Mesa/Boogie Big Block 750 owner manual Overview

Overview: (Continued)

Looking at the Front Panel, it is apparent how logically the controls are laid out before you, creating a simple and intuitive platform for expression. However, don’t let this simplicity deceive you as to the incredible shaping power of this preamp. The tone controls are voiced such that minimal shaping is needed to achieve a warm musical blend, yet should you want to create your own signature sound, they can take you anywhere you wish to go quickly and effortlessly.

This tone control stack features two MID controls. A wide band passive MID works magically with the wide-band active BASS and TREBLE controls to create a balanced, spatial blend, while a semi-parametric MID allows frequency specific shaping over a wide range that covers low, mid and high mid/low treble frequencies. This array is simple to use, yet provides all the shaping power you will need while keeping the tweaking to an inspiring minimum.

In addition to this traditional gain stage, the BIG BLOCK features an all-tube overdrive stage with its own separate OVERDRIVE and MASTER controls. This footswitchable mode brings everything we’ve learned building high gain guitar amplifiers over three decades to focus on bass guitar and creates an incredible new frontier of truly usable overdriven bass sounds.

The Rear Panel neatly showcases all the features you would come to expect in a amplifier of this caliber and ensures all your interfacing needs are covered.

A balanced XLR DIRECT OUTPUT captures the entire preamp signal and features both PRE and POST options while its dedicated DIRECT LEVEL control allows you to match levels to all types of consoles. There is also a GROUND LIFT switch for the DIRECT circuit to help ensure a quiet signal when connecting to consoles that may have different ground references.

A dedicated TUNER circuit with both Front and Rear Panel Outputs features a footswitchable MUTE function for silent tuning when the footswitch is connected in stage or studio environments.

Outboard processing is handled through the series EFFECTS LOOP which is activated when cables are inserted into the SEND and RETURN jacks.

A SLAVE OUTPUT and dedicated LEVEL control are provided for capturing the entire sound of the preamp and power section. This is useful when another BIG BLOCK or additional power amplifiers are needed for large (coliseum size) venues. In this scenario the SLAVE is the perfect feed signal because it will pass on everything you do to the sound and give you control over the signal strength.

The BIG BLOCK delivers its massive power to the ground via the SPEAKER OUTPUT section which offers two types of jacks for cabinet interfacing. Standard jacks allow connection under any scenario with any cable, while the heavy duty NEUTRIK SPEAK-ON connectors lock the cable in place for speaker enclosures that incorporate this system as a design feature.

Finally, two punched grille vents serve as exhaust ports for the heat that is forced out of the two mosfet power blocks by the dual cooling fans. NEVER BLOCK THESE VENTS!

NOTE: BLOCKING THE EXHAUST VENTS WILL CAUSE OVERHEATING AND LEAD TO INTERRUPTED PERFORMANCE OR EVEN DAMAGE TO YOUR AMPLIFIER.

That wraps up the Overview, which has covered the controls and features briefly to familiarize you with the power and possibilities of the BIG BLOCK 750. Now let’s get to each of the individual controls and see how they interact to create an individualized sound that is all yours.

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