Behringer Ultrabass BVT4500H User manual

Version 1.1 2007-07
ULTRABASS BVT4500H/5500H
User manual

2
ULTRABASS BVT4500H/5500H
This symbol, wherever it appears, alerts you to the
presence of uninsulated dangerous voltage inside
the enclosure—voltage that may be sufficient to
constitute a risk of shock.
This symbol, wherever it appears, alerts you to
important operating and maintenance instructions
in the accompanying literature. Please read the
manual.
IMPORTANT SAFETY INSTRUCTIONS
CAUTION: To reduce the risk of electric shock, do not remove
the top cover (or the rear section). No user
serviceable parts inside; refer servicing to qualified
personnel.
WARNING: To reduce the risk of fire or electric shock, do not
expose this appliance to rain and moisture. The
apparatus shall not be exposed to dripping or
splashing and no objects filled with liquids, such
as vases, shall be placed on the apparatus.
CAUTION: Before changing the fuse, switch off the device
and pull the plug to avoid electric shock or damage
to the device.
1) Read these instructions.
2) Keep these instructions.
3) Heed all warnings.
4) Follow all instructions.
5) Do not use this apparatus near water.
6) Clean only with dry cloth.
7) Do not block any ventilation openings. Install in
accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions.
8) Do not install near any heat sources such as radiators,
heat registers, stoves, or other apparatus (including
amplifiers) that produce heat.
9) Do not defeat the safety purpose of the polarized or
grounding-type plug. A polarized plug has two blades
with one wider than the other. A grounding type plug
has two blades and a third grounding prong. The wide
blade or the third prong are provided for your safety. If
the provided plug does not fit into your outlet, consult
an electrician for replacement of the obsolete outlet.
10) Protect the power cord from being walked on or
pinched particularly at plugs, convenience receptacles,
and the point where they exit from the apparatus.
11) The apparatus shall be connected to a MAINS socket
outlet with a protective earthing connection.
12) Where the MAINS plug or an appliance coupler is
used as the disconnect device, the disconnect device
shall remain readily operable.
13) Only use attachments/accessories specified by the
manufacturer.
14) Use only with the cart, stand, tripod, bracket, or table
specified by the manufacturer, or sold with the
apparatus. When a cart is used, use caution when moving
the cart/apparatus combination to avoid injury from
tip-over.
15) Unplug this apparatus during lightning storms or
when unused for long periods of time.
16) Refer all servicing to qualified service personnel.
Servicing is required when the apparatus has been
damaged in any way, such as power supply cord or plug
is damaged, liquid has been spilled or objects have fallen
into the apparatus, the apparatus has been exposed to
rain or moisture, does not operate normally, or has been
dropped.
17) CAUTION - These service instructions are for use by
qualified service personnel only. To reduce the risk of
electric shock do not perform any servicing other than
that contained in the operation instructions unless you
are qualified to do so.

3
ULTRABASS BVT4500H/5500H
Foreword
Dear customer,
Welcome to the team of
ULTRABASS users and
thank you very much for
expressing your confi-
dence in BEHRINGER
products by purchasing the
BEHRINGER BVT4500H/
BVT5500H.
Writing this foreword for
you gives me great
pleasure, because it
represents the culmination
of many months of hard
work delivered by our
engineering team to
achieve a very ambitious
goal: to present an
outstanding bass
workstation that gives you
maximum flexibility and performance with its unique sound
character and broad range of functions.
The task of designing our new BVT4500H/5500H certainly meant
a great deal of responsibility, which we assumed by focusing
on you, the discerning user and musician. Meeting your
expectations also meant a lot of work and night shifts. But it was
fun, too. Developing a product usually brings a lot of people
together. What a great feeling it is when all who participated in
such a project can be proud of what they’ve achieved.
It is our philosophy to share our enjoyment with you, because
you are the most important member of the BEHRINGER team.
With your highly competent suggestions for new products you’ve
madeasignificantcontributiontoshapingourcompanyandmaking
itsuccessful. In return,we guarantee youuncompromising quality
aswell as excellent technicaland audio properties atan extremely
reasonable price. All of this will enable you to give free rein to
your creativity without being hampered by budget constraints.
