Mesa Boogie SUBWAY-D800 Users Manual
Owner’s Manual
Greetings from the Home of Tone®
…You, smart player and intuitive human, have put your trust in us to be your amplier
company. is is something that we do not take lightly. By choosing this instrument to be
part of your musical voice, you have become part of the MESA® family… WELCOME!
Our goal is to never let you down. Your reward is that you are the new owner of an amp,
bred of ne heritage, benetting from the many pioneering and patented MESA circuits
as well as fresh cutting edge research and development eorts, leading to this new and
exciting model. We feel confident that this amp will inspire many hours of musical
satisfaction and lasting enjoyment. It was built with you in mind, by players who know
the value of a ne musical instrument and the commitment it takes to make great music.
e same commitment to quality, value and support we make to you… our new friend.
Table of Contents
PRECAUTIONS
OVERVIEW ____________________________________________________________________________________ 1-2
INSTANT GRATIFICATION & HELPFUL HINTS ________________________________________________________ 2
FRONT PANEL
INSTRUMENT INPUT _____________________________________________________________________________ 3
MUTE SWITCH __________________________________________________________________________________ 3
ACTIVE/PASSIVE SWITCH ________________________________________________________________________ 3
DEEP SWITCH __________________________________________________________________________________ 3
INTERNAL HIGH PASS FILTER _____________________________________________________________________ 3
INPUT CONTROL & O/D LED ______________________________________________________________________ 3
VOICING CONTROL ______________________________________________________________________________ 4
BASS/LOW MID/HIGH MID/TREBLE CONTROLS ______________________________________________________ 4
MASTER VOLUME CONTROL _____________________________________________________________________ 4
POWER/PROTECT/LIMIT LEDS ___________________________________________________________________ 4-5
REAR PANEL
POWER SWITCH ________________________________________________________________________________ 5
IEC POWER INLET _______________________________________________________________________________ 5
SPEAKER OUTPUTS _____________________________________________________________________________ 5
HEADPHONE OUTPUT ___________________________________________________________________________ 6
AUX INPUT _____________________________________________________________________________________ 6
DIRECT OUT SECTION __________________________________________________________________________ 6-7
TROUBLESHOOTING ___________________________________________________________________________ 8-9
FACTORY SAMPLE SETTINGS ____________________________________________________________________ 10
SPECIFICATIONS ________________________________________________________________________________11
IMPORTANT SAFETY INSTRUCTIONS
Read these instructions.
Keep these instructions.
Heed all warnings.
Follow all instructions.
Do not use this apparatus near water.
Clean only with dry cloth.
Do not block any ventilation openings. Install in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions.
Do not install near any heat sources such as radiators, heat registers, stoves, or other apparatus (including amplifiers) that produce heat.
Do not defeat the safety purpose of the polarized or grounding-type plug. A polarized plug has two blades with one wider than the other. A grounding type
plug has two blades and a third grounding prong. The wide blade or the third prong are provided for your safety. If the provided plug does not fit into your
outlet, consult an electrician for replacement of the obsolete outlet.
Protect the power cord from being walked on or pinched particularly at plugs, convenience receptacles, and the point where they exit from the apparatus.
Only use attachments/accessories specified by the manufacturer.
Unplug this apparatus during lightning storms or when unused for long periods of time.
Refer all servicing to qualified service personnel. Servicing is required when the apparatus has been damaged in any way, such as power-supply cord or plug
is damaged, liquid has been spilled or objects have fallen into the apparatus, the apparatus has been exposed to rain or moisture, does not operate normally,
or has been dropped.
To insure proper ventilation always make sure there is at minimum four inches (101.6mm) of space behind the rear of the apparatus. The ventilation should
not be impeded by covering the ventilation openings with items, such as newspapers, tablecloths, curtains, etc. Do not impede ventilation by placing objects
on top of the apparatus which extend past the rear edge of its cabinet.
When Rack Mounting this unit proper ventilation space must be maintained. Do Not cover or block Front and Rear and allow at least 2” of open “breathing”
space on both sides of the unit.
No naked flame sources, such as lighted candles, should be placed on the apparatus.
The apparatus shall not be exposed to dripping or splashing and no objects filled with liquids, such as vases, shall be placed on the apparatus.
WARNING: To reduce the risk of fire or electric shock, do not expose this apparatus to rain or moisture.
The AC plug is the mains disconnect. The plug should remain accessible after installation.
