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Double Bass 2 Channel Amps for Doubling with electric

#21
Walter Woods Electracoustic says it all. The channels are voiced slightly different to accommodate the 'acoustic' instrument. Lot's of elegant EQ and ability to bypass EQ before going to the DI out to the house.
 
#22
Ike Harris said:
And don't forget the D-Tar Solstice. A road worthy little preamp with two identical full-featured channels that work well with upright and BG through whichever single channel amp you choose. Gone are the days when the standard amps like Ampeg and Fender all had dual channels, but they were heavy suckers! And the AI heads come in two channels as well. I have a Clarus that does nicely as a doubler.

Ike
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Nice, Ike. I haven't heard of those before. I'll definitely give that a second look.

On a separate note, should I get one of these I'll be sure to tell you how your old Juzek sounds through it. We've met a couple of times in the past, but my former teacher, Jim Fergusuon, helped me find this bass and I've had it about 7 years now. I am still digging it!

Thanks again for the D-TAR I'll check it out.

Adam Bond
 
#23
chasyboy said:
Walter Woods Electracoustic says it all. The channels are voiced slightly different to accommodate the 'acoustic' instrument. Lot's of elegant EQ and ability to bypass EQ before going to the DI out to the house.
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Chasyboy,

Personally, I couldn't agree with you more. Financially, The Electroacoustic comes at a premium price. You also have to be willing to compromise on the "DI" because it's really just a line out and can be pretty noisy. I'm willing to put up with those little inconveniences but a lot of players aren't. Adding a microphone into the mix will require an additional box to control feedback.

Ric
 
#24
Ric Vice said:
I was looking around at MarkBass, Gallien Krueger, Gentz Benz, and other sites and there just aren't as many two channel amps. EA and AI still build them but most of the new lightweight digital amps for bass are single channel. I've often wondered why the don't build amps with two channels, my guess is that since EB sales drive the market they don't see the need for dual channel amps.
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ahahum said:
I think you're probably correct about the market...that's a shame! But it forces us DB players to come up with something creative to achieve our results.
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Thankfully, this thread is full of creative ideas. I especially like the single channel head with preamp into effects return thing. Brilliant.

In terms of what works for me, I'd second the votes for the 2 channel AI heads. A SansAmp for the slab channel, and you can cook. The Solstice makes a good sound for DB (i.e. transparent) too.

In terms of what has not been mentioned, Aguilar has a 2 channel head. And Epifani has a pair of them.
 
#25
ahahum said:
Nice, Ike. I haven't heard of those before. I'll definitely give that a second look.

On a separate note, should I get one of these I'll be sure to tell you how your old Juzek sounds through it. We've met a couple of times in the past, but my former teacher, Jim Fergusuon, helped me find this bass and I've had it about 7 years now. I am still digging it!

Thanks again for the D-TAR I'll check it out.

Adam Bond
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Hey Adam-

I remember you! I'm glad the old bass is good hands. I bought it brand new right out of the cardboard box. The guy(Walter Crafton - a one-armed luthier) scraped the strings when he opened the box and I knew that was the one! Will have to visit it sometime. Anyway, not only does the Solstice have two channels, you can plug in a mic and a pickup in the same channel with two different levels. Tuner out among other things. Nice box.

Ike
 
#27
Dig. The Focus 2R sounds great through a Wizzy M-lne too. :cool:

If you are blending a p/u and a mic for DB, one of the coolest things about about the Solstice is all the output routing options. Send mic only to the house, and p/u to your amp. Or mic only to the house, w/ blended signal to the amp. The independent phase reversal switches for each channel are nice too.

Both units are about the size of a cigar box, but absolutely packed w/ features. And a good sound. :)
 
#28
As many of you know I'm new to the DB side so amplifying the DB is a whole new world.

I used to be an EA dealer and am regretting selling my iAMP Micro. I think that would be a great little package for two channel work.

Currently, for doubling, I use either and Markbass F1 with a Raven Labs MDB1 or the Epi 502 with two channels. I use the Realist pup. My issue at the moment is that when the volume goes up the sound reproduced is boxy, even a little honky and mid range. I don't hear the 'wood' of the bass at all. This is using the Epi UL112 cabinet. Seems that this is not a very 'tight' sounding cabinet. I have an Epi 110 but that might run out of oomph for the bigger gigs. This set up is on a regular Thursday night gig without PA where I play both slab and DB. If there was a PA I expect I could bring the amp volume down and send a line to the PA and the honk would be less of an issue. I'm thinking a mic would be a good compliment with the mic, however the Epi would not allow both channels to run to that would mean running the MDB1 with the Epi into one channel.


I'm not adding much to the discussion but am fast growing to appreciate the challenge of getting 'my sound louder' on DB.
 
#29
Hey Steve. So you didn't stockpile some EA cabs whilst you were a dealer? :bawl:

Yes the Micro would have probably fit the doubling bill very nicely indeed.

Re: your tone refinements, hard to say. Use a different cab with the same front end as a trial perhaps? Then maybe try a preamp in front of the heads? Trial and error. And on it goes. Enjoy.
 
#34
You may also try the Radial Tonebone PZ-Pre, which is an acoustic instrument preamp and switcher. It only has one set of EQ, though. I tend to dial in the upright on the preamp, and then make adjustments on the active EQ of my bass guitar to compensate for any EQ, if needed. I found that it sounded better for DB than the Bassbone, and still sounded great for electric. I just wish it had two sets of EQ, like the Bassbone. I posted a more extensive review of the PZ-Pre in the Reviews section.
I have been running it into a Phil Jones Super Flightcase and the two instruments sound fantastic! 33lbs....hard to beat at 250 watts, and two upward firing speakers as your personal stage monitor....I find very little EQing needed with that amp, unless you're in a really noisy room.
I really wish the Super Flightcase had two channels as well...Ack..
FWIW the Phil Jones sounds even better for DB with the Pz-Pre in front of the amp. Cleaner, clearer, warmer, fatter...better.
 
#35
Mike Dimin said:
550 watts, sweepable notch filter and sweepable phase, phantom power -can't tell you who is making it - Sorry
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Mike,
I hope this prototype gets to market, these are tough times.
It's got all the bells and whistles that we have always talked about for the upright and electric. Keep us up to date, tell the manufactures it will be worth their while to build it.

Ric
 
#37
Ric Vice said:
Mike,
I hope this prototype gets to market, these are tough times.
It's got all the bells and whistles that we have always talked about for the upright and electric. Keep us up to date, tell the manufactures it will be worth their while to build it.

Ric
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We are in tough times. But my true belief is that small, independent companies that are a) not highly leveraged, b) put customers before bottom line and c) are building here in the USA will be OK.

Some of the smaller, "boutique" companies that have moved manufacturing to Asia will be hurt the most. In order to fill containers and have credit available to order the amounts, to fill those containers, might present some real difficulties.

I know the Doubler will be at the manufacturers booth at NAMM and delivery is slated for beginning of March 2009

Mike
 

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