Darkglass Electronics 900 V2 Microtubes User Guide

Darkglass Electronics 900 V2 Microtubes

Product Information

Specifications:

• Model: Microtubes 900TM V2
• Power: 900W RMS at 4/500W at 8 (Standard Mode) / 900W at 2/500W at 4 and 350W at 8 (2 Mode)
• Preamplifier: All analog
• Power Module: Class D
• Cabinet Emulator: Digital impulse response

Description:
The Microtubes 900TM V2 is a powerful 900W amplifier designed for professional bassists. It features an all-analog preamplifier, a Class D Power Module, and a digital impulse-response cabinet emulator for DI outputs or headphones. With its enhanced durability, flexible equalizer, studio-grade compression, impulse response cabinet emulation, and MIDI control, the Microtubes 900 v2 provides all the features and power that modern bassists need in a compact and gorgeous format.

Features:

Front Panel:

• PASSIVE/ACTIVE: Use this push-button switch to change between passive and active mode. If your bass is active, it can have a hotter signal, which may cause the amp to distort early. Feel free to use this switch if you desire additional distortion.
• MICROTUBES: Use this push button to turn on or off the Microtubes Engine. The Microtubes Engine adds natural compression, organic harmonic enhancement, and saturation ranging from mild overdrive to high-gain bass rage. The Microtubes Engine operates before the clean section, allowing you to use the 4 Band Active EQ for additional tone shaping.
• COMPRESSION: This knob controls the amount of dynamic compression added to the Microtubes Engine.

Clean Section:
The clean section of the Microtubes 900 is located on the right side of the control layout. It serves as the foundation of your sound and features the following controls:

• Gain: Adjusts the input gain level.
• Master: Controls the overall volume level.
• 6 Band EQ: An active equalizer with sliders for Low, Treble, 250Hz, 500Hz, 1.5KHz, and 3KHz. The midrange is the key to shaping the character of your sound, and with 4 dedicated Mid controls covering the entire mid-range (250Hz to 3kHz), you have complete control and flexibility over the amplifier’s character.

Power Module:
The power module of the Microtubes 900 is equipped with unique control over the power output and minimum speaker loads. It offers two modes:

• Standard Mode: Delivers 900W RMS at 4 ohms or 500W at 8 ohms.
• 2 Mode: When selected via the rear panel switch, the amplifier delivers 900W at 2 ohms, 500W at 4 ohms, and 350W at 8 ohms. This feature allows for maximum power adaptability regardless of the cabinet configuration or power requirements.

Product Usage Instructions:

Setting Up the Microtubes 900:

1. Ensure that the amplifier is turned off and disconnected from the power source.
2. Connect your bass guitar to the input jack of the Microtubes 900 using a suitable instrument cable.
3. If your bass guitar has an active pickup system, press the “PASSIVE/ACTIVE” switch to active mode. If your bass is passive, leave it in passive mode.
4. Connect your speaker cabinet or headphones to the appropriate output on the rear panel of the Microtubes 900.
5. Turn on the amplifier and adjust the volume controls on your bass and the Microtubes 900 to a low level.

Using the Microtubes Engine:
The Microtubes Engine adds compression, harmonic enhancement, and saturation to your bass tone. Follow these steps to use the Microtubes Engine:

1. Press the “MICROTUBES” push button to turn on the Microtubes Engine. The LED indicator should light up.
2. Adjust the “COMPRESSION” knob to control the amount of dynamic compression applied by the Microtubes Engine. Turn it clockwise for more compression or counterclockwise for less compression.

Adjusting the Clean Section:
The clean section of the Microtubes 900 allows you to shape your sound using the Gain, Master, and 6 Band EQ controls. Follow these steps to adjust the clean section:

1. Set the “Gain” control to achieve the desired input gain level. Higher settings will result in more distortion.
2. Adjust the “Master” control to set the overall volume level.
3. Use the sliders on the 6 Band EQ to shape your sound. The Low and Treble controls are mandatory, while the 250Hz, 500Hz, 1.5KHz, and 3KHz sliders allow you to control the midrange frequencies.

