Workingman’s 8004 T/O/P OWNER’S MANUAL SWR • CORONA, CA • USA
INTRODUCTION Congratulations on your purchase of the SWR Workingman’s 8004 T/O/P Bass Amplifier! You now own the top-of-the-line amp in SWR’s Workingman’s Series of products for bassists who expect professional tone and power at a price they can afford. The story of the development of this particular amplifier is unique.
Note: Please take a moment to verify that the following items were included in your Workingman’s 8004 packaging: AC Cable, SWR Catalog.
ELECTRICAL SPECIFICATIONS Note: All measurements were taken with a line voltage of 120VAC. All voltages and watts are “RMS.” All measurements are taken with tone controls set flat, Shape control at minimum. Power Ratings (minimum): 750 Watts @ 4 ohms 450 Watts @ 8 ohms Power Bandwidth (frequency response): (@ 850 watts RMS) -3dB @ 20 Hz and 40 kHz Dimensions: 23 1/4" W x 7 1/2" H x 13 1/2" D Weight: 37 lbs.
Turning The Unit On Remove the AC cable from the accessory pack and connect it from the amplifier to a standard wall outlet. Make sure that the both the Gain and Master Volume controls are set to the minimum position. Locate the power switch on the right side of the front panel and turn the amplifier on. The power switch should then illuminate in red. Upon powering up, if the Speaker On/Off switch is set to the “On” position, don’t be surprised if you hear a small pop. This is absolutely normal.
Active Input Jack The Active input jack should be used with instruments having a built-in (on board) preamp or other sound sources that will produce output levels greater than 1 volt RMS. The number of bass manufacturers has increased significantly over the years, and it’s impossible to try and keep track of them all.
This remains true up to about the “2 o’clock” position (a popular setting for many), at which point selected mids start to drop off—specifically, a group of frequencies centered around 800 Hz. At this point and after, the effect becomes much more pronounced. However, the curves involved here are gentle, as opposed to the very extreme curves you can create by boosting or cutting the Active Tone Controls (EQ).
Effects Blend Control The Effects Blend control “blends” the signal sent from your instrument with the signal coming from your effects unit when used in the Effects Loop of the Workingman’s 8004. With the Effects Blend fully counter-clockwise (“DRY”), no signal from your external effects unit will be heard. As you turn this control clockwise, more of the effect can be heard in the overall sound.
REAR PANEL FEATURES Balanced (XLR) Output The Balanced XLR out is a true electronically balanced output, suitable for studio and “front-of-house” (live) mixing consoles. The level present at this output has been set to a level optimal for most mixing board input applications. The signal appearing at the Balanced Output is governed by the setting of the push-button XLR Mode switch located below it (Line/Direct).
Tuner Out The Tuner Out function allows the user to plug their instrument tuner into this jack and “tune up” without having to unplug and go back and forth from amp to tuner. In conjunction with either the XLR Mute switch and the Speaker On/Off switch, you can achieve silent tuning between songs onstage during a gig. To use this feature, connect a shielded patch cord from the Tuner Out jack on your Workingman’s 8004 to the input jack on your tuner. Turn the amplifier on and you’re ready to go.
2. An input for pre-recorded music, for playing along and practicing purposes. To accomplish this, insert a CD player or other sound source into the Effects Receive jack. (It must be a MONO 1/4" plug that goes into this input, so you’ll have to use a stereo-to-mono cable adapter of some kind.
SPEAKER OUTPUT SECTION This section of the manual will deal with the proper connection of speaker cabinets to the power amplifier in the Workingman’s 8004. Some of this ground has already been covered in the Getting Started— Connecting Your Speaker Cabinets section in the beginning of the manual. This is meant to supplement that section and provide information in greater detail, as power amplifiers, impedance and speaker cabinets are all crucial in determining how best to operate your new Workingman’s 8004.
Remember, it’s always better to have a little too much power than just barely enough. If you find yourself constantly wanting more power than the Workingman’s 8004 provides, either: a) Tell your bandmates to turn down b) Tell the monitor engineer to turn you up c) (best option) Take the time to investigate getting an external power amp and/or additional speaker cabinets to supplement your rig.
Line Fuse (A/C or Mains Fuse) This fuse is provided to protect the internal electronics against power surges, etc. It also protects the unit against itself should one of the internal components fail. If this fuse should open, replace it with the same type of fuse and rating. Do not defeat the purpose of this feature by using a higher rated fuse as it can void your warranty.
WORKINGMAN’S 8004 T/O/P LIMITED WARRANTY The WORKINGMAN’S 8004 T/O/P from SWR is warranted to the original consumer purchaser for TWO YEARS from the date of purchase against defects in materials and workmanship, provided that it is purchased from an Authorized SWR dealer. This warranty applies only to products purchased in the USA or Canada.
