BC 150
A series of compact amplifiers for Bass instruments like nothing you have seen or heard before. These full frequency, extended headroom, integrated combo amps could be used for virtually any amplified instrument but are specifically tuned to the unique needs of Electric and Upright Bassists.
Consumers of recorded music have grown accustomed to the improvements in performance and sound resulting from the development of high quality, lower cost electronics. The bass world has enjoyed little benefit from this progress. Warwick’s new line of compact Bass Instrument Combo amps is destined to change this by introducing improvements in circuit design, speaker design, manufacturing, and much improved component integration.
Our considerations in these amp designs were multifold and our objective is to provide:
An aspiring bass player’s first amp.
A seasoned professional’s “residential amp” (to be used for practicing and pleasure playing at home).
A backstage tune-up/warm-up amp.
A teacher’s amp where both the student and the teacher can plug in simultaneously while playing musical examples with a music player through the auxiliary input.
An amp for rehearsals, where space and sound levels are limited.
CLASS-A CIRCUITRY
Class-A amplifiers are typically more linear and, as such, are less complex than other amplifier classes. The amplifying element is biased so the device is always conducting to some extent. This means the amplifier is always
on, avoiding the problem of crossover distortion associated with class-AB and -B designs.
Low-Z CIRCUITRY
By lowering the impedance inside an electronic circuit you lower the amount of thermal noise. In an amp where you have tone controls that lift mids and highs a considerable amount, proper impedance level makes the difference between enduring audible annoying hiss, and enjoying a pleasant tonal experience.
DYNAMIC DISTORTION LIMITER ™
Distortion occurs when an amplifier works beyond its range, when the power supply cannot supply the power any more to take the amp higher. A common method to control distortion in amps is to use a limiter, a device that stops the signal going beyond a specific level. Audio limiters work by setting a threshold signal level where the circuit kicks in and keeps signal levels within the capabilities of the power supply. This method is not very precise and often causes audible effects such as pumping and thumps. We designed a circuit that instead reads the distortion level in the power amp and starts limiting as soon as the amp shows even miniscule amounts of distortion. This means our amps always stay within 0.3% distortion (THD) when most amps are rated at between 5-10% distortion (that means that to get your 20 Watt out of a 20 Watt amp you will get it audibly distorted and if you want a clean signal the power will be a lot less).
There are desirable types of distortion, but these are not usually associated with transistor amplifiers, but more commonly associated with tube amps and effect pedals. Warwick’s goal is to give the user a great, clean sound allowing the user to decide how much, and what kind of distortion to employ.
INTEGRATED SPEAKER DESIGN
All the speaker drivers and cabinets have been designed in tandem with the electronics to create units that work together efficiently. Careful consideration has been taken to modify all parameters, thereby achieving the best results in sound and performance. All components reflect a custom designed solution to give the end user optimum control over his/her tone,
volume and configuration.
Bass combo
150 Watt Power Amp
15” Warwick Custom Speaker
4” High frequency horn
Bassreflex Housing
Rugged metal grill
Class A Low Noise Preamp
4 Way EQ with controls for bass, depp mid, high mid and treble
DDL (Dynamic Distortion Limiter) for distortion-free reproduction at high levels
Cooling by air circulation in the bass reflex cabinet. No fan noise
2 Inputs for active or passive Basses
The two instrument inputs are suitable for 2 instruments at the same time
Line Output with Ground Lift switch
FX Loop
Aux Stereo-Input, Mini jack for connecting MP3 player, CD player etc.
Integrated headphone amplifier. Aux in stereo signals over headphones in stereo
Speaker out-connection for additional speaker Cabinet
Dimensions in mm (B/H/D 530 x 580 x 380
Weight: 25 kg