Power Output and Speaker Loads:
The Microtubes 900 offers two power modes for different speaker loads. Follow these steps to select the appropriate mode:

1. Locate the rear panel switch that controls the power mode.
2. In the standard mode, the amplifier delivers 900W at 4 ohms or 500W at 8 ohms. Leave the switch in this position if your speaker cabinet matches these specifications.
3. If your speaker cabinet has a 2-ohm impedance, switch to the 2 Mode. In this mode, the amplifier delivers 900W at 2 ohms, 500W at 4 ohms, and 350W at 8 ohms.

FAQ:

• Q: Can I use headphones with the Microtubes 900?
  A: Yes, you can connect headphones to the DI outputs or headphone output on the rear panel of the Microtubes 900 for private practice or monitoring.

• Q: Can I use the Microtubes Engine without engaging the clean section?
  A: No, the Microtubes Engine operates before the clean section and requires the clean section to be engaged for additional tone shaping using the 4 Band Active EQ.

• Q: What is the purpose of the “PASSIVE/ACTIVE” switch?
  A: The “PASSIVE/ACTIVE” switch is used to accommodate different types of bass guitars. When your bass has active pickups, the switch should be set to active mode to prevent early distortion caused by a hotter signal. For passive basses, leave it in passive mode.

• Q: How do I adjust the amount of compression applied by the microtube engine?
  A: Use the “COMPRESSION” knob on the front panel to control the amount of dynamic compression. Turn it clockwise for more compression or counterclockwise for less compression.

2018 ended up as the most important year in Darkglass history. With groundbreaking new products, renewed classic releases, and limited-edition pedals, our product catalogue grew stronger than ever and we took more steps in the direction we’ve always strived for making the best gear for musicians all over the world.

Developing new products is often a long and challenging process, full of surprises and hard-learned lessons. We have learned and improved tremendously since the release of our first amplifier, and now we have the pleasure of starting 2019 with a completely redesigned version of our Microtubes 900. Boasting enhanced durability, a more flexible equalizer, studio-grade compression, impulse response cabinet emulation, and even MIDI control, the Microtubes 900 v2 features all the features and power the modern, professional bassist needs in the same compact, gorgeous format.

DESCRIPTION

• The Microtubes 900™ V2 is a 900W amplifier equipped with an all analog preamplifier, Class D Power Module and a digital impulse-response cabinet emulator for DI outputs or headphones.
• Probably the first thing you will notice from the Microtubes 900 is its unusual control layout: On the right side, you’ll find the clean section which is the foundation of your sound.
• It features Gain and Master volumes and active 6-band EQ. Along with the mandatory Low and Treble controls, you will find 250Hz, 500Hz, 1.5KHz, and 3KHz sliders. Character is all in the midrange, by having 4 dedicated Mid controls allow you to cover the whole mid-range (250Hz to 3kHz) you have total control and flexibility over the amplifier’s character.
• On the left side, by the Input jack, you will find the Microtubes® Engine which acts as an extra channel that can bring your crisp clean sound to the next level by helping you cut through any mix while adding anything from subtle tube break up, harmonics and natural compression to obliterating distortion.
• The Microtubes Engine can be engaged via the front panel or our own digitally controlled ™ (jack on rear panel). Besides engaging the Microtubes circuitry you can hold the actuator to Mute the amplifier.
• The Intelligent Footswitch is housed in an elegant, laser-engraved unibody chassis and requires a standard ¼” mono cable (not included) for its full operation.
• Besides this incredibly versatile preamplifier, we equipped the power module with some unique control over the power output and minimum speaker loads:
• The standard mode will deliver 900W RMS at 4Ω/500W at 8Ω. If you select the 2Ω Mode via the rear panel switch the amplifier will deliver 900W at 2Ω/500W at 4Ω and 350W at 8Ω.
• This deceivingly simple feature allows for maximum power adaptability: It doesn’t matter the cabinet configuration or power requirements, the Microtubes 900 will deliver accordingly.

