tc electronic BQ500 500 250 Watt Portable Bass Head User Guide

tc electronic BQ500 500 250 Watt Portable Bass Head

Product Information

The THRUST BQ500/BQ250 is a portable bass head with a power output of 500/250 watts. It features a Mosfet preamp and a Thrust Compressor, providing enhanced sound quality and control. The product is currently at version 6.0.

Important Safety Instructions:

• This symbol indicates the presence of dangerous voltage inside the enclosure. Do not remove the top cover or rear section, as there are no user serviceable parts inside. Contact qualified personnel for servicing.
• Do not expose the appliance to rain, moisture, or liquids. Avoid placing objects filled with liquids on the apparatus.
• These service instructions are intended for qualified service personnel only. Do not perform any servicing other than what is specified in the operation instructions.

Product Usage Instructions

1. Read and keep the user manual for future reference.
2. Follow all warnings and instructions provided.
3. Avoid using the apparatus near water.
4. Clean the product only with a dry cloth.
5. Ensure proper ventilation by not blocking any ventilation openings. Install the product according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
6. Avoid placing the apparatus near heat sources such as radiators, heat registers, stoves, or other heat-producing devices.
7. If the provided plug does not fit into your outlet, consult an electrician for replacement of the outlet. Do not modify the plug in any way.
8. Prevent the power cord from being walked on or pinched, especially at plugs, convenience receptacles, and where it exits from the apparatus.
9. Use only attachments and accessories specified by the manufacturer.
10. When using a cart, stand, tripod, bracket, or table with the apparatus, ensure stability and avoid tip-over accidents.
11. Unplug the apparatus during lightning storms or when not in use for extended periods of time.
12. Refer all servicing to qualified service personnel if the apparatus has been damaged, exposed to rain/moisture, or does not operate normally.
13. Connect the apparatus to a MAINS socket outlet with a protective earthing connection.
14. Ensure the disconnect device, such as the MAINS plug or appliance coupler, remains readily operable.
15. Avoid installing the product in confined spaces such as bookcases or similar units.

Important Safety Instructions

CAUTION

• RISK OF ELECTRIC SHOCK!
• DO NOT OPEN!

Terminals marked with this symbol carry electrical current of sufficient magnitude to constitute risk of electric shock. Use only high-quality professional speaker cables with ¼” TS or twist-locking plugs pre-installed. All other installation or modifi cation should be performed only by qualified personnel.

• This symbol, wherever it appears, alerts you to the presence of uninsulated dangerous voltage inside the enclosure – voltage that may be sufficient to constitute a risk of shock.

• This symbol, wherever it appears, alerts you to important operating and maintenance instructions in the accompanying literature. Please read the manual.

• Caution
  To reduce the risk of electric shock, do not remove the top cover (or the rear section). No user serviceable parts inside. Refer servicing to qualified personnel.

• Caution
  To reduce the risk of fi re or electric shock, do not expose this appliance to rain and moisture. The apparatus shall not be exposed to dripping or splashing liquids and no objects filled with liquids, such as vases, shall be placed on the apparatus.

• Caution
  These service instructions are for use by qualified service personnel only. To reduce the risk of electric shock do not perform any servicing other than that contained in the operation instructions. Repairs have to be performed by qualifi ed service personnel.

1. Read these instructions.
2. Keep these instructions.
3. Heed all warnings.
4. Follow all instructions.
5. Do not use this apparatus near water.
6. Clean only with dry cloth.
7. Do not block any ventilation openings. Install in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions.
8. Do not install near any heat sources such as radiators, heat registers, stoves, or other apparatus (including amplifiers) that produce heat.
9. 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 fi t into your outlet, consult an electrician for replacement of the obsolete outlet.
10. Protect the power cord from being walked on or pinched particularly at plugs, convenience receptacles, and the point where they exit from the apparatus.
11. Use only attachments/accessories specified by the manufacturer.
12. Use only with the cart, stand, tripod, bracket, or table specified by the manufacturer, or sold with the apparatus. When a cart is used, use caution when moving the cart/apparatus combination to avoid injury from tip-over.
13. Unplug this apparatus during lightning storms or when unused for long periods of time.
14. 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.
15. The apparatus shall be connected to a MAINS socket outlet with a protective earthing connection.
16. Where the MAINS plug or an appliance coupler is used as the disconnect device, the disconnect device shall remain readily operable.
17. Correct disposal of this product: This symbol indicates that this product must not be disposed of with household waste, according to the WEEE Directive (2012/19/EU) and your national law. This product should be taken to a collection center licensed for the recycling of waste electrical and electronic equipment (EEE). The mishandling of this type of waste could have a possible negative impact on the environment and human health due to potentially hazardous substances that are generally associated with EEE. At the same time, your cooperation in the correct disposal of this product will contribute to the efficient use of natural resources. For more information about where you can take your waste equipment for recycling, please contact your local city office, or your household waste collection service.
18. Do not install in a confined space, such as a book case or similar unit.
19. Do not place naked flame sources, such as lighted candles, on the apparatus.
20. Please keep the environmental aspects of battery disposal in mind. Batteries must be disposed-of at a battery collection point.
21. This apparatus may be used in tropical and moderate climates up to 45°C.

