Double Bass AI Clarus - Ch 2 much quiet than Ch 1

[Steve Freides]

I just sent the company an email but I thought I'd ask here, too. After purchasing a used Clarus Series III 2R a while back, I recently tried using Channel 2 - much less volume than Channel 1. Tried it every way possible, e.g., two different instruments and switching them, one instrument and switching it between the channels, always the same result.

The FAQ on their site mentions a blown fuse as a possible cause for lowered volume - anyone know if there are separate fuses for each channel? I don't want to open the thing if I don't have to if there's nothing about this I can fix myself.

Thanks much in advance.

-S-

 

[Steve Freides]

Forgive me for talking to myself but I thought anyone reading along might like to hear the answer. There is a "channel two" push button - you have to push it in for channel two to work. It's over near the Direct Out jack, nowhere near all the jacks and controls for Channel 2.

I confess this is a first for me - usually a two-channel amp just has the unused channel sit idle without needing to switch it out. I've asked AI for an explanation, i.e., do I _need_ to switch it out if I'm not using it, otherwise it would just be easier to leave it switched on all the time.

Live and learn ...

-S-

 

[Chris Fitzgerald]

I've wondered about this myself on my Focus. The only explanation that makes sense is a scenario in which someone is doubling on two different instruments and only wants to use one channel at a time. On your Clarus, it sounds like channel two still sounds when the switch is off, but that it's really quiet. Is that right?

 

[bribass]

I've wondered about this myself on my Focus. The only explanation that makes sense is a scenario in which someone is doubling on two different instruments and only wants to use one channel at a time. On your Clarus, it sounds like channel two still sounds when the switch is off, but that it's really quiet. Is that right?

I had this as well w/ my Focus. Ch.2 is supposed to be off altogether until you switch it on. Rick at AI will be happy to correct that problem for you w/ fast turn around.

It IS useful when doubling. In those situations I usually have the DB in ch. 2 and BG in ch.1. That way when things get louder when BG is being played the DB can sit there next to the amp w/ all the eq & vol. settings unchanged w/ ch.2 OFF. In this way it will not start feeding back from sympathetic vibration. Then when DB is needed I just turn down the BG vol. knob on the BG itself and pick it up DB and switch ch.2 back ON.

Still not as hip as the 3 position toggle switch on my Walter Woods MI-225 (green light), where you can switch between ch.1 on (up), ch. 2 on (down) or BOTH on (center). That way you don't have to turn the BG or ch.1 down to use ch.2 alone. You just flick the switch.

 

[Ric Vice]

Still not as hip as the 3 position toggle switch on my Walter Woods MI-225 (green light), where you can switch between ch.1 on (up), ch. 2 on (down) or BOTH on (center). That way you don't have to turn the BG or ch.1 down to use ch.2 alone. You just flick the switch.

Bribass,
Yep, that's a great feature of the Walter Woods MI series. Walter got rid of that switch, the phase switch and the three connector mic direct out on the Electro Acoustic series. Personally, I think it was a mistake.

Ric

 

[Steve Freides]

AI told me, in response to other questions I asked a month or two ago, that the fact that the amp really isn't off when the channel volume controls are all the way down is just the way it is - they said they liked the characteristics of the volume pot and seemed to think the fact that you couldn't turn it off via the individual channel controls was relatively minor tradeoff they were willing to live with. So far, I'm willing to live with it, too, now that I understand it's not something broken.

In a teaching situation like mine, when the amp is 'off' in this way, it's still audible enough to produce useful output.

The other explanation they gave for the channel 2 kill button is if you're going stereo - you turn channel 2 off, but you can still route the effects send to a second amplifier and speaker. I could see doing that with my keyboard although I confess I don't see much use for it with double bass.

-S-