FEATURES

FRONT PANEL

• INPUT: Use this jack to connect your instrument via a standard ¼” mono cable.

• PASSIVE/ACTIVE: Use this push-button switch to change from passive to active mode. If your bass is active it can have a hotter signal making the amp distort early (feel free to use if such additional distortion is desired).

• MICROTUBES: Use this push button to turn on or off the Microtubes Engine to add natural compression, organic harmonic enhancement, and saturation ranging from mild overdrive to high-gain bass rage.
  The Microtubes Engine operates before the clean section (you can therefore use the 4 Band Active EQ for additional tone shaping in addition to the Tone knob described below).

• COMPRESSION: This knob controls the amount of dynamic compression added to the Microtubes Engine. The make-up gain is adjusted automatically. The compression can be turned off or assigned using the Darkglass Suite.

• DRIVE: This knob controls the amount of distortion that the Microtubes Engine will deliver. It will change from a soft warm overdrive to a massive modern distortion sound.

• TONE: This knob controls the high harmonic content of the Microtubes Engine via a variable low pass filter: crank it up for additional attack and definition or dim it down for a smoother sound, especially handy if already running bright clean EQ setting or cabinets with tweeters.

• LEVEL: Use this knob to control Microtubes Engine’s output volume.

• BLEND: Use this knob to mix between the Clean signal and the Distortion signal (Microtubes Engine).

• B3K/VMT: This push-button switch selects between two overdrive voicings: B3K mode will deliver an aggressive, percussive sound while the VMT will bring up the mids for a warmer, more neutral character.

• GAIN: Use this knob to change the volume of the signal before the Active 4 Band EQ. You can set it low to ensure the cleanest operation possible or set it higher for a more aggressive growl.

• BASS: +-12dB at 80Hz. Use this knob to change the low content of the signal.

• MIDS: +-12dB at 250, 500,1.5K and 3Khz. This graphic eq controls the mid content of the signal.

• TREBLE: +-12dB at 5kHz. Use this knob to change the high content of the signal.

• MASTER: Use this knob to control the overall volume of the amplifier.

• MUTE: Use this push button to mute the amplifier.

REAR PANEL

• SPEAKER OUTPUT: Use this connector to connect the amplifier to your cabinet. This Speakon combo jack allows for either Speakon or ¼” speaker cable operation. The outputs are connected in parallel.
  WARNING: Do not use an instrument cable with this jack. Using an instrument cable can damage your amplifier.

• MIN – LOAD: Press this switch when using a 2Ω load. You can use this control to lower the output if your 4Ω cabinet is not able to handle more than 500W (you can also get 350W with an 8Ω cabinet in this configuration).

• PREAMP OUT: You can use this output to connect the preamp to a different power amp.

• POWER AMP IN: You can use this input to connect a different preamp in the power amp. (master volume will be disabled)

• GROUND LIFT: Use this control to lift the ground of the DI XLR output. If you are experiencing ground noise in your DI signal try changing the setting of this control.

• PREDI OUTPUT: Use this connector to send a balanced copy of your clean signal to the console, mic preamp, interface, etc.

• POST DI OUTPUT: Use this connector to connect the Microtubes 900 preamplifier to balanced equipment (mic preamp, console, recorder, compressor, audio interface, etc.) via a standard XLR jack. Using this connection you have a signal processed by the preamp of the amp (gain, distortion, eq, master, etc.)

• USB: The USB connector allows you to use the Darkglass Suite to load different cabinet impulses or change different parameters on your amp (midi, compressor, etc)

• HEADPHONE OUTPUT: Connect your Headphones and enjoy the impulse-based cabinet emulation.

• HEADPHONE VOLUME: This knob controls the volume of the headphone output.

• AUX IN: Use this connector to provide to the Headphone output music from your laptop, cellphone, mp3 player, etc.

• CABINET SELECT: Use this switch to navigate between the 3 different cabinet impulses or the raw sound of your amp.

• MIDI: The MIDI input allows you to control the channels of the amp via a MIDI standard controller.

