SWR Baby Baby Blue User manual

SWR • CORONA, CA • USA
Baby Baby Blue
OWNER’S MANUAL

IMPORTANT SAFETY INSTRUCTIONS
CAUTION: TO REDUCE RISK OF ELECTRIC SHOCK, DO NOT REMOVE THE COVER OR BACK. NO USER-SER-
VICEABLE PARTS INSIDE. PLEASE REFER TO A QUALIFIED SERVICE TECHNICIAN.
A. READ INSTRUCTIONS: All safety and operation instructions should be read before the product is operated.
B. RETAIN INSTRUCTIONS: The safety and operating instructions should be retained for future reference.
C. HEED WARNINGS: All of the warnings on this product and in the operating instructions should be adhered to.
D. FOLLOW INSTRUCTIONS: All operating and use instructions should be followed.
E. CLEANING: Unplug this product from the wall outlet before cleaning. Do not use liquid cleaners or aerosol cleaners. Use a
slightly damp cloth for cleaning.
F. WATER AND MOISTURE: Do not use this product near water; for example, near a swimming pool, wet basement, and the like.
G. ACCESSORIES: Do not place this product on an unstable cart, stand, tripod, bracket or table. The product may fall, causing
serious injury to a child or adult, and serious damage to the product.
H. VENTILATION: Slots and openings in the unit are provided for ventilation and to ensure reliable operation of the product, to
protect it from overheating, thus these openings must not be blocked or covered. This product should not be placed in a built-in
installation such as a bookcase or rack unless proper ventilation is provided or the manufacturer's instructions have been
adhered to.
I. GROUNDING: This product is equipped with a three-wire grounding-type plug, a plug having a third (grounding) pin. This plug
will only fit into a grounding-type power outlet. This is a safety feature. If you are unable to insert the plug into the outlet, contact
your electrician to replace your obsolete outlet. Do not defeat the safety purpose of the grounding-type plug.
J. POWER CORD PROTECTION: Power supply cords should be routed so that they are not likely to be walked on or pinched by
items placed upon them, paying particular attention to cords at plugs and the point where they exit the product.
K. LIGHTNING: For added protection of this product during a lightning storm or when it is left unattended and unused for long
periods of time, unplug it from the wall outlet. This will prevent damage to the product due to lightning and power-line surges.
L. OVERLOADING: Do not overload wall outlets or extension cords as this can result in a risk of fire or electric shock.
M. OBJECT AND LIQUID ENTRY: Never push objects of any kind into this product through the openings as they may touch dan-
gerous voltage points or short out parts that could result in a fire or electric shock. Never spill liquid of any kind on the product.
N. SERVICING: Do not attempt to service this product yourself as opening or removing covers may expose you to dangerous volt-
age or other hazards. Refer all servicing to qualified service personnel.
O. DAMAGE REQUIRING SERVICE: Unplug this product from the wall outlet and refer servicing to qualified service personnel
under the following conditions:
1) When the power supply cord has been damaged
2) If liquid has been spilled or objects have fallen into the product
3) If the product has been exposed to rain, water, or other conductive liquids
4) If the product does not operate normally by following the operating instructions
5) If the product has been dropped or damaged in any way
6) When the product exhibits a distinct change in performance.
P. REPLACEMENT PARTS: When replacement parts are required, be sure the service technician has used replacement parts
specified by the manufacturer or have the same characteristics as the original part. Unauthorized substitutions may result in fire,
electric shock, or other hazards.
Q. SAFETY CHECK: Upon completion of any service or repairs to this product, ask the service technician to perform safety
checks to determine that the product is in proper operating condition.
R. HEAT: The product should be situated away from heat sources such as radiators, heat registers, stoves or other products that
produce heat.

INTRODUCTION
Congratulations on your purchase of the SWR Baby Baby Blue Bass Combo Amplifier! You now own the leg-
endary SWR Sound in its most portable configuration to date.
