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Schroeder Cabinets ... smart design = very compact ! (regular and lights)

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#945
I find the Mesa 400+ to be very good...
Running flat (eq off and bass, mid and treble at 5) it's very clean and natural with lots of tube beef. I use the eq section only with my upright to dial out feedback frequencies.
 
#946
SMASH said:
The iAmp 800 definitely has some richness in the lows. Keep in mind the caveat though that they're a bit hissy - I can't imagine mic'ing an iAmp 800 though a cab in a studio - especially with the tweeter on. Have also read of people saying the DI/outs can be noisy but they seemed fine to me.
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I have read this as well, but in all honesty, my iAMP 800 does not show any signs of being hissy, or noisy in any way. The DI sounds clean, too. It may be an issue with certain individual units, or it could be one of the issues fixed by their series of "upgrades" from the original circuitry/components. All I know is that Gary Gibilisco did all the updates (which really aren't anything major) to my iAMP 800 (which was an earlier red-knob unit to start with), and mine sounds great, with no perceptible hiss.

And with regard to the low end on the iAMP, I will say that in general, it does have hint of what I would call "tube-like warmth" that I have not heard in any other SS head, though if you don't like that sound for some reason, you can easily dial in a more tight, clear, SS-like tone. The main thing that I have noticed with the iAMP 800 is that the low end is just tighter than with the other heads that I have used (Walkabout, WWU, Thunderfunk TFB420). You can get a lot of low end volume, but still retain control. I haven't tried the Focus yet, though.

Hope this helps, Tom.
 
#947
tombowlus said:
The main thing that I have noticed with the iAMP 800 is that the low end is just tighter than with the other heads that I have used (Walkabout, WWU, Thunderfunk TFB420). You can get a lot of low end volume, but still retain control.
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How does it compare to your rack rig in that regard? Have you tried driving the QSC with the iAmp as the preamp?

Alex
 
#948
I finally played my 21012 at rehearsal yesterday. All I can say is "HOLY CRAP!!!". I can't believe the huevos this thing has. The amazing thing is that I found that I was running it at a lower volume because this cabinet fills up the room instead of just blowing the sound to the front. I did have a whole new set up though. I had a complete Hartke rig with a BBE Sonic Maximizer. I changed to a BBE BMax T with a Carvin DCM1000 amp. I had the BBE gain and master set on 5 while the Carvin was set to less than a quarter of it's volume. I can't imagine that these cabinets won't become the standard for bass players. They just far exceed anything I've ever heard before.
 
#949
alexclaber said:
How does it compare to your rack rig in that regard? Have you tried driving the QSC with the iAmp as the preamp?

Alex
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Actually, I have played my iAMP 800 through my Crest CA9 ("new to me" amp - still haven't decided whether or not it replaces my PLX 3002 in my bass rig) into a VL-210B. This was only at fairly low volumes. I was doing some comparisons between the iAMP 800, Walter Woods Ultra, Walkabout and Thunderfunk heads (more on this in a later thread, I promise!), and to see how much of their inherent tone came from the preamp versus how much from power amp.

After doing this (and after several other comparisons between my iAMP 800 and my rack rig - Navigator/PLX 3002), my impression is that the slightly warm tone is a characteristic of the iAMP preamp, and the tight low end is due to the amp section. My initial thoughts were that it is a headroom issue, but the WWU has 50% more power (into a 4 ohm load) and does not sound as tight to me as the iAMP. Then, I thought maybe it's a power supply issue, and toroids rule, but the PLX 3002 employs a switching power supply (albeit a fairly tweaked one), and it is also tight and punchy in the low end.

At any rate, the iAMP is noteworthy in its tightly controlled low end response, but my rack rig (with the PLX) has even more low end power and tight, quick response (at similar volume settings). The iAMP is the only head that I have tried that comes close to my rack rig in this regard. Oh, and even though I never got real loud, all of the preamp outs into the CA9 sounded very tight and controlled. I was especially impressed with the sound of the Walkabout with the Crest.

Hope this helps, Tom.
 
#952
Pete skjold said:
Hey Tom,

Are you going to be able to bring your bass ? Either way I think you will be impressed with the cabs.

Look forward to finally meeting you.

