Double Bass Which EA Combo? iamp500C or iamp800C?

[joel kelsey]

I had an old EA 110 cabinet with a shelf in it for the amp. I ran it with an Iamp 800 and an Iamp 350. It sounded amazing for db gigs. It had plenty of volume and clarity. I hardly ever used it with the electric, so I can't really comment on that. The only problem with it was the weight. That speaker alone must have weighed almost 50 lbs. How much do the combo amps in question weigh? Here is a pic of my old rig. I apologize for the unneccessary cat picture.

 

[tombowlus]

Very cool, Joel! I did not know that such a beast existed.

Cool combo, too.

 

[Marcus Johnson]

Jason... yup, it's loud. Loud loud. I don't do slab more than once or twice a year at the moment, but I can.

Heavy, I dunno, it's not light. Doesn't bother me yet, stubborn Norweqgian bullethead that I am. The built-in cart works very well.

 

[TroyK]

Plus I guess since these guys can run down to 2 Ohms, I'd be cool for adding another box in the future.

I don't think that is right. Be careful.

 

[Freddels]

The iAmp 500 and 800 can run at 2 ohms with no problem.

 

[bolo]

How much do the combo amps in question weigh? Here is a pic of my old rig. I apologize for the unneccessary cat picture.

Nice cat. I mean cab.

The iAMP 200 C combo weighs 44 lbs. according to the EA web site.

But - I think Bob G. told me that with the "old" cabinet coating made from epoxy resin and polyurethane, actual weight can vary more than you would think from one cab to the next, just because of how they are (or were) made. I also remember asking him about a discrepancy between the weight listed on his site vs. EA's, but I can't remember what the verdict was. So perhaps it is actually as high as 47-48 lbs.

Ah - Here we go. EA's site says the iAMP 500 combo is 44 lbs. But urbbob.com says it is 52 lbs. Hm ...

EA says the 800 combo is 58 lbs., and that matches urbbob - 58 lbs.

Throw all this together, add some conjecture (no bathroom scale), and the 200 combo is probably more like upper 40's.

[ Edit: I could be wrong, but after poking around on Bob G's site some more, I am even more inclined to think that since the Micro 300 head is in, the 200 head and combo and powered extension cab are out. ]

 

[Jason Hollar]

Weight is important though...especially with all of the crazy upstairs gigs I seem to be stuck with...

My SWR 2x10 cab is in the neighborhood of 55 lbs and it's kind of a bear to lug around. Although I'm perfectly capable of lifting and moving it with one hand, it ain't pretty.

That plus the head in rack bag is another 25 or so...

Well, if the 800C is loud loud (thanks Marcus!) and the wheely deely works well, plus the extra power reserve and a more "hi fi" sounding speaker, this could be a very cool option indeed.

But the good Doctor has me thinking about properly matching the components when all this time I thought the solution was to overkill everything with gobs of power!!!

DRURB, what is the prognosis on an iamp500 head with a 4 Ohm NL 2x10 cab? the 2x10 is a manageable 45 lbs and the head about 15. All this and 500 happily directed watts doing what they were intended to do...

Kind of blows the combo idea, but it should be relatively light and plenty loud nevertheless. Anybody endorse a rig like this?

Thoughts on the 500 + NL 210 VS the 800 Combo?

Should I wait and see how the Micro series develops? Any inside info on this? (paging all official EA guys)

 

[tombowlus]

DRURB, what is the prognosis on an iamp500 head with a 4 Ohm NL 2x10 cab? the 2x10 is a manageable 45 lbs and the head about 15. All this and 500 happily directed watts doing what they were intended to do...

Kind of blows the combo idea, but it should be relatively light and plenty loud nevertheless. Anybody endorse a rig like this?

Thoughts on the 500 + NL 210 VS the 800 Combo?

I flat out love the iAMP 500 with a 4 ohm NL-210, personally. For me, it's one of the best sounding, most versatile rigs for its footprint (at least in the solid state, non-internally powered cab arena ).

YMMV, but for me, I would definitely prefer the iAMP 500/NL-210 over any of the combos - and I think highly of the combos.

Tom.

 

[seanm]

My iAMP500C is about 48 pounds weighed on a bathroom scale. So it splits the difference between 44 and 52

The preamp/power sections of the iAMP500 and iAMP800 are identical. The 800 has a larger transformer and therefore can provide more power.

The 800 also gets input level LEDS and extra doodads depending on the year. (And I can't believe that doodad was in the computers dictionary!)

Since both are providing 500W into the internal cab, volume/headroom will not be a real difference. I have cranked the iAMP500C wide open into the wizzy for a two hour practice with no noticeable side effects I would *not* recommend doing this since I was using a passive bass and a more powerful preamp might just push the wizzy over the edge. And if you do, please wear ear protection!

As other have mentioned, the biggest difference is going to be the cab. The wizzy and CXL-112 sound very different (I have both). I would recommend trying an iAMP with both the wizzy and the CXL-112 and deciding based on which cab you like better.

 

[TroyK]

My bathroom scale says that my 200 combo is 42.5 lbs

 

[seanm]

[ Edit: I could be wrong, but after poking around on Bob G's site some more, I am even more inclined to think that since the Micro 300 head is in, the 200 head and combo and powered extension cab are out. ]

I was looking at the new 2007 EA product catalog available at Invalid Link Removed and it does not mention the 200 head or the powered wizzy. However, it does show the M-line wizzy as a product.

 

[drurb]

DRURB, what is the prognosis on an iamp500 head with a 4 Ohm NL 2x10 cab? the 2x10 is a manageable 45 lbs and the head about 15. All this and 500 happily directed watts doing what they were intended to do...

