Behringer Ultrabass BX300 User manual

ULTRABASS BX300
Version 1.1 May 2001
Users Manual
ENGLISH

2
ULTRABASS BX300
This symbol, wherever i appears, aler s
you o he presence of uninsula ed
dangerous vol age inside he enclosure
 vol age ha may be sufficien o
cons i u e a risk of shock.
This symbol, wherever i appears, aler s
you o impor an opera ing and
main enance ins ruc ions in he
accompanying li era ure. Read he
manual.
SAFETY INSTRUCTIONS
CAUTION: To reduce he risk of elec rical shock, do no remove
he cover (or back). No user serviceable par s inside;
refer servicing o qualified personnel.
WARNING: To reduce he risk of fire or elec rical shock, do no
expose his appliance o rain or mois ure.
DETAILED SAFETY INSTRUCTIONS:
All he safe y and opera ion ins ruc ions should be read before he appliance is opera ed.
Retain Instructions:
The safe y and opera ing ins ruc ions should be re ained for fu ure reference.
Heed Warnings:
All warnings on he appliance and in he opera ing ins ruc ions should be adhered o.
Follo instructions:
All opera ion and user ins ruc ions should be followed.
Water and Moisture:
The appliance should no be used near wa er (e.g. near a ba h ub, washbowl, ki chen sink, laundry ub, in a we
basemen , or near a swimming pool e c.).
Ventilation:
The appliance should be si ua ed so ha i s loca ion or posi ion does no in erfere wi h i s proper ven ila on. For
example, he appliance should no be si ua ed on a bed, sofa rug, or similar surface ha may block he
ven ila ion openings: or placed in a buil -in ins alla ion, such as a bookcase or cabine ha may impede he
flow of air hrough he ven ila ion openings.
Heat:
The appliance should be si ua ed away from hea sources such as radia ors, hea regis ers, s oves, or o her
appliances (including amplifiers) ha produce hea .
Po er Source:
The appliance should be connec ed o a power supply only of he ype described in he opera ing ins ruc ions
or as marked on he appliance.
Grounding or Polarization:
Precau ions should be aken so ha he grounding or polariza ion means of an appliance is no defea ed.
Po er-Cord Protection:
Power supply cords should be rou ed so ha hey are no likely o be walked on or pinched by i ems placed
upon or agains hem, paying par icular a en ion o cords and plugs, convenience recep acles and he poin
where hey exi from he appliance.
Cleaning:
The appliance should be cleaned only as recommended by he manufac urer.
Non-use Periods:
The power cord of he appliance should be unplugged from he ou le when lef unused for a long period of ime.
Object and Liquid Entry:
Care should be aken so ha objec s do no fall and liquids are no spilled in o he enclosure hrough openings.
Damage Requiring Service:
The appliance should be serviced by qualified service personnel when:
- he power supply cord or he plug has been damaged; or
- objec s have fallen, or liquid has been spilled in o he appliance; or
- he appliance has been exposed o rain; or
- he appliance does no appear o opera e normally or exhibi s a marked change in performance; or
- he appliance has been dropped, or he enclosure damaged.
Servicing:
The user should no a emp o service he appliance beyond ha which is described in he Opera ing Ins ruc ions.
All o her servicing should be referred o qualified service personnel.

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ULTRABASS BX300
FOREWORD
Dear Cus omer,
Welcome o he eam of ULTRABASS users and hank you very much for expressing your confidence in
BEHRINGER produc s by purchasing he BEHRINGER BX300.
I is one of my mos pleasan asks o wri e his le er o you, because i is he culmina ion of many mon hs of
hard work delivered by our engineering eam o reach a very ambi ious goal: o presen you wi h an ou s anding
Bass Works a ion ha gives you maximum flexibili y and performance wi h i s unique sound charac er and
comprehensive se of func ions. The ask o design he new ULTRABASS cer ainly mean a grea deal of
responsibili y, which we assumed by focusing on you, he discerning user and musician. I also mean a lo of
work and nigh shif s o accomplish his goal. Bu i was fun, oo. Developing a produc usually brings a lo of
people oge her, and wha a grea feeling i is when everybody who par icipa ed in such a projec can be proud
of wha weve achieved.
I is our philosophy o share our joy wi h you, because you are he mos impor an member of he BEHRINGER
eam. Wi h your highly compe en sugges ions for new produc s, youve grea ly con ribu ed o shaping our
company and making i successful. In re urn, we guaran ee you uncompromising quali y (manufac ured under
ISO9000 cer ified managemen sys em) as well as excellen echnical and audio proper ies a an ex remely
favorable price. All of his will enable you o fully unfold your crea ivi y wi hou being hampered by budge
cons rain s.
We are of en asked how we can make i possible o produce such high-grade devices a such unbelievably low
prices. The answer is qui e simple: i s you, our cus omers! Many sa isfied cus omers means large sales
volumes enabling us o ge be er condi ions of purchase for componen s, e c. Isn i only fair o pass his
benefi back o you? Because we know ha your success is our success, oo!
I would like o hank all people whose help on Projec ULTRABASS has made i all possible. Everybody has
made very personal con ribu ions, s ar ing from he designers of he uni ( hanks o Axel and Jan who pushed
he DYNAMIZER preamp echnology) o he many s aff members in our company and finally o you, he user
of BEHRINGER produc s.
My friends, i s been wor h he rouble!
Thank you very much,
Uli Behringer

