Double Bass Acoustic Image - Power Amp Only?

[Steve Freides]

I asked Acoustic Image if they ever made just a power amp. I am the recent third (or so) owner of a Clarus 2R Series III integrated amp that, along with a Contra EX cabinet, will amplify my upright. The above replaces my recently sold Contra - I've been playing keyboards a lot, wanted to try a Contra with a tweeter, and since I came across a good deal on these two separate pieces, that's what I bought.

But the Clarus is a two channel preamp with the ability to send the second channel out to another power amp, so I'm wishing AI made one. I asked them, and they said they used to, but the demand for it just wasn't there so they stopped.

Anyone every own one of these?

Anyone know what the model was and have any spec's for it?

Anyone want to sell me one?

Thanks in advance.

-S-

 

[peterpalmieri]

It was called the Focus SA and had the same power specs as the new Clarus + if I'm not mistaken.

 

[Ric Vice]

I asked Acoustic Image if they ever made just a power amp.
Anyone every own one of these?

Anyone know what the model was and have any spec's for it?

Anyone want to sell me one?

Thanks in advance.

-S-

Steve,
They made a Focus SA but it was discontinued. Here are the specs.

Specifications

Input:

Combo jack accepting either 1/4 inch plug or XLR

Input impedance:

5 kohms

Signal level for full power output:

250 mV, rms ("instrument level")

Controls:

input level

Outputs:

2 parallel Speakon jacks wired to pole 1

Power output:

>450 W (8 ohms), >800W (4 ohms), >1,000W (2 ohms)

AC power:

115V/230V 50/60 Hz, switchable

Size:

25cm x 16.3cm x 7.8cm

Weight:

1.6kg (3.5 lbs)

 

[Steve Freides]

Thanks very much to you both.

-S-

 

[fdeck]

I asked the same question to Rick at AI. He told me that a power-amp-only version would have such low demand that the selling price would end up being more than the single channel head. That sounds credible to me.

 

[Steve Freides]

I got a response from Rick at AI also. He said the cost of the preamp is small compared to the cost of the amp, so that when they sold an amp-only, most people elected to pay a few $$$ more and get an integrated amp instead, which is what he recommended I do as well.

He said they only sold 60 of the amp-only models over the course of two or three years, which is why they stopped making them.

-S-

 

[::::BASSIST::::]

I bought one of them!

Totally nice poweramp... I picked this up before the micro craze hit.

Light and powerful.

 

[B String]

I use my older Focus I as a power amp. I bypass the preamp
with my Sansamp Para Driver, going directly into the effects
return imput and turning the effects blend all the way up.
Works great!

 

[Huy Nguyen]

Yeah I have an SA too. Love it. So much power in such a small form factor.

 

[hensonbass]

I use my older Focus I as a power amp. I bypass the preamp
with my Sansamp Para Driver, going directly into the effects
return imput and turning the effects blend all the way up.
Works great!

I do the same thing with a Headway EDB-1 preamp.

 

[PB+J]

I have a focus SA--I used it for years with an Avalon U5 as a preamp. Best pure sound I ever had, no doubt about it.

I also used it with a Fishman proplat, and on really loud electric gigs I used it to double the output of a clarus head. Nice piece of gear, but I can see Rick's point

 

[Peredur]

Resurecting a VERY old thread, does anyone know if AI actually made their own power amps or did they buy them in. If bought in, from where?

 

[Ric Vice]

Resurecting a VERY old thread, does anyone know if AI actually made their own power amps or did they buy them in. If bought in, from where?

I believe AI builds their own product in Raleigh NC. As far as I know the Focus SA was built there. Unfortunately, they didn't sell all that well and Acoustic Image discontinued them. There rare as hen's teeth to find used.

Ric

 

[Steve Freides]

Resurecting a VERY old thread, does anyone know if AI actually made their own power amps or did they buy them in. If bought in, from where?

My understanding is that their power amp was just their regular head minus the preamp - the specs certainly make it looks that way, too.

You can ask them directly via the link on their web site.

-S-