The Acoustic Image Contra performed beautifully in an acoustically difficult room Saturday night. I had done a comparison with my G-K MB150E in my luthier's shop earlier, and the AI outclassed it. The G-K tone was very electric. On the gig, I received unsolicited positive feedback from the other musicians as to the naturalness and warmth of the AI's sound. Plenty of volume available, the AI will work anywhere you'd use an MB150.
Heretofore, I have been totally disappointed with the Schertler package and, despite all the glowing talk, a Euphonic Audio combo. The failure of both to deliver good tone was compounded by their high cost.
You know I've always said what works for you doesn't necessarily mean it'll work for me, and vice versa. BUT, if you have the chance, try an AI. They're in very short supply, and my guess is that's testimony as to how well received they are.

Originally posted by Don Higdon
The Acoustic Image Contra performed beautifully in an acoustically difficult room Saturday night. I had done a comparison with my G-K MB150E in my luthier's shop earlier, and the AI outclassed it.
Heretofore, I have been totally disappointed with the Schertler package and, despite all the glowing talk, a Euphonic Audio combo. The failure of both to deliver good tone was compounded by their high cost.

I have also been very pleased with my AI. (Not enough to dump my Walter Woods, though! ;) )
I used to use an MB150 also, and the AI just blew it away. I love the tone and the portability, no more double trips to the car! I am surprised you didn't like the Schertler though, for that kind of bread I almost expected it to sing and dance as well. One other thing,What were you using with the EA's, Don? I hear they need to suck up a lot of wattage to sound their best.I think Bob G. (hail Bob!) uses a 1200 watt crown power amp or some similar monstrosity with his EA combo.

I'm actually up to a 2400w QSC for my rock rig with the two VL-210 EA cabs (no wonder my hearing is going - and I thought it was just age). I have used a Clarus with the VL-208 (120w/8 ohms) and it gets plenty loud. The Euphonic Audio cabs are terrifically accurate and deliver all the frequencies and transients. Some players may not prefer this in some URB situations, (myself included, depending on the assignment) and even electric bass play -- no big fat booms, just the real deal. The Contra combo is bass-heavy and stops short at the midrange IMHO, reducing most of the high end frequency response, which can be a more desirable sound for URB in some situations.

FYI, I am now officially an Acoustic Image dealer. I'll add the info to my web site within a couple weeks.

Just came in from a gig. My three most trusted musician friends (tenor, piano, drums) all raved about the AI sound. Time to order Mr. Gollihur's mic, I guess.

I just got the contra (combo) today. It is the most amazing thing i've ever seen in bas amps. Small, Clean, loud-enough, loaded with tone.

Originally posted by Don Higdon
Just came in from a gig. My three most trusted musician friends (tenor, piano, drums) all raved about the AI sound. Time to order Mr. Gollihur's mic, I guess.

So Don, have you installed your new Golden Trinity Mic uprgrade kit yet?? Tech support only an email or phone call away if necessary.

Awfully quiet in the DB section of TalkBass this week!

I've stuff to do every night through Thursday, so I'm going to set up on Saturday morning with my luthier. I prefer doing it with a set of refined ears on hand.

AI Contra users - What do you use for a carrying case? I'm probably going to buy a 16" tom-tom case from a drum shop. ?????????

AI just came out with a carrying case for the Contra/Coda/EX models, which in fact is a heavy duty padded tom-tom case with shoulder strap and AI logo. $99. I can get you one.

Hey Bob (all hail Bob!), I'm a doubler, and I play 6 string toy bass. Can you tell me how the AI handles a low B string? Thanks.

It does fine, although you have to realize the Contra is not made for loud situations. I've used mine for coffeehouse gigs with fretless electric and ABG, and practice with my classic rock band w/five string and it did well. But don't expect it to carry a large room or a band with an aggressive drummer.

Originally posted by Marty Forrer
Hey Bob (all hail Bob!), I'm a doubler, and I play 6 string toy bass. Can you tell me how the AI handles a low B string? Thanks.

