Walter Woods/Wizzy-M vs. AI Focus 2R III/Wizzy-M

[bribass]

I've owned my pair of Wizzy M-lines since late Oct.'06 and the honeymoon is far from over.
This weekend I finally got around to trying the Wizzy-M out w/ my ol' Walter Woods MI 225-8 (c. mid '80's 2 channel green light) and the sound was SWEET!

One gig was w/ the Prescott in a large room. Lower volume concert settng. We had pro sound, but at the soundcheck the sound guy said i didn't need to be in the house at all. I did feel that my sound was cutting thru eventhough stage volume was low. The WW's eq was set flat and when I did boost the midrange knob the slightest bit it gave me just the right amount of those famously pleasing WW mids. I think the WW w/ the WM-line has a bit more presence than the Acoustic Image Focus 2r III that I've been using w/ this cab. The WW w/the WM-line was warm, clear, even.. just great. I did a good amount of arco playing on that gig and I never felt the need to change the eq wether arco or piz. Ofcourse the AI Focus 2r has alot more power than this WW model and on the next gig I had to crank it up a bit more than I do w/ the AI in order to boost the signal of this earlier version Realist pick up. It was a Mardi Gras dinner dance doubling on DB and BG. A 7 piece band in a medium sized room for a crowd of about 80. But eventhough there was less headroom w/ the WW, since my WM-line is a 4ohm cab w/ high sensitivity there was quite enough great tone to cut that gig w/ one cab (even w/ this loud drummer w/ Elec. G and horns). No breaking up, distorting or barking. The WW seemed to enjoy the 4ohm load that coaxed out more of its good juicy juice. I really do enjoy the AI and WM-line combination for both DB and BG, but I have to say that the WW sounded just outstanding and I was really floored by the great sound when I picked up the Music Man Sterling BG. I was getting a really fat low end that was just inspiring on the R&B grooves. The drummer who I've worked w/ for many years commented on the omni-directionality of this cab as opposed to my older set-ups. While I was playing DB he said he hears the bass better overall now. Doubling w/ this head I was reminded of the covenience of the toggle switch to select between ch. 1 or 2. This is better than having to make sure I'm pressing the correct little white button in the heat of battle to turn off ch. 2 on the AI. Overall the pre-amp and the eq of the WW seems especially wonderful w/ this cab. The eq effects the tone more w/ less knob twisting than the AI. But I DO love the AI as well. I wouldn't be able to run both of my WM-lines w/ the WW 'cause of the 4ohm minimum load requirement of that head. The AI, however, takes the 2ohm load in stride. And oh, yeah... w/ the WW I didn't miss the lack of the hi-pass filter one bit.
I'm truly blessed to have such great gear

BG

[Uncletoad]

Deja Vu!

I don't miss the high pass on the Woods either. I do miss a phase switch.

That M line is really something.

[bribass]

Originally Posted by Uncletoad

Deja Vu!

I don't miss the high pass on the Woods either. I do miss a phase switch.

That M line is really something.

On the Walter Woods MI 225-8 there is a phase switch, stereo/mono switch, treble and bass cut and boost toggles. But only 225 watts and no phantom power or XLR ins or out like on the AI. Just 1/4 inch ins and outs. I just sprayed out the pots and they are wisper quiet again. I'm sure glad I never sold this thing.

Bri

[robgrow]

Thanks for the great review Brian. I really like the Wizzy M a lot and think it's a great matchup with a Walter Woods amp. I also don't find I need a HP filter with the Walter Woods. With a great cab, the low end is always just right, and the EQ really works.

[Uncletoad]

Originally Posted by bribass

On the Walter Woods MI 225-8 there is a phase switch, stereo/mono switch, treble and bass cut and boost toggles. But only 225 watts and no phantom power or XLR ins or out like on the AI. Just 1/4 inch ins and outs. I just sprayed out the pots and they are wisper quiet again. I'm sure glad I never sold this thing.

Bri

I should trade down!

[Freddels]

Sorry to derail this a little but . . . I also have an old WW (M-100 model) that I just sprayed out the pots and I'm loving the sound again. It's only 100 watts and will only run 4 ohms. Now the question . . .

If I were to add on a Focus SA to give it more power would it now be able to run 2 ohms due to the Focus able to handle 2 ohms or would I still be stuck at 4 ohms (so no Wizzy/WizzyM pair for me).

And . . . would my watts be increased to the highest of the Focus SA (800 at 4ohms and 1000 at 2ohms) plus my 100 watts (900 and 1100 respectively) or only to the highest of the Focus SA?

[Uncletoad]

Originally Posted by Freddels

Sorry to derail this a little but . . . I also have an old WW (M-100 model) that I just sprayed out the pots and I'm loving the sound again. It's only 100 watts and will only run 4 ohms. Now the question . . .

If I were to add on a Focus SA to give it more power would it now be able to run 2 ohms due to the Focus able to handle 2 ohms or would I still be stuck at 4 ohms (so no Wizzy/WizzyM pair for me).

And . . . would my watts be increased to the highest of the Focus SA (800 at 4ohms and 1000 at 2ohms) plus my 100 watts (900 and 1100 respectively) or only to the highest of the Focus SA?

