I am primarily playing upright now with occasional electric. Half the time with a 5 pc combo and half with a big band. I am thinking about getting either the Euphonic IAmp Doubler II with a Wizzy-112 M-Line or the Acoustic Image Clarus SL-2 with the DoubleShot speaker. Does anyone have any advise or even a different suggestion?
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Double Bass Euphonic or Acoustic Image
- Thread starter Andrew Clarkson
- Start date
I went with AI Clarus into Genzler 123slt. Almost always blend piezo and mic. Get lots of compliments on tone. I am curious if it the double shot would be an improvement. Also run a vocal mic into ai for talking between tunes. Function almost like a mini pa.
I have an AI Focus, single channel, a 2-channel Cars both 900 watts. I also own an iamp 800.
I love the sound and all the tonal options that the EA has. I play it mostly in my basement in our rehearsal space. Works great for both electric and DB.
I normally bring my 2-channel Acoustic Image to pretty much all gigs. I feel more prepared for different rooms with all the features the AI has - specifically the HPF and simpler tone controls. I can fix my tone quicker with the AI that the EA.
So they both are awesome in my opinion. Just depends on the situation. As far as cabinet choice, I think EA makes better cabs than AI does = opinion. I'd go EA Doubler and cab from the choices you listed.
I love the sound and all the tonal options that the EA has. I play it mostly in my basement in our rehearsal space. Works great for both electric and DB.
I normally bring my 2-channel Acoustic Image to pretty much all gigs. I feel more prepared for different rooms with all the features the AI has - specifically the HPF and simpler tone controls. I can fix my tone quicker with the AI that the EA.
So they both are awesome in my opinion. Just depends on the situation. As far as cabinet choice, I think EA makes better cabs than AI does = opinion. I'd go EA Doubler and cab from the choices you listed.
Either of those two head and amp combinations are great. If you think you’ll ever want to add a microphone for Double Bass, then the EA Doubler has 48v Phantom power and variable phase. I might mix and match the two with the EA Doubler and the AI Double Shot. With Electric Bass I’d give the Doubler the edge.
The Clarus SL-2 does have 48v phantom power actually and comes with an XLR to quarter inch converter.
I hear an "old school" sound in my head, am not chasing the next shiny object. I'm very happy with my years-old combination of Acoustic Image Focus and one or two Euphonic Audio Wizzy 12 M-line cabs for my upright and my Fender and Rob Allen electric basses. I play either straight into the AI head (using its preamp and EQ sections) or into the effects return using various preamps. Sounds great with both upright and electrics in every combination, complete customer satisfaction, has served me well for years.
I’ve played a Clarus and Wizzy 12 Milne and LOVE the combination. That said I’ve not tried the Doubler or recent AI cabs. The only thing I would like is the MLine in a smaller package and their 10” didn’t do it for me. Perhaps an upshot would be a great addition for those drummerless gigs.
I have both of those set ups. I was really hoping the Double Shot would eliminate the need for the Wizzy. It doesn't. The Wizzy M-Line is just awesome. The downside is that is is much heavier to lug around.
For low level gigs, even small big bands with singers (depending on the size of the venue), the Acoustic Image does just fine. Caveat - the AI seems to be much more fickle about the room you are playing in. 75% of the time I have to put it on a chair. But for gigs with a loud drummer where I need to be more upfront and have lots of solo responsibilities, the EA wins out. The EA just has much more clarity, headroom and volume.
For low level gigs, even small big bands with singers (depending on the size of the venue), the Acoustic Image does just fine. Caveat - the AI seems to be much more fickle about the room you are playing in. 75% of the time I have to put it on a chair. But for gigs with a loud drummer where I need to be more upfront and have lots of solo responsibilities, the EA wins out. The EA just has much more clarity, headroom and volume.
This just makes perfect sense, the EA Wizzy 12 will push out more sound forward to the band and it has a higher SPL by traditional ratings. The sound from the Double Shot is more dispersed. So it kind of depends on the application you’ll be using it for.
You are correct. When you can buy a second hand AI or EA for $500 or less but you can buy a used car for the ever increasing price of a WW, it isn't even close.....
We all agree that Walter's products sound great, but the discussion is getting pretty far away for a working musician to consider one, especially when you add the price and the unreliable grumpy old man with six month warranty / repair problems. Compare that to a two day turnaround at AI....
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Actually, what has happened, as I've watched, over the last 10 years is that Walter's amps, depending on the model, have fluctuated up and down a great deal. Grumpy man and warranty aside, (which by the way, is lifetime. for the Electroacoustic's on the power section, to the original owner ) the biggest
issue is getting them repaired, however his amps are excellent builds, so they tend not to have all that many service problems, unless you have water accidentally drip through the vent holes in the top, like I did. Newer builds like the EA and AI use off the shelf power amplifiers, that can be easily replaced
provided that's built into the design. There are many lower priced Class D amps that are very difficult to repair, and essentially throw aways, if something fails, in their power sections. Personally, when one of my older Walter Woods amps needed repair Walter always treated me fairly and got back to me
in a very timely manner. That said, Acoustic Image has outstanding customer support and service as does Euphonic Audio. I've just owned my Woods Electroacoustic Ultra for longer than AI or EA were on the market. Just my take.
P.S. Their are a lot of sellers that think their particular Walter Woods is the golden goose and
ask ridiculous prices online for them. Many times, they are never sold, Reverb often
has "sale ended" vs sold for a Woods amplifier. It happens a lot more than you'd expect.
