AvalonU5 & Power Amp-Eden-Thunderfunk

If your after 2 channels you should check out the Markbass LMK as well as the Genz Benz GBE750 or 1200...

 

I can't comment on the Thunderfunk, but I've had (Eden) or have all the others. Some consideration should be made for the kind of music you're playing, but if you're not trying to reduce weight and cartage, it's really hard to beat the Avalon with a good power amp. I use a Crest CA-9 with mine and the sound is absolutely breathtaking! It's not as easy as carrying the LMII or Shuttle, though!

But YMMV!

Greg

 

Just to impart my experience with these amps/pedals....

I bought an LMK as a solution for the Radial Bassbone not doing what I wanted it too...
It's a small handy DI but I didn't find the EQ much to my liking, AND, it's still going through the EQ on the amp... not the same as two independant EQ's...

 

I never, ever, had a better sound than when I used an avalon U5 into a power amp. Better with electric, better with upright, for everything. I gigged with a U5 for 2-3 years. Then I got tired of lugging it and went to an acoustic image clarus head. I realized that no one cared about subtle differences in tone other than me. ThE AI does not sound as good as the U5, but it's more convenient. I still use the U5 all the time for home recording or if I'm recording in a studio.

 

Please don't tempt me. I have a 4 space rack and rack ears for the avalon... now I just need a power amp to try this out? Crap, I really don't need to buy something else...

 

I prefer my amp to colour my sound as little as possible, so aside from being able to blend a Valve to solid state sound, really you should just be wanting to plug in and play, after all isn't it the nice wood the basses are made of that give it that lovelly sound?

(artistic licence has been taken with the facts for this post - where it does to an extent represent the ideas of the poster I do accept that it is flawed but am completley happy within my little bubble! those of you with matches and pins please stay away! )

 

I used the U5 with an Acoustic image focus slave amp, so I could get the power amp and the U5 in a tool bag. I still got tired of lugging it. I'm lazy about load in/loadout and setup/breakdown

For what it's worth, the U5 is a terrific DI/preamp for anything. I've used it a lot for guitar, both on gigs and to record.

Maybe the only downside, besides the size, is it's got so much bass that it tends to rumble. It'd be nice to have a hi-pass filter

 

If you can justify lugging a studio-qualty piece of gear to gigs, the avalon wins by a KTFO. I've had the pleasure of playing through a U5 -> power amp setup twice. Someday I'll own the damn thing.

 

Pshhh justification is for the weak!

 

i voted U5 but that really is dependent on what you're plugging into it. But if it is Hi-Fi WHAT YOU PLUG IN IS WHAT YOU GET tone, I'd say you should get yourself an EA iAmp 800

 

So, can you justify NOT selling me your U5 for $30?

Short of robbing a bank this seems to be my only chance of getting one soon.

 

Sure, I'll give it to you for $30 with a $499 shipping fee . It'd be a little less but I'm sure shipping to Athens would be a pain. I love the city though... let me crash at your place for a few days and I'll bring the U5 over .

 

Size and weight aside, I don't recomend the U5. I have one, and I love it for recording or as a pure DI, but there are very minimal options for tone adjustment, and I've found that to be a problem when trying to get around bad rooms and stages.

 

I don't find that I ever use my amp to tweak settings to the room. I always use onboard EQ to do that (I only use active). I've thought about it and I know that sometimes some specific EQing is necessary, and thought about getting a graphic eq to send the signal from the avalon through...

 

While these DIs and channel strips can sound great when recording or as a DI or in solo work they often leave a lot to be desired when you hit the stage. Remember as a DI that signal is now tweaked by an engineer with lots of eq and processing potential. I have found dedicated bass pres to be the best live. (P.S. I love the Summit TD-100)(the U5 has a great reputation)