Clarus Notch Filter

basss · #1 11-10-2004, 03:55 PM

How effective is the notch filter on the Clarus at reducing feedback and tone shaping? The portablity of the Clarus SL is attractive but I'm wondering if I would miss the extra features of the regular clarus (notch and High pass filters). I just joined a loud Salsa dance band so I will need to get some volume out of my upright and I'm wondering what kind of a difference these filters will make.

B String · #2 11-10-2004, 04:03 PM

Unless you are using multiple cabs adding up to 2 ohms,
I think you may need the power of the AI Focus, to keep
up in a loud salsa band. The extra power is primarily for
the low end thump. At higher volumes, I think you will
find the notch filter very helpfull.

Brennan · #3 11-10-2004, 05:49 PM

I think the notch filter is one of the most attractive features. They all are really portable. I don't know why someone would pay more for a clarus sl when the clarus is only 6lbs. The focus isn't much more $ and has alot of watts, especially for a salsa gig and only 4lbs.

basss · #4 11-10-2004, 06:55 PM

The focus is 2x the price of the clarus and a bit out of my price range- depending on how serious the GAS gets. I'll be using it with an Euphonic Audio Wizzy 112 which is 4 ohms and pretty efficient. I've been able to get loud enough with my iAmp 500, which I love, but its a bit much to schlep with the upright and there's some possible touring coming up down the road so I'm looking to lighten my load as much as possible. Do you think the clarus will have enough juice?

Brennan · #5 11-10-2004, 08:03 PM

Man, I feel for you. I've been touring for years with various Salsa/ Latin Jazz with my upright (5 broken necks to prove it). I usually am at the mercy of what ever backline they provide . In general, IMO, drums+conga = more watts. I don't think you could get away with a clarus. I may be wrong, but you'll certainly need a large or multiple speakers then you have the problem of low end rumble and feedback. You can't bring your speakers on the road so usually you can count on getting a 4x10 cab or a single 15. I found the AI stuff to be on the quiet side to begin with. I'm in a similar situation, having sold all my heavy stuff, and looking for a high watt, great sounding rig that I can take on the road. Preferably with adjustable voltage for different countries. I've narrowed down my choices to
AI Focus around $1200
pros-small,good features for Upright
cons- expensive, actually not that many watts 300 into 8ohms.
Walter Woods-the best but $2500?
Mesa Boogie walkabout- Pros sounds really great....for electric. Probably sounds great for UB. Not as expensive. Pretty loud for 300 watts 4 ohms. A little heavy at 13 lbs, but, compact.
I don't know what the ... to get really but let me know if you come up with any great ideas. I hope this helps a little. Geoff

B String · #6 11-10-2004, 08:20 PM

[quote=Brennan]AI Focus around $1200
pros-small,good features for Upright
cons- expensive, actually not that many watts 300 into 8ohms.

My new Focus manual says 350 watts @ 8ohms. I called
Rick at AI to confirm this. He says yes, 350 watts. I'm
really liking this head.

basss · #7 11-10-2004, 09:30 PM

How is the focus with electric? I play only passive EB's.

Kevinlee · #8 11-11-2004, 12:05 AM

I'm using the clarus and what I do when I need to be extra-loud on stage, is run a line out into a second power amp & speaker cab. If your touring and they need to supply you with a speaker cab anyway, have them make it two cabs and a power amp. This way you can still just travel with the clarus and know what your amp will be from gig to gig.

Generally I never need to be that loud on stage but I've done it with a seperate amp and it works well.
If I need to be a little louder I bring two 4ohm cabs instead of one and this seems fine for me.

I find it's really more speakers that make you louder. If you run a 1000 watts into a single 12" speaker you may have tons of head room but I don't know how "loud" you are really going to be.

Kevinlee

Brennan · #9 11-11-2004, 09:01 AM

The website says 300 @ 8 ohms. Honest mistake. I would be delighted if the Focus had a ton of head room but I'm a little skeptical, especially after trying one in the shop. Although it was through a Bergie 12 so Kevinlee's comments make sense. Also, as far as requesting multiple specific cabs and power amps on the road.....aint gonna happen. Your talking about a Salsa band right? You'll get what you get which 90% of the time is a GK800RB and a 4X10 or a 1X15.

