Laboga THE BEAST User manual

Hand made, 15/8 Watt,
Tube Guitar Amplifier
head and combo
Version 1.0
USER'S MANUAL

LABOGA – THE BEAST MANUAL
Congratulations on purchasing a tube guitar amplifier and joining Laboga
Family. Thank you for your trust. The Beast belongs to the world’s top tube
constructions. It is designed with o er 35-years of experience in creating and
ser icing top quality equipment. Wide ariety of tones possible to gain with this
amp allows each indi idual to find their own sound and will ensure long hours of
creati e entertainment. We hope the amplifier will satisfy all of your needs.
Enjoy playing!
IMPORTANT!
Before using the amplifier for the first time, read the instructions concerning safety
measures carefully – on page 4 and 5. Keep these instructions for the future.
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LABOGA – THE BEAST MANUAL
TABLE OF CONTENTS
AMPLIFIER FEATURES........................................................................................
SAFETY PRECAUTIONS........................................................................................ 4
TECHNICAL HINTS, PROPER USAGE........................................................................ 5
FRONT PANEL................................................................................................... 6
REAR PANEL.................................................................................................... 8
TECHNICAL DATA...............................................................................................10
SPEAKER CONNECTIONS.....................................................................................11
AMPLIFIER FEATURES
- power capacity: 15 and 8 W,
- tube power amp with 2 × EL84,
- full tube preamplifier using 2 × 12AX7,
- two channels: clean and high-gain,
- headphones output with speaker emulation,
- built-in Di-Box with speaker emulation - balanced line out XLR,
- silent recording (built-in fake speaker load),
- olume control: olume on clean channel, gain on high-gain channel, master olume,
- separate tone controls for both channels,
- footswitch socket for channel switching,
- 12” internal speaker (combo only): Celestion Se enty80,
- speaker outputs: 4 Ω, 8 Ω, 16 Ω.
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LABOGA – THE BEAST MANUAL
SAFETY PRECAUTIONS
ATTENTION: To reduce the risk of electrical shock, do not
remo e the back co er of the amplifier. Inside parts can be
repaired only by qualified ser ice personnel.
WARNING: To pre ent the risk of electrical shock do not
expose this appliance to moisture, rain or any liquid.
This symbol is intended to alert the
user to the presence of dangerous
oltage and constitutes a risk of
electrical shock.
This symbol alerts the user to the
presence of important operating
and maintenance instructions.
Be cautious while transporting the cabinet and do not put it in an unstable place.
ATTENTION !!!
To a oid electrical shock ne er open the amplifier’s co er. In case of failure, refer ser icing to
qualified personnel.
Do not use the amplifier in humid and dusty places.
Amplifier produces high olume le els. Staying in places of high olume le els could cause
permanent hearing loss.
do not install the apparatus near any heat sources.
Always use the highest quality signal cables (we recommend Laboga cable “Way of sound”) and
olume signal cables. Using improper speaker cables could cause damage to the amplifier.
Do not operate the amplifier through the unearthed mains socket.
Tubes could get heated intensi ely, do not touch it or it could cause burning.
Do not lea e the apparatus in the icinity of children.
Unplug the amplifier before tube change, unplug the cord and wait for the tubes to cool down.
Before changing the fuse, switch the amplifier off and unplug the cord. Also, make sure you use
the fuse of the proper rate.
Extremely loud sound le el at Phones output may damage your hearing or e en damage your
headphones. Please keep Master Volume down, when using headphones.
!! Keep this inst uction fo the futu e use !!
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LABOGA – THE BEAST MANUAL
TECHNICAL HINTS, PROPER USAGE
Do not use the amplifier, before connecting it to the correct cabinet, or using built-in fake
load (Speaker Off mode at the back panel) – see page 9.
After switching Power On, wait about 30-60 seconds on Standby (“0”) until tubes get heated.
When turning the amplifier off, first switch to Standby and wait about 5 seconds – page 7.
Switch the amplifier off before any cable change, except guitar cable.
In order to ensure proper air circulation, do not block any of the entilation openings.
In case of any objects or liquid access inside the amplifier, urgently switch the apparatus off
and unplug the power supply cord
Protect the amplifier from any strikes.
Before transporting, wait about 10 minutes for the tubes to cool down.
Always use a dry or slightly wet cloth to wipe all dust. Ne er use sol ents to clean.
Use additional de ices and accessories according to producer’s recommendations.
During storms, or when left unused for a long period of time, power supply cord should be
unplugged from the outlet.
Before using headphones, turn the Master Volume down and then adjust to required le el.