LEGAL DISCLAIMR

Music Tribe accepts no liability for any loss which may be suffered by any person who relies either wholly or in part upon any description, photograph, or statement contained herein. Technical specifications, appearances and other information are subject to change without notice. All trademarks are the property of their respective owners. Midas, Klark Teknik, Lab Gruppen, Lake, Tannoy, Turbosound, TC Electronic, TC Helicon, Behringer, Bugera, Aston Microphones and Coolaudio are trademarks or registered trademarks of Music Tribe Global Brands Ltd. © Music Tribe Global Brands Ltd. 2023 All rights reserved.

LIMITED WARRANTY

For the applicable warranty terms and conditions and additional information regarding Music Tribe’s Limited Warranty, please see complete details online at community.musictribe.com/pages/support#warranty.

Controls

THRUST BQ500/BQ250 Controls

1. INPUT You can connect an active or passive bass to this ¼” input jack. The input stage of your bass amp is designed to adapt to any type of pickup.

2. GAIN switch Set the position of the GAIN switch according to the pickups in your bass. Active pickups typically have a higher output than passive pickups, and you should set the GAIN switch accordingly. If your bass uses batteries, the pickups are active – if not, the pickups are passive.

3. GAIN knob and PEAK LED The input gain should be set to the highest possible level without overloading the input stage. To find the correct setting, simply plug in your bass, play and turn up the GAIN knob until the PEAK LED occasionally lights up. Then reduce the gain slightly. When set, simply turn up the MASTER volume knob to start playing.

4. THRUST switch Set the THRUST switch to the upper position to activate the THRUST compression.

5. THRESH LED The THRESH LED will light up whenever your bass signal exceeds the compression threshold and activates the THRUST compression.

6. THRUST knob Turn the THRUST knob clockwise to add fatness and sustain with the THRUST compression effect.

7. TONE Controls The BQ250/BQ500 has four tone controls: BASS, LO-MID, HI-MID and TREBLE. These controls have been tuned carefully to address four relevant bass frequency areas, and should allow you to dial in your sound with ease.

8. MASTER level knob Use the MASTER knob to set the overall output level of the amp. The MASTER knob also controls the level of the headphone output.

9. MAINS IN – Power switch & Power input The switched-mode power supply of this device accepts voltages from 100V to 240V. The ground pin of the power supply unit must always be connected in order to avoid voltage differences between e.g. the PA and the BQ250/BQ500.

10. SPEAKER OUT Use the SPEAKER OUT connector for connecting BQ250/BQ500 to speaker cabinets. Please note that this is a speakON connector, and you must use speaker cables.This speakON output is a single mono output wired on pins 1 and 4 (you may use either a 2- or 4-pole cable, but only 2 poles of the 4-pole cable will be used).
    Do not use instrument cables!
    For BQ250/BQ500, use a cabinet configuration with a minimum load of 4 Ohms. Examples:

    • 2 x 8 Ohm (in parallel)
    • 1 x 4 Ohm

11. AUX IN The AUX IN is a stereo auxiliary input. Any signal present on the AUX IN jack is played back through all BQ250/BQ500 outputs. This allows you to play along with a rehearsal track, or you can practice to the beat of a metronome click. The included “mini jack to mini jack cable” allows you to use an iPod®, iPhone® or any other consumer playback device as a source for rehearsing.

12. PHONES (Speaker Mute) The PHONES jack is a 1⁄8″ connector for headphones. With a mild speaker filter applied to the bass sound, our studio quality headphone amp caters for a great headphone sound. The headphone output also plays back any signal connected to the AUX IN input jack. This feature allows you to play along with an audio player, a signal from a computer or any other audio source playing background tracks.

13. PRE/POST EQ button Use the PRE/POST button located to the left side of the BALANCED OUT jack to determine where in the signal chain the signal for the balanced output should be tapped.

    • PRE setting: The signal is tapped before the EQ.
    • POST setting: The signal is tapped after EQ.

14. BALANCED OUTPUT Use the BALANCED OUT XLR jack to connect the BQ250/BQ500 to the PA when you play on stage, or to connect your amp to a recording device when you are in the studio.

Protection mode

This product is equipped with an advanced protection system for both the amplifier’s and your own safety. These protection features should only kick in if you operate this product under extreme conditions.

Be sure not to cover the BQ250/BQ500 cooling grid!
Insufficient ventilation may cause the amplifier’s temperature to increase to critical values. The BQ250/BQ500 is equipped with an intelligent protection system, ensuring that the amp does not suffer or malfunction if operated wrongly or in extreme environments. When the amplifier switches to protection mode, the speaker output is muted.

Protection mode is invoked

• if a short circuit occurs (on speaker outputs).
• if the amplifier is used in an environment that is too hot.
• if proper ventilation is not ensured.
• if the combined impedance of the internal speaker and an attached speaker is below 4 Ohms.

