Double Bass Acoustic Image Series III

[macmrkt]

I had the same experience with Ric and I even tried the EX speaker in parallel but got little improvement. Tried every mechanical configuration I could think of, but no fix. Great at very low volumes, didn't cut in a group. The head is not the issue; it's the cabinet.

 

[drurb]

...That said, I noticed in your profile that you already own a Contra, so if it's working for you, then I'd have to say that the new model would be even better.

Ric

Thanks for the reply but I don't yet own an AI. That's on my wish list.

 

[Adrian Cho]

Same experience here. I had a Series I Coda for a couple of years and then I tried a Series II for a while too. I think the whole downfiring woofer thing makes a great marketing story but...

The thing is that it's OK for really low-volume but it really gets muddy as hell when you crank it up and I'm not even talking all that loud.

As Sam Sherry said: "It would be fine if my ears were in my socks."

 

[drurb]

Your experiences are all quite interesting. Last February I was in New Orleans (gosh, I hope I can go back someday). I saw the Bradford Truby trio in a bar. He was using an AI Contra and I must say how impressed I was with the sheer power and clarity of that amp even at some really high sound pressure levels. He cut right through the noisy crowd and the other instruments. Hmmmm.

 

[Jason Hollar]

Maybe that's the deal with the whole design. I too have seen a few cats uing the small AI combos in clubs and I've been very impressed with the sound. Almost sounds like they're going through the pa system...

However, when I tried a few of the products -- up close and personal -- it seemed to lack the thump I'm used to with a traditional cabinet.

I liked the Focus head, however, and wouldn't mind checking out one of the newer higher powered versions -- maybe into one of the many lightweight cabs that a lot of you seem to use...Bergies...EAs...Accugroove...etc.

 

[Phil Smith]

What you hear as the player, is not what the audience hears.

 

[Tbeers]

My problem with the Contra was basically the same as what you all are talking about. A guitarist I used to play with was always telling me to turn my amp more towards him or crank the volume. Everyone else could hear it fine, including a few listeners who even told me the bass sounded a bit loud.

Eventually I figured, at least with a forward-firing enclosure you sort of know what you're gonna get. With the AI Crapshoot -- whoops I mean Contra -- it was always sort of a gamble.

 

[Phil Smith]

Eventually I figured, at least with a forward-firing enclosure you sort of know what you're gonna get. With the AI Crapshoot -- whoops I mean Contra -- it was always sort of a gamble.

To me it's still the same issue with a front firing cab. If you're using the cabinet as a monitor both a front firing cab and the downfiring cab work pretty good when not placed on the floor. The best sound I've heard from an AI cab was in a church when it was placed on a chair about the height that you would play your DB from.

As for what everyone else hears...

You can only really know what you sound like in the house i.e. venue if you're out in the house listening to yourself, which of course isn't really possible to do. There's also the issue of where in the house should you be?

 

[Randy Ward]

Series III: even higher power and lower weight, plus other features you’ve asked for.
It’s a case of form and function.

That is, our new Series III heads and combos are lighter and higher powered, and provide additional features you’ve told us you want (see below).

Despite the CAD drawing, I think you will agree that they are also aesthetically more pleasing, because our practical choice of high density polymer cabinets also allowed us to go in new, sleeker design directions.

In other words, we were making our amps better so we had the opportunity to make them look better, too.

Given the dollar commitment we made to tooling, it’s a design we will be sticking with for quite a while. But, as always, we are committed continue to make evolutionary improvements and refinements wherever it makes sense for our customers.

We’ll be adding Series III to our website over the next month or so. In the interim, for prices and specs on the new products, please talk to your dealer

 

[Bob Gollihur]

I produced some screen captures from the CAD system Dr. Rick used and cleaned them up for web display. I think these will give you a clearer picture of what's to come:

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Link Removed

Disclaimer: I am an Acoustic Image dealer.

 

[fdeck]

Bob, any word on street prices for these amps? I would be potentially interested in a bare bones Clarus head.

 

[Adrian Cho]

I get the feeling that the series III heads are taller (in height) than the series II.

 

[Bob Gollihur]

Bob, any word on street prices for these amps? I would be potentially interested in a bare bones Clarus head.

I always set prices at the minimum permissible price set by AI, but please email me directly, I don't want to post an ad here.

 

[Randy Ward]

Bob;
Thanks for taking the time to fix up the CAD images and posting them here. The problem with the original ones were that the perspective was off. These help a lot. Looking forward to ordering one from you soon.

 

[basss]

Any word on the dimensions? I'm waiting to hear if they will fit it my bass bag.

 

[jazzbassnerd]

To me it's still the same issue with a front firing cab. If you're using the cabinet as a monitor both a front firing cab and the downfiring cab work pretty good when not placed on the floor. The best sound I've heard from an AI cab was in a church when it was placed on a chair about the height that you would play your DB from.

As for what everyone else hears...

You can only really know what you sound like in the house i.e. venue if you're out in the house listening to yourself, which of course isn't really possible to do. There's also the issue of where in the house should you be?

I've never had a problem with the band being able to hear me. From full on big band rehearsals and gigs, to combos with not so sensitive drummers. Everyone that I have talked to likes the amp, musicians and audience members alike.

BUT...I also use a Fishman Pro-Platinum EQ. It really cleaned up the sound for me. I just take the EQ into the mic channel of the amp and give it phantom power. Works great every time, and can get pretty disgustingly loud.

Even at venues where I use the AI's DI, people have commented on the bass tone. To avoid a name drop, musicians I respect deeply and wish that I could be half as good as or have half the name recognition of say that the amplified sound is excellent.

Unfortunately, I too interested in the Series III for my own good. Especially sense it will be 5-7 pounds lighter. When I carry my amp around, I put it in a bag on my back. 5-7 lbs is a HUGE deal.

 

[Bob Gollihur]

Any word on the dimensions? I'm waiting to hear if they will fit it my bass bag.

The head is 10Wx8Dx3.5H. The current Focus padded bag will be used to as the supplied case, so it's pretty close to the size of the current model, not as deep but a little taller. The combos are the same size.

 

[macmrkt]

Hey Bob,
Are the heads constructed of the same polymer as the combos? Do you have a date when you expect to have them available for sale? Thank you.

 

[jazzbassnerd]

The head is 10Wx8Dx3.5H. The current Focus padded bag will be used to as the supplied case, so it's pretty close to the size of the current model, not as deep but a little taller. The combos are the same size.

When you say combos are the same size, do you mean as the "old" series II or the "new" series II? The new ones have the head depressed into the cabinet and the old ones have it above. Thanks again.

An aside: I have to say that you gave me the fastest e-mail response I've ever gotten in my life. It was about a 1 minute turn aroud.

 

[Bob Gollihur]

Hey Bob,
Are the heads constructed of the same polymer as the combos? Do you have a date when you expect to have them available for sale? Thank you.

They are the same material. AI says the heads should be available at the very end of September, the combos probably not until around October 15th. As their largest dealer I am first on the list for product.

When you say combos are the same size, do you mean as the "old" series II or the "new" series II? The new ones have the head depressed into the cabinet and the old ones have it above. Thanks again.

An aside: I have to say that you gave me the fastest e-mail response I've ever gotten in my life. It was about a 1 minute turn aroud.

The size is the same as the most current Series IIa models, same as the New Yorker.

Fast responses are due to my working today, getting the weekend's orders ready for shipment tomorrow... wait a minute, Labor Day... shouldn't I be off today?!?!