USERS MANUAL

? 2004, PreSonus Audio Electronics, Incorporated.

All rights reserved.

PreSonus Limited Warranty
PreSonus Audio Electronics Inc. warrants this product to be free of defects in material and workmanship for a period of one year from the date of original retail purchase. This warranty is enforceable only by the original retail purchaser. To be protected by this warranty, the purchaser must complete and return the enclosed warranty card within 14 days of purchase. During the warranty period PreSonus shall, at its sole and absolute option, either repair or replace, free of charge, any product that proves to be defective on inspection by PreSonus or its authorized service representative. To obtain warranty service, the purchaser must first call or write PreSonus at the address and telephone number printed below to obtain a Return Authorization Number and instructions of where to return the unit for service. All inquiries must be accompanied by a description of the problem. All authorized returns must be sent to the PreSonus repair facility postage prepaid, insured and properly packaged. PreSonus reserves the right to update any unit returned for repair. PreSonus reserves the right to change or improve the design of the product at any time without prior notice. This warranty does not cover claims for damage due to abuse, neglect, alteration or attempted repair by unauthorized personnel, and is limited to failures arising during normal use that are due to defects in material or workmanship in the product. Any implied warranties, including implied warranties of merchantability and fitness for a particular purpose, are limited in duration to the length of this limited warranty. Some states do not allow limitations on how long an implied warranty lasts, so the above limitation may not apply to you. In no event will PreSonus be liable for incidental, consequential or other damages resulting from the breach of any express or implied warranty, including, among other things, damage to property, damage based on inconvenience or on loss of use of the product, and, to the extent permitted by law, damages for personal injury. Some states do not allow the exclusion of limitation of incidental or consequential damages, so the above limitation or exclusion may not apply to you. This warranty gives you specific legal rights, and you may also have other rights, which vary from state to state. This warranty only applies to products sold and used in the United States of America. For warranty information in all other countries please refer to your local distributor.
PreSonus Audio Electronics, Inc. 7257 Florida Blvd. Baton Rouge, LA 70806 (225) 216-7887
? 2004, PreSonus Audio Electronics, Incorporated. All rights reserved.

Overview

1.1 Introduction 1.2 Features

2.1 2.2 2.3

Controls & Connections
Front Panel Basic Layout Preamplifier Section Back Panel Basic Layout

Operation

3.1 Dynamic Microphones 3.2 Phantom Powered Microphones 3.3 Instrument Input 3.4 Some Thoughts on Vacuum Tubes

Technical

4.1 Specifications

I N T R O D U C T I O N

Thank you for purchasing the PreSonus BLUETUBE DP two channel Dual Path mic/instrument preamplifier. This preamp was designed using state of the art components to deliver crystal clear audio for an infinite period of time. We believe the BLUETUBE DP to be an exceptional sounding unit and an exceptional value. Please contact us at 1-800-750-0323 with your questions or comments regarding this product. PreSonus Audio Electronics is committed to constant product improvement and believes the best way to accomplish this task is by listening to the experts on our gear, our valued customers. We appreciate the support you have shown us through the purchase of this product. Please pay close attention to how you connect your BLUETUBE DP to your system. Improper grounding or bad cables are the most common cause of noise problems found in studio or live sound systems. We urge you to scan this manual before hooking up your BLUETUBE DP to familiarize yourself with its features and various applications. Good luck and enjoy your BLUETUBE DP!

FEATURES

The following is a summary of your BLUETUBE DP features: s
Dual Path Gain Stage. Each channel of your BLUETUBE DP contains both a solid state preamp stage and a vacuum tube preamp stage, allowing for solid state and tube operation. The use of discrete components in the preamp stage ensures ultra low
noise performance and wide dynamic control. This gives the BLUETUBE DP the ability to boost your signal without increasing unwanted background noise.
Phantom Power. Each channel of your BLUETUBE DP has 48V phantom power available. When the phantom power switch is engaged on either channel, power is supplied at a constant rate to that channel. This assures optimum performance of your condenser microphone(s) and that the signal will be free of distortion due to insufficient power. Polarity Reversal. A polarity reversal switch is provided on each channel. This switch enables the user to invert the polarity of a microphone if phase cancellation is noticed when using identical microphones in close proximity to one another. The polarity reversal switch also can compensate for different XLR connector hookups where pin connections have been inverted. -20dB Pad. A -20dB pad is available on each channel for reducing the in-coming signal level. This pad provides a more manageable signal from high output devices giving the operator greater control over the incoming signal and a much reduced chance of overdriving the input and thereby avoiding distortion. 80Hz Filter. A rumble filter is available to eliminate low frequency noise. This lets you greatly reduce background noise such as air conditioners or wind noise with the flick of a switch without effecting the desired frequencies. Mic/Instrument Input. Each channel of the BLUETUBE DP has a separate Neutrik Combo? XLR / inch connector is provided on the back of the chassis for signal input from microphone XLR or instrument inch

input.

Tube Drive. The BLUETUBE DP provides a Tube Drive potentiometer on each channel for controlling the amount of saturation produced by the 12AX7 vacuum tube. Greater levels of tube saturation give the signal greater warmth and a richer sound. This works equally well on mics and instruments.

F R O N T

P A N E L

LAYOUT

The front panel of the BLUETUBE DP has analog VU meters for channel 1 and 2 to the far left and far right respectively, which measure the input level. VU stands for volume unit which is an average measurement of , the input signal level. This means that not all transients will be displayed by the VU meter. Both preamp channels contain:

? ? ? ? ? ?

