Checking out the new AI SL2 I noticed that it lacks the phase reverse switch. I find this very helpful on my Clarus and wondered why. Anybody knows why?
Could just be a “real estate issue” Walter Woods took the “phase reverse switch” of his later Electroacousic series I can’t say that a I missed it. He just ran out of room when he re-configured the pre amp. Ric
Neither the Clarius SL or the SL-R have phase switches. Apparentely AI eliminated them on the new models.
It's a pity because I find it to be a key element on getting a good amplified sound on stage. I've just sent an email to AI.
Other than their compact size and weight, your Claris 4+ has more features than the SL2, with only a modest power increase. All the SL2 jacks are different as well. Both amps are amazing and Acoustic Image’s customer service is renoun.
From the man himself: "I’m afraid it was a real estate problem. No room for the switches. You’ll notice that we also had to give up the effects loops due to lack of panel space. The workaround for the lack of a phase switch could be to use a phase reverse in-line adapter like this one: Whirlwind Phase Reverse. Rick"
My Series III Coda and Contra have no phase (actually polarity) switches. While I suppose there might be some cases where inverting the polarity would actually fatten the tone, in my experience with outboard preamps it usually made the tone thinner but helped with feedback. Since the AIs have HPFs that do a much better job of feedback control, I don't miss a switch. If I was running both a mike and a pickup then I might find a switch useful.
Yeah. That's my case. I try to get a good tone only with the mic but I often mix it with the pickup (sp. louder gigs)
I like to have a phase switch. But I always use the "in" phase setting (where the amps output is in phase with the acoustic sound of my bass, giving the loudest/fattest sound). So the phase switch to me is mainly to make sure that something in my signal chain is not out of phase. Years ago I used to have two loudspeaker cables, one correct, and one with opposite polarity, for the same purpose: to make sure which polarity (phase) worked best for the different pickups, etc I was using.
Glad to know about this. I was considering selling my Clarus Series 4+ but maybe I’ll hang onto it. When I was combining the Realist Lifeline with an Underwood the phase switch really helped to fatten up the sounds
I wondered about that as well. Do you have to get an adaptor for the adaptor. That would be a kinda weird. The Ehrlund Preamp works great with any pickup and has a phase reverse, so does the Headway and FDeck.