Mesa/Boogie QUAD PRE-AMP Owner Operating Instructions page 2

CHANNEL 1: RHYTHM 1, LEAD 1:
This channel would be considered the more "normal" of the two, delivering all the classic "boog"
tones you've come to love.
RHYTHM 1: A mode primarily designed to produce the ultimate in clean, sparkling, warm rhythm
sounds. With three pull shifts, (Bright, Bass Shift and Deep) as well as the standard Treble, Bass,
and Middle controls, this mode can "Out-Fender" even the best "Black Face Twins."
LEAD 1: A mode dedicated to the classic Boogie lead. Singing, vocal, grinding and searing are
just a few of the many descriptions we've heard over the years. With fifty times the gain of a
normal amplifier, two pull shifts (Treble Shift, Lead Bright), and separate Drive and Master
controls; this mode produces the smooth, warm, tight gain Boogies are famous for.
CHANNEL 2: RHYTHM 2, LEAD 2: Radical! This is truly the word to use when describing Channel
2. With unbelievable gain, this channel has been designed to provide two different distortion
sounds. One EQ'd specifically for rhythm, authentic, grinding, and "Brown." The other mode is the
ultimate in high gain lead sounds. Taken to the outer extremes this mode is truly a metal player's
dream. Since versatility is one of MESA Boogie's forte, this channel can be used much like
Channel 1, (Clean Rhythm, Lead), by simply setting the controls lower. This mode was inspired by
the countless requests for "even more gain" than an already lethal Boogie. We've done it.
RHYTHM 2: A mode designed with crunch rhythm in mind. With ample gain to double as a lead
mode, this mode is probably the most versatile. Special attention has been paid to tight bottom
end even at the most extreme settings. An additional pull shift on the treble, for more gain, gives
you a total of four EQ shift functions (Bright, Treble Shift, Bass Shift, and Deep). Even the
"brownest" of Marshall's will fear this mode. Rhythm 2 can also double as a second clean sound.
Just set the controls lower and a different world of bright shimmering clean sounds appear. This is
extremely useful when going from a clean chording sound to a clean single note sound. This mode
offers more tonal possibilities than many complete amplifiers.
LEAD 2: GAIN! This mode has it! Lead 2 is the "state of the art" in high gain lead sounds. Fed by a
hotter rhythm mode, Lead 2 is insane. With this much gain it becomes extremely hard to "contain"
or control the sound, not so with the Quad. Problems like feedback, microphonics, and loss of tone
control effectiveness have all been virtually eliminated. Smooth, touch sensitive, explosive and
deadly only begin to describe Lead 2. Yet with all this gain a great blues sound is still attainable at
lower control settings. (Months of painstaking R & D went into this mode. We've given you "more
gain". We sincerely hope you enjoy this mode as we have.)
THE CONTROLS: Let's review the controls, one at a time, to learn their various functions and how
they interact.
VOLUME: This control is very powerful in both channels of the Quad. Its setting determines not
only the gain in each rhythm mode, but the amount of signal fed to the lead modes as well. Lower
settings of this control will result in cleaner, brighter rhythm sounds and lower gain lead sounds.
Higher settings will result in fatter clean rhythm sounds in Rhythm 1 and more grinding crunch
rhythm sounds in Rhythm 2. This will cause the lead modes to sound more focused and remain
tighter, especially in the lower frequencies. In each channel you will discover a "sweet spot" for the
volume control. Most probably the number setting will be different on each Volume. Especially
when Rhythm 1 is set for a clean sound and Rhythm 2 is set for a crunch sound. Here's why:
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