+48V Switch Polarity Reversal Switch -20dB Pad 80Hz Filter Gain Control (0 to 54dB) Tube Drive Control (0 to100%)

P R E A M P L I F I E R

S E CT I O N
Phantom Power is available to each channel input of the BLUETUBE
DP. The 48 volts is supplied by way of the XLR connector for condenser mics and any other devices requiring continuous power through the XLR input. This power is supplied at a constant level allowing use of both inputs simultaneously. PIN 1 GND PIN 2 +48v PIN 3 +48v
XLR connector wiring for Phantom Power Polarity Reversal Switch. This allows the user to invert the polarity of
the XLR connector by switching pins two and three. The inversion of the pins of the XLR connector may be necessary to alter the audio phase of two like microphones to compensate for phase cancellation. It may be required that the wiring of a cable XLR connector be switched to s successfully utilize Phantom power.
-20dB Pad. This provides -20 decibels of attenuation with the push of a
button. This is a very useful feature for rapidly reducing the level coming into the BLUETUBE DP and thus preventing the input signal from overmodulating (distorting) the input. This may occur due to high output level from a microphone or line device. Padding the input serves to provide increased headroom for the operator.
Gain. This control governs the amount of boost to the signal being
processed by the preamplifier. Dynamic mics and instruments without pre-amps will normally require more gain than condenser mics and instruments that have a built-in preamp (care should be taken with instruments having their own built-in preamp not to overdrive the input of the BLUETUBE DP). If you should require more signal out of the pre-
amp for a hotter recording level or to drive an input of some down stream device harder, cranking up the gain should provide all the

signal that you need. ll Tube Drive. The BLUETUBE DP Tube Drive control increases the
amount of saturation produced by the 12AX7 vacuum tube. The Tube Drive can be turned on or off, and the effect achieved by this procedure can be subtle to extreme, depending on the setting being used. A warming up of the sound can be noticed with lower Tube Drive settings. This desirable effect is especially good for microphones and electric bass guitar, resulting in a warmer, rounder sound. An overdriven signal can be achieved by significantly raising the level of the Tube Drive control. This overdriven tube effect is extremely useful in creating vintage guitar sounds and great for use with harmonicas for that authentic Blues harp sound. The limits on the possibilities of the Tube Drive control are up to you, your application, and your imagination. Experiment!

LA YOUT

PIN 1 GND PIN 2 High PIN 3 Low (+) (-)
Cable Wiring Diagram for Input and Output XLR The Output XLR Connector is servo balanced and operates at +4dBu. TIP High (+) SLEEVE GND (-) Cable Wiring Diagram for Input and Output TS Plug The Output TS Connector is unbalanced and operates at -10dBv.

D Y N A M I C

M I C R O P H O NES
Dynamic microphones are characterized by lower output levels. Hence, more gain is needed to amplify a dynamic microphone to operating level. Occasionally it is necessary to engage the 20dB pad to the microphone to avoid distortion (e.g. when recording percussion). Do not use phantom power when using dynamic microphones.

P H A N T O M

P O W E R E D ( C O N D E N S O R )

M I C R O P H O N E S

Phantom powered microphones such as condenser microphones require external power for the microphone to operate. These microphones typically have much higher output than dynamic microphones. Use the 20dB to avoid distortion while recording loud sources.

I N S T R U M E N T

I N P U T
The instrument input is designed to handle plugs from instruments such as guitars and basses. This instrument input is an ultra high impedance amplifier designed to allow the full audio potential of an acoustic or electric instrument pickup to be realized. Care should be taken not to overdrive the input with instrument preamplifiers.

S O M E

T H O U G H T S

V A C U U M

T U B E S
The BLUETUBE DP comes supplied with a 12AX7 vacuum tube that meets or exceeds the stated performance criteria for the unit. We expect some owners of the BLUETUBE DP will try different tubes to investigate the various performance possibilities they might provide. Tube replacement can be easily accomplished by first unplugging the unit from the electrical outlet and removing the screws which attach the top to the chassis. The tube is mounted in a transverse fashion and care should be taken to properly align the pins on the tube to the corresponding holes in the receptacle. Make sure the tube is completely seated in the receptacle and replace the top of the unit before restoring power to it. Remember: Tube life and performance are affected by how often a tube is used and by how hard the tube is driven when in use. Signs of wear may be exhibited by poor performance or by the tube becoming microphonic. Periodic replacement of vacuum tubes is recommended. The time between the suggested replacement varies greatly with use. If you notice a deterioration in sound quality then it time to change the tube. s

4.1 T ECHNICAL

SPECIFICATI O N S
BLUETUBE DP Technical Specifications:
Number of Channels Performance THD + Noise (Unweighted) Two
0.005%@0dBTubeDrive 10% @ 100% Tube Drive -94dBu >90dB >98dB Dual Path
Noise Floor Signal to Noise Power Supply Rejection Amplifier Type Input Connectors Input Impedance, XLR Input Impedance, High Z Output Output Impedance, XLR Balanced Output Impedance, TRS Unbalanced Panel Controls Tube Drive Gain Polarity Reversal -20dB Pad 80Hz Filter +48V Phantom Power Metering Backlit VU Meter Power Supply Type Input Power Physical Weight Size Dimensions Chassis Front Panel
Neutrik? Combo 1.3k Ohms 1Meg Ohms

51 Ohms 51 Ohms

0% - 100% 0dB to +54dB

-20dBu to +6dBu

Linear Supply 16 VAC/1000mA 16 WATTS
(The power supply that ships with the unit is for the country that it ships to.)
4lbs. U Rack 8 X 5 X 1.75 Steel Brushed Aluminum
As a commitment to constant improvement, PreSonus, Inc. reserves the right to change any specification stated herein at any time in the future without notification.