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Active Input Jack
The Active input jack should be used with instruments having a built-in (on board) preamp that will produce signals over 1
volt RMS. This jack will pad the incoming signal -14 dB. Some really "hot" pickups installed in your instrument may find the
Active input more compatible. But it's worth noting that the more complex the waveform originating from your bass guitar,
the tougher time an onboard effect will have in processing that complex signal. In other words, try not to go too crazy with
the onboard EQ of your bass preamp right off the bat. If you are using a KEYBOARD with the Mo' Bass, we have found the
best choice to be the Active input.
Note: Using the Active input with a passive instrument may result in a loss of high-end transients. Players who roll off their
high-end frequencies starting at about 2K - or who prefer a "darker" sound - may find this input more to their liking.
If you hear some distortion with your active bass and are using the Active input jack, CHECK YOUR INSTRUMENT'S
BATTERY! Also, make sure that the Pre-Amp Volume clip LED is not still turning red. Following these instructions can save
you and a service technician a lot of aggravation.
PREAMP CONTROLS
Pre-Amp Volume Control
This control adjusts the volume of the Preamp section. A bi-color (greed/red) LED indicator is located above the control. As
mentioned in the "Getting Started" section, that LED will illuminate green every time you play. If you set the level too high
the green LED will turn red, which indicates that the preamp is clipping. In order to achieve maximum signal-to-noise ratio,
set the Preamp Volume to where the green LED barely turns red upon striking your hardest note. However, this may not be
the optimal setting when using effects, so you may want to back off even further until you're done exploring the levels of all of
the effects on the Mo' Bass.
Note: Even though the Preamp Clip LED turning red indicates that at some point the preamplifier is clipping, no harm is
being done to your amplifier. However, clipping of the power amp can cause damage to your speakers and is not
recommended.
Limiter/Leveler
The Limiter/Leveler circuit is a tube limiter that helps control the dynamic range of the preamp. The Limiter/Leveler Control
sets the "threshold" for the circuit, which is the level at which limiting begins to take effect. The yellow LED above the control
will illuminate, indicating that the Limiter is active. Loss in volume caused by extreme limiting can be overcome by increasing
the levels of the Master Volume controls, as well as various controls for the onboard effects.
When processing a signal to a minor degree, the Limiter/Leveler simply puts a ceiling on the signal and gently suppresses
the peaks, creating a very smooth, even sound. As the signal is processed to a greater degree, the sound becomes more
compressed and the dynamic range of the preamp more limited. Because it uses a tube to accomplish this, the Mo' Bass
Limiter/Leveler has an extremely natural effect on the instrument's signal, much like the classic leveling amplifiers used in
professional studios around the world.
You may want dial in some of the Limiter/Leveler control even though you aren't clipping the preamp. It's a very musical
limiter and can be used in several ways. For clean sounds it can help smooth out rough edges. When used with the
Overdrive, you can achieve some very interesting sounds depending on where the "Drive" control is set. Try different
settings and see what works best for you. The yellow LED may illuminate slightly even when you have the control set at min-
imum. This is normal, as the Limiter/Leveler is never truly "out" of the circuit.
Note: If the Limiter/Leveler Control is set at maximum and still no limiting effect occurs, the Pre-Amp Volume Control is
probably set too low and should be increased to a desired level.
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