Does the Woods have a preamp output you could use to send to the SA?

If so you can load the SA with whatever you want and the Woods with whatever it will take. They are separate systems. The SA amp would have it's speakers, the Woods it's own. You would just be sharing preamp output. fwiw the sound is different with the SA amp. Not bad, just different.

[Freddels]

Originally Posted by Uncletoad

Does the Woods have a preamp output you could use to send to the SA?

If so you can load the SA with whatever you want and the Woods with whatever it will take. They are separate systems. The SA amp would have it's speakers, the Woods it's own. You would just be sharing preamp output. fwiw the sound is different with the SA amp. Not bad, just different.

There's a line in and line out on the WW. I was thinking to run the WW into the SA to increase the watts and hoping to get the WW tone (only with more power) and then run the speakers out of the SA. But if the SA is going to change the tone then maybe it's not a good option then.

[Uncletoad]

Originally Posted by Freddels

There's a line in and line out on the WW. I was thinking to run the WW into the SA to increase the watts and hoping to get the WW tone (only with more power) and then run the speakers out of the SA. But if the SA is going to change the tone then maybe it's not a good option then.

DONT DO THAT. You'll bust them both. Amps don't work like you are conceptualizing them. You want to run the line out of the woods into the power amp input on the SA and have speakers plugged into both. The SA side will sound different as the amps are different. Prolly sound good though.

You shouldn't need all that junk though. Use the Woods for what it is. If you need more, use something else.

[Freddels]

Originally Posted by Uncletoad

DONT DO THAT. You'll bust them both. Amps don't work like you are conceptualizing them. You want to run the line out of the woods into the power amp input on the SA and have speakers plugged into both. The SA side will sound different as the amps are different. Prolly sound good though.

You shouldn't need all that junk though. Use the Woods for what it is. If you need more, use something else.

I meant run the WW out of the line out and into the SA but I guess I won't do any of it since I do not own the SA and was just thinking about how to get that good WW sound for louder gigs (if I ever need it). Right now the 100 watts of the WW is really plenty and if I need more I'll just pull out my iAmp 500.

ok, now back to the regularly scheduled topic.

[Freddels]

Originally Posted by Uncletoad

DONT DO THAT. You'll bust them both. Amps don't work like you are conceptualizing them. You want to run the line out of the woods into the power amp input on the SA and have speakers plugged into both. The SA side will sound different as the amps are different. Prolly sound good though.

You shouldn't need all that junk though. Use the Woods for what it is. If you need more, use something else.

OK, I've recently picked up a QSC plx2 1804 amp. Last night I tried running the WW line out into the QSC input (where I would plug in my pre-amp). I had my Wizzy hooked up to the QSC and I had an Epi UL110 hooked up to the WW.

The Wizzy sounded huge! I was getting the WW tone (only louder).

Now, from your last post I sort of gathered that I cannot do this UNLESS I have a cab hooked up to the WW. Is this correct? Or can I run the WW with a cab hooked up to it and use it as a pre-amp?

I don't want to damage my wonderful trusty WW.

Thanks.

[Uncletoad]

Originally Posted by Freddels

Now, from your last post I sort of gathered that I cannot do this UNLESS I have a cab hooked up to the WW. Is this correct? Or can I run the WW with a cab hooked up to it and use it as a pre-amp?
.

Well I'm not sure now. I was chastised somewhere else here on TB about that saying Walters new amps could be used for just preamping. I don't know about the model you have.

Call Walter.

[Reefer]

Originally Posted by Freddels

OK, I've recently picked up a QSC plx2 1804 amp. Last night I tried running the WW line out into the QSC input (where I would plug in my pre-amp). I had my Wizzy hooked up to the QSC and I had an Epi UL110 hooked up to the WW.

The Wizzy sounded huge! I was getting the WW tone (only louder).

Now, from your last post I sort of gathered that I cannot do this UNLESS I have a cab hooked up to the WW. Is this correct? Or can I run the WW with a cab hooked up to it and use it as a pre-amp?

I don't want to damage my wonderful trusty WW.

Thanks.

If you have "-2" at the end of your serial # (Late 2003 to present), you can NOT run it without a speaker load. All others are ok.

[Freddels]

Originally Posted by Reefer

If you have "-2" at the end of your serial # (Late 2003 to present), you can NOT run it without a speaker load. All others are ok.

I bought this from Walter in 1984. And he and I haven't spoken since.

[Reefer]

Originally Posted by Freddels

I bought this from Walter in 1984. And he and I haven't spoken since.

You can use that one as a preamp all day long.

[Freddels]

Originally Posted by Reefer

You can use that one as a preamp all day long.

I think I see an M-line Wizzy in the future . . .

[bribass]

Originally Posted by Reefer

You can use that one as a preamp all day long.

Interesting... that would mean you could take a line out of the WW and put it thru the send/return of an amp like Focus and theoretically you'd be using the Focus as a power amp and the WW as a pre. Is this for real?

BG

[Reefer]

Originally Posted by bribass

Interesting... that would mean you could take a line out of the WW and put it thru the send/return of an amp like Focus and theoretically you'd be using the Focus as a power amp and the WW as a pre. Is this for real?

BG

Correct!