Crossed-out wheeled bin symbol implies that in EU countries, after use, product must be
discarded separately in a special, adjusted place. It concerns both the apparatus itself as
well as other accessories bearing this symbol. Do not discard such products together with
unsorted communal wastes.
In EU countries there are special systems of collecting used electrical products. Transporting used,
electrical products in certain, adjusted places, pre ents their being harmful to the en ironment and
people’s health.
„LABOGA” Adam Laboga
ul. Partyzantów 35/2
51-675 Wrocław, Polska
www.LabogaAmps.com
We reser e the right to introduce any technical changes and the changes to this amplifier’s image. This
instruction is actual once it has been printed.
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED © 2011 LABOGA
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LABOGA – THE BEAST MANUAL
FRONT PANEL
Combo ve sion :
Head ve sion:
1. Input socket
Input jack socket (TS 1/4” jack) to
connect a guitar, with wide signal le el
rage.
2. Clean Gain knob
Sensiti ity of the clean channel. Some
guitars require more gain to get the
same olume, as ones with stronger
signal.
HINT: The setting of this knob not only
controls the sensiti ity, but also allows
to control the olume balance between
clean and dri e channel.
3. Cha acte knob
This knob is a unique ersion of tone
control. It consist 3-band stack, but
reduced into one knob, so it works as a
“tone selector”. Each “Character”
setting, from “0” to “10”, represents
different setup of Bass, Middle and
Treble knobs.
So, In e ery position of the knob, a
different tone is obtained - not as the
same, as the regular guitar “tone”
regulator, which only cuts treble.
E erything works only for the clean
channel.
HINT: Mo e the knob from “0” to “10”
and find your best indi idual setting.
Don't be afraid of both extreme
settings.
4. Channel selection switch
Switch to change channels of the
amplifier. It works only when Jack is
unplugged from the Footswitch socket.
In position “up” the clean channel is
on, whereas, in position “down” the
distorted channel is on.
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LABOGA – THE BEAST MANUAL
5. D ive Gain knob
Gain control for the distorted channel.
With a little alue you can obtain
crunch effect or o erdri e. By adding
gain, distortion is added until reading
high gain. Note, that for guitars with
Humbucker pick-ups and high output
signal, it is possible, that turning the
knob to the right, does not cause more
distortion, but more noise. It is
designed that way, to allow low signal
guitars also to reach high-gain.
HINT: To find the best olume balance
between clean and dri e channel, use
Clean Gain knob; in lower Dri e Gain
settings, it's better to work in lower
Clean Gain settings and the other way
around.
6. Bass knob
Adjusts the low-frequency.
7. T eble knob
Adjusts the high-frequency tone for
both channels.
HINT: Set all the potentiometers in a
12.00 o’clock position, then adjust
them indi idually to get the best
sound. Remember, that the frequencies
of each controller are related to each
other, the change of one influences the
other.
8. Maste Volume knob
Master olume control.
HINT: Besides controlling the olume,
it influences saturation of the clean
channel. Therefore, when turned down
to a lower le el, a crunch sound can be
obtained on the clean channel.
9. Stand By / Powe selecto switch
In the middle position (“0”), the
amplifier is in the standby mode.
Switching to any other position, sends
the plate oltage to the tubes – in
these positions the amplifier plays.
To work in 15W mode, switch to “I”.
To work in 8W mode, switch to “II”.
Before turning the amp in, you should
check, if switch is in the “0” position.
Then wait about 1 min. before
switching to either “I”, or “II” mode.
HINT: Both settings makes the circuit
working with different plate oltages –
the 8W mode - with lower oltage.
Therefore if you normally operate at
low olumes, use the 8W mode to
prolong longer life span.
10.Powe switch
The switch turns the mains power
supply on and off. The amplifier is off
when the switch is in position “0” –
then the red indicator lamp is not
illuminated.
The amplifier is on when the switch is
in position “I” – the switch is
illuminated in red.
IMPORTANT: Before turning the
amplifier on, always make sure that
the Standby switch is in position “0” –
it will extend the life span of the tubes.
The amplifier should be turned on in
the following way: first, turn on the
Power switch and wait about 1 minute.
Next, you can turn the Standby on.
Turning off the amplifier works the
other way around. First, turn the
Standby on, then wait about 1 minute,
afterward you can turn the Power off.
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LABOGA – THE BEAST MANUAL
REAR PANEL
Combo:
Head:
1. Main fuse integ ated with powe
supply socket
Slo Blo fuse T630mA is
in the case, integrated
with power supply
socket. There is one
spare fuse included.
HINT: Take out the
power cord during a
storm or when unused.