WARNING: EU: permission from the Supply Authority is needed before connection.
WARNING: Always make sure proper load is connected before operating the amplifier. Failure to do so could pose a shock hazard and may result in damage
to the amplifier.
Do not expose amplifier to direct sunlight or extremely high temperatures.
Always insure the amplifier is properly grounded. Always unplug AC power cord before performing ANY service to the amplifier, including but not limited to
changing the fuse. Use only same type and rating when replacing fuse.
Keep amplifier away from children.
To avoid damaging your speakers and other playback equipment, turn off the power of all related equipment before making the connections.
Do not use excessive force when handling buttons, switches and controls. Do not use solvents such as benzene or paint thinner to clean the unit.
Always connect to an AC power supply that meets the power supply specifications listed on the rear of the unit. Export models: always insure unit is wired for
proper voltage. Make certain grounding conforms with local standards.
YOUR AMPLIFIER IS LOUD! EXPOSURE TO HIGH SOUND VOLUMES MAY CAUSE PERMANENT HEARING DAMAGE!
Your MESA/Boogie® Amplier is a professional instrument. Please treat it with respect and operate it properly.
READ AND FOLLOW INSTRUCTIONS OF PROPER USAGE.
Operating Instructions
Overview:
Congratulations on your choice of the SUBWAY® D-800™ and welcome to the MESA/Boogie® family! First, we would like to thank
you for choosing us as your amplifier company and trusting us to help create your musical voice. This is something we never take for
granted and you’ll find that we are here and ready to assist you should you ever need help. Our goal is to help you sound your best
at all times! We feel confident that your new amplifier will bring you many years of reliable service, rewarding inspiration and create
for you a newfound freedom to express your music.
You have chosen an amplifier bred of a fine heritage, and this model is our testament to our legacy of tone. Its forefathers can be
traced back to the very first MESA® amplifier ever built, the MESA 450 Bass Head. In fact, the first five MESA amplifiers built in the
Lagunitas mountain shack were Bass amps…a piece of trivia little known and overshadowed by our overwhelming notoriety for guitar
amplification. But we’ve always loved the Bass, and have—since day one—been committed to elevating its stature through our art
form. The bloodline for MESA bass continued with the first rack-mount chassis bass amplifier in 1980, the D-180. The mid-eighties
saw the introduction of the BASS 400™ and later in 1988, the BASS 400+™ with its stunning Pitch, Punch and Power delivered by
an additional 6 x 6L6s to bring the total to twelve 6L6s in the mighty power section.
The 400+ went on to become a classic used by the world’s most talented bassists for two decades. Paul McCartney, Mark King,
Stanley Clark, Jack Blades, Michael Anthony, Blasko and Bootsy Collins, are but a few of the international stars that put the 400+
center stage to anchor the band during its 20 year build cycle. Those iconic amps still bring top dollar when you can find one changing
hands on the pre-owned market. While MESA has since pioneered an entire line of tube-driven mosfet amplifiers that shored up our
place in the Bass market, changing times have encouraged us to take what we have learned over this time and create a whole new
approach to the bass amp, while remaining true to our heritage and tradition of tone.
Tone Freaks Rejoice! The SUBWAY D-800 is the next step in the MESA Bass Amp Bloodline. A tone dripping powerhouse that’s both
compact and lightweight, packaged to go the distance with features and control over the entire bass spectrum makes it an iconic step
forward in bass amplification. The SUBWAY D-800 is handcrafted in Petaluma, California, U.S.A.
FRONT VIEW: SUBWAY® D-800™
POWER
PROTECT
LIMIT
LOW MID HIGH MID TREBLE MASTER
™
INPUT
MUTE
PLAY
O/D
ON
ACTIVE
DEEP
PASSIVE
INPUT VOICING BASS
FLAT BOOST
REAR VIEW: SUBWAY® D-800™
LINE
PIN 1
LIFT
®
Do not expose to rain, moisture
WARNING:
or thieves.
POWER
OFF ON
h
MAX AVG PWR CONSUMPTION 400W
MAINS FUSE: INTERNAL T-6.3A/250V
AMPLIFIER
SPEAKER OUTPUTS IMPEDANCE
44YV
2 OHM MINIMUM LOAD
2 Ω 4/8 Ω
HEAD
PHONES
CAUTION:
Risk of Electric Shock. Do Not Open.
No user serviceable parts inside.