We are often asked how we manage to produce such high-
quality devices at such unbelievably low prices. The answer is
quite simple: it’s you, our customers! Many satisfied customers
mean large sales volumes, enabling us to get better purchasing
terms for components, etc. Isn’t it only fair to pass this benefit on
to you? Because we know that your success is our success,
too!
I would like to thank everyone who has made the BVT4500H/
5500H possible. You have all made your own personal
contributions,fromthe developers and themanyother employees
at this company, to you, the BEHRINGER user.
My friends, it’s been worth the effort!
Thank you very much,
UliBehringer
Table of contents
1. Introduction ...............................................................4
1.1 The Design Concept ....................................................... 4
1.2 Before you get started ................................................... 4
1.2.1 Shipment ................................................................ 4
1.2.2 Initial operation....................................................... 4
1.2.3 Online registration ................................................. 4
2. Front panel ................................................................4
3. Rear panel .................................................................6
4. About speaker impedance ......................................7
5. Setup example..........................................................8
6. The signal path .........................................................8
6.1INPUT ............................................................................... 8
6.2TUNER ............................................................................. 8
6.3LINEOUTPUT ................................................................... 8
6.3.1PRE ........................................................................ 8
6.3.2POST...................................................................... 8
6.4EFFECTSLOOP ............................................................... 9
6.4.1SEND andRETURN ................................................ 9
6.4.2 SEND only (BVT5500H only)................................. 9
6.4.3RETURNonly ......................................................... 9
6.5INSERTCHANNEL ........................................................... 9
6.5.1PREAMPOUTPUT .................................................. 9
6.5.2POWERAMPIN ...................................................... 9
7. Audio connectors .....................................................9
8. System block diagram ...........................................10
9. Specifications ......................................................... 11
10. Warranty ...............................................................12
WARNING!
Extreme output volumes may damage your hearing
and/or your loudspeakers. Turn down all volume
and level controls before you switch on the unit.
Always set the volume to an appropriate level.
Please ensure that only qualified personnel install
and operate the BVT4500H/5500H. During installation
and operation the user must have sufficient
electrical contact to earth. Electrostatic charges
might affect the operation of the unit.

4
ULTRABASS BVT4500H/5500H
1. Introduction
WiththeBVT4500H/5500Hyou have acquired a pro-levelamplifier
from our ULTRABASS series. This classic bass amp combines
an uncompromising, “cutting-through” sound with a full range of
sound-shaping features.
1.1 The Design Concept
Over the past few years, flexibility has become important. Bass
players must now offer a broad range of sounds and play in
different venues: home studios, professional studios, and live
concerts. Additionally, the world of electric bass playing has
changed. New effects devices and basses, with five or six
strings, are launched all the time. There is also the desire to
create one’s own, “unique” sound—which can only be achieved
with innovative amplifiers.
In response to these dual needs (flexibility and individuality), the
BVT4500H/5500H offers you:
VTONEand GRAPHIC EQ features—forshaping and refining
sound.
VVTC (Virtual Tube Circuitry)—adding the warmth of vintage
tube circuitry to sound.
VJacks for connecting the BVT4500H/5500H to effects
processors, mixers/recording units, other preamps, and
other power amps.
V2types of speaker jacks: ¼"TS andcompatible with Neutrik
Speakon connectors.
1.2 Before you get started
1.2.1 Shipment
Your BVT4500H/5500H was carefully packed at the factory,
and the packaging was designed to protect the unit from damage
caused by rough handling. Nevertheless, we recommend that
you carefully examine the packaging and its contents for any
signs of physical damage that may have occurred during transit.
If the unit is damaged, please do NOT return it to us;
instead, notify your dealer and the shipping
company immediately, otherwise claims for damage
or replacement may not be granted.
Please always use the original packaging to avoid
damage due to storage or shipping.
Never let unsupervised children play with the
BVT4500H/5500H or with its packaging.
Recycle whenever possible.
1.2.2 Initial operation
Ensure adequate air supply and to avoid overheating
do not place the unit near radiators etc.
Before you connect your BVT4500H/5500H to the mains, please
make sure that your local voltage matches the voltage required
by the unit.