You may read the name of the product and think, “Baby Baby Blue—is that a typo?” No, it's not. It's a
smaller, more compact version of one of the most sought-after pieces ever produced by SWR, the Baby
Blue Combo. This combo amp, developed by SWR in the early 1990s, was designed for “the discerning
professional bassist in need of a superior small bass rig for studio and small venues.” More specifically, it
was designed to emulate a studio reference monitor, and this was done in two ways. First, it employed a
groundbreaking speaker complement (two 8" drivers and one time-aligned 5" cone tweeter). Second, it con-
tained a hyper-tweaked version of the original SWR preamp and power amp circuitry, with superior specs in
signal-to-noise ratio, power amp frequency response, and—of course—purity of tone. Professional players
such as Walter Becker (Steely Dan), Jimmy Haslip, Neil Stubenhaus, and many more were key in the final
stages of development. The final result: an industry-standard bass combo amp coveted by both electric
and upright players—and, by fervent account of SWR insiders and studio musicians, perhaps the best-
sounding electronics package SWR ever produced.
Demand for an electronics-only version of the Baby Blue spawned sporadic limited runs of the head (called
the “Electric Blue” or the “Baby Blue Head” depending on the time period). People kept telling us how
incredible the amp sounded with a variety of speaker complements, but one thing was consistent—they
were all small, highly portable systems. We asked ourselves: what would happen if we combined these
electronics with a single SWR Professional Line 10" speaker—the same as used in our famous Goliath III
4x10 speaker cabinet and Super Redhead 2x10 combo—in the smallest cabinet configuration possible?
The result is the “Baby” Baby Blue, the easiest way to take the SWR sound with you wherever you go. The
electronics have been preserved in their original form. The speaker cabinet was designed for maximum low
end response and tone while still maintaining a weight (under 40 lbs.) and size designed for one-hand car-
rying into the gig. The features—3-band semi-parametric EQ with extended third-band high end, Aural
Enhancer, switchable EQ and side-chain effects loop—provide maximum tone and flexibility for both
onstage and in the studio. The sound is pure SWR. And, of course, every Baby Baby Blue is still assem-
bled by hand and individually soundtested in the USA at our factory in Southern California.
It’s all part of SWR’s commitment to continued improvement and refinement of even our most popular
models, so that we can continue to assist today’s bassist in the pursuit of the ultimate goal: finding equip-
ment that not only does the job, but actually enhances the overall musical experience and contributes to
the creative process. Everyone here at SWR sincerely hopes that the purchase of your Baby Baby Blue
helps you get there from here… and beyond.
Please take the time to read your User Guide thoroughly and completely, so that you can realize the full
potential of your new Baby Baby Blue Bass Combo Amplifier. Once again, thanks for your purchase, and for
letting SWR help Amplify Your Future.™
Sincerely,
SWR
BABY BABY BLUE OWNER’S MANUAL • 1

Note: Please take a moment to verify that the following items were included in your SWR Baby Baby
Blue packaging: AC Cable, User Guide, SWR Catalog.
BABY BABY BLUE – FRONT PANEL FEATURES
• High (“passive/active”) and low (“active”) sensitivity 1/4" inputs
• Gain control with LED peak preamp clipping indicator
• Aural Enhancer Control
• 3 band semi-parametric EQ
• EQ bypass switch
• Effects Blend Control
• Effects Loop bypass switch
• Master Volume Control with LED peak power amp clipping indicator
BABY BABY BLUE – REAR PANEL FEATURES
• Side-chain effects loop
• Balanced XLR Output with select switch for Line or Direct Mode
• XLR pad (level) control with ground/lift switch
• 1/4" Line Out Jack
• Tuner Out Jack
• Headphone Jack
• 1/4" Extension Speaker Output Jack
• Speaker Fuse: 4 amp fast-blo
• Line Fuse: 3AG, 3 amp slo-blo (120V)
• 3-Position Tweeter Mode Switch (on back of cabinet)
SPECIFICATIONS
ELECTRONICS
Note: All measurements were taken with a line voltage of 120VAC.
