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EA 300 Micro vs LMII... quick comparison.

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Progress Not Perfection.
Sep 2, 2004
12,524
291
Vancouver, BC Canada
#1
My EA 300 Micro just arrived today. Here's a quick comparison between the EA 300 Micro and LMII.

I tested the EA 300 Micro with my UL112 with my P bass & Labella flats. I was not playing loud as I live in a condo.

Tone: Wow, the EA 300 Micro sounds VERY warm and quite beautiful. Its a very "soft around the edges" pillowy sound. I really like the tone. In comparison, I find the LMII much more clear.

Volume: The EA 300 Micro is rated at 325w and as KJung has said it is definitely a "soft" 325w. The LMII thru the same cab just kills it in terms of output volume. I know the LMII is rated at a higher wattage, but these amps are no where close in terms of the volume capability. I'm hoping when I adjust the gain trim pot I may get some more juice out of her. I had the Master vol & Gain both maxed out and the limit light was not flashing. Perhaps my light touch and passive bass has something to do with it. My pickups are SD 1/4 pounders which definitely have some nuts.

Features: I really dig the features on the EA 300 Micro. It has a 3 band eq, two channels and a mute switch. The DI is adjustable using trim screws. I would really miss the VLE on my LMII.

Size & weight: I've never seen an amp as light and small as the EA 300 Micro. It weighs 2.5LBS. I recently had a Shuttle 6 and it was close but the EA 300 Micro is smaller I think and very transportable... which is the main reason I bought it.

I really hope to get more volume out of it using the gain trim screw. It should be a great solution for sticking in the outer pocket of my bass case. Hopefully it will be loud enough for rehearsals in my 3 peice "roots rock" band.

So my final conclusion is that it certainly is a great amp, with wonderful tone and features. Hopefully I get it going a little louder.
 
#2
Kind of a silly comparison but - OK. If you want any volume out of hte Micro you have to run it at 4 ohms. I find the EQ on the micro to be nicely voiced for my uses. With the EQ flat I find the EA to be very transparent. I'm running acoustic guitar and EB through mine into a Bag End S15X-d

one of the cooler features is the the 2 channel business can actually mix. When instruments are plugged into both channels 1 press changes from 1 to 2, another engages both 1 and 2. So 2 guys, 1 amp & cab can do a duo gig.

With the Bag End, at 8 ohms it's plenty loud enough for what I'm doing - it isn't even working hard and I think that is the point for this amp.

It's the amp for a guerilla rig. Small, light, 2 guys - 1 amp & cab. Coffee house, wine bar, restaurant lounge gig ... it's near perfect.

Basically I got's my GK if I need oomph and I'll carry the EA along to everything else... It is an emminently practical device IMO and that is it's reason for being. Actually the experience of owning it has me thinking about the MB2​500 - I would hate taking the bath on my 1001 RB II though ...
 
#3
Silly comparison??? I don't think so at all and I have no idea why you would say that.

Since I know the LMII quite well and given that quite a few TBers are familiar with it I thought it was a fair comparison to judge the EA 300 Micro by. Especially since they are both in the lightweight category with a similar price point.

Makes sense to me.

I think you're right on the money with the 8 ohms vs 4 ohms thing. Should definitely get some more juice out of it with 4 ohms.

Once my schroe 1515L arrives, I am confident that I will have all the volume I need when running the two together. However, again, the main purpose of the EA 300 Micro for me is to bring it to rehearsal studios.... since its so light and portable, it will be very easy to transport. Those studios have a large variety of cabs many of them 8 ohms and not nearly as efficient/loud as a 1515.
 
#4
If the clipping light is not coming on, then you are not running the Micro300 at full power. Definitely suspend judgment until you run it full tilt. The Micro300 doesn't seem to have a vast amount of gain. On one of my pickups, a DIY with unusually weak output, I have to use an outboard preamp.

For me, the Micro300 is all the amp I ever hope to need. But the LMII certainly seems like an attractive amp too.
 
#5
Does anyone know how much louder the Micro will get a 4 ohms? I've got an F1 (very similar to the LMII) going into a single 8 ohm cab. It's plenty loud for what I need. If I was to change the driver in my cab to 4 ohms, would the Micro 300 be as loud as the F1 at 8 ohms? Both would be putting out around 300 watts.
In terms of tone, other than being "sifter around the edges" how does it differ? Set flat, does it have more low end? Is it as punchy? What about the tone isn't as clear?
 
#6
Just a quick note re: volume...

I adjusted the gain trim screws and that seemed to help significantly. I also noticed I had my tone pot rolled off on my P bass. With gain trim screws turned all the way up and the tone pot fully up the Micro has way more power than I initially experienced. Probably still not enough with a single 8 ohm 1-12 in a rock band rehearsal, but perhaps close. With a 4 ohm large cab I think it will be great for what I do. When my 1515L arrives I am confident it will be plenty loud. Can't say for sure until gigging the two together though.

Also, just to clarify... In my initial review I said it was a very warm pillowy tone, but naturally, now that I turned the tone pot back to fully on, where it should be, the amp has less of those traits. Its still warm, perhaps warmer than the LMII, but not to a huge degree like I first thought.
 

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