CAUTION: The following applies only to BVT versions that can
be switched between 120 V and 230 V: The fuse holder on the
mains connector has 3 triangular markings, with two of these
triangles opposing each other. The BVT4500H/5500H is set to
the operating voltage printed next to these markers and can be
set to another voltage by turning the fuse holder by 180°.
Please note that when operating the unit at 120 V, a
higher fuse rating is required. Please refer to the
“SPECIFICATIONS” for details.
If you set the unit to a different mains voltage, be
sure to use a fuse of the correct type and rating.
Please refer to the “SPECIFICATIONS” for details.
Blown fuses must be replaced by fuses of the same
type and rating! Please refer to the
“SPECIFICATIONS” for details.
CAUTION!
Before changing the fuse, switch off the device and
pull the plug to avoid electric shock or damage to
the device.
The BVT4500H/5500H power connection is made by using the
enclosed cable and the amplifier’s standard IEC receptacle. It
meets all of the international safety certification requirements.
Please make sure that all units have a proper earth
connection. For your own safety, never remove or
disable the earth conductor from the unit or of the
AC power cord.
IMPORTANT NOTES CONCERNING INSTALLATION
The sound quality may diminish within the range of
powerful broadcasting stations and high-frequency
sources. Increase the distance between the
transmitter and the device and use shielded cables
for all connections.
1.2.3 Online registration
Pleasedoremembertoregister your new BEHRINGER equipment
right after your purchase by visiting www.behringer.com
(alternatively www.behringer.de) and kindly read the terms and
conditions of our warranty carefully.
Shouldyour BEHRINGER product malfunction,our goal is tohave
itrepaired as quicklyas possible. Toarrange for warranty service,
please contact the retailer from whom the equipment was
purchased. Should your BEHRINGER dealer not be located in
your vicinity, you may directly contact one of our subsidiaries.
Corresponding contact information is included in the original
equipment packaging (Global Contact Information/European
Contact Information). Should your country not be listed, please
contact the distributor nearest you. A list of distributors can be
found in the support area of our website (www.behringer.com).
Registering your purchase and equipment with us helps us
process your repair claims quicker and more efficiently.
Thank you for your cooperation!
2. Front panel
Fig. 2.1: BVT4500H front panel
2.Front panel

5
ULTRABASS BVT4500H/5500H
This section describes how to use the front panel of the
BVT4500H and the BVT5500H, illustrated on the previous page
and above.
( 1 ) POWER switch:
Use the POWER switch to turn on your BVT4500H/5500H.
The POWER switch should always be in the “Off” position
when you are about to connect your unit to the wall socket
or disconnect it.
Switch-on thumps can damage your hearing and
your speakers. Before you connect the BVT to the
mains, ensure that it is turned off.
( 2 ) VTCLED:
When the BVT is off, this LED is not illuminated. When it is
on, this LED is illuminated and indicates that the amp is
activated for use. VTC is BEHRINGER’s analog technology
that emulates the warmth of vintage tube circuitry.
INPUT features
To input an audio signal to the BVT, use features ( 3 ) - ( 7 ),
as follows:
( 3 ) 0 dB jack:
To connect an electric bass to the BVT, use this ¼" mono
jack (unbalanced). Basses with active pickups create high-
level signals. If your bass includes an active pickup and
you work with:
Vthe BVT4500H, use the PAD button ( 4 ) to reduce the
input audio signal.
Vthe BVT5500H, use the -15 dB jack ( 5 )instead of
the 0 dB jack.
( 4 ) PAD button (BVT4500H only):
If the PEAK LED ( 9 ) constantly illuminates and the GAIN
control ( 8 ) is set to 0 (zero), the input level of the audio
signal is too high. In this case, press this button to activate
the pad. The pad reduces the input sensitivity by 15 dB.
( 5 ) -15 dB jack (BVT5500H only):
To connect an active bass to the BVT5500H, use this
¼" mono jack (unbalanced). Using this jack will give you a
lower input sensitivity as compared with the 0 dB jack.
( 6 ) MUTE button (BVT5500H only):
Use this button if you want to tune a bass without hearing
the tone. This feature mutes the main signal path, but not
the TUNER output.
( 7 ) OVERDRIVE button (BVT5500H only):
Usethis button toadd a distorted texture tothe audio signal.
This feature “overdrives” the BVT5500H preamp.
( 8 ) GAIN control:
Use this control to boost or cut the level of the input signal.