Maximum power at 1kHz under clipping
120 Watts RMS @ 8 ohms
160 Watts RMS @ 4 ohms
Power Amp Distortion (1kHz)
0.02% THD, 100 Watts RMS @ 8 ohms
0.03% THD, 100 Watts RMS @ 4 ohms
Intermodulation Distortion
@ 8 ohms, 100 Watts RMS, 60/7kHz, 4:1, =0.05%
Frequency Response (power amp):
–3db at 10 Hz and 22kHz
System Distortion (Gain and Master Volume full, enhancer and tone controls set flat, 1kHz):
0.5% THD
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Sensitivity (for full output @ 8 ohms, 1kHz):
Passive/Active Input Jack: 10 millivolts
Active Input Jack: 50 millivolts
Input Impedance
Passive/Active Input Jack: 800k ohms
Active Input Jack: 60k ohms
Effects Return Jack: 27k ohms
Output Impedance
Effects Send Jack: 100 ohms
Line Out Jack: 100 ohms
Tuner Out Jack: 100 ohms
Headphone Jack: 100 ohms
Signal to Noise Ratio (unweighted)
–72db (7 millivolts typical)
Equivalent Input Noise
2.5 micro-volts
Chassis Material
Aluminum
CABINET
Outer Dimensions
13 7/8" W x 19" H x 13 7/8" D
Internal Impedance
8 ohms
Cabinet Construction
Interlocking dado joints, glued and nailed, covered in blue carpet
Cabinet Material
7 ply, 5/8", waterproof, void free, birch or maple plywood
Speakers
(1) 10" PAS driver (proprietary to SWR)
(1) LeSon TLX-1 Piezo Tweeter
Passive Crossover Components
Capacitors: polyester
Coils: 1.7 milli-henry iron choke, low DCR, custom made
Grill
Stamped 16GA steel, chrome-plated
Total Weight
39 lbs.
BABY BABY BLUE - GETTING STARTED
BABY BABY BLUE OWNER’S MANUAL • 3

Remove the AC cable from the accessory pack and connect it from the amplifier to a standard wall outlet.
Make sure that the “Gain” and “Master Volume” controls are set to the minimum position (fully counter-
clockwise). Locate the power switch on the right side of the front of the unit and turn the amplifier on.
Upon powering up, don’t be surprised if you hear a small pop. This is absolutely normal.
Plug your instrument into the desired input jack (refer to “Front Panel Features” for greater detail). Turn
your instrument’s volume up to at least 75% of maximum and slowly adjust the gain control. Once you
begin to play your instrument and you see the red light (marked “preamp clip”) over the gain control illumi-
nate, back off the gain a bit. Now turn up the “Master Volume” and you should hear the sound of your
instrument amplified through the Baby Baby Blue. For more detailed information, please read the entire
manual carefully so that you can fully realize the potential of the your new Baby Baby Blue.
BABY BABY BLUE – FRONT PANEL FEATURES
INPUT JACKS
Both input jacks accept a standard 1/4" phone plug and both inputs can be used at the same time. Since
the two inputs are totally independent, no loss in volume or tone will occur by using two instruments simul-
taneously. However, the main applicational use for the two separate input jacks is their difference in level,
as the Passive/Active input has five times more gain than the Active input. In other words, it’s not neces-
sarily intended as a “submixer” for two instruments, but no harm will come from having two instruments
plugged in at once. Please read below for more details.
PASSIVE/ACTIVE INPUT JACK
This input jack is designed to accommodate both “passive” instruments and most “active” instruments. A
passive instrument has no built-in preamp and does not use a battery, while an active bass utilizes a bat-
tery-operated preamp for gain, tone controls, or both. The Passive/Active Input will work with all instru-
ments having a maximum output of less than 1 volt RMS. Some active pickups such as EMG, Bartolini,
etc., use batteries for operation and will work perfectly using this input. Instruments made by MTD,
Sadowsky, Modulus, etc., have active electronics that are suited for use in the Passive/Active input.
Generally speaking, try this input first. If you hear a small amount of distortion and the preamp clip LED is
not activated, try using the Active input jack. If the Active input does not correct any audible distortion,
check the battery in your bass.
Note: If you would like to overdrive the first TUBE stage, this can be accomplished by using an exter-
nal preamp between your instrument and the Passive/Active input. To obtain optimum sound when try-
ing this, make sure the preamp clip LED is not activated. If this occurs, turn down your Gain control
until the LED does not light. The first preamp tube stage is NOT monitored by the preamp clip circuit
for this reason.
ACTIVE INPUT JACK
The Active input jack should be used with instruments having a built-in (on board) preamp or other sound
sources that will produce output levels greater than 1 volt RMS. The number of bass manufacturers has
increased significantly over the years, and it’s impossible to try and keep track of them all. Generally, if
you have very “hot” pickups and/or tone controls installed in your instrument, and you use them to boost
the level of your bass signal 10 dB or more, you may find the Active input more compatible. The best judge
is your own ears.