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ULTRABASS BX300
BX300
ULTRABASS
Ultra-flexible 30-Watt Bass Workstation with DYNAM ZER preamp and SHAPE filter
sPowerful 30-Wa Bass Works a ion wi h buil -in bass reflex cabine
sSpecial cus om-made 10" speaker for powerful, punchy sound
sEx remely efficien SHAPE fil er for o al sound manipula ion
sUl ima e punch hrough innova ive DYNAMIZER echnology
sTwo inpu s for he connec ion of passive/ac ive ins rumen s
sMusical op o-limi er for maximum loudness wi hou any dis or ion or pumping
sShor -circui proof and indes ruc ible power amp wi h passive cooling sys em (no fan required)
sUl ra-musical ac ive 3-band EQ
sBuil -in headphones ou pu
sPreamp ou pu and power amp inpu for connec ion o addi ional bass amplifiers and preamps
sInser op ion for ex ernal effec s devices, pedals, s omp boxes e c.
sTape inpu for line-level signals (e.g. CD player, drum compu er)
sEx remely rugged cons ruc ion ensures long life even under he mos demanding condi ions
sManufac ured under ISO9000 cer ified managemen sys em

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ULTRABASS BX300
TABLE OF CONTENTS
1. INTRODUCTION..................................................................................................................... 6
1.1 The concep .................................................................................................................................... 6
1.1.1 The DYNAMIZER echnology ................................................................................................ 6
1.2 Before you begin ............................................................................................................................. 7
1.3 Con rol elemen s ............................................................................................................................. 7
1.3.1 Fron panel ........................................................................................................................... 7
1.3.2 Rear panel ............................................................................................................................ 8
2. WIRING EXAMPLES ...............................................................................................................9
2.1 S andard se -up comprising ex ernal drum compu er, uner and headphones ................................... 9
2.2 Expanded se -up wi h ex ernal effec s device .................................................................................. 9
2.3 Se -up for mas er/slave opera ion .................................................................................................. 10
2.3.1 ULTRABASS BX300 as mas er device ................................................................................ 10
2.3.2 ULTRABASS BX300 as slave device con rolled by an ex ernal amp/preamp ........................ 10
3. THE SHAPE FUNCTION ...................................................................................................... 10
4. INSTALLATION ..................................................................................................................... 10
4.1 Audio connec íons ........................................................................................................................ 10
5. SPECIFICATIONS ................................................................................................................. 11
6. WARRANTY ........................................................................................................................... 12
WARNING!
+It should be pointed out, that extreme output volumes may damage your ears and/or your
headphones. Turn do n all LEVEL controls before you s itch on the unit. Al ays pay attention
to an appropriate volume.