( 9 ) PEAKLED:
At various points in the signal path, the BVT monitors the
level of the audio signal. When the level is too high, the
PEAK LED warns that clipping can occur. If the LED:
Voccasionally illuminates, the BVT clips only some
peaks in the audio signal. Occasional clipping does
not reduce the sound quality and shows that the
signal is strong enough.
Vnever illuminates, the BVT does not clip any signal
peaksin the audio signal. Theaudio signal isprobably
too weak to make use of the full dynamic range.
Increase the GAIN ( 8 ) setting until the PEAK LED
lights up only occasionally, at the strongest signal
peaks.
Vconstantly illuminates, the BVT clips a large part of
the audio signal and you will hear a distortion. Lower
the GAIN setting and check for extreme fader or
control settings.
TONE features
“Tone” refers to the presence and quality of these frequency
bands of an audio signal:
Vbass: from 30 to 200 Hz
Vmid-range: from 200 to 2 000 Hz
Vtreble: from 2 000 Hz to 20 kHz
The BVT offers controls to effectively tailor the sounds to your
needs by cutting or boosting specific bands. To adjust the tone,
use features (10) - (13), as follows:
(10) VOICING control (BVT5500H only):
To select the tone you want, turn this knob to one of the
followingpresets. The BVT5500H equalizestheaudio signal
for you.
1: Prominent bass and treble tones (scooped mids).
2: Smooth and warm treble tones (passive tone).
3: Flat, natural bass tones (no equalization).
4: Bright treble tones.
5: Flat, natural bass tones that are not muddy (bass
rolloff).
(11) - (13) BASS, MID, and TREBLE controls:
For each tone (bass, mid-range, and treble) that you can
emphasize or de-emphasize, the BVT includes a single
TONEcontrol.
To emphasize a tone, you can turn the relevant tone control
toward 10 (maximum boost). Alternatively, you might
considerlowering adjacent bands.To de-emphasize atone,
you can turn the relevant tone control toward 0
(maximum cut).
Fig. 2.2: BVT5500H front panel
2.Front panel

6
ULTRABASS BVT4500H/5500H
(17) EFFECTS MIX control (BVT5500H only):
If you created an effects loop, use this control to adjust the
dry-wet mix. As you turn this control toward:
V0 (zero), you hear more of the dry signal (without
effects). At zero, you hear only the dry signal.
V10, you hear more of the wet signal (effects). At 10,
you hear only the wet signal.
For details about creating an effects loop, see 3. REAR
PANEL ((29) - (30)).
MASTER features
(18) MASTER control:
To adjust the speaker volume and the level of the PREAMP
OUTPUT, turn this control toward 0 (no volume/level) or,
alternatively 10 (maximum volume/level).
(19) LIMITER button:
The limiter reduces only the signal peaks that can overdrive
the POWER AMP and distort the audio signal. The limiter
prevents the BVT4500H/5500H from clipping these signal
peaks. To activate or alternatively deactivate the limiter,
push this button.
Because high signal peaks can damage
loudspeakers, it is recommended to activate the
limiter and not to play at full volume for a long time
without ear protection.
(20) LIMITLED:
When the limiter is activated, this LED is illuminated.
When you choose to cut rather than boost an audio
signal, you protect audio equipment from high
signal levels (clipping) and preserve valuable
headroom.
GRAPHIC EQ features
With the TONE controls ((10) - (13)) discussed above, you
emphasize and de-emphasize three fairly wide frequency bands.
However, with the GRAPHIC EQ features, you can emphasize
and de-emphasize 9 more narrow frequency bands. This lets
you refine the sound that you created with the TONE controls.
The GRAPHIC EQ features include (14)-(16):
(14) EQ ON button:
To turn graphic EQ and level features, push this button.
(15) EQ faders:
If you activated the frequency-band faders (14), you can
use each one to emphasize and de-emphasize a specific
frequency band. The center frequency of each frequency
band is displayed directly above the relevant fader.
To emphasize (boost) a frequency band, slide the relevant
fader up. Alternatively, slide the faders for the surrounding
frequency bands down.
To de-emphasize (cut) a frequency band, slide the relevant
fader down. Alternatively, slide the faders for the
surrounding frequency bands up.
