best portable lightweight amp?

[tito mangialajo]

hi everybodys,
what is in your opinion the best portable, lightweight, hi-fi combo amp for jazz club gigs in trio-quintet? i'll match it with a Rev Solo and I actually use an old GK MB 200 (very portable but not really hi-fi and up-to-date).
thanks, Tito.

[Ric Vice]

Originally Posted by tito mangialajo

hi everybodys,
what is in your opinion the best portable, lightweight, hi-fi combo amp for jazz club gigs in trio-quintet? i'll match it with a Rev Solo and I actually use an old GK MB 200 (very portable but not really hi-fi and up-to-date).
thanks, Tito.

Tito,
It kind of depends on how much you have to invest in an amplifier.
Acoustic Image has the Claris and Focus III models that weigh in at @4lbs. Euphonic Audio has a 3.5 pound amplifier that will be avaliable in January of next year, but here is some food for thought. Although your 200 MB is older it has a very warm sound when you compare it to the newer MBE and MBS models. If I were you I'd hold on to that baby, and match it with a lighweight cabinet.

Ric Vice

[Jumbotron]

I think somebody on here is selling a sweet little Polytone in the classifieds. You might think about that.

[hdiddy]

I think you do this and it would sound great:
1. AI Focus or Clarus
2. Flite Sound 12" w/ tweeter

If weight is the primary factor, this whole setup would weigh around 26 lbs. I used to use a Flite 10 but I think the 12 is better. That setup is crazy light. Otherwise, sub the Flite 12 for an Epifani UL110 and it'll still be around 25 lbs. I use the UL110 and a Focus SA + Solstice preamp myself. 1 trip from the car.

[Bob Branstetter]

Originally Posted by tito mangialajo

hi everybodys,
what is in your opinion the best portable, lightweight, hi-fi combo amp for jazz club gigs in trio-quintet?

In a combo amp, my vote has to be either an Acoustic Image Contra or Acoustic Image Coda. Both weigh under 20 pounds and about as Hi-Fi as you are going to find. A little pricey, but well worth it with the best product support after sale in the industry.

[damonsmith]

I did that "borrow the amp from the other band" thing a few weeks ago.
The guy had a Crate power block. It sounded so good I went out and Bought one the next day. It is 4.5lbs 150 watts mono or 2 x 75 bi-amped.
It matches up great with my ergo 6 and my double bass.
It costs all of $100 from guitar center.
Not super sophiscated but very clear. I'd like to find a tough, small cabinet that I could check on plane to use with it.
Most of situations I amplify in I wouldn't want a $2000 amp around.
In the "better" places I end up acoustic or miked through great sound system.
If you want hi-fi in small jazz club, try playing acoustic or a microphone. The bass puts out more sound than most of us think.
Also, replacing or doing away with a loud drummer is far less costly than investing in new gear.

[Mike Goodbar]

Originally Posted by damonsmith

Also, replacing or doing away with a loud drummer is far less costly than investing in new gear.

I think every bass amp should come equipped with a knob for turning the drummer down .

[Dad Bass]

Mike, Amen and Amen!

[bassteban]

Originally Posted by Mike Goodbar

I think every bass amp should come equipped with a knob for turning the drummer down .

Attenuable(maybe)20,000 volt tazer out line, to be connected to the drummer's______(s). 2007's most popular combo upgrade.

[Ric Vice]

Originally Posted by bassteban

Attenuable(maybe)20,000 volt tazer out line, to be connected to the drummer's______(s). 2007's most popular combo upgrade.

I always thought all drummers should have Ringo's set from the Beatles cartoons. All you have to do is let the air out of them.

Ric

[LowNote]

Bob Branstetter
Quote:

In a combo amp, my vote has to be either an Acoustic Image Contra or Acoustic Image Coda. Both weigh under 20 pounds and about as Hi-Fi as you are going to find. A little pricey, but well worth it with the best product support after sale in the industry.

+1! Rick Jones' new Series III Contra or Coda amps are the best product he has ever put out--under 20 pounds, incredibly hifi, full of great features for working musicians like the HighPass filter, DI and Mute switch, and with far greater power and volume than the Series I or II models.

[kwd]

Originally Posted by damonsmith

I did that "borrow the amp from the other band" thing a few weeks ago.
The guy had a Crate power block. It sounded so good I went out and Bought one the next day. It is 4.5lbs 150 watts mono or 2 x 75 bi-amped.
It matches up great with my ergo 6 and my double bass.
It costs all of $100 from guitar center.
Not super sophiscated but very clear. I'd like to find a tough, small cabinet that I could check on plane to use with it.
Most of situations I amplify in I wouldn't want a $2000 amp around.
In the "better" places I end up acoustic or miked through great sound system.
If you want hi-fi in small jazz club, try playing acoustic or a microphone. The bass puts out more sound than most of us think.
Also, replacing or doing away with a loud drummer is far less costly than investing in new gear.

Thanks for the post. I'm intrigued by this Crate Power Block idea. But is 150 watts enough to push something like an Epiphani or Acme? The Epiphani 10" has a wattage range requirement of 100-500, putting the Power Block near the bottom. It would seem to be out of the question for two cabinets.

[billyfalconer]

Originally Posted by kwd

...is 150 watts enough to push something like an Epiphani or Acme?

Definitely not the Acme. From his site, describing the 2x10 (B-2) box: "350W RMS is a good starting point due to the relatively low efficiency of the cabinet. 500W RMS is ideal."

[Boppingtheory]

Just a curiosity: why buying a sophisticated combo amp if many of us use to bypass the pre section and install an external unit connected with the effect return (normally provided with a more adequate input impedence, and effective frequency controls) such as D-Tar Solstice, Fishman EQ Platinum, Avalon etc?

What about a good and small active speaker paired with our favourite preamp instead ?

[TheSuzie]

Originally Posted by kwd

Thanks for the post. I'm intrigued by this Crate Power Block idea. But is 150 watts enough to push something like an Epiphani or Acme? The Epiphani 10" has a wattage range requirement of 100-500, putting the Power Block near the bottom. It would seem to be out of the question for two cabinets.

My Powerblock is on a truck, marked with an RMA number. Within it's limits it sounded very good through an outboard preamp into the CD inputs but I was afraid it would not give enough clean power in all situations. Since using the CD inputs meant that my input signal did not appear at the direct output, it left me in a bind. I'm sure I could have done some cutting and jumpering inside to either set up the DI or remove the clipping and speaker emulation filters from the main signal path but it seemed like too much effort for this particular amp. That said, I loved the weight, packaging and gig bag. If Crate ever makes a decent bass amp in the same form factor, I would probably grab one. For now, I am going to try something else that may be more versatile.

Peace,
S

[mje]

Originally Posted by damonsmith

...
The guy had a Crate power block. It sounded so good I went out and Bought one the next day. It is 4.5lbs 150 watts mono or 2 x 75 bi-amped.
It matches up great with my ergo 6 and my double bass.
It costs all of $100 from guitar center...

I bought one yesterday- mainly for guitar, and as a cheap monitor amp, but it sounds great with UB and BG through my Aguilar GS12 cabinet, too. I think it's the perfect budget amp for a DBer on a budget who'd like an AI amp but can't quite swing the price. Together with a 1x8 from LDS it would be a great club amp. I just might buy another for the nephew.

[Dave Whitla]

+1 AI Coda
+1 Drummer Knob (but then what do you do if the drummer IS a knob?!?)