J. Brunka · #10 11-11-2004, 10:47 AM

What about running a line to the PA and let the House system add to the sound. Even better to go to monitors so that your sound is across the whole stage. My Clarus has an XLR out although I don't know if they all do. If not a DI isn't that much or get a good preamp, then you'll have more tome shaping for all of those different cabs you will come across.

J.

**Chris Fitzgerald** · #11 11-12-2004, 05:55 AM

I'm borrowing a friend's Clarus 2R to play a few gigs on so I can see how the notch filter performs. I've tried using my regular Clarus on gigs with my setup (Full Circle & AMT --> PMB-II --> Clarus -->EA VL 208), and it doesn't sound half bad, but it sounds boomy compared to the same signal chain going into my iAmp 800, which has a low end filter that cleans the sound up a lot. If the notch filter on the 2R does the trick, I may have to think seriously about a Focus.

jcbassomatic · #12 11-12-2004, 07:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chris Fitzgerald

I'm borrowing a friend's Clarus 2R to play a few gigs on so I can see how the notch filter performs. I've tried using my regular Clarus on gigs with my setup (Full Circle & AMT --> PMB-II --> Clarus -->EA VL 208), and it doesn't sound half bad, but it sounds boomy compared to the same signal chain going into my iAmp 800, which has a low end filter that cleans the sound up a lot. If the notch filter on the 2R does the trick, I may have to think seriously about a Focus.

I bought a focus a few months ago and I'm happy. The filter has two modes - notch and high pass filter. I typically use the high pass filter mode with my ply bass and realist pickup.

On the rare occaisions when I use my underwood pickup, I switch the filter to notch mode and sweep the dial to nix the nasty piezo scratchy tone. I found that the notch is a little narrow for this and there is no adjustment for the width of the notch filer. I can't seem to get rid of enough of the 1-2kHz nastiness, but it does get rid of some of it. I use the bass eq knob to kill some of the boominess since you can't run the filter in both notch and high pass modes at the same time. Then again, I'm not sure I could ever get the sound I want from an underwood.

My take on the whole thing is Rick designed a useful preamp that does what most people want for a reasonable price. If you want more, you gotta look into adding a preamp/eq with more features.

**Chris Fitzgerald** · #13 11-13-2004, 01:33 AM

Played the gig with the Clarus 2R tonight, and all I can say is WOW. That was some of the best tone I've ever gotten live, and goes to show me that my old original model Clarus is not a healthy animal, since this was so much better. Just for yuks, I figured I'd bypass the Raven Labs blender and plug the AMT into the mic channel and the Full Circle into the pickup channel. With minimal futzing, I was good to go, and the sound was absolutely dead on. The notch filter did a nice job of ridding the pickup of that "artificial bottom" that happens when the volume creeps up, and the onboard preamp sounded great.

Once I get my finances together, I'll definitely be ordering a Focus 2, and I expect it will supplant my iAmp rack quite admirable for all but the most demanding situations - and do it in about 1/4 the size and weight. Another added bonus is that I'll be able to unfasten the PMB from my gig stool and store it under the seat of the car for emergencies, which will also save me a couple of pounds on my working rig. That little amp is damned impressive.

Marcus Johnson · #14 11-13-2004, 03:55 AM

"...it's beginning to look a lot like Christ-mas"...

basss · #15 11-13-2004, 07:04 AM

Thanks all

Notch filter it is then!

abaguer · #16 11-15-2004, 01:23 AM

Just got back from 3 weeks in Europe with a four piece Cajun/blues band. Brought Messenger EUB and Clarus head. At mercy of backline over there and Clarus wasn't enough into 8 ohm cab. Used the Clarus DI and put a little bass in PA on gigs where it needed to be louder. DI works really well. Will probably sell some stuff and order a Focus in near future. On past tours have gotten hold of 4 ohm cabs and it was enough.