Pete
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No, I won't be bringing the Thunderbird with me on this trip. :crying: However, I just might be able to find another instrument or two to plug into Jorg's cabs, eh? ;):D
 
#953
tombowlus said:
At any rate, the iAMP is noteworthy in its tightly controlled low end response, but my rack rig (with the PLX) has even more low end power and tight, quick response (at similar volume settings). The iAMP is the only head that I have tried that comes close to my rack rig in this regard.
Click to expand...

That's good to know! I do like my PLX 3002, it keeps my Acmes very happy! :D

Have you done any experimenting with different length and gauge speaker cables? I'd have thought that could make a fair difference once you're getting down to such subtle variations, expecially as the damping factor on how 'directly' the speakers are connected to the amp's outputs.

Alex
 
#954
tombowlus said:
Actually, I have played my iAMP 800 through my Crest CA9 ("new to me" amp - still haven't decided whether or not it replaces my PLX 3002 in my bass rig) into a VL-210B. This was only at fairly low volumes. I was doing some comparisons between the iAMP 800, Walter Woods Ultra, Walkabout and Thunderfunk heads (more on this in a later thread, I promise!), and to see how much of their inherent tone came from the preamp versus how much from power amp.

After doing this (and after several other comparisons between my iAMP 800 and my rack rig - Navigator/PLX 3002), my impression is that the slightly warm tone is a characteristic of the iAMP preamp, and the tight low end is due to the amp section. My initial thoughts were that it is a headroom issue, but the WWU has 50% more power (into a 4 ohm load) and does not sound as tight to me as the iAMP. Then, I thought maybe it's a power supply issue, and toroids rule, but the PLX 3002 employs a switching power supply (albeit a fairly tweaked one), and it is also tight and punchy in the low end.

At any rate, the iAMP is noteworthy in its tightly controlled low end response, but my rack rig (with the PLX) has even more low end power and tight, quick response (at similar volume settings). The iAMP is the only head that I have tried that comes close to my rack rig in this regard. Oh, and even though I never got real loud, all of the preamp outs into the CA9 sounded very tight and controlled. I was especially impressed with the sound of the Walkabout with the Crest.

Hope this helps, Tom.
Click to expand...

Don't know enough to explain the reason for this, but I find that different amps just respond differently to different cabs. The WWU for example can sound like sludge with some of my EA cabs and absolutley kick major ass with the Berg's. Just goes to show IMO you can't just buy an amp and expect it to sound great with any cab, you need to look at the whole package.
 
#955
NeedMoreBass said:
Don't know enough to explain the reason for this, but I find that different amps just respond differently to different cabs. The WWU for example can sound like sludge with some of my EA cabs and absolutley kick major ass with the Berg's. Just goes to show IMO you can't just buy an amp and expect it to sound great with any cab, you need to look at the whole package.
Click to expand...
I agree, wholeheartedly. The WWU with the Bergies definitely brings out the best in both. Accugroove cabs with the iAMP 800 is another great combination.
 
#956
alexclaber said:
Have you done any experimenting with different length and gauge speaker cables? I'd have thought that could make a fair difference once you're getting down to such subtle variations, expecially as the damping factor on how 'directly' the speakers are connected to the amp's outputs.

Alex
Click to expand...
Yes and no. Most of my cables are pretty heavy duty 12 guage cabling, and I use speakons when available. A number of my cables have speakons on one end, and banana or heavy duty 1/4" on the other. My cables are of similar quality, but are from a variety of brands.
 
#957
SMASH said:
Fully upgraded. Unit is this year's model, all black, with the effects in out instead of the tuner on the front. If you read the related threads, you're possibly the only one to claim theirs is silent. It's most noisy, as someone said above, with both pre and master volumes set to "0".

Having mentioned it to iAmp, they aknowledged it and said this issue is in the plans for improvement. In a live setting or any environment with much ambient noise, you're unlikely to hear it. It's about the level of a fan whirring away, but in a silent space - your home or a studio - you'd certainly hear it, especially if you have tweeters going on the cabs.
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I'll check for that sound again. Perhaps the gain setup that I normally use is cancelling it out, or at least minimizing the effect.
 
#958
Got my end-of-year bonus and I just ordered a 1212 from Brian.
Talked to Jorg who listened to what I wanted and said the 1212 would probably do it for me, although he did say the 1210 cuts better in "acoustics-from-hell" rooms.

Woohoo! With my Clarus this should be one heck of a portable rig.
 
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