targets the inability that many pedals, and even some buffers
it to provide a compact and convenient consolidation point for
have, which is to adequately drive a very long cable run to a
the two most commonly used pedalboard audio connections.
back-line amplifier. As a result, the only variations in sound and
And thanks to its dual-PCB analog-goodness design, it will
tone will be from the actual effect of the pedals on the pedal-
stand tall at the "typical" top-right corner of a pedalboard - with-
board, and not from a guitar or amplifier related loading or im-
out the need for a pedal-riser.
pedance mismatch issue.
The input buffer is a 100% discrete Class-A circuit with an input
CONTROLS & CONNECTIONS and accepts the signal from the output of the last
pedal on a pedalboard. It feeds the integrated line-
driver circuit. When a 1/4" plug is not inserted, it is
It's always a good idea to make any audio connections
normalled to the SEND jack, and the input signal will
with every piece of equipment in a guitar rig turned off,
be routed through both circuits to the OUTPUT jack.
or at least the amplifier volume(s) turned down, to avoid
loud bursts of sound from damaging speakers or other
OUT:
This 1/4" phono jack is the output and provides a
components.
buffered low-impedance signal from the integrated line-
driver circuit. Connect this jack to the input of an amplifier
For optimal results in the preservation of a guitar's tone, and
using a shielded 1/4" TS instrument cable.
allowing it to reach an amplifier with steadfast consistency,
the HIGH-WIRE™ DUAL BUFFER/OUTPUT BOOST
:
should ideally be the first device the guitar is plugged
always on, and provides a buffered low-impedance signal
into, and the last device connected to the amplifier's input.
from the discrete Class-A buffer circuit. Connect this jack
to the input of a tuner - keeping it out of the signal chain.
NOTE: A few vintage fuzz pedals will function and sound
differently when connected directly to the guitar because
Note: When using shielded 1/4" TS (tip & sleeve) instru-
they are meant to be fed with a high-impedance signal
ment cables, always aim for the best quality and shortest
source, as opposed to a low-impedance signal source,
length possible.
which is why they need to be used first in the signal path.
It's recommended that such pedals either be modified
9VDC IN:
with true-bypass switching, if not already so equipped,
ternal power supply jack and accepts a 2.1mm x 5.5mm
or used in conjunction with a true-bypass loop-box to en-
male barrel connector from a standard 9Volt DC "wall-wart"
sure the pedal is completely bypassed when not in use.
power adapter or universal pedalboard power supply, with
a NEGATIVE CENTER polarity plug. Refer to the SPECI-
IN:
This 1/4" phono jack is the input and accepts the signal
FICATIONS section for additional information.
from a guitar. It feeds the discrete Class-A buffer circuit.
Note: An external DC "wall-wart" power adapter is not
SND:
This 1/4" phono jack is an output (SEND) and provides
included.
a buffered low-impedance signal from the discrete Class-A buf-
fer circuit. Connect this jack to the input of the first pedal on a
WARNING: To avoid immediate damage to this device and
pedalboard. When the MUTE is on/active, this jack will silence
voiding the warranty, do NOT connect an AC-Voltage, or
the pedal inputs, allowing for any time-based effect pedals such
ANY other DC-Voltage power supply to this jack, other than
as a delay, echo and/or reverb, to trail-off naturally, instead of
that specified above and in the SPECIFICATIONS section!
ending abruptly.
STOMP SW:
RTN:
This 1/4" phono jack is an input (RETURN)
This 1/4" phono jack is an output (TUNER), it's
This standard female DC receptacle is the ex-
This dual-function STOMP switch allows