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Double Bass Who wants a VL208?

#81
peterpalmieri said:
I guess what I am also asking is if you didn't own a VL208 and had to buy new cabinets, would you be satisfied with the the M line wizzy12, hope for them to change their mind on the NM208 or is it back to the drawing board?
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I think I can safely answer this now, and of course this is just me talking, YMMV. I'm no heavyweight, check my profile, blah blah blah.

Several years ago I was wondering if the NM-208 would come to fruition. And I think even prior to that there had also been one or more VL-208 reissue proposal type threads (hence the "deja vous"). I decided instead of reading threads and waiting and wondering to just go ahead and take the plunge and get a Wizzy M-line and draw my own conclusions. Man ... Never regretted that move. :D

Later on I was lucky enough to score a used VL-208 in good condition. It is unique, makes a great sound, and I have no intention of selling it. But truth be told, I use the M-line more often. And it's not because the M-line is lighter. With my ears, hands, amps, basses, et al, I just really connect with the sound of the M-line.

I realize that since many of us have not ever heard an VL-208 in person, it's tough to just let the thought go when people here we respect and trust keep praising it. Make an offer on that used one and hear it for yourself! ;)

Whatever you choose to do, make a good sound. :)
 
#82
Ric Vice said:
I thought about two 208's for EB but that's almost 100 lbs of cabinet, even if they are small. Getting a single cabinet that sounds good for both instruments is pretty tricky.

Ric
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Heavy, yes, but I adopted a philosophy a while back- if it means a little discomfort and an extra few minutes at the house and at the gig for 3-4 sets of bliss, I'll take the deal.

That's why they invented folding hand trucks.
 
#83
bolo said:
I think I can safely answer this now, and of course this is just me talking, YMMV. I'm no heavyweight, check my profile, blah blah blah.

Several years ago I was wondering if the NM-208 would come to fruition. And I think even prior to that there had also been one or more VL-208 reissue proposal type threads (hence the "deja vous"). I decided instead of reading threads and waiting and wondering to just go ahead and take the plunge and get a Wizzy M-line and draw my own conclusions. Man ... Never regretted that move. :D

Later on I was lucky enough to score a used VL-208 in good condition. It is unique, makes a great sound, and I have no intention of selling it. But truth be told, I use the M-line more often. And it's not because the M-line is lighter. With my ears, hands, amps, basses, et al, I just really connect with the sound of the M-line.

I realize that since many of us have not ever heard an VL-208 in person, it's tough to just let the thought go when people here we respect and trust keep praising it. Make an offer on that used one and hear it for yourself! ;)

Whatever you choose to do, make a good sound. :)
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Thanks. For the record I own 2 VL208s was just curious of some comparisons to the others as mentioned.
 
#84
peterpalmieri said:
Thanks. For the record I own 2 VL208s ...
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Yeah I know. :rolleyes:

The moral of the story for me and the intent of my previous post was ... TB is great for research. But when you get to a certain point, put a stake in the ground, buy something and hear it for yourself. If it doesn't work out, sell it and move on the the next thing. Don't wait forever. It's just part of the cost of doing business w/ amplified DB. Plus there's new gear being introduced all the time. Makes it even more ... unending.

Sorry adbass but it seems your OP / proposal just isn't working out. Fark!

If you have to have a VL-208, seems like your best bet is to regularly scour the TB classifieds, and any other sources for used gear. That's how I got mine. And how you got yours Peter I presume. Or make me an offer I can't refuse. :smug:

So ... whatever you do, don't procrastinate or suffer from analysis paralysis like I did for a while. Get on with it. Try something. That was my point. For me it worked out great. This ain't goin' nowhere it would seem (deja deja vous vous), sorry to say. Heck there are still no posts on the used VL-208 I highlighted two days ago ... $700 ... :rollno:

Whatever you decide to do, make a good sound. :)
 
#85
bolo said:
If you have to have a VL-208, seems like your best bet is to regularly scour the TB classifieds, and any other sources for used gear. That's how I got mine. And how you got yours Peter I presume. Or make me an offer I can't refuse. :smug:
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Actually, Steve
I think Adbass sold his VL 208 so he has already moved on.

bolo said:
So ... whatever you do, don't procrastinate or suffer from analysis paralysis like I did for a while. Get on with it. Try something. That was my point. For me it worked out great. This ain't goin' nowhere it would seem (deja deja vous vous), sorry to say. Heck there are still no posts on the used VL-208 I highlighted two days ago ... $700 ... :rollno:

Whatever you decide to do, make a good sound. :)
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Yeah, they seem to come up for sale right after someone proposes a new run to EA. Wierd

Ric
 
#86
Yea, I did sell my cab, and much to my dismay one popped up in the classifieds about a week later. I would've loved to have two of them (one wasn't cutting it for me).

I haven't heard the M-line cabs -- still, the 208 is one of the best I've heard for upright.

Currently I'm using the Bergantino IP 112 with HT112 extension cab. Not as much mid pronounced as the 208, but certainly enough of it, and it's very meaty; perhaps a little too much so as the E string will feedback without an HPF. The 208 sort of had everything voiced just right.

I'm kind of surprised that there's a 208 still sitting in the classifieds, especially after all the PMs I got of folks wanting to be "on the list" for a new 208 (should EA have decided to make them) and the folks who responded to the thread expressing interest.
 
#87
Ric Vice said:
Actually, Steve
I think Adbass sold his VL 208 so he has already moved on.



Yeah, they seem to come up for sale right after someone proposes a new run to EA. Wierd

Ric
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:eek:

adbass said:
Yea, I did sell my cab,

I'm kind of surprised that there's a 208 still sitting in the classifieds, especially after all the PMs I got of folks wanting to be "on the list" for a new 208 (should EA have decided to make them) and the folks who responded to the thread expressing interest.
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Some folks just don't move as quickly as others, I suppose.;)

I'm not surprised at all that