6
ULTRABASS BX300
1. INTRODUCTION
Wi h he BX300 you have acquired a s a e-of- he-ar Bass Works a ion ha se s new s andards in bass amp
engineering. Righ from he s ar , our goal has been o design a revolu ionary prac ice amp ha s ands ou from
he herd of ordinary bass amplifiers. And indeed, he BX300 gives you plen y of func ionali y and a broad
range of connec ion and expansion op ions. In a word: youll be fascina ed o find ha he BX300 is a works a ion
wi h a charac er.
BEHRINGER is an audio engineering company ha has been successfully developing professional produc s
for s udio and live applica ions for many years now. Our range of produc s includes microphones and a varie y
of 19" devices (compressors, enhancers, noise-ga es, ube processors, headphone amps, digi al effec s devices,
DI boxes, e c.) as well as moni oring and P.A. speakers plus professional live and recording consoles. You will
find all of our echnical know-how combined in your BX300.
We also se grea s ore by flexibili y, which has become a par icularly impor an fac or in he music business
over he pas few years. Modern bass players need o offer a broad range of sounds, bu should s ill be able o
play in differen kinds of applica ions a shor no ice: home recording, s udio, live concer s. For his reason, i
has always been our prime concern o give you a Bass Works a ion ha offers you a comple e se of useful
func ions, bu can s ill be opera ed in ui ively and quickly.
Addi ionally, he world of elec ric bass playing has changed: new basses, wi h five or six s rings, are being
launched all he ime, here are effec s devices and he desire o crea e ones own unique soundwhich can
only be achieved wi h innova ive amplifiers. The unique ULTRABASS BX300 gives you pioneering sounds
coming from an ex remely compac design.
As echnology advances, youve go o keep rack of la es echnological break hroughs o avoid falling by he
wayside. Which is wha we did, by con inuously improving his Bass Works a ion and including many of your
valuable sugges ions.
Experience a new-genera ion Bass Works a ion wi h fascina ing fea ures:
sAs ounding sound diversi y hrough he SHAPE fil er.
sS a e-of- he-ar amplifier echnology combined wi h a buil -in bass cabine give you precision in he reble
and punch in he bass range.
sThe high-grade and cus om-buil 10" speaker opens up new dimensions in erms of sound.
sThe rugged and compac design makes he ULTRABASS your favori e amp for club gigs and rehearsals.
sWi h i s highly useful expansion op ions, your BX300 is he perfec base for an expanded bass amplifica ion
se -up.
1.1 The concept
We designed he BX300 o finally s ar he world of bass amp design moving. Your absolu ely low-noise and
indes ruc ible Bass Works a ion represen s he curren s a e of he ar .
The robus cabine is made of high-grade and non-pollu ing E1-MDF boards, which are grooved, mul i-glued
and free of formaldehydes. This is o make sure ha your BX300 keeps working even when he going ge s
ough.
1.1.1 The DYNAMIZER technology
When i comes o amplifying he signals delivered by elec ric ins rumen s, youve go o separa e he whea
from he chaff. Unlike mixed or mas ered signals, elec ric ins rumen s usually deliver ex remely high signal
peaks which, when raised in gain, produce nas y dis or ion. How an amplifier responds o hese signal peaks
can herefore be seen as one of i s mos essen ial quali y fea ures.
Many manufac urers use limi ers preceding he power s age o limi dynamic signal peaks. However, he
problem is he preamp, which is why weve equipped he BX300 wi h our unique DYNAMIZER preamp circui
ha gives you a lively and punchy sound wi h signal peakseven if he amp reaches i s power limi s. Ex reme
signal peaks are limi ed effec ively while he average level and hence he power of he overall signal is raised.
The sound ge s more vivid and powerful in charac er, wi hou any unmusical dis or ion. Wi h i s op o-limi er in
he power s age i is vir ually impossible o overdrive he ULTRABASS BX300.
1. INTRODUCTION