Cutting rather than boosting a frequency band
protects audio equipment from high signal levels
(clipping) and preserves valuable headroom.
(16) LEVEL fader (BVT5500H only):
To compensate possible level changes of the equalized
signal, slide this control between +12 and -12. At “0” level,
the BVT5500H neither boosts nor cuts the equalized signal.
3. Rear panel
Fig. 3.1: BVT4500H/BVT5500H rear panel
This chapter describes how to use the rear panel of the
BVT4500Handthe BVT5500H, whichincludesthesame features.
Figure 3.1 illustrates these features.
To effectively use the jacks on the rear panel, you
need to know about the BVT signal path. For details,
refer to the secion “THE SIGNAL PATH”.
(21) Serial number:
To register your unit, you will need this unique identifier.
(22) Fuse compartment:
For details about the appropriate fuse type, refer to the
“SPECIFICATIONS”. See also chapter 1.1.2. Replace this
fuse only with the type specified for your country.
(23) Power connector:
To power the BVT4500H/5500H, plug the power cord in
this AC connector. The power cord comes with the BVT.
Attention: The POWER switch does not fully
disconnect the unit from the mains. Unplug the
power cord completely when the unit is not used
for prolonged periods of time.
(24) Fan:
This fan prevents the BVT4500H/5500H from overheating.
Do not block the ventilation openings that cover the
fan.
PARALLELSPEAKER OUTPUT
Via the following jacks, you can simultaneously connect up to
3 speakers directly to the BVT:
(25) Two ¼" TS (mono, unbalanced) jacks.
(26) A single Neutrik Speakon compatible jack, for high-power
loudspeakers. The pin designation of the speaker is pins
1+ and 1-. For details, refer to the chapter “AUDIO
CONNECTORS”.
3.Rear panel

7
ULTRABASS BVT4500H/5500H
If you use a single speaker or a high-power speaker, connect
this speaker to the Neutrik Speakon compatible jack. To prevent
electrical shock and ensure the correct polarity, this jack locks
an audio plug in place.
Before you connect speakers to the BVT4500H/5500H,
turn it off.
Your speaker cabinets should have a sufficient
power rating (BVT4500H: > 450 W, BVT5500H: > 550 W)
and preferably a total impedance of 4 ΩΩ
ΩΩ
Ωor higher.
Too high a load impedance will decrease the output
power rating of the power stage. For details, refer
to the chapter “ABOUT SPEAKER IMPEDANCE”.
(27) POWER AMP INPUT:
To connect an external preamplifier to the BVT, use this
¼" TS jack.
(28) PREAMP OUTPUT:
To connect an external power amplifier to the BVT, use
this ¼" TS jack.
EFFECTS LOOP jacks
To connect the BVT4500H/5500H to an effects processor you
can use one or, alternatively both of these jacks ((29)- (30)).
Keepin mind thattheBVT4500HandtheBVT5500Hdo not process
effects in the same way. For details, see “THE SIGNAL PATH”.
(29) RETURN jack:
To send an audio signal from an effects processor to the
BVT, use this ¼" TS jack.
(30) SEND jack:
To send an audio signal from the BVT to an effects
processor, use this ¼" TS jack.
LINE OUTPUT features
To send an audio signal from the BVT to a mixer or a recording
unit, use the LINE OUTPUT features ((31) - (34)), as follows:
(31) LEVEL control:
To adjust the level of any LINE OUTPUT, turn this knob
toward min (no level) or, alternatively max. The value of
the max setting depends on what you selected via the
PRE/POST button (33). If you selected:
VPRE: max is ~ 0 dB.
VPOST: max is ~ 10 dB.
(32) GND LIFT button:
To manage the ground connection between the BVT and a
mixer/recording unit, use this button. When this button is:
Vpushed out, you maintain a ground connection that
prevents electrostatic charges from interfering with
an audio signal.
Vpushed in, you break the ground connection. Do this
only when ground-loop hum interferes with an audio
signal.
(33) PRE/POST button:
To select the type of signal you want to send to a
mixer/recording unit, use this button. When this button is:
Vpushed out (PRE EQ and effects), the BVT does not
apply any preamp features (TONE/EQ/EFFECTS) to
the audio signal.