I wasn't aware that the NL-210 was available as a 4-ohm cab. I will assume that is the case as Tom has confirmed it in his post. Speaking strictly on the basis of the numbers and assuming all other things to be equal (which includes frequency response, which is certainly not equal across all these cabs), the NL-210 is rated at 100 dB SPL @ 1watt, 1 meter. That is 3-dB less than the Wizzy. That means that you will need twice the power into the NL-210 to achieve the same overall SPL as produced by the Wizzy.

The iamp500 is rated at 500 watts into 4 ohms. So when all is said and done, you can achieve a theoretical maximum output of 127 dB SPL with that combination. That's negligibly more than what could be achieved with the Wizzy and the iamp200.

This is where frequency response and the sound of the different cabs must rule the decision because that's really what the difference will be. Assuming you don't mind the extra weight and assuming your preference would match Tom's regarding the sonic characteristics of the two combinations, then go with the 500 and the NL-210. If it were me, I'd give them both a listen.

Personally, and for what I do, the additional weight would pretty much kill the iamp500/NL-210 as an option. That's just me. Your needs are likely to be very different. You're also younger!

 

[Jason Hollar]

Tom,

Thanks for the input. Geez...how many frickin' amps you got?!

Don't answer that!

 

[drurb]

I'd like to add some important info. The calculations I have made and my posts regarding power are just that-- about power. There are a few things to keep in mind.

The ratings on the EA cabs and, indeed, any cabs are the SPL levels achieved by a given input power typically measured in a restricted band of frequencies (often around 1 kHz).

This tells you virtually nothing about the SOUND of these cabs and that, of course, is of paramount importance. An important issue for bass players is the low-frequency response including the low-end roll-off and any resonances in frequency regions that are of interest to us (say, around 40 Hz).

I just wanted to add this caveat because, while efficiency, power handling, and available amplifier power are extremely important considerations, it would be folly to choose a rig based soley upon those considerations.

That being said, many of us know the characteristics of the Wizzy and many of us like them. In the end, it is the sound that is important so if a different EA cab sounds better to you then by all means go for that one and then couple it with an amp that will provide adequate acoustic output.

The EA cabs are generally quite efficient. Some cabs are far less efficient. So much so that even if one likes their sound, one has to be aware that there tend to be greater limits on the SPL one can ultimately get from them. See my analysis here.

 

[tombowlus]

I'd like to add some important info. The calculations I have made and my posts regarding power are just that-- about power. There are a few things to keep in mind.

The ratings on the EA cabs and, indeed, any cabs are the SPL levels achieved by a given input power typically measured in a restricted band of frequencies (often around 1 kHz).

This tells you virtually nothing about the SOUND of these cabs and that, of course, is of paramount importance. An important issue for bass players is the low-frequency response including the low-end roll-off and any resonances in frequency regions that are of interest to us (say, around 40 Hz).

I just wanted to add this caveat because, while efficiency, power handling, and available amplifier power are extremely important considerations, it would be folly to choose a rig based soley upon those considerations.

That being said, many of us know the characteristics of the Wizzy and many of us like them. In the end, it is the sound that is important so if a different EA cab sounds better to you then by all means go for that one and then couple it with an amp that will provide adequate acoustic output.

The EA cabs are generally quite efficient. Some cabs are far less efficient. So much so that even if one likes their sound, one has to be aware that there tend to be greater limits on the SPL one can ultimately get from them. See my analysis here.

Great post! Sticky-worthy, IMHO.

 

[drurb]

Great post! Sticky-worthy, IMHO.

Aw, shucks! You made me blush. Thanks.

 

[Bob Gollihur]

Nice cat. I mean cab.

The iAMP 200 C combo weighs 44 lbs. according to the EA web site.

But - I think Bob G. told me that with the "old" cabinet coating made from epoxy resin and polyurethane, actual weight can vary more than you would think from one cab to the next, just because of how they are (or were) made. I also remember asking him about a discrepancy between the weight listed on his site vs. EA's, but I can't remember what the verdict was. So perhaps it is actually as high as 47-48 lbs.

Ah - Here we go. EA's site says the iAMP 500 combo is 44 lbs. But urbbob.com says it is 52 lbs. Hm ...

EA says the 800 combo is 58 lbs., and that matches urbbob - 58 lbs.

Throw all this together, add some conjecture (no bathroom scale), and the 200 combo is probably more like upper 40's.

[ Edit: I could be wrong, but after poking around on Bob G's site some more, I am even more inclined to think that since the Micro 300 head is in, the 200 head and combo and powered extension cab are out. ]

That is correct, the 200 head and combo and powered extension cab are out.

I have to update the weight specs on my site, not all the new production cabs had been made so final numbers weren't available. I need to confirm them with EA.

FYI, EA told me yesterday that the new Micro 300 and Wizzy 10 are now scheduled to start shipping in mid-April.

 

[Jason Hollar]

DRURB -- I think all of your posts are indeed STICKY material. Why not compile all of them into a "musical math" book for dummies??? (I, being the head dum dum, will be first in line to buy the book!)

Thanks Bob G. for the update. So has anyone played through one of these Micro heads yet? Mike D?

 

[drurb]

DRURB -- I think all of your posts are indeed STICKY material. Why not compile all of them into a "musical math" book for dummies??? (I, being the head dum dum, will be first in line to buy the book!)

Thank you for your kind words.

 

[peterpalmieri]

Doc I don't speak your language but thanks for the info.

I noticed a few things that I think may possibly be incorrect:

The spl on the NL210 is 127db @ 1m (not that I have any idea what that means) well a little bit thanks to the good doc.....

Also someone else mentioned the NL210 as weighing 44lbs the newer ones weight 37lbs

FYI I love my NL210......