Mesa/Boogie 2:90 Stereo Amplifier User Manual


 
Congratulations.
You have just become the owner of the most "Tone Full" three and one half inches of rack
guitar power available today. Don't let it’s mere two spaces fool you - This amp has a BIG
voice and was bred to be a serious contender in any arena. Though it weighs in at
approximately 90 watts per channel, grueling tone and headroom tests confirm its authority
even against amps boasting twice its rated power and yes...bulk. As with many of it’s Boogie
cousins - the concept "Shrink the package - Enlarge the Tone" was in full effect here. If you've
already played your 2:90, you know how incredibly big and bold, sweet and juicy it sounds...
If you chose it by reputation alone, stop! Put this down a second, connect it to your preamp
(hopefully TriAxis) and favorite cabinets. Begin the tonal experience so many 2:90 owners
rave to us about immediately! Don't wait! One chord and one note will tell you more about this
amp than we could ever say here in print. Besides, you can come back and read the day after
tomorrow - when your fingers are too sore to play anymore - and you can better enjoy this
manual with a blown mind and your previous idea of tone well rocked!
Much of the 2:90's huge sound and spongy dynamic feel comes from its patented Simul-
Class operation. For those just now discovering the magic of Simul - a brief explanation is in
order. In late 1982 an experiment in tone shaping within the power section, using esoteric
power transformers and unique power tube wiring configurations, gave birth to the first tube
power amp that incorporated two types of tube power operating simultaneously. These two
types or "Classes" of operation were Class A Triode and Class AB Pentode. The older Class
A style of wiring was popular in the early tweed amps of the 50's and produced a sweet
bubbling and bouncy tone - though not much power. As electric music became more popular,
louder and more powerful amps were needed. Class A wiring was discarded in favor of the
more efficient, cooler running Class AB Pentode wiring scheme. So ended an era of sweet
tweed amps. As we all know, those gems of yesteryear are much sought after today. Well,
both styles of wiring have their advantages; Class A Triode for sweet tone and a spongy easy
to play feel, Class AB Pentode for power, punch and cool reliability. To us, it made perfect
sense to marry all these attributes and combine two simultaneous classes of operation into
one power section. Thus the name Simul-Class . A decade later Simul-Class has powered
three generations of well loved Boogie combos and two generations of tour proven power
amps. The Simul 2:90 Stereo carries on this tradition and improves upon its predecessors.
By utilizing an even better, more "head-like" driver stage, this Simul delivers all the urgency
and soul often missing in some so called "guitar" power amps.
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