I've been using my 5 string bass guitar through my Contra at rehearsals w/the Salsa band I work in. It's more than loud enough to be heard with three miked horns plus a three piece percussion battery miked up, three mked vocalists also playing various percussion, and a keyboard. And it handles the low B.

Could the Contra carry in a larger room and louder situations if harnessed with a more "conventional" extension speaker, such as a Hartke 2x10 or 4x10?

For electric, I'm currently using the Hartkes with a GK RB800, which is also a 300-watt amp. Or am I comparing apples to oranges?

Not necessarily - I recently heard from a guy who runs his Contra with a 2x10 for larger gigs and is quite pleased. As long as the Hartke 2x10 or 4x10 are 4 ohms, you will get 300w from the combination.

I want to let anyone who may be hesitating to purchase an Acoustic Image product, Don't! I'm totally amazed at the support the company has given me. Through my own overuse and at times neglect, the grill under my Contra came off, and they replaced it no charge. I then, like a true wizard, blew out my Clarus (totally my fault, by plugging it in to other speakers while the power was still on) and they're sending me free replacement parts and even gave me detailed instructions on how to install them. If any one out there is as all thumbs as I am with electronics and gear, this is the only company you should deal with. Plus they're easy to get a hold of.

I have also had to deal with the company over a defective unit. I left a message about a problem in my contra, and a couple days later, I recieved a speaker in the mail. (unfortunately, the problem wasn't the speaker) I endied up sending the unit back, and they sent me a new unit. their coustomer service is quick and easy they seem to really want to please their coustomers.

Finally got my hands on a AI-contra, here, in France. Like everyone I agree it sounds nice, and I appreciate its simplicity regarding ajusting the various knobs. I agree with Bob G (hail) that the AI is rather bass-heavy and miss some midrange and higher frequencies response. It will probably replace my GK although I find it less portable and a bit bulkier, it is a step foreward toward a better sound.

Just tried the Contra in a local shop but was only able to try with an EUB and couldn't really crank it up so didn't get a proper idea about what it can do.
There's obviously high praise for it on this forum.
Has anyone tried it with electric bass? I need a small-gig amp and something for on-stage monitoring if I'm going through a PA (with DB) but quite fancy something more portable than my Trace for EB gigs.
Also looking at the GK amps as something that may handle both EB & DB.
Has anyone tried both the MB150E & MB150S in terms of which EQ section being more suitable for DB? Or is it just not worth the compromise in an amp that does both averagely than 2 amps that do one thing well. Generally I'm going through a PA so the amp is usually going to be for the benefit of me & the drummer on stage.
Also, is £795 a good UK price for the Contra?

moose: Check out the post on this thread by David K on 5/6/01

I think the contra's performance w/bass guitar really depends on the individual bass guitar. I had heard a lot of people report that it doesn't work well for that application, but my Tobias sounds terrific through it. Admittedly though, that thing would sound good plugged into toilet bowl. Students who plug into it all get different results.

Another factor is what people expect from an amp. A lot of cats have reported they think the contra is bass heavy, that it's not a true even response. The contra, according to the manufacturer is supposedly completely flat. I believe it. Amps designed for bass guitars, believe it or not, accentuate the highs. On most bass guitar amps, if you set the controls flat, you can hear a hiss and somewhat sharp and "clear" highs. Many mistake this for actual clarity and even repsonse, when in fact the amps are tuned to reproduce the highs at a higher decibel level. This is to compensate for the lack of highs inherant in most bass guitars. In these amps if you were able to bipass the entire preamp section, you'd hear something closer to a flat response, and depending on your bass, it would probably be muddier.

The sound I get from the contra with my bass guitar is similar to the sound I'd get if I plugged straight into a PA system or in to my Trace Elliot bypassing the preamps. If you plug your your doublebass into a bass guitar amp and think it sounds cleaner, it's because the amp is not reproducing the true sound of your bass. It's finding the highs and giving them a lot of help. You'll hear more harmonics and the sound of your finger attack, etc. It brings out things you don't hear as much as if you were playing unamped.

