Double Bass AER amp three vs markbass tube 800

[northern]

I think I´m going to buy either the AER amp three or the markbass tube 800 (with two aguilar gs 112 cabs). Anyone tried either of these? There´s also an AI Ten II with an extension cab for sale nearby, should I consider that one too? It´s my impression that many don´t use cabs from AI, but maybe I´m wrong... I also play a little electric bass, so it can´t sound terrible for EB. Thanks for input

 

[Ric Vice]

I think I´m going to buy either the AER amp three or the markbass tube 800 (with two aguilar gs 112 cabs). Anyone tried either of these? There´s also an AI Ten II with an extension cab for sale nearby, should I consider that one too? It´s my impression that many don´t use cabs from AI, but maybe I´m wrong... I also play a little electric bass, so it can´t sound terrible for EB. Thanks for input

All three of the amps you're considering are very good, but all have differen't form/factors. The AI Ten 2 is a very uncolored DB amplifier, with a feature set that scewes the amp toward being more of an amp for Double Bass. I'm asuming the one your looking at has the older three band EQ section
with controls for Treble, Midrange, and Bass. IME you need separate Hi and Low midrange controls to get at the "heart" of a DB sound. AI moved to a Four Band EQ section with their most recent amplifiers. For me it's a quantum leap forward. So if it's an older model, understand that you'll be limited
in the tonal varations you can get from it's EQ section. I Think of the Markbass Tube 800 as an amp more geared to Electric Bass than it is to Double Bass. IMHO slapping a 12AX7 into the PreAmp dosen't in and of itself make much of a difference. Just my take. AER builds wonderful sounding amplifiers
and I like the 2x8 configuration for DB but it's not an amp designed for Double Bass like their Bass Cube is. So, if you're going with an amp that primarialy going to be used for DB, I think either a new AI Ten 2 or the Bass Cube would be teriffic, but they are more expensive. Just my take however. The Bass Cube costs double what a new AI Ten 2 Series 4 does.

Ric

 

[Ric Vice]

Here's a

picture of the new AI Ten 2 Series four. Notice the additional High and Low Midrange Frequency Controls

 

[B String]

I think I´m going to buy either the AER amp three or the markbass tube 800 (with two aguilar gs 112 cabs). Anyone tried either of these? There´s also an AI Ten II with an extension cab for sale nearby, should I consider that one too? It´s my impression that many don´t use cabs from AI, but maybe I´m wrong... I also play a little electric bass, so it can´t sound terrible for EB. Thanks for input

If you're using these for mainly upright bass, I agree on the AI or the AER. I think the Tube 800 is one of the most disappointing amps I've tried in many years.
No 12ax7 in the chain. Its a big fuse that's been soldered in. I have three other Markbass amps and have played through just about everything in the line, but I'm just not a fan of the Tube 800.

 

[tedw]

I'm not an upright player, but I do play Rob Allen fretless basses which have a nice upright sort of feel. I recently sold an AER Amp Three. It could produce a lot of volume but I did not think it sounded all that good. Also, you can't plug an extension speaker into it unless it's a powered extension. Not a lot of options for that from AER or any other company as far as I can tell. I sold the AER o an electric bass player who loves it, so maybe I'm the problem.

Two GS112's clearly produce a LOT more sound, but I don't know if they are a great choice for upright.

I have owned several Acoustic Image units and currently have a Series 4 Coda combo. I can't say enough good things about AI gear. Well engineered, great sound, solid customer service, etc.

I've used the AI Coda with a Contra Ex speaker for both Rob Allen bass and electric basses. It works well for if the overall band sound is well controlled. Personally, I love the sound. But it's not good if the drummer is loud. One option would be to buy an AI amp or combo and also buy an extension speaker of your choice for electric bass. Or you could buy and AI Clarus amp and something like an Epifani 112 for both upright and electric bass.

I don't know if I'm much help... But I definitely don't recommend the AER Amp Three for your application.

 

[northern]

Thanks a lot! I´ll definitely not buy the markbass tube 800. Ric, I wish had the money to buy either the AI series 4+ or the Basscube from AER, but they are, as you said, very expensive. In addition, I have to buy something secondhand, and the options are quite limited in my country. Have anyone tried the Epifani UL-502 for DB? With UL-310 cab. Again, thanks a lot for the input!

 

[B String]

I just used my UL310 cab with my upright and electric on a gig. I was using my AI Clarus S4+. It all worked very well. Maybe try to find a used Acoustic Image head. They can be found.

 

[lowfreqgeek]

Thanks a lot! I´ll definitely not buy the markbass tube 800. Ric, I wish had the money to buy either the AI series 4+ or the Basscube from AER, but they are, as you said, very expensive. In addition, I have to buy something secondhand, and the options are quite limited in my country. Have anyone tried the Epifani UL-502 for DB? With UL-310 cab. Again, thanks a lot for the input!