7
ULTRABASS BX300
1.2 Before you begin
Your BX300 was carefully packed in he fac ory and he packaging is designed o pro ec he uni from rough
handling. Never heless, we recommend ha you carefully examine he packaging and i s con en s for any
signs of physical damage, which may have occurred during ransi .
+If the unit is damaged, please do not return it to BEHRINGER, but notify your dealer and the
shipping company immediately, other ise claims for damage or replacement may not be
granted. Shipping claims must be made by the consignee.
Be sure ha here is enough space around he uni for cooling and please do no place he ULTRABASS on
high- empera ure devices such as radia ors e c. o avoid overhea ing.
+Before you connect your ULTRABASS to the mains, please make sure that your local voltage
matches the voltage required by the unit:
The fuse holder on he female mains connec or has 3 riangular markings, wi h wo of hese riangles opposing
each o her. The ULTRABASS is se o he opera ing vol age prin ed nex o hese markers and can be se o
ano her vol age by urning he fuse holder by 180°. CAUTION: This instruction does not apply to export
models exclusively designed, e.g. for 115-V operation!
Please use he enclosed power cord o connec he uni o he mains. The cord complies wi h all applicable
safe y s andards.
+Please note that all units must be grounded properly. For your o n safety, you should never
remove any ground connectors from electrical devices or po er cords or render them
inoperative.
You will find addi ional informa ion in chap er 4 INSTALLATION.
1.3 Control elements
1.3.1 Front panel
Fig. 1.1: Front panel control elements
1These are he inpu s for your elec ric bass gui ar. The PASSIVE jack is for passive basses providing a
low-level ou pu signal, he ACTIVE jack is for ac ive ins rumen s.
2Use he VOLUME con rol o se he overall volume level of he BX300.
3The BASS con rol in he EQ sec ion allows you o boos or cu he bass frequencies.
4Wi h he MI con rol you can boos /cu he midrange frequencies.
5The HIGH con rol allows you o boos /cu he reble range on your BX300.
6Use his key o ac iva e he SHAPE fil er. The LED above he key ligh s up.
7The SHAPE con rol modifies he sound of he SHAPE fil er.
8The TAPE IN (RCA) allows you o connec an ex ernal signal source such as a drum compu er or o her
machine providing audio playbacks.
1. INTRODUCTION

8
ULTRABASS BX300
9The PREAMP OUT allows you o drive an ex ernal bass amplifier.
+You can also use the PREAMP OUT to connect a tuner.
10 Use he POWER AMP IN o feed in he ou pu signal from an ex ernal bass amplifier.
+The PREAMP OUT and POWER AMP IN connectors can also be used to insert an external
effects device such as our BEHRINGER VIRTUALIZER PRO DSP1024P. Simply connect the
PREAMP output to the input, and the POWER AMP input to the output of the effects unit.
11 The 1/4" s ereo PHONES jack allows you o moni or he BX300s audio signal wi h a pair of headphones.
Connec ing he headphones will mu e he buil -in speaker.
12 Use he POWER swi ch o swi ch he BX300 on or off.
1.3.2 Rear panel

9
ULTRABASS BX300
2. WIRING EXAMPLES
2.1 Standard set-up comprising external drum computer, tuner and headphones
The s andard se -up is in ended for sessions and rehearsals. Ins ead of a drum compu er you can of course
use any o her source ha provides audio playbacks, e.g. a casse e recorder or CD player.

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ULTRABASS BX300
2.3 Set-up for master/slave operation
2.3.1 ULTRABASS BX300 as master device
The PREAMP OUT jack allows you o connec he BX300 o an ex ernal power amp, using a commercial
ins rumen cable equipped wi h mono phone plugs. Then, connec he PREAMP OUT jack o he inpu on he
ex ernal power amp.
2.3.2 ULTRABASS BX300 as slave device controlled by an external amp/preamp
To use he power amp of your ULTRABASS for an ex ernal amp or preamp you need o connec he line ou pu
of he ex ernal amplifier o he POWER AMP IN jack on your BX300.
3. THE SHAPE FUNCTION
The SHAPE func ion on your BX300 provides a revolu ionary ype of fil er ha you can use o modify your bass
sound in full de ail. The fil er allows you o shape your soundwhich is a mus for bass players oday. Ex reme
fil er se ings will give your bass sound more power, for example:
You wan o play a live bass solo bu he sound doesn cu hrough. The solo should s and ou , ra her han
being drowned. Se up a solid basic sound, hen use he SHAPE fil er o crea e a very dis inc ive solo sound.
Use he IN bu on o oggle be ween he wo sounds.
The SHAPE fil er is a bargain when you are using wo differen bass gui ars. Maybe you wan o change from
a jazz bass o a fre less bass, and vice versa wo ins rumen s wi h a comple ely differen sound. During gigs
you of en lack he ime o se up your amp for a differen ins rumen , so youll be happy o have a BX300,
because you can use he SHAPE fil er for your fre less sound, and he basic sound for he jazz bass.
4. INSTALLATION
4.1 Audio connections
Excep for he ape inpu which has cinch connec ors, all inpu s and ou pu s of your BEHRINGER ULTRABASS
are on mono 1/4" jacks.
+Please ensure that only qualified personnel install and operate the BX300. During installation
and operation the user must have sufficient electrical contact to earth. Electrostatic charges
might affect the operation of the unit.