If you’re using a keyboard or bass pedal with the Baby Baby Blue, we have found the best choice to be the
Active input.
Note: Using the Active input with passive basses (active instruments will always employ a battery)
may result in a loss of high end transients. Players who roll off their high end starting at about 2kHz,
or 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, make sure the preamp
clip LED indicator is not lighting. If the preamp stage is not being driven into clipping, replace the battery in
your instrument.
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GAIN CONTROL
The Gain control adjusts the volume of the preamp section. Since the Gain control is similar to a “pad,” a
small amount of signal will be heard even with the Gain control rotated fully counter-clockwise (“MIN”) if
the Master Volume is up.
After all EQ settings and the Aural Enhancer are set, the Gain control should be raised until the preamp
clip LED barely flashes when your loudest note is struck. This will insure maximum signal to noise ratio
and prevent unwanted clipping of the preamp section.
Note: The Gain can serve as an EFFECTS SEND LEVEL ADJUSTMENT. If your effect is being overdriv-
en, turn down the Gain control and readjust your Master Volume for overall loudness.
PREAMP CLIP LED
The preamp clip LED will light whenever the preamp, tone section or output buffer reach clipping (run out
of headroom). This function does NOT monitor the first tube stage of the Passive input. See that section
for more info.
In the event the clip indicator lights, turn down the Gain control. Since this circuit monitors the tone con-
trols, boosting any one of them can cause the clip LED to activate. Once again, you may leave the tone
control at its desired level, but turn the Gain control down further.
Note: Even though the Preamp Clip LED lighting indicates that at some point the preamp 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.
AURAL ENHANCER
The Aural Enhancer is a feature that’s been on just about every SWR amplifier since the company’s incep-
tion in 1984, and is a trademark part of the “SWR Sound” people have come to know and love. It was
developed to help bring out the fundamental low notes of the bass guitar, enhance the high-end transients,
and reduce certain frequencies that help “mask” the fundamentals. The ultimate result is:
1. A more transparent sound, especially noticeable when slapping and popping.
2. It can make a passive bass take on an “active” type of quality when set at positions of “2 o’clock” or
further clockwise.
Let’s take a second to learn how the Aural Enhancer works. Think of it as a variable tone curve that
changes depending on where you set the Aural Enhancer control knob. As you raise the control clockwise
from the “MIN” position, you are elevating a whole range of sound (lows, mids, and highs) at a variety of
frequency points selected specifically because they’re different than those selected for the individual tone
controls of most SWR units.
This remains true up to about the “2 o’clock” position. This position—a favorite for many users—brings
out both the low end fundamentals and crisp highs and, at the same time, adds a little lower midrange to
help cut through the band. However, if you go further clockwise and past the 2:00 position, selected mids
will start to drop off—specifically, a group of frequencies centered around 200 Hz. At this point and after,
the effect becomes much more pronounced. However, the curves involved here are gentle, as opposed to
the very extreme curves you can create by boosting or cutting the Active Tone Controls (EQ).
Most significantly for basses, the Aural Enhancer will help bring out the fundamentals of your lower regis-
ters without masking them with overtones, as is possible when boosting the bass frequencies only. At the
same time, it opens up the sibilance characteristics of all instruments without being harsh.
Obviously, numbers and curves and circuits all mean nothing compared to what you hear with your own
ears. Play a chord, a repeated lick, or a harmonic, and turn the Aural Enhancer control to various points on
the knob to hear the effect for yourself. As always, your ears are the best judge when it comes to settings
that affect the tone of your instrument.
BABY BABY BLUE OWNER’S MANUAL • 5

EQ DEFEAT SWITCH
Located on the Aural Enhancer Control knob, this feature gives you the ability to easily defeat whatever EQ
settings you have dialed in on the semi-parametric active tone controls of your Baby Baby Blue. To activate
the feature, simply pull out on the Aural Enhancer knob until you hear a “click.” Push the control back in to
re-activate the EQ circuitry. This simple feature can be very useful in studio situations (imagine the engi-
neer telling you, “OK, let’s hear your EQ. Now let’s hear it without it.”), or for your own “A/B test” in ana-
lyzing how you have set your tone controls in comparison to a flat response.
