I also have a LDS 2x8 3way and I really like the cabinet but there is just some kind of magic in the VL 208. Even EA has had a difficult time trumping their own product.
Ric
Ric
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Double Bass VL-208 Revisited
- Thread starter robgrow
- Start date
I currently own 2 VL208's and 2 VL108's, and while i agree that there's some serious magic there, I think their new products are damn fine as well. After buying the new Wizzy 10 I'm sure I'll sell at least one of my 108's, and I may well sell the extra VL208 as well and get a second Wizzy 10. The older cabs sound great, but are also heavy bastards, and as time goes on I really dread schlepping them to gigs.
uncle toad -- whats the word on the Mline versus the 208?
per another thread: ordered a set a starks. (thanks for helping me spend that bucksaw that was burning a hole in my bank account!!!
)
- May 6, 2003
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- Proprietor Fifth Avenue Fret Shop. Technical Editor Bass Gear Magazine
I wrote a thread on that awhile back. Basically the M line doesn't have quite the low end of the VL208, but the 208 is artificially heavy on the bottom as it is. The M line is true and even across the bass. The WizzM feeds back on my bass sooner than the 208, so for super loud rock gigs it wasn't cutting it. If I was just playing acoustic jazz with a good mic and the full circle, the Focus 2R III and M line Wizzy would be the perfect little rig.uncle toad -- whats the word on the Mline versus the 208?
per another thread: ordered a set a starks. (thanks for helping me spend that bucksaw that was burning a hole in my bank account!!!
And you could walk in the gig without a cart.
As it is I prefer a bit more ass.
....in many things.
Yeah I check ebay every day for them ...
... The one that did come up I bought ... My 1st one came from GC for $199.00 
Ric,
What is it about the Walter Woods amps that don't cut it with the VL208? My own solution is using a Genz Benz GBE 750, but that is for electric, not acoustic. Mind you, it might well work...
What is it about the Walter Woods amps that don't cut it with the VL208? My own solution is using a Genz Benz GBE 750, but that is for electric, not acoustic. Mind you, it might well work...
- May 6, 2003
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- Proprietor Fifth Avenue Fret Shop. Technical Editor Bass Gear Magazine
Esoxhntr,
Mine sounds great with the DB and EB. Granted, I'm not a furrious
slap and pop player. But IMHO they sound great together. Especially for upright.
Ric
Oops, you were asking about the VL110, not the VL208 - sorry. So insert VL110 everywhere in my last post where I typed VL208 and it will make more sense.
I find that the VL110 can be an exceptional speaker, but it is power hungry, and prefers amps with a toroidal transformer. I have two VL110 cabs, and it is easier to drive them both than drive a single one, but a single VL110 can sound killer with the right amp; some examples are GK RB800, EA iamp 350, Genz Benz GBE 750. I still have the GBE 750 (great amp). I sold the GK because it was getting too old, and only had one type of sound, and sold the iAmp 350 because it had some reliability issues, not quite enough power, and I didn't find the EQ all that user friendly though it was very effective if you had time to dial it in.
The GBE 750 is much quicker to dial in eq-wise, is extremely reliable, and has more than enough oomph for a single VL110. And since I like my GBE 750 so much, I bought a Neo Pak for small jazz gigs, and so far that's working out well too, though the Neo Pak doesn't cut it for bigger ensembles.
I tried a couple of Markbass (SA450 and 800) amps and found that neither quite had the stones to drive a VL110 properly in a performance setting. Great sounding amps with nothing else happening, but add a rhythm section and a horn or two and it gets hard to hear. I also tried an Epifani PS 600, with both single and dual VL 110s, and it was not good.
One of these days I'd like to try one of the Thunderfunk 550 amps to see how things work out. It won't be soon since I just arranged to pick up a VL208, and I'll need a little time to experiment with it and replenish the gear allowance (it's already been a busy summer
)
Bottom line - the VL110 likes an amp with a serious power supply in it.
I find that the VL110 can be an exceptional speaker, but it is power hungry, and prefers amps with a toroidal transformer. I have two VL110 cabs, and it is easier to drive them both than drive a single one, but a single VL110 can sound killer with the right amp; some examples are GK RB800, EA iamp 350, Genz Benz GBE 750. I still have the GBE 750 (great amp). I sold the GK because it was getting too old, and only had one type of sound, and sold the iAmp 350 because it had some reliability issues, not quite enough power, and I didn't find the EQ all that user friendly though it was very effective if you had time to dial it in.
The GBE 750 is much quicker to dial in eq-wise, is extremely reliable, and has more than enough oomph for a single VL110. And since I like my GBE 750 so much, I bought a Neo Pak for small jazz gigs, and so far that's working out well too, though the Neo Pak doesn't cut it for bigger ensembles.
I tried a couple of Markbass (SA450 and 800) amps and found that neither quite had the stones to drive a VL110 properly in a performance setting. Great sounding amps with nothing else happening, but add a rhythm section and a horn or two and it gets hard to hear. I also tried an Epifani PS 600, with both single and dual VL 110s, and it was not good.
One of these days I'd like to try one of the Thunderfunk 550 amps to see how things work out. It won't be soon since I just arranged to pick up a VL208, and I'll need a little time to experiment with it and replenish the gear allowance (it's already been a busy summer
)Bottom line - the VL110 likes an amp with a serious power supply in it.
- Apr 3, 2003
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- Editor-in-Chief, Bass Gear Magazine
The vl-208 was my favorite cab ever. I still regret selling it. Best cab I've used for my DB. At least I sold it for more than I bought it for!
Oops, you were asking about the VL110, not the VL208 - sorry. So insert VL110 everywhere in my last post where I typed VL208 and it will make more sense.
That's cool
I kinda guessed this when the my Walter Woods Ultra wouldn't even make the VL 110 break a sweat and sounded dark. But I'm suprized that the Markbass amps wouldnt get it to move either.
One of these days I'd like to try one of the Thunderfunk 550 amps to see how things work out. It won't be soon since I just arranged to pick up a VL208, and I'll need a little time to experiment with it and replenish the gear allowance (it's already been a busy summer
I had a chance to audition Ken Jung's Thunderfunk and it's a great BG amplifier I'm not sure about it for the DB however.
It's really kind of interesting that the VL 110 really needs that much power since it isn't rated for use above what? 350 watts or so. Ken also had a VL 210 that I used for a concert and it sounded great, but as I recall it was one of the 4 ohm versions. So that could be the reason right there.
Ric
Ric,
I'm glad to see that cab is getting the love it deserves. I spend most of my time on BG - when I get a chance to play - so I found other cabs to fit that bill. One of the cabs that got away, I guess.
I'm hoping to start lessons when we move to VA/DC.
-Jesse