HINT: While changing the fuse , make
sure the blades of the fuse socket are
properly installed.
ATTENTION! Before you change
the fuse, always unplug the
amplifier from the power outlet.
ATTENTION! Always change
the fuse for one of the same
alue.
2. Footswitch socket
Controls the channel switching. Use a
single footswitch. Inserting a plug into
this socket, brakes internal connection
in the amplifier, which bypasses the
front-panel channel switch.
3. Powe output socket fo a 4 ohm
impedance cabinet
4. Powe output socket fo an 8 ohm
impedance cabinet
5. Powe output socket fo a 16 ohm
impedance cabinet
ATTENTION! There must be
always a load connected to the
amplifier - a speaker or internal
dummy load. Before turning the
amplifier on, make sure the
cabinet is connected, or the
Speaker switch is at “OFF”.
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Spare fuse
Main fuse

LABOGA – THE BEAST MANUAL
ATTENTION! Do not connect
the cabinets with different
impedance at the same time.
6. Phones 1/4” TRS jack socket
The output 6,3” jack socket, with
speaker simulation for connecting
headphones, allowing to play silent,
without speaker being connected.
The signal at Phones is taken from the
speaker output, after power tubes and
the output transformer. Therefore it
consist all good, that tube power
amplifier ha e. The signal is then
modified in the guitar speaker
emulator, to reach the similar tone to a
guitar cabinet.
Phones output is always acti e. This
allows to play at home silent, using just
headphones, but it's necessary to turn
the Speaker switch to “OFF”, to apply
the internal dummy load, e en if no
speaker is connected. It is also
possible to use headphones in
monitoring mode - when the speaker is
connected – then the Speaker switch
must be turned to “ON” and a speaker
must be connected. It's possible to use
headphones at the same time as XLR
balanced output.
IMPORTANT: Headphones olume is
controlled by Master Volume knob at
the front panel, therefore before using
headphones, turn the Master pot down
and then adjust it to required olume.
ATTENTION! To play silent –
without speaker acti e, using
just headphones – always turn
the Speaker switch to “OFF”.
Note: the simulation tone character
might sound different on arious
headphones due to its different
frequency response.
HINT: To get the best tone, use high
impedance pro-line headphones.
7. Balanced line output XLR socket
Balanced line output with built-in
Di-Box, with separating transformer.
This reduces buzz and hum from
ground loops, while connecting the
amplifier to mixing consoles, home
recording systems, or other de ices.
Although the line output is separated
from the Phones output, it also takes
signal from power tubes, after the
output transformer and then the signal
is modified in the same guitar speaker
emulation, as the Phones output.
Volume is controlled by Master Volume
knob at the front panel.
The output is always acti e, no matter
if the Speaker switch is at “ON” or
“OFF”. It works with headphones
connected or without.
8. Speake switch
Switch connects or disconnects all
speaker output sockets.
Position “ON”: If the switch is at
“On”, then the signal goes to speaker
output sockets and the internal speaker
works (if connected), or any other
cabinet connected instead. Note: Use
only one output at the same time.
Position “OFF”: When the switch is at
“OFF”, the signal goes to the built-in
dummy load, so the tubes work
properly – as they were connected to
the speaker. Then, no sound comes
from any speaker connected. In this
position, it's allowed to disconnect
speakers.
WARNING: When using amplifier
without speakers connected – when the
Speaker switch is at “OFF”, the metal
chassis might become ery hot. It's
therefore recommended to operate at
low olumes to keep temperature low.
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LABOGA – THE BEAST MANUAL
TECHNICAL DATA
INPUTS:
Guitar input sensiti ity: -10 dBV
Maximum signal le el: +4 dBV
Input impedance: 1 MΩ
OUTPUTS:
Power output impedance:
– 4 Ω speaker output impedance
– 8 Ω speaker output impedance
–16 Ω speaker output impedance
headphones output impedance: 16 Ω – 600 Ω
Output power capacity: 15 W / 8 W
TUBES:
Preamp section: two 12AX7
Power section: two EL84M
POWER SUPLY:
230V AC / 50Hz – mains fuse: SloBlo T630mA/250V
110V AC / 60Hz – mains fuse: SloBlo T1,25A/250V
Maximum power consumption: 85 VA
HOUSING:
The Beast head
Dimensions (width x depth x height): 450 x 225 x 200
Weight: 10,5 kg
The Beast combo
Dimensions (width x depth x height): 460 x 235 x 440
Weight: 15,5 kg
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LABOGA – THE BEAST MANUAL
SPEAKER CONNECTIONS
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LABOGA – THE BEAST MANUAL
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED © 2011 LABOGA
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