Clarus SL - what a great little unit

**Adrian Cho** · #1 11-08-2007, 11:48 PM

I recently returned my second Micro 300 after putting up with the incessant buzzing. The second unit was supposed to have fixed the problem but it was still a joke. When BobG got the second unit back he said it was the worst buzzing he had heard from any Micro 300 so apparently I was just unlucky twice.

I was fortunate enough to find a near new Clarus SL on eBay. I have owned AI heads in the past and have also been borrowing a friend's series III Clarus during all this amp trouble in the last few months. However I had never actually seen a Clarus SL in the flesh until I received mine.

What a great little unit this is. It is a great pity that AI discontinued production of this little wonder (although Rick did tell Bob that he could make one when I enquired recently). It's not clear whether he could/would make more or put it back into production.

The SL is slightly larger than the Micro 300 but the same weight. Of course it's dead silent but what's great in my opinion is that it's a better match for the Wizzy 10 than the Micro 300 is. The combination is much punchier and more natural sounding to me. I find the Wizzy to be harsh in the mids and the Micro is bright and just tends to exacerbate the problem. However the SL (and I'm guessing any other AI head) is darker and tends to balance it out a bit more.

The SL plus FDeck's HPF-Pre and all the requisite cables fit very nicely into the SL bag and the whole setup is very carryable. It does lack the HP filter but that's what FDeck's unit is for. It only has one channel but you can use the low and high Z inputs at the same time and since the AMT super preamp has it's own level control for the line output, it all works great.

I find this to be all I need in terms of power and function. Anything is overkill for me and I so hate carrying excess weight and bulk so it's wonderful to have something that is just the right size.

bolo · #2 11-09-2007, 08:34 AM

Sounds pretty cool all right.

No EQ though. Ironic I should say that. For DB I run the EQ flat.

And I guess you can control the relative blend of p/u and mic in your case because you have the Super Preamp and its level control for your AMT. But without that capability, I am not sure how one would control the relative balance of mic v. p/u.

Still as you said, given your needs, excellent sonics, nice match tone-wise with the Wizzy 10, and superb portability. I say again, pretty cool rig.

**Adrian Cho** · #3 11-09-2007, 12:48 PM

You mean no separate EQ when using the pickup and the mic together. Of course it has the EQ for the one channel which means you are EQing the mix of both inputs.

I'm just amazed at this little box because I know they never sold very well and I was never interested in one myself but now that I have one, I'm surprised I didn't take more notice of it before. I think part of the reason is the 150 W into 8 ohms. That seems pretty low. Works great with a 4 ohm cab however at 250 W and also does 350 W at 2 ohms.

bolo · #4 11-09-2007, 01:32 PM

Adrian, my mistake. I thought you were talking about the Clarus SA. Their "satellite" power amp. 800 watts into 4 ohms. Just one knob, labelled "Level". I like that part. One friggin' knob. Giggles. Discontinued.

So I guess you had a Focus before, just the Clarus is new for you.

But I guess I am still a lilttle confused. (Happens a lot.) The Series III line still includes the Clarus, but you referred to the Clarus you have now as "discontinued" in your OP.

What am I missing? (That's a loaded question.)

salcott · #5 11-09-2007, 01:40 PM

I have the SL-R and use it for both bass and pedal steel. I have WZ110 and 112 cabs, and use whatever combination seems right for the gig. The Clarus SL is plenty of amp unless the gig is stupid loud with EBass and a 2ohm load; hit a big power chord and it may shut down momentarily in self-preservation. It sure is subway friendly; I've even taken it on the train with both cabs. It's a great, versatile little unit.

**Adrian Cho** · #6 11-09-2007, 02:16 PM

This is the Clarus SL. It is a cut down version of the Clarus. Check out the old page on the AI site:

http://www.acousticimg.com/products/prod_clarus_sl.html

The SL was part of the series II line so it is no longer in production but as I mentioned above, it may be possible to still get one new. I bought my barely used unit off eBay.

bolo · #7 11-10-2007, 12:12 PM

Seems like I'm wrong or out of touch on several counts here.

The SA satellite amp is still available apparently.

And it still has just one control knob on the front. At least I got that part right.

**Adrian Cho** · #8 11-10-2007, 07:37 PM

Yes I believe SA is definitely still available in the series III lineup. As you know it's just the power amplifier only - no preamp. The Clarus SL is cut-down version of the Clarus. Even the power cord that comes with it is cut-down in that it is thinner and folds up compactly to fit into the smaller case.

liam_g · #9 11-10-2007, 09:39 PM

I miss my Clarus SL. I sold it when I was playing slab exclusively, and it just didn't have the tone I like for slab. I did find that running a Sansamp pedal into the effects return, though, and bypassing the AI pre, gave me a great tube-ish electric tone.