HANDCRAFTED IN PETALUMA, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A.
AUX
INPUT
DIRECT OUTPUT
(PHANTOM POWER PROTECTED)
SOURCE
LEVEL
POST-EQ
INPUT
POWER
100V-240VAC
~50/60HZ
PAGE 1
400 WATTS / 8 OHM
RATED
800 WATTS / 4 OR 2 OHM
POWER
PRE-EQ MIC
SUBWAY® D-800™ BASS AMPLIFIER
GROUND
Overview: FrOnt Panel
The SUBWAY® D-800™ begins with the front panel input section, which is comprised of the INPUT jack, MUTE switch and ACTIVE/
PASSIVE switch. The INPUT jack feeds a high impedance monolithic J-FET input amplifier which provides appropriate loading to the
pickup, and isolates the switching circuitry from the high impedance signal path. The MUTE switch silences the signal from the INPUT
jack to the SPEAKER output, HEADPHONE output and DI output for silent tuning with a tuner connected in line with the instrument.
Tally (indicator) LEDs are provided for all switched functions.
The preamp section includes a precision 4 pole high pass filter to block unwanted sub-sonic signal, an additional monolithic J-FET
variable gain stage using carefully tuned anti-saturation technology to prevent momentary sticking of the signal to the supply rails,
instantaneous recovery and a more tube-like feel when driven hard into non-linear territory. An O/D (over-drive/overload) LED is
provided to give visual indication of when the preamp is being overdriven.
Tone shaping on the SUBWAY D-800 includes a VOICING control that modifies the amplifier’s response from a more flat like curve to
a more vintage curve by modifying and shifting the frequency response in all regions with a simple turn of the knob. The signal then
feeds the 4-Band Equalization section which consists of a LOW FREQUENCY shelving band, two MIDRANGE FREQUENCY peak/
dip bands, and a HIGH FREQUENCY shelving band. It is suggested that you first experiment with the VOICING control to “rough in”
the overall response (or voice) that you are looking for, and then adjust the 4-Band Equalization to “polish up” the tone.
Finally, there is a MASTER volume control which sets the overall volume after the EQ. The combination of positions between the
INPUT gain and MASTER volume, along with the signal strength from your bass (which is also affected by your playing style and
touch) allows for a wide range of tones, from shimmering clean to moderately overdriven and everything in between.
On the rear panel, you will find the power switch, and the AC mains inlet on a standard IEC “C14” connector. It is important for the
mains power to be grounded/earthed for safety as well as EMC/EMI reasons.
Next are parallel connected NL-4 SpeakOn™ connectors, which are wired with the amplifier positive to terminal “1+” and the amplifier
negative to terminal “1-“. All cables with NL-2 connectors (2 pole) will be wired this way.
The SUBWAY D-800 is equipped with a HEADPHONE output, which will drive all common headphones and IEM ear pieces between
8 and 32 ohms. It’s advisable to use caution whenever sticking a sound source in your ear as damaging volume is possible, especially
when volume is factored over a long period of time. There is also an AUX input, this TRS jack properly sums left and right channels
from an MP3 player, i-device, or laptop as many of these new devices do not contain adequate build out resistors for proper summing. The signal injection point is right before the master volume control, you can use the player’s volume control to balance the level
between your bass and the playback device.
A feature that sets your new SUBWAY D-800 apart from the rest of the market is the inclusion of a studio grade XLR balanced DIRECT
OUTPUT, complete with PRE-EQ/POST-EQ signal routing, MIC/LINE level, and pin 1 GROUND LIFT switches. Circuit attributes
include full phantom power protection, high RFI immunity and tolerance to reasonable ground potential differences.
INSTANT GRATIFICATION
is “plug and play”. Start with the MUTE switch down (mute off), the ACTIVE/PASSIVE switch down (passive pickup), INPUT gain
control turned off, VOICING control in the “flat” position, the 4 EQUALIZER controls in the “flat” (12:00 straight up) position and the
MASTER volume control in the 1:00 position. Plug your bass in, and turn the INPUT control up until you reach your desired volume.
Now, gradually rotate the VOICING control clockwise towards the vintage position and stop when you achieve the basic amp voicing
that you are looking for. The more clockwise, the greater the low end boost, mid cut (frequency also shifts as the control is rotated)
and a mild treble boost. Then, EQ to taste.
The SUBWAY D-800 is about the easiest amp on the planet to get great sound from… it really
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