Fender Passport, P250 Operation Manual

PORTABLE

SOUND SYSTEMS

From Fender Pro Audio

Owner's Manual for
Passport

P/N 051854

REV B

Fender Musical Instruments
7975 North Hayden Road, Scottsdale, Arizona 85258 U.S.A.

Fender knows the importance of sound reinforcement. From the simple box-top mixer
to today's professional touring concert systems, the need to communicate, to make the
connection between the performer and the audience is foremost in Fender's mind.

Perhaps no other single piece of gear can make or break your band's sound. You see,
your sound system is more than just a combination of dials, wires and speakers. It is
an integral part of the audio chain and should be treated with special care and attention
to detail.

At Fender, we know what building quality musical instruments and sound reinforcement
equipment is all about. In fact, many of the world's best sounding electric musical
instruments and sound reinforcement equipment proudly wear the Fender name.

Whether you need a simple box top powered mixer for your Saturday afternoon jam, or
a professional full-size concert system, Fender has the sound reinforcement equipment
to meet your needs.

Wishing you years of enjoyment and a heartfelt thank you,

Bill Schultz

Bill Schultz
Chairman
Fender Musical Instruments Corporation

TABLE OF CONTENTS

System Components Page: 3
Introduction Page: 4
Power Handling & Safety Precautions Page: 5
Transportation Latches Page: 6
Set up and Connections Page: 7

Powering Up Page: 7
Setting System Levels Page: 8
Placement & Mounting Page: 8
“Power Tower” Page: 8

Microphones & Speakers: Page: 9
Controls Page: 9
Connections Page: 12
Typical Set-up Application Page: 14
Specifications Page: 15

Explanation of Graphic Symbols

The lightning flash within a triangle alerts the user to the
presence of potentially “dangerous” voltages within the
products enclosure. These voltages may be sufficient to cause
electric shock to humans.

The exclamation mark within a triangle is to alert the user to the
presence of important operating, safety and
maintenance/service instructions in the owner’s manual, or
other literature provided with this product.

System Components:

The Passport System Contains:

The Passport "Power Tower" Mixer/Amplifier
Two Passport Speaker Systems
Two Fender P-51 Dynamic Microphones
Two Microphone Cables, 6m (20')
Two Speaker Cables, 9m (30')
One IEC Power Cable

3

INTRODUCTION

Fender Passport t

Fender Passpor

Por

table Sound System

Por

table Sound System

250 Watts of Clear Stereo Sound
Built-in Digital Reverb

™

VIP

(Vocal Input Priority) Automatically
Lowers Background Music When
Speaking Speaking into Mic 1 Input

3-Pin XLR, 1/4 inch TRS and Stereo RCA
Input Jacks Accommodate Almost Any
Input Connection

Individual Controls On Each Channel
Patch Point for Outboard Gear
Switchable Line Voltage For Easy Use

Anywhere In The World
Switchable Main/Monitor Operation
Everything You Need To Get Started:

Passport Mixer Amplifier
Two Microphones
Two Microphone Cables
Two Speaker Cables
Power Cable
Two High Sensitivity, Full-Range
Speaker Enclosures

Thank you for your purchase of a Fender Passport,
the world’s first fully self-contained, portable audio
system. Your Passport includes everything you will
need for great sound… Anywhere.

Carry your Passport as you would a large sized suit
case. Flip open the two latches, and you’ll discover
two full-range speaker cabinets, a powered mixer,
two dynamic microphones, and all the cables you
need to get started. Use your Passport to amplify
voices, musical instruments, CD’s, tape playback and
more. Passport’s quick and easy set-up, its ability to
cover large audiences and simple operation are the
hallmarks of this new and innovative product.

The Passport’s control panel features 4 stereo
channels with 8 inputs (4 XLR, & 4 line input) and left
and right RCA input jacks to allow for music playback
from a CD or cassette player. Moreover, four 6.5”
speakers in each cabinet work together to deliver
clean full range coverage, while the self-powered
mixer provides 250 watts of clear stereo sound.

When speaking to the masses, the Passport’s VIP
(Vocal Input Priority) featur e can be used to r educe or
“duck” the background music level as you begin to
speak and then restores it when you have finished
speaking. Experiment with the tone controls, digital
reverb, speaker placement and discover the
Passport’s incredible versatility.

WARNING:

-TO PREVENT DAMAGE, FIRE OR SHOCK
HAZARD, DO NOT EXPOSE THIS UNIT TO RAIN
OR MOISTURE.

-NO USER SERVICEABLE PARTS INSIDE,
REFER SERVICING TO QUALIFIED PERSONNEL
ONLY.

-THIS UNIT MUST BE EARTH GROUNDED.

4

POWER HANDLING SAFETY PRECAUTIONS

Power Requirements

The Fender Passport sound system is supplied with
AC Power:
100 volts to 240 volts, 50-60 Hz.

DC Operation (with optional converter):

For any situation where AC power may not be readily
available, such as outdoor sports events, rodeos,
political rallies, and even emergency public address,
the Passport system can be powered from a 12 volt
DC car-type battery. For these applications you
must use the Fender Passport DC-DC
converter/adapter (optional). To maximize the
amount of time the Passport will function on a
standard car battery, however, its power section has
been designed to operate at slightly reduced
maximum levels during this application. This
reduction in peak output will be unnoticeable in all but
the most demanding continuous high output
applications.

a detachable power cable with an IEC female

connector and a male AC connector. Depending on

the territory in which the Passport system is

purchased, the power cable will be supplied with one

of a number of male AC connectors to accommodate

the different safety and code requirements of specific

countries. All AC cables supplied with Passport

products are three pin grounded types.

Under no circumstances should the ground

(earth) pin be disconnected or removed.

Your Passport System features a Switch-Mode-

Power-Supply designed to operate on any AC voltage

and line frequency to convert AC power with

maximum efficiency.

When traveling abroad with the Passport system, as

a standard precaution, always check the local voltage

and set the voltage selector switch located adjacent

to the power input socket on the rear of the mixer /

amplifier to the appropriate operating range. This

check must be performed before connecting the

power cable. The Fender Passport has two range

settings: 115v or 230v.

Failure to select the appropriate voltage range will

cause the unit to go into protect mode, void any

warranty and may cause damage to the unit.

For example, The United States of America is

standardized at 117 volts/60 Hz, Japan operates on

100 volts/50 Hz. For both of these countries the

range selector must be set to 115v. Countries in the

EEC have standardized at 230 volts/50 Hz., however,

there are different types of AC plugs used. For all

these countries the selector should be at the 230v

position. When using plug adapters or operating in a

territory other than the one in which the unit was

purchased, take great care to comply with local

safety requirements and electrical codes of practice.

If you are not sure of the local voltage, wiring

codes & colors, AC grounding, or correct

procedures for connection, consult a qualified

technician.

5