For electric, I can make my AI Focus 1 Series III sound just like my old Eden WT550, which I loved for electric being very musical, but too heavy, by running an Eden WTDI pedal through the effects return, thus bypassing the AI pre that I find too dry for electric but great for a piezo on an upright. If you need to double on a gig and have separate preamps for electric and upright just get an AB pedal if both need to run in to the effects return.
AI's customer support is outstanding. They were willing to help me on a used one I bought at no charge. I love my AI Focus and it is 2ohm stable.
Oh, I guess I should also say I've never used any Euphonic or WW amplification...the cost of a used AI and its ease of use won me over long ago.
AI's customer support is outstanding. They were willing to help me on a used one I bought at no charge. I love my AI Focus and it is 2ohm stable.
Oh, I guess I should also say I've never used any Euphonic or WW amplification...the cost of a used AI and its ease of use won me over long ago.
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I own both an AI Coda+, and a few EA NL-112s, and for me, I reach for the AI most times cause of the convenience factor. On the rare occasions when I need more oomph, I'll bring the NL112 as a slave cab. I tried the Doubler II, and it was fine, but a little too sterile for me, and with the AI having a few more tonal options, it won out. (Side note: When my AI was recently in the shop, I had to use my EA with a Mesa WD-800 for my upright, and it sounded killer!! Wasn't expecting that at all... 
)
I don't think you can go wrong with either company.
)I don't think you can go wrong with either company.
I think it’s a matter of what sound you are after. The Clarus SL-2 is a great head with a very dark/clear sound and will favor double bass more so, but is usable for electric bass. While I’ve never used the EA Doubler before, from what I understand it has a bit more focus in the mids but is still a clear sounding amp. So I guess it may be a little more in favor of electric bass but is totally usable for double bass (there’s a couple of great players on this forum who really enjoy using the EA Doubler). Both have 48v phantom power built in so you can use a mic with both heads.
I’ve been using the Clarus SL-2 and Doubleshot since February and have grown to consider it my ideal amplified setup for double bass. Using an Ischell contact mic and an Art tube mic preamp with it, I feel like I’ve gotten close to the mythical MBOL. When I’ve had to use my Realist Lifeline with it for loud gigs, I’ve been able to dial in a pretty thick and round tone that doesn’t get buried in the mix. The high pass filter that is built into the Clarus head is an extremely useful tool that’s come in handy in some loud gigs or boomy rooms. I recently got to play with the great drummer Alex Cline in a very vibrant and reverb heavy room with an 8 piece band. Cline gets really loud and I was slightly worried that the Doubleshot wouldn’t hang with him, but audience members in the back told me I was really clear in the mix and that it was one of the tightest bass sounds they’ve heard in the room. The HPF helped a ton. The only thing I’ve found the Doubleshot doesn’t like is being placed in a corner. I had to deal with that my last gig before the shutdown began and struggled all night with getting a focused bass sound. I have played one of my electrics through the Clarus and Doubleshot in the practice room and it does sound nice. Never on a gig yet. But I’ve come to realize it likely wouldn’t hang in a rock gig because it isn’t voiced like a traditional electric cab. It could work well for quieter jazz gigs and probably for drummer-less electric gigs.
Once COVID-19 passes, I have a Markbass combo that’s been in need of repair for awhile (first repair was butchered so hopefully it’s salvageable by now) and am gonna see if there’s a way to set it up as a cab so I can use my Clarus SL-2 with it for doubling gigs. I don’t do a lot of electric gigs anymore so I’m not in need of top of the line electric bass gear.
So TL;DR, both heads are great and either would be a solid pick. The Doubleshot is a great speaker for double bass, but probably not ideal for most electric bass gigs.
I’ve been using the Clarus SL-2 and Doubleshot since February and have grown to consider it my ideal amplified setup for double bass. Using an Ischell contact mic and an Art tube mic preamp with it, I feel like I’ve gotten close to the mythical MBOL. When I’ve had to use my Realist Lifeline with it for loud gigs, I’ve been able to dial in a pretty thick and round tone that doesn’t get buried in the mix. The high pass filter that is built into the Clarus head is an extremely useful tool that’s come in handy in some loud gigs or boomy rooms. I recently got to play with the great drummer Alex Cline in a very vibrant and reverb heavy room with an 8 piece band. Cline gets really loud and I was slightly worried that the Doubleshot wouldn’t hang with him, but audience members in the back told me I was really clear in the mix and that it was one of the tightest bass sounds they’ve heard in the room. The HPF helped a ton. The only thing I’ve found the Doubleshot doesn’t like is being placed in a corner. I had to deal with that my last gig before the shutdown began and struggled all night with getting a focused bass sound. I have played one of my electrics through the Clarus and Doubleshot in the practice room and it does sound nice. Never on a gig yet. But I’ve come to realize it likely wouldn’t hang in a rock gig because it isn’t voiced like a traditional electric cab. It could work well for quieter jazz gigs and probably for drummer-less electric gigs.
Once COVID-19 passes, I have a Markbass combo that’s been in need of repair for awhile (first repair was butchered so hopefully it’s salvageable by now) and am gonna see if there’s a way to set it up as a cab so I can use my Clarus SL-2 with it for doubling gigs. I don’t do a lot of electric gigs anymore so I’m not in need of top of the line electric bass gear.
So TL;DR, both heads are great and either would be a solid pick. The Doubleshot is a great speaker for double bass, but probably not ideal for most electric bass gigs.
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Also another cab to consider is one of Michael Arnopol’s MAS 18s. They’re very well liked and killer for both double bass and electric bass. I don’t know if Mike is able to make cabs at this moment though.
Which combo do you have? I have a 121P. Super easy to use a different speaker box with it. I've used different heads with the speaker and different speakers with the head.
