Double Bass iAmp800........why did I wait so long?

[DaveB]

Although I made a partial switch to EA a few months ago with the CXL112 cabinet I have now completed the loop. I picked up a new iAMP800 yesterday and spent all last night trying it out. I really should have done this sooner. This is one terrific amp. I'm both an electric and upright guy and this is the perfect rig for both. My Mod Q5 has never sounded so sweet and my upright sounds like, well.... my upright. Even my beloved Fishman Platinum Bass Pro EQ will be unemployed now.
For all of you EA afficianadoes who counseled in favor of this amp (cab too) you were right on the money.
A note for my fellow Canadians. I got this at Club Bass and Dave (who predicted this amp purchase when I got the cab) tried his best not to gloat about how right he was!!!

 

[tombowlus]

Sounds like a killer rig! Enjoy the EA experience!


Tom.

 

[Norre]

Congratulations with your new iAmp !

 

[Chris Fitzgerald]

Agreed with everything you said. My iamp is the best DB amp I've ever seen, period. The only reason I "waited so long" is because they kept pushing back the shipping date when they first came out. But since I've had it, I have zero complaints.

Of course, if they could make it the size of a Clarus, that would be pretty cool too...

 

[kip]

The i800amp may be my answer, but I have a few reservations. For doubling purposes, with little time between tunes, It seems a two channel amp would be preferable, so you can EQ one for slab and one for DB. The other consideration, and I don't know of anyone who makes this, is separate speaker outs per channel, so I can use my 15" w/slab and my 12" with DB. I may need two amps, but that is so much baggage.
Thanks, Kip

 

[lermgalieu]

I might be wrong, but I think you can do that with a Walter Woods....

 

[Chris Fitzgerald]

The i800amp may be my answer, but I have a few reservations. For doubling purposes, with little time between tunes, It seems a two channel amp would be preferable, so you can EQ one for slab and one for DB.
Thanks, Kip

When I double (which is rare these days), I use a two-channel preamp to clear this up. That way, I can keep both axes plugged in and ready to go. Can't help you with the speaker situation - I think you'd be best off looking at a stereo power amp for that. Good luck.

 

[lermgalieu]

EA is coming out with a two channel preamp, I believe, so you could always get a lightweight stereo power amp and the EA pre. The 'lightweight' part is the hard part.... Otherwise you could use something like the Raven MDB-1 (which I happen to be selling on ebay hehe) to go into the iAMP or anything else you like. The problem I ran into is that I wanted different EQ's and stuff on each instrument, so the Clarus was a godsend by having two independent channels. I am just running both slab and DB through the same speaker cab though.

 

[kip]

Thanks guys. Of course, a stereo amp would work, given separate speakers. I was in a one unit does-all mindset. But now you got me thinkin It would certainly simplify cartage if I can find a single speaker cab that works well for both basses and use a preamp. I just haven't played a cab that satisfys me ear for both instruments.