THREE-BAND SEMI-PARAMETRIC EQUALIZER: A BASIC PRIMER
The EQ section of the Baby Baby Blue is our top-of-the-line tone-shaping circuitry, an elaborate system that
allows you to choose three separate frequency center points and cut and boost them at a level of detail
scarcely found on small combos on the market today. They have the ability to: a) correct “dead” and “hot”
spots that may be inherent in your instrument; b) correct the effects of poor room acoustics on your bass
sound; c) bring life to old strings; d) correct peaks or dips in speaker systems; and, best of all, e) bring
out the best sonic qualities of your instrument and your playing technique. At first glance the number of
controls and variables may seem fairly complicated. But once you get acquainted with how to use and
apply the three bands of EQ, the possibilities for tone-shaping are practically limitless.
WHAT DOES “SEMI-PARAMETRIC” MEAN?
In this case, the term “semi-parametric” means that each EQ control contains two functions:
a) A level boost/cut function
b) A frequency select function
A semi-parametric EQ has the advantage of allowing you to select which frequency is cut or boosted by the
level control. A regular EQ as found on most amps has fixed center frequencies which cannot be altered by
the user. (For the record, a fully parametric EQ contains three functions: the two listed above, plus a band-
width or “Q” control.)
USING THE SEMI-PARAMETRIC EQ CONTROLS
On each band of the semi-parametric EQ there are two concentric knobs. The inner knob is the LEVEL con-
trol. It cuts or boosts the frequency set by the FREQUENCY control, which is the outer knob. If the LEVEL
control is in its center position (or “flat”), that band will be essentially off. In this case, moving the fre-
quency (outer) knob with the level control in the flat position will have NO AFFECT on the sound or tonal
structure. The level control MUST be in a cut or boost (off center) for any change in tone to be audible.
How will you know when the level control is in the center (or “flat”) position? Easy—a center click has
been provided, which you’ll feel “snap” into place when the indicator points to 12:00. In addition, the fre-
quency control knobs are equipped with twenty-four stepped positions so that you can easily return to a
desired setting.
BECOMING FAMILIAR WITH FREQUENCIES
Most people intuitively understand boosting and cutting “bass,” “mid” or “treble.” But how do all these
frequencies relate to what you think of as “bass” or “treble”? Try this on each of the three controls:
a) Raise the level control close to +15
b) Play one note repeatedly (open “A” is a good choice)
c) Rotate the frequency control slowly from one end to the other
On each band, you should notice an audible ”sweep,” like of like a wah-wah pedal opening up. Each of the
three bands will accentuate a different range of frequencies, and you can begin to correlate numbers with
certain sounds. Chances are that, with each section, you’ll find a couple of positions that are either pleas-
ing or unpleasing to your ear. As you notice this, adjust the level control of that band to the desired
amount of cut or boost.
After finding a position on each control, activate the EQ DEFEAT switch (located on the Aural Enhancer
6 • BABY BABY BLUE OWNER’S MANUAL

Control Knob) to compare. The more you do this, the more you should be able to relate frequency num-
bers to their respective sounds. As you find different settings that you like, you may want to write them
down somewhere.
Here’s a quick guide that will help you get off the ground in finding a certain kind of sound with the semi-
parametric EQ controls:
PROBLEM: EQ SOLUTION:
Not enough solid low end Boost the 40-60Hz range
Midrange is honky or hollow sounding Cut the 600-1000Hz range
Treble is harsh and hurts the ear Cut the 1.5k to 2.5kHz range
Having trouble cutting through the band Boost around 200Hz
Not enough presence, lackluster Boost from 5kHz to 7.5kHz
Too much pick or finger noise Cut the 5KHz to 7.5KHz range
Need a more dynamic, “piano” sound Cut 800Hz, boost 40 & 6kHz
Try a few of the above examples. Then try doing just the opposite, just to hear both ends of the spectrum.
As always, there’s only one final judge as to what’s a “good” sound—your own ears. Experimentation is
encouraged.
SUGGESTED SETTINGS
Not sure where to start? Try any of these five Aural Enhancer + EQ settings we dialed in at the factory.
BABY BABY BLUE OWNER’S MANUAL • 7

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