Vpushed in (POST EQ and effects), the BVT applies all
preamp features to the audio signal.
For details, see “THE SIGNAL PATH”.
(34) BALANCED OUTPUT:
To connect the BVT to the mic input on a mixer or,
alternatively to a recording unit, use this XLR jack
(balanced).
Before you connect the BVT4500H/5500H to mic input
on a mixer, turn off the phantom power on the
relevant channel of the mixer.
(35) TUNER OUT jack:
To connect the BVT4500H/5500H to an electronic tuner,
use this ¼" TS jack.
Totune while mutingthe PARALLEL SPEAKER OUTPUTs,
do one of the following. If you work with:
Vthe BVT4500H, turn the MASTER control to 0
(minimumsetting).
Alternatively, you can use the tuner’s mute feature:
Connect EFFECTS SEND (30) to the tuner input and
EFFECTS RETURN (29) to the tuner output. When
you:
Vactivate the mute feature on the tuner, the tuner
does not send the audio signal to the RETURN
jack.
Vdeactivate the mute feature on the tuner, the
tuner sends the audio signal to the RETURN
jack. The audio signal follows the signal path to
the PARALLEL SPEAKER OUTPUTs.
Vthe BVT5500H, activate the mute feature ( 6 ).
4. About speaker impedance
The total impedance of the speakers that you connect to the BVT
affects the power output of the BVT. The minimum speaker
impedance is 4 Ω. When the total load is 4 Ω, the BVT supplies
the optimal power.
How to calculate the speaker impedance
When using more than one speaker and each connecting to
anotherBVT speaker jack, thespeakers are connectedinparallel.
To calculate the resulting total impedance of the speakers, use
the following formula—
—where Z1, Z2etc. are each the impedance of a single speaker
and Ztotal is the resulting impedance of all speakers.
For two speakers (Z1and Z2), the formula reads as:
21
21
total ZZ
ZZ
Z+
⋅
=
Via the formula, you get a 4 Ωload with:
Vone 4 Ωspeaker
Vtwo 8 Ωspeakers
Vone 8 Ωspeaker and two 16 Ωspeakers
As the speaker impedance decreases, the output
power of the BVT increases. High output power
can damage your speakers. As the speaker
impedance increases, the output power of the BVT
decreases.
4.Aboutspeaker impedance

8
ULTRABASS BVT4500H/5500H
5. Setup example
The following illustration provides an example of how to set up
the BVT5500H.
Bass Guitar
Line level
signal
Line level
signal
High power
amplified signal
Fig. 5.1: BVT5500H setup example
In the above example,
Va speaker (ULTRABASS BA810),
Va mixer (XENYX 1832FX),
Vanda tuner (RACKTUNERBTR2000)
are simultaneously connected to the BVT5500H.
However, you can tune without adjusting the speaker volume.
For details, see “FRONT PANEL” (MUTE button ( 8 )) and
“REARPANEL”(TUNERjack (35)).
The audio signals that the ULTRABASS BA810 and the
XENYX 1832FX receive from the BVT5500H are not the same:
VThe ULTRABASS BA810 receives a fully amplified signal.
VThe XENYX 1832FX receives a preamplified (line-level)
signal.
You can select the type of preamplified signal (PRE or POST
TONE/EQ/EFFECTS) that the BVT5500H sends. For details, see
“THESIGNALPATH”.
6. The signal path
This section provides what you need to know to effectively use
the BVT control elements and connection jacks. For an overview
of the possible paths your signal may take, refer to the illustration
in the section “SYSTEM BLOCK DIAGRAM”.
Ingeneral, the signalpath of theBVT can besplit into twophases:
1. Pre-Amplification, which starts at the INPUT jack (( 3 ),( 5 ))
and ends immediately at the PREAMP OUTPUT jack (28).
2. Power amplification, which starts at the POWER AMP IN
jack (27) and ends at the PARALLEL SPEAKER OUTPUT
jacks ((25),(26)).
Note that only the PARALLEL SPEAKER OUTPUTs carry a fully
amplified signal while the other output jacks carry line-level
signals.
The rest of this section covers all BVT jacks and ways to connect
your equipment to them.
6.1 INPUT
VPURPOSE:To send anaudio signal froman electric bassto
the BVT.