• FOOTSWITCH: The Intelligent Footswitch is a proprietary digitally controlled device that allows you to remotely engage and disengage the Microtubes Engine. You can also hold the footswitch to Mute the amplifier. The VMT/B3K push button will remain operational with the Intelligent Footswitch plugged in.

  • You can use a regular mono instrument cable to connect the amplifier to the footswitch.
  • You must remove the cable from the footswitch jack in the rear panel if you want to control the amp from the front panel.

• FAN: The fan forces air inside the amp to help the heatsink system cool the amp. The fan will speed up when the temperature rises to help cool the system more efficiently while keeping the noise at a minimum. Be sure to never cover the vent holes.

• AC SOCKET: Use this connector to feed electric power to the amplifier. 100 – 230 VAC, 50Hz-60.

• AC POWER ON/OFF: Use this Switch to release the audio energy from your bass.

BLOCK DIAGRAM

WARRANTY AND SPECIFICATION

WARRANTY
Please register for your warranty at http://mypedal.darkglass.com. The Microtubes 900 is under warranty to the original owner for three years against manufacturing defects in the country where the product was originally purchased.

If you experience a problem with the unit, please contact support@darkglass.com to receive a Return Authorization number or for information on the nearest authorized repair centre. A copy of your original receipt must be included with all warranty repairs. You are responsible for all shipping charges. The unit must be shipped to us freight prepaid. We will return the unit freight collection.

Darkglass Electronics Oy is not responsible for shipping damage either to or from our service centre. Claims must be filed with the carrier. For repairs please contact your local dealer or distributor for your country’s specific warranty period and repair procedures. Darkglass, Microtubes, and Microtubes Engine are registered trademarks of Darkglass Electronics OY.

SPECIFICATIONS

• Input Impedance: 1MΩ
• Minimum Load Impedance: 4Ω (2Ω in 2Ω mode)
• Maximum Power Output: 900 Watts RMS @ 4Ω (1khz full blast 2 min max) 20%THD 450 Watts RMS @ 8Ω
• Power Amp Input Impedance: 1MΩ
• Power Amp Input Level: 1500 mV RMS 1200MV RMS at 2Ωmode
• Pre-Amp Output Impedance: 1kΩ
• Pre-Amp Output Level: 1200 mV
• Maximum Power Consumption: approx. 700VA Forced-air cooled
• AC Input Power: 100-250 VAC (Via selector switch on left side panel).
• Cycles: 50/60 Hz
• Dimensions: 26.7cm l x 7cm h 25.5 w (10.5”l x 2.75”h x 10”w)
• Weight: 2.9Kg (6.39Lbs)

Built and Engineered in Helsinki, Finland.

WARNING

• No user-serviceable parts inside the amplifier. Do not open the amp.
• Never use the amp in a high-moisture environment or near liquids.
• The Microtubes 900 can deliver more than 115 dB of power. Exposure to this level of sound can damage your hearing. Use proper hearing protection if you will be exposed.
• The Microtubes 900 can deliver more than 900 Watts. Be sure that your speaker cabinet can deliver that power. You can reduce the output of the amp by selecting the 2Ω mode on the rear panel (by the SpeakON output jack).
• Do not cover the vent holes. The Fan and vent holes are part of the cooling system of the amp. Covering the vent holes can damage the power amp by overheating it.
• Don’t use an instrument cable as a speaker cable. An instrument cable is not designed to deliver the type of power signals sent from the amplifier to the speaker.

TROUBLESHOOTING

• The button controls do not react: check if the footswitch is connected. If you do not want to use the footswitch, you have to unplug the cable from the rear back of the amp.
• The amp does not turn on: check if the power cable is connected and if you have power on the wall.
• The sound is low: check your speaker cable. Never use instrument cables.
• The sound is distorted or too high: check if the passive active switch matches your bass.

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Documents / Resources

| Darkglass Electronics 900 V2 Microtubes [pdf] User Guide
900 V2 Microtubes, 900 V2, Microtubes
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References

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