The Epifani UL502 is my all-time favorite head for EB. However, it's really not great for DB without some effort, IMO. When I got my DB about 3.5yrs ago, my rig was an UL502 with 2xUL112. Unfortunately, it was very difficult to get a decent DB sound out of it without additional stuff in the signal path. An Fdeck pre would've helped with its HPF and piezo buffer, but the UL502 itself was absolutely not set up for the upright. Huge, loose lows, very low input impedance (480k ohms?), a mid-range control that was set too low for DB, etc. It could certainly work, and Epifani has several highly respected DB players on it's roster, but there are much better doubling amps out there, IMO - which is a bummer for me because I absolutely LOVED mine with EB.

Short of finding a Walter Woods that I can afford, I'm seriously considering the AI Clarus S4+ for my next bass head purchase.

 

[Ric Vice]

The Epifani UL502 is my all-time favorite head for EB. However, it's really not great for DB without some effort......


Short of finding a Walter Woods that I can afford, I'm seriously considering the AI Clarus S4+ for my next bass head purchase.

I got really excited about the UL 502
when they released the amp, because it had dual EQ's with different voicings. Why they set the input impedance that low is a mystery to me. I own two Walter Woods amplifiers, a MI-400-8 and a Woods Electrocoustic Ultra. Both amps have incredible Pre Amps with hand built digital power supplies and power amps. Each one has EQ section that's ideal for Double Bass. Rather than deal with pattens and intellectual property rights, Walter stopped providing schematics and
began removing serial numbers, from all the key components. As it stands, Walter is the only person who can repair one of his amplifiers. The new Acoustic Image Clarius+ and Clarius SL amps have individual High and Low Midrange Controls, plenty of power and a stellar support and service.

Ric

 

[Low Class]

Check out the TC Electronic BH heads. I'm using a BH800 and love it! I used Walter Woods for over 30 years and this the first amp that reminds me of it. Clean, quick, very flexible EQ. The BH250 is no slouch either.

 

[northern]

Thanks a lot! I´ll definitely check out the BH800, and it´s much cheaper too. Have anyone seen a review of the AI clarus+ (on youtube)? Or does somebody know how much one can do with the EQ? I really like the sound of my DB, but sometimes, I like to turn the bass on the amp up, and get a really thick sound with much bass and less treble. People here on the forum usually says that AI is just like the instrument only louder, but is it possible the get the effect I´m talking about?

 

[Ric Vice]

http://www.talkbass.com/threads/aer-amp-three-vs-markbass-tube-800.1198801/members/northern.288131/

Thanks a lot! I´ll definitely check out the BH800, and it´s much cheaper too. Have anyone seen a review of the AI clarus+ (on youtube)? Or does somebody know how much one can do with the EQ? I really like the sound of my DB, but sometimes, I like to turn the bass on the amp up, and get a really thick sound with much bass and less treble. People here on the forum usually says that AI is just like the instrument only louder, but is it possible the get the effect I´m talking about?

Northern,
Here's a link to the YouTube demo Ed Friedland did on the Acoustic Image Flex System. It will give you a good idea of what the amp will sound like since the Flex is similar to a Ten2, which
has the new EQ setup. Take a look. ttps://http://www.talkbass.com/threads/aer-amp-three-vs-markbass-tube-800.1198801/members/northern.288131/

Ric
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[tombowlus]

You've already figured it out, but the AI and AER options are much more in line with each other (and what it sounds like you are after), and the Markbass head and Aguilar cabs would be a drastically different rig.

Here is a link to my review of the Invalid Link Removed as well as a Invalid Link Removed. I will also add that I own an AER amp one, which is quite similar to the amp three, in case you come across one on the used market.

 

[northern]

Thanks a lot, really helpfull reviews! Did you try the AER amp three for double bass? If so, which of those two amps did you like the most for DB? Again, thanks. Also, anyone tried a TKS cab for DB?

 

[tombowlus]

Yes, I did try the amp three on double bass (with my Barbera bridge equipped Kay). The amp three and amp one perform very similarly to each other, but I was not able to compare them directly, as I bought my amp one (from Hugh McDonald!) after I had returned the amp three review unit.

The Flex System is similar in many ways to the amp three, but it definitely gets louder, and it has more "air" and definition up high. But at lower volumes, the amp one and the Flex can be made to sound very similar to each other.

 

[kerrycares]

Check out the TC Electronic BH heads. I'm using a BH800 and love it! I used Walter Woods for over 30 years and this the first amp that reminds me of it. Clean, quick, very flexible EQ. The BH250 is no slouch either.

I just picked one of these up used and I makes my Ten2 cabinet perform much better.
It is too much power for my Corus EX series 4 cab and makes it rattle.