Let me add the speakers are often "voiced" too to have a greater response in certain frequncy ranges in the name of "more accurate reproduction," and "Detail." But in fact it's more a kin to reproducing a picture with the small details enlarged and out of proportion to the picture as a whole.

Thanks folks - appreciated.
David - you are dead right. Tried the Contra again with an active bass similar to my Jazz (which has more treble in reserve than you'd ever want!) and managed to crank it fairly loud - was happier with the sound than when using the EUB.

After a long chat with a very helpful guy at Overwater U.K. (shameless plug but got great service so credit where due) I got a good deal on a Clarus which I've since tried at 'in the house' volume levels through my Marshall 1X15.
Not an ideal cab for double bass but I was immediately impressed by how quiet the amp was as well as how 'lifelike' the sound was - like playing the bass acoustically but hearing it much louder. (I know that's the point of an amplifier but you know what I mean....!)

Anyway - I'm now looking for a much more portable speaker for DB gigs (hopefully before my next gig on friday!) and was v. interested in Chris F's Clarus thread with the 'custom' 1X10 and 1X8 - Chris are these cabs I could get in the UK or do I have to buy some MDF & head for Radio Spares?(!)

I fancy the EA 110 or 208 but they're out of my price range. I've looked at the SWR Workingman's 1X10T but that's only rated at 100W - I'm assuming that this is risky with the 120W RMS output. The other option so far is the GK112 cab rated at 150W which is also nice and light.
I was also looking at cheap floor wedge monitors (1X12) Has anyone tried this or the GK?

Finally - has anyone seen a 4ohm 1X10 anywhere or is this just foolish?

I know that speaker choice is subjective to the sound you're trying to get but there is little or no choice in local shops for this sort of thing & I'd be interested in your experiences.

Cheers.
Moose

Originally posted by bullmoose
I've looked at the SWR Workingman's 1X10T but that's only rated at 100W - I'm assuming that this is risky with the 120W RMS output.


I wouldn't worry about that at all. It's more dangerous to underpower a speaker than it is to overpower it. YMMV.

Moose,

The speakers I've been using are made by a guy here in town named Gary Falk who runs a local studio. He also makes P.A. speakers, which (I discovered quite by accident) also happen to make great DB cabs, although I wouldn't use them for BG. I don't know anything about importing/exporting, but I imagine it could be more trouble than it's worth. My best advice would be to look for anything you can find that uses a full range 8" speaker(s) and try it out to see if you like the sound. If you want to try the import/export thing, let me know and I'll try to get you in touch with Gary.

Thanks for the offer/info Chris,

The only PA gear I've been able to try with the Clarus is my band's vocal PA 1X15 Fender cab (quite boomy) or 1X12 + tweeter floor wedges - fairly harsh sounding although could just be cheap brands.
Couldn't find any 1X8's that fit the bill but have managed to get a David Eden 1X10" (8ohm 200W) for a little over half the price of an EA. Whilst I've not been able to compare this with the EA I've been blown away by the combination of 'Dave' and the Clarus. Not the lightest at 26lbs but sure beats lugging a Trace around.

Just done 16 gigs in 12 days (!) at the Edinburgh festival in a variety of venues indoor & outdoor & have been really chuffed with my onstage sound - masses of weight in the bottom end & plenty of singing from the G string (although have had to boost the mid & treble a bit in some rooms).
Have had no probs at all getting enough volume and/but in a couple of venues have had to roll off the bass quite a bit as it's just filling the room (which is great for other venues). More often than not, flat EQ sounds great.
Had quite a few questions about my gear after shows which can only be a good sign.

Not tried this combo with EB live yet but have a DB/EB gig in a few weeks time.

Thanks to Lawrence at Overwater for all the advice.