Double Bass AI Cabinet or Wizzzy 10

Clink;

Asking what the best cabinet might be like what the best strings are.
Many options and opinions.

I belive this has been covered here before so be sure and do a search.

I can't give you a definitive answer, but I do happen to own both.
MY STORY:
After I got a Wizzy 10 I was smitten and my Contra EX stayed home
unless it was a louder gig where I used both. I was thinking about
selling the AI extension and getting another wizzy 10.
A drummer asked me why I didn't use the little round thing
anymore so I brought only it to the next gig and it sounded
great and VERY natural and I fell in love with it all over again.
I can't belive I was going to sell it!
By coincidence the piano player on that gig was a guy
who had just moved here from North Carolina
and had gigged with Rick and others at Acoustic Image.

So I am happy to have both for different applications.
They are sort of the opposite of the other as cab for double bass.
Each a very different takes on the idea of a small high fidelity
speaker enclosure design for upright bass.
I am sure you are familiar with the designs of each.
I don't think one is better than the other so these
are my humble opinions and YMMV
Also:
I use a full circle in to a Focus 2R lll so close to your set up.

Contra EX:
Pros:
Sound can be very natural in situation where there
is a wall behind the band and the acoustics in the venue are good.
It blends very well with ‘acoustic ensembles’ and doesn’t ‘stick out’.
Seems to have more top end than the Wizzy 10.
Cons:
Sound can get lost in some rooms or situations
where there is not a wall behind the band
and/or acoustics are boomy, echo-y or just less than ideal.
Not as loud as the Wizzy 10.

Wizzy 10:
Pros:
Sound is directional and it is easy to hear in situations
where the acoustics are bad or the band is loud.
It is MUCH Louder than the Contra EX.
Backpack is spiffy & convenient.
Cons:
Has a mid bump that can sound artificial in some settings.
Seems to have less perceived low end thump than the Contra EX.
To me it seems a little less rugged than the AI cab.

They are both great sounding cabinets that are light
and easy to transport and of high quality.

All that being said the best cabinet for you might be neither of them.

So why has the Wizzy 12 been abandoned? I'm still quite happy with mine.

clink said:

Exactly what I was looking for. I like the AI low end thump and think it sounds very natural. One thing I am missing with my current cabinet is that low end push that can drive a band.

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I know what your are talking about and I don't know if either of these by themselves have that. But I did a cocktail gig recently outside with a classic bop quintet using both cabs pointed back at the band from the high hat side. The drummer is aggressive and I was trying
Drive it. He commented later on the great sound and the bass response from such little stuff outside.
But in your profile I see that you are in two big bands. I can't remember whom but someone here has two Contra EX and uses them in a big band and sets them next to each other and got good results. For a single cab low drive maybe you'd want to look at the wizzy 12 or the MLINE version of the Wizzy 12.

clink said:

Interesting that you mention the AI having more high end than the Wizzy. Are you talking about the stuff above 5K?

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Yes I guess I mean the stuff above 5K. With the wizzy I felt sometimes I wanted that stuff and it wasn't there even with the highs up on the Focus. That night with the piano player from NC and the contra I started with the horn off and when I turned it on it was like...oh yeah, it's there if I need it.

clink said:

How are the upper mids on the Wizzy? Do you experience that "where's the amp?" thing with the Wizzy?

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The upper mids I guess is where that bump is but when playing loud it helps to cut. For me in softer situations it needs a little taming.
And no I never loose the wizzy in the mix. I recently played at Arturo Sandoval Jazz Club in Miami Beach where the house system is great. I just used the wizzy 10 as a monitor so I didn't have to be in the wedges.
I heard it fine.

I've never played through a Contra but have heard a number of them from the audience. they do sound good soloed but with a group they just sound muddy. All of the players using these that I heard were also using a realist pickup. That may have something to do with it.
I do own the Wizzy 10 and like it very much. I can always hear myself and I find it very easy to EQ. I even need to turn the bass down most tof the time. I haven't used it in a loud situation so I can't comment on that.

You gotta try both to decide because it really depends on your bass and your amp and your pickup and your strings and how you play. I have two basses with two different set ups. One sounds great with the Wizzy 10 and just ok with the AI cab. The other bass sounds great with the AI cab and just ok with the Wizzy. Both go through an Fdeck pre amp into a Focus series 3. The Wizzy is a 2 ohm cab while the AI is a 4 ohm cab so the Wizzy is going to sound louder if you A-B them with the same settings.

They're both great cabinets.

mark

clink said:

Now I'm thinking Wizzy 10.

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A very wise choice I think.

calivox said:

The Wizzy is a 2 ohm cab while the AI is a 4 ohm cab so the Wizzy is going to sound louder if you A-B them with the same settings.

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Actually the Wizzy 10 is a 4 ohm cab, not 2 ohms. The Wizzy 10 will sound louder because its sensitivity is higher.

clink said:

I'm looking for the perfect cabinet to go with my Clarus III.
For those of you who have tried both cabinets, please help me to understand how they compare soundwise. How is the Wizzy's low end? I am getting a bit lazy regarding carrying extra stuff so am not really interested in anything bigger.

I'll be using a Full Circle straight into the Clarus.

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Don't overlook the Raezer's Edge Bass 10 at 22 pounds. I think you should try your gear through each of the cab's that look good on paper.

Randy Ward said:

By coincidence the piano player on that gig was a guy who had just moved here from North Carolina and had gigged with Rick and others at Acoustic Image.

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Randy, it wasn't Gabe Evans on piano was it?

New Year means a new bucket for tax write-offs. I spent so much in 2007 the bucket was full. I waited until now to spread out the tax "benefits" if you will to a different year.

bribass just picked up a Wizzy 10 I think. I anticipate reading some comparisons vs. his M-line's soon. That oughta rev up your engine again. Mine too probably.