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Double Bass Breaking News NEW EDB-2 VAP From Headway

#81
Hi Tom, yes, ready to ship on Wens, in order of orders made, but I think all will go off this week from Poland for Europe or outside of the UK. as a Valve unit in aluminium it's not heavy but has to be larger to disperse heat reliably and to house the large number of features. We supply a chest bag in PU Black leather, to take it and the PSU, hands free. I attach manual.

19.1 PHYSICAL SPECIFICATIONS

Dimensions: Aluminum Box length = 215mm x 140mm x 49mm (8.47") x (5.51") x (1.92")
Overall length with connectors = 225mm (8.85")

Overall width = 145mm (5.70")
Depth of aluminum enclosure = 49mm (1.92")
Depth including knobs and feet = 64mm (2.51") Weight without batteries = 940g (33.16 oz)
Weight with batteries = 1040g (36.68 oz)
Weight of retail packaging for shipping complete with EDB-2 VAP = 1540g (54.32oz)

P. 75

Dimensions of retail packaging complete with
EDB-2 VAP = 268mm x 235mm x 105mm (10.55" x 9.25" x 4.13") Microphone stand bracket connector: Female threaded bush on rear at 9/16” to 19/32" (15mm approx.).

Thank you

John of Headway

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#84
Hi Tom, it's unlikely to fully function I'm afraid, even if voltage & plug correct and it's regulated. The multi supply units do sometimes struggle when loaded up with several devices and are designed for more regular small pedal requirements. Our PSU offers 1A and it's not much larger than for EDB-2 HE version. John of Headway
 
#85
Mark Gollihur said:
Nice to see this coming to fruition! John and I had conversations about this product (I was sworn to secrecy) back in the early summer time. Really looking forward to seeing how well it works with URB. I've generally not liked the tone that tubes (valves) usually impart on an upright bass signal, but I'm keeping an open mind and waiting to hear the results on this new preamp with my own ears. :)
Click to expand...

Hi Mark,

The expanded valve (tube) version of EDB-2 HE is out now in tiny numbers, carrying all those features ( except belt clip) and more to customers from Poland and shortly also from UK. UK special intro price of GB £499.95 inc 20% VAT. We are supplying Howard Core with a small number initially.

Perhaps you could source from there to assess? A friend who plays Double Bass professionally, tried his passive piezo bridge pickup through the unit into a small combo. The difference with valve mixed in was night and day. It went from flat to deep and round.

Early purchasers include Tony Kelsey and Matt Worley of Robert Plant's band "Saving Grace", Scott Fore: National Bluegrass Guitar Champion USA, Michael Millard and Andy Mueller of Froggy Bottom Guitars, Simon Swarbrick of Merry Hell and Archie McAllister of Skippinish.

I believe this will be seen to be a ground breaking high end product, on which we intend to base a range of future products.

The 100 page detailed manual is also available as a pdf.

I have limited comms at present for a while from remote rural Scotland,

John of Headway Music Audio
 
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#86
How time flies!

It's amazing to me that it's been 10 years since I received a demo unit of the then Brand-New EDB-2 and sent it around the country for quite a few TBers to try. It was a big hit.

New EDB-2 and EDM-1 from Headway For Trial

More recently Headway came out with the EDB-2 HE which added some much-appreciated features such as independent 5-band EQ on BOTH channels.

Now comes the EDB-2 VAP.

John Littler and Headway are obviously committed to continually upgrading and improving their products. I think it's great that they will continue offering the EDB-2 along with the new enhanced EDB-2 VAP.
 
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#87
What I am excited about with the new VAP and why despite having a cabinet full of preamps, I am looking forward to getting one is really about John's commitment to designing his preamps for the acoustic instrument community and upright bassists particularly. It makes a difference. The new VAP will have useful Swiss Army features to get the right sound. But not the Swiss Army knife with the finger nail file and pen blade, the one with the saw and pliers and scissors and 3 blades and magnifying glass.It's going to (IMO) be the ideal pre to pair with a powered full range speaker.
John also is super innovative with pickup design. I was really excited about one of his bridge piezo pickups that used if a bar piezo like in guitars....
 
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#89
Any field tests? I’d like to hear from people using the EDB2HE upgrading to the VAP.
The way I use my EDB2-HE lately is with the piezo in channel one flat eq then into a UAD Apollo (I apply through the effects loop of channel one a few cuts specially on the bass through a Empress Paraeq, then again low cut on a GK 800rb preamp pedal and mid boost, and a TC electronic bodyrez at full). The mic is sent directly to the Apollo without going into the headway.
But if I want to avoid the Apollo altogether then I use channel 2 and there I eq a bit.
The question is whether this(EDB2HE or VAP) is the right preamp for me as all of the eq is done out of it.
 
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#90
redtomfunk said:
Any field tests? I’d like to hear from people using the EDB2HE upgrading to the VAP.
The way I use my EDB2-HE lately is with the piezo in channel one flat eq then into a UAD Apollo (I apply through the effects loop of channel one a few cuts specially on the bass through a Empress Paraeq, then again low cut on a GK 800rb preamp pedal and mid boost, and a TC electronic bodyrez at full). The mic is sent directly to the Apollo without going into the headway.
But if I want to avoid the Apollo altogether then I use channel 2 and there I eq a bit.
The question is whether this(EDB2HE or VAP) is the right preamp for me as all of the eq is done out of it.
Click to expand...

I should be doing a studio and a field test shortly. Expecting the new VAP soon and I already have the HE.
 
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#92
The first demo on EDB-2 VAP anyone has done has been on acoustic guitar on FB played by the twice USA national bluegrass champion, Scott Fore, with comments below:

I’m completely blown away by this thing. This is by far the best acoustic instrument preamp I’ve ever used, and I’ve tried them all. I recorded a quick audio direct into Logic that I shared to Facebook. I didn’t spend any time tweaking the settings. This preamp is definitely going to be a hit!!
Scott Fore

Early purchasers include Tony Kelsey and Matt Worley of Robert Plant's new acoustic band band "Saving Grace", Michael Millard and Andy Mueller of Froggy Bottom Guitars USA, Simon Swarbrick of English folk rock band "Merry Hell" and Archie McAllister of Scottish band, "Skippinish".
John of Headway
 
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#95
John Littler said:
Oh it's standard for XLR Mic inputs. I shall have to look it up. Sorry it's not to hand, John
Click to expand...

OK thanks. If it's the same as the EDB-2 HE, it should be 3.4kOhm (according to the manual). In the manual for the older EDB-2, it lists the impedance for the xlr input at <2kOhm... I asked because the impedance has a big effect on the performance of ribbon mics.
 
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#98
I can`t find it anywhere in the manual of either the EDB2-HE and EDB2-VAP.
Are the output DIs line level or mic level?
I need to connect the unit (currently a EDB2-HE) to a QSC K8.2 active PA speaker. What is the best way?

  1. From the Headway line out or DI out?
  2. On the active speaker :line or mic level?
 

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