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How about some UL902C reviews...........

Andy Will

Andy Will

Apr 11, 2003
692
65
50
London, England
www.myspace.com
#1
I'm just making the final decision on going for the Epifani UL902C or the UL502 for this weekend and would love to hear some reviews/real world experiences with the 902 to help swing the final decision. In particular, any comparisons from owners of both over practicality of the smaller UL502 as it is a few hundred Euros/Dollars cheaper and smaller.

Am pretty sure I'll go for the big boy, but just need to finally convince myself on the huge expenditure, as I'll also be buying a new UL410 4 Ohmer at the same time!:)
 
#2
Andy Will said:
I'm just making the final decision on going for the Epifani UL902C or the UL502 for this weekend and would love to hear some reviews/real world experiences with the 902 to help swing the final decision. In particular, any comparisons from owners of both over practicality of the smaller UL502 as it is a few hundred Euros/Dollars cheaper and smaller.

Am pretty sure I'll go for the big boy, but just need to finally convince myself on the huge expenditure, as I'll also be buying a new UL410 4 Ohmer at the same time!:)
Click to expand...


I don't think many 902c's have been sold due to that unusual 'two amp non bridge' design... hence very few reviews. Not many playes need two 900 watt amps and the need to use two large cabs to get the full power of that amp. It think Jae (Joker) is using one with two 112UL's, but that seems like an underuse of that powerful, expensive amp IMO, versus just using the 600 with that stack... however, I bet it sounds great.

I'm assuming you are looking at the 502 versus the 600 because you need the dual channels? If you don't, the 600 seems a much better deal, and is much lighter. Given that the 410UL is a very efficient cab and comes in a 4ohm version, the 600 watts of the PS600 would drive that cab very nicely for a fraction of the cost of the 902c IMO.
 
#3
Thanks for your reply! Have noticed a few Talkbassers have the 902C listed in their equipment lists, but just trying to lure them out and squueze some info. out of them on how they are using that crazy power! ;)

Definately going to use the two channel set-up, plus personally, am not too keen on the look of the PS600 (might be one of the few).

The reason the UL902C might be useful is that I tend to play in a lot of unusual venues here, sometimes where I'm using the cabs provided by the venue, other times where there isn't PA support or lastly outdoor/festival gigs. It's very rare of course that most of the power would get used but would hate to kick myself for getting the 502 when the larger one would have been better.

Have noticed a lot of the UL502 users saying they wouldn't ever need louder than the 600 Watts, but then in the next posting they want to get more power by getting the 902 or a poweramp. Might just be the GAS of course, but am just curious if anyone has actually played in a gig situation with the UL502/410UL rig and not been loud enough.................:confused:
 
#4
Andy Will said:
Thanks for your reply! Have noticed a few Talkbassers have the 902C listed in their equipment lists, but just trying to lure them out and squueze some info. out of them on how they are using that crazy power! ;)

Definately going to use the two channel set-up, plus personally, am not too keen on the look of the PS600 (might be one of the few).

The reason the UL902C might be useful is that I tend to play in a lot of unusual venues here, sometimes where I'm using the cabs provided by the venue, other times where there isn't PA support or lastly outdoor/festival gigs. It's very rare of course that most of the power would get used but would hate to kick myself for getting the 502 when the larger one would have been better.

Have noticed a lot of the UL502 users saying they wouldn't ever need louder than the 600 Watts, but then in the next posting they want to get more power by getting the 902 or a poweramp. Might just be the GAS of course, but am just curious if anyone has actually played in a gig situation with the UL502/410UL rig and not been loud enough.................:confused:
Click to expand...

+1... and actually, I too think the 600 looks kind of nasty. That blue is a strange color choice to me, and also the idea of having a moderately powered super lightweight head in a form that pretty much forces you to use a rack makes very little sence (versus the 'bag-able' similarly spec'd lighweight heads like the iAmp500 and Markbass LMII, etc.).
 
#5
Maybe it's just because, the UL502/902 is soooooooooo pretty.

Don't go into the light Carol Anne..........:D

There are several brands on the market that I really wouldn't buy because of the looks, no matter what the performance. Same as buying a car or anything else and that Blue on the PS600 with the chrome knobs unfortunately doesn't float my boat. :rollno:
 
#8
KJung said:
I don't think many 902c's have been sold due to that unusual 'two amp non bridge' design... hence very few reviews. Not many playes need two 900 watt amps and the need to use two large cabs to get the full power of that amp. QUOTE]

I have the UL902C and did have the UL502, as Ken mentioned in his post, true not many bassists would have the need for such power in a two channel configuration but in as a 900 watt one ch. well, that's open up things differently. But to clear the 2-900 ch. story up, the C stands for concert intended for those that do use more than one cab. As for me, I can now use my UL410 and 2-PS112's at the same time with one light weight amp (which I do use from time to time).

The 900 watts of the 902C really opens up my UL410, the extra watts gives the exra headroom that really allows the 410 full pulltential to be heard, even at lower volumes. Same pre amp design but different power section, they both have class D power but the 502 has a modulation that has a real nice natural ooomph to it and the 902C has a switchable power whose ooomph is more of a pure clean power driven amp.