Now though, I'm playing upright almost exclusively ... and I dearly wish I had never sold mine. Here's a closeup pic of it on top of a Wizzy 12, with parts of a Steinberger fretless slab I also sold. The little SL was very loud through the wizzy, and ultra light. Stupid STOOPID me for selling it!!! I may need to track one of these down one of these days.

**Adrian Cho** · #10 11-10-2007, 09:47 PM

Either there weren't that many sold or everyone is hanging onto them because it's not often that you see a used one for sale. I was very lucky to find one that was nearly new.

liam_g · #11 11-10-2007, 10:01 PM

Yep. I'm keeping an eye on the 'bay, although the info you posted about the possibility of getting a new one custom ordered (from leftover parts, I imagine?) intrigues me a well.

Thanks!

bolo · #12 11-10-2007, 11:11 PM

Yeah I get the SL thing now. I never really looked that closely at it before either I guess. Thanks for kindly clarifying.

If Rick told Bob he could still make 'em, have no fear. I've visited AI headquarters a coupla times. And although the circuit boards and such are not made there, it's my understanding that they still assemble and test each amp and each combo amp by hand. So it sounds like they still must have all the necessary SL parts & pieces like you said, or at least a small inventory of them.

**Adrian Cho** · #13 11-10-2007, 11:18 PM

About a month ago I asked Bob and he asked Rick who said he could make one. How many he could make I'm not sure. I'm just really surprised about this unit because like many people I think I overlooked it. There's been all this buzz about the Micro 300 but the SL has delivered a lot of the same functionality all along in a package that is not much bigger and the same weight. The SL carry bag makes it particularly easy to cart it around.

Greg Clinkingbeard · #14 11-11-2007, 08:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Adrian Cho

........ There's been all this buzz about the Micro 300 but the SL has delivered a lot of the same functionality all along in a package that is not much bigger and the same weight.

Good choice of words there.

Maybe AI was too far ahead of the 'small' curve the first time around. They might sell a bunch of them if they chose to reintroduce the SL.

**Bob Gollihur** · #15 11-12-2007, 12:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by clink

Good choice of words there.

Maybe AI was too far ahead of the 'small' curve the first time around. They might sell a bunch of them if they chose to reintroduce the SL.

FYI, I spoke with Rick about it, and he does have the parts to make a few more of the original SL (but not the SL-R) heads. Contact me off-board if you are interested, and I'll nail down the details.

**Freddels** · #16 05-24-2008, 08:00 AM

I contacted Bob Gollihur and AI is putting together a Clarus SL for me. Should be here in the next week or so.

I've been running my old WW M-100 into a Wizzy 10 cab and it's loud enough so I figured that an extra 100 watts in the Clarus SL would be more than enough for what I need to do with it. Depending on which I prefer, I will either use the Clarus as backup or the WW. Since they're light enough to carry both.

**Adrian Cho** · #17 05-24-2008, 09:24 PM

I'm extremely happy with mine.

Basicbassist · #18 05-25-2008, 08:26 PM

I've been using the Clarus-SL for three years (through a Raezer's Edge "Bass 10") and have loved the sound - and never get tired of people (musicians and audience alike) commenting on how great it sounds. I had occasion about two years ago to speak with AI's Rick-The-Man and gave him all that positive feedback. Wistfully, he commented, "I never understood why that amp wasn't as well-received as I thought it would be." Fast forward to more recent times: I've read so much super talk about the new and improved, buzzless EA Micro 300 that I cracked and succumbed to the hype. I anticipate delivery in two days (along with a Wizzy 10) and now read from the knowledgeable Adrian Cho and supporting opinions that the Micro is still problematic and, even at its best, not on a par with the Clarus-SL. You can be certain that I'll be listening very carefully to the initial sound tests when I switch-on that Micro. I'll also be drawing critical comparisons between the AE Wizzy 10 and my gig-proven RE Bass 10. Personally, I've never understood why this RE cab isn't more popular among jazz bassists.

basss · #19 05-25-2008, 09:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Basicbassist

I had occasion about two years ago to speak with AI's Rick-The-Man and gave him all that positive feedback. Wistfully, he commented, "I never understood why that amp wasn't as well-received as I thought it would be."

I think they were selling for about $750 or so? I probably would have bought one if it was about $200 less. I think there can be only so much of a premium put on portability and there needs to be a somewhat decent watts per dollar ratio in this post Walter Woods era.

**Adrian Cho** · #20 05-25-2008, 10:25 PM

Please bear in mind that my last comments regarding the Micro 300 were quite a long time ago now. Apparently all problems have been fixed. Any comments of mine you find around here were related to my experience of having 2 units which both buzzed horrendously. BobG said the second one was the worst he had heard and it was better than the first unit I had. I did get a chance to hear another unit much later and it was pretty quiet - no buzzing although still some noise but not enough to be noticeable at any decent playing volume. On the other hand, AI seems to be able to make an amp that is completely devoid of extraneous noise...