VRESULTS:The signal path begins atthe INPUT jack.
6.2TUNER
VPURPOSE: To send a copy of an audio signal from the BVT
to an electric tuner.
VRESULTS: The main signal path is not affected.
If you use the:
VBVT4500H, you can reduce the volume of the
PARALLEL SPEAKER OUTPUTs or use the mute
feature on your tuner. For details, see TUNER
jack (35).
VBVT5500H, you can mute the PARALLEL SPEAKER
OUTPUTs and the LINE OUTPUT. For details, see
MUTE button ( 6 ).
6.3 LINE OUTPUT
Thecharacteristicof the signalatthe LINE OUTPUT jackdepends
on the state of the PRE/POST switch.
6.3.1PRE
VPURPOSE: To send a copy of an audio signal to a mixer or
a recording unit without any preamp settings (TONE, EQ,
EFFECTS). See also section 6.3.2.
VRESULTS: The main signal path is not affected.
6.3.2 POST
VPURPOSE: To process anaudio signal with all BVT preamp
features (TONE, EQ, EFFECTS), and then send the
preamplified signal to a mixer or, alternatively a recording
unit.
Notice that the LINE OUTPUT jack (with POST) derives the
signal before the MASTER control. This means the output
level of this jack is independent of the actual amplifier
volume.
Keep in mind that you can activate and deactivate the EQ
section. In addition, the BVT4500H and BVT5500H do not
process external effects in the same way. For details, see
thesection “EFFECTS LOOP”.
VRESULTS: The main signal path is not affected.
6.The signalpath

9
ULTRABASS BVT4500H/5500H
6.4 EFFECTS LOOP
The EFFECTS LOOP section can be used in three ways:
6.4.1SEND and RETURN
VPURPOSE: To create an effects loop, i.e., to apply external
effects to the signal.
VRESULTS:If you use the:
VBVT4500H, only the audio signal that enters via the
RETURN jack continues to follow the BVT4500H
signal path. The level of the effects has to be adjusted
on the external unit.
VBVT5500H, both the main audio signal and the audio
signal that enters via the RETURN jack follow the
BVT5500H signal path. To adjust the dry-wet mix,
use the EFFECTS MIX control.
6.4.2 SEND only (BVT5500H only)
VPURPOSE: To send an audio signal from the BVT5500H to
an effects processor.
VRESULTS: The main signal path is not affected.
6.4.3 RETURN only
VPURPOSE: To send an audio signal from an external pre-
amp to the BVT4500H/5500H, i.e., to use the BVT as a
power amp only.
VRESULTS: If you use the:
VBVT4500H, the INPUT jack is deactivated. The signal
path begins at the RETURN jack.
VBVT5500H, the INPUTjack remainsactive. You could
e.g., connect two basses to the BVT, one to INPUT
and the other to RETURN. To adjust the balance
between the two, use the EFFECTS MIX control.
6.5INSERTCHANNEL
6.5.1 PREAMP OUTPUT
VPURPOSE:To process anaudio signal withallBVT preamp
features (TONE, EQ, EFFECTS), and then send the audio
signal to an external power amp. The BVT settings affect
the volume on the external amp.
VRESULTS: The main signal path is not affected.
6.5.2 POWER AMP IN
VPURPOSE: To process an audio signal with an external
preamp, and then send the audio signal to the
BVT4500H/5500H power amp.
VRESULTS: The signal path begins at the POWER AMP IN
jack. The signal is independent of the MASTER control.
Switch off the unit before connecting an external
preamp to POWER AMP IN.
7. Audio connectors
This section illustrates the audio connectors that you need for
the BVT jacks. For details about most BVT jacks, see
thesection “REAR PANEL”. Fordetails about theINPUTjack, see
thesection “FRONT PANEL”.
Fig. 7.1: The connector for a ¼" TS jack
Speaker connector
(compatible with Neutrik Speakon connector)
1- 1-
1+ 1+
Fig. 7.2: The connector for a Neutrik Speakon compatible
jack
Fig. 7.3: The connector for an XLR jack
7.Audio connectors

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ULTRABASS BVT4500H/5500H
8. System block diagram
Fig. 8.1: BVT4500/5500H block diagram*
* Rectangles represent control elements, ovals represent jacks.
8. System block diagram