The power of the 502's 600 watts is not to be underestimated for 600 watts, with it's pre amp together gets very loud and can easily push to 8 ohm UL410's let alone one 4 ohm.
Click to expand...
 
#10
Andy Will said:
Might just be the GAS of course, but am just curious if anyone has actually played in a gig situation with the UL502/410UL rig and not been loud enough.................:confused:
Click to expand...

Not yet...;)

I never turn my master past 12 o'clock and my gain is usually in between 9 and 11 o'clock. This is on the gig of course, and this can still be a bit loud. Totally and completely room filling bass. Do I want a 902? Sure...but I don't need it.
 
#11
Excellent, these are the kind of answers I was looking for! As you never really know the power available from these amps until you test them out in a few different gig situations.
I know the sound is great for me, but it's only the question of wattage that I need to make a final decision on.

Any other Epifani users/abusers got any experiences they would like to share? (..........about their amps, of course!:eyebrow: )
 
#12
MacGroove said:
KJung said:
I don't think many 902c's have been sold due to that unusual 'two amp non bridge' design... hence very few reviews. Not many playes need two 900 watt amps and the need to use two large cabs to get the full power of that amp. QUOTE]

I have the UL902C and did have the UL502, as Ken mentioned in his post, true not many bassists would have the need for such power in a two channel configuration but in as a 900 watt one ch. well, that's open up things differently. But to clear the 2-900 ch. story up, the C stands for concert intended for those that do use more than one cab. As for me, I can now use my UL410 and 2-PS112's at the same time with one light weight amp (which I do use from time to time).

The 900 watts of the 902C really opens up my UL410, the extra watts gives the exra headroom that really allows the 410 full pulltential to be heard, even at lower volumes. Same pre amp design but different power section, they both have class D power but the 502 has a modulation that has a real nice natural ooomph to it and the 902C has a switchable power whose ooomph is more of a pure clean power driven amp.

The power of the 502's 600 watts is not to be underestimated for 600 watts, with it's pre amp together gets very loud and can easily push to 8 ohm UL410's let alone one 4 ohm.
Click to expand...

Hi Mac,

Do you have a picture of yours? Are the 902 and 502 the same size and weight?

-Christian
Click to expand...
 
#13
Another much cheaper alternative would be a quest preamp, if you can find one. I think a quest with something like a qsc plx1804 would make a great lightweight rig. You would also get the individual channel attenuators missing from the 902, an essential item if you are running two non-identical cabs, imo.
 
#14
Just a comment on the PS 600. I think the UL502 has such a classy killer look that the PS 600 is a disappointment. The UL502 looks high end. The blue on the PS 600 just falls short visually.It has grown on me and it wouldn't prevent me from buying it. I agree if Epifani could have done a little better with the look of the PS 600 it may have helped. I still would love to own one though.
 
#15
MacGroove said:
KJung said:
I don't think many 902c's have been sold due to that unusual 'two amp non bridge' design... hence very few reviews. Not many playes need two 900 watt amps and the need to use two large cabs to get the full power of that amp. QUOTE]

I have the UL902C and did have the UL502, as Ken mentioned in his post, true not many bassists would have the need for such power in a two channel configuration but in as a 900 watt one ch. well, that's open up things differently. But to clear the 2-900 ch. story up, the C stands for concert intended for those that do use more than one cab. As for me, I can now use my UL410 and 2-PS112's at the same time with one light weight amp (which I do use from time to time).

The 900 watts of the 902C really opens up my UL410, the extra watts gives the exra headroom that really allows the 410 full pulltential to be heard, even at lower volumes. Same pre amp design but different power section, they both have class D power but the 502 has a modulation that has a real nice natural ooomph to it and the 902C has a switchable power whose ooomph is more of a pure clean power driven amp.

The power of the 502's 600 watts is not to be underestimated for 600 watts, with it's pre amp together gets very loud and can easily push to 8 ohm UL410's let alone one 4 ohm.
Click to expand...

Just out of curiosity, do you still use your the power-amps listed in your set-up now that you have the 902C? Or have they been permanently replaced by the new amp?
Click to expand...
 
#16
Hello there. Thought I'd add my thoughts. I own an UL502 head, an UL112 cab and a 4Ohm UL410. On smaller gigs I use the 112, it's an 8Ohms cab and I get around 300/350 watts from the head (estimate!) and then on bigger gigs I take the UL410 and as it's a 4Ohm cab it releases the full 600 watts from the head. IMO you don't need anything louder than the UL502/UL410 for regular gigging situations, it's monsterously loud and crystal clear. I can only imagine people needing the 902 for huge open air concerts with 2 X 4Ohm UL410s or even 4 X 8Ohm ones. In fact I use the UL502/UL112 setup on more and more things these days, it's fantastic. I have actually got to a stage in my thinking where wattage isn't quite as important as it used to be to me. The clear upper mids and crystal clear top end of the Epifani cabs means that they cut through so much better than any other cab. You can just hear yourself so much better over the din of all the other players. I chose my setup for the flexibility of taking a small cab or a big cab with the same head to different gigs but to be honest, if I had my time again I might look at something like the UL112 combo and an UL112 cab.. And I do play in large venues with a 9 piece disco band.. Something to think about anyway.. All the best..
 

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