In Protection mode, the speaker outputs are shut off to prevent speaker damage. However, the balanced output still passes audio.

How to proceed in Protection mode

1. If the amplifier does not automatically recover from Protection mode and feels hot, try turning off the amplifier for a minute to let it cool. Ensure sufficient ventilation.
2. Ensure that your speaker cable is not defective, as such a defect could cause a short circuit.
3. Turn on the amplifier again. If these steps do not solve the problem you will have to send the amplifier to a qualified service center for inspection.

Specifications

BQ500/BQ250

Audio Inputs

• Instrument input 1/4″ TS, unbalanced
• Impedance 1 MΩ
• Aux input 1/8″ TRS, unbalanced
• Impedance 10 kΩ

EQ Controls

• Bass 80 Hz @ Gain: ±15 dB
• Lo-mid 400 Hz @ Gain: ±15 dB
• Hi-mid 800 Hz @ Gain: ±15 dB
• Treble 10 kHz @ Gain: ±15 dB

Compressor Controls

• Thrust Variable (off to max)
• Thrust switch On / Off

Audio Outputs

• Phones out 1/8″ TRS, unbalanced
  Impedance 47 Ω
  Direct output XLR, balanced
  Impedance 1 kΩ
  Level max Pre EQ ( +12 dBu), Post EQ ( +16 dBu)
  Loudspeaker output Professional locking connector
  Min. load impedance 4 Ω

System Data

• Max output power
  • 500 W
  • 250 W

Mains Voltage

• Europe/UK/Australia/China/Korea/USA/Canada/Japan 100-240 V~ 50/60 Hz
• Power consumption
  • 80 W
  • 60 W
• Mains connection Standard IEC receptable

Physical

• Dimension (H x W x D) 69 x 255 x 233 mm (2.7 x 10 x 9.2″)
• Weight
  • 2.3 kg (5.1 lbs)
  • 2.2 kg (4.9 lbs)

Independent of limiters and driver protection circuits Due to continuous development, these specifications are subject to change without notice.

Other important information

Important information

1. Register online. Please register your new Music Tribe equipment right after you purchase it by visiting musictribe.com. Registering your purchase using our simple online form helps us to process your repair claims more quickly and efficiently. Also, read the terms and conditions of our warranty, if applicable.
2. Malfunction. Should your Music Tribe Authorized Reseller not be located in your vicinity, you may contact the Music Tribe Authorized Fulfiller for your country listed under “Support” at musictribe.com. Should your country not be listed, please check if your problem can be dealt with by our “Online Support” which may also be found under “Support” at musictribe.com. Alternatively, please submit an online warranty claim at musictribe.com BEFORE returning the product.
3. Power Connections. Before plugging the unit into a power socket, please make sure you are using the correct mains voltage for your particular model. Faulty fuses must be replaced with fuses of the same type and rating without exception.

FCC COMPLIANCE INFORMATION

FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION COMPLIANCE INFORMATION

TC Electronic
THRUST BQ500/BQ250

• Responsible Party Name: Music Tribe Commercial NV Inc.
• Address: 122 E. 42nd St.1, 8th Floor NY, NY 10168, United States
• Email Address: [email protected].

THRUST BQ500/BQ250
This equipment has been tested and found to comply with the limits for a Class B digital device, pursuant to part 15 of the FCC Rules. These limits are designed to provide reasonable protection against harmful interference in a residential installation. This equipment generates, uses and can radiate radio frequency energy and, if not installed and used in accordance with the instructions, may cause harmful interference to radio communications. However, there is no guarantee that interference will not occur in a particular installation. If this equipment does cause harmful interference to radio or television reception, which can be determined by turning the equipment off and on, the user is encouraged to try to correct the interference by one or more of the following measures:

• Reorient or relocate the receiving antenna.
• Increase the separation between the equipment and receiver.
• Connect the equipment into an outlet on a circuit different from that to which the receiver is connected.
• Consult the dealer or an experienced radio/TV technician for help.

This equipment complies with Part 15 of the FCC rules. Operation is subject to the following two conditions:

1. This device may not cause harmful interference, and
2. This device must accept any interference received, including interference that may cause undesired operation.

Important information:
Changes or modifications to the equipment not expressly approved by Music Tribe can void the user’s authority to use the equipment.

• Hereby, Music Tribe declares that this product is in compliance with Directive 2014/35/EU,Directive 2014/30/EU, Directive 2011/65/EU and Amendment 2015/863/EU, Directive 2012/19/EU, Regulation 519/2012 REACH SVHC and Directive 1907/2006/EC.
• Full text of EU DoC is available at https://community.musictribe.com/.
• EU Representative: Music Tribe Brands DK A/S
• Address: Gammel Strand 44, DK-1202 København K, Denmark
• UK Representative: Music Tribe Brands UK Ltd.
• Address: 6 Lloyds Avenue, Unit 4CL London EC3N 3AX, United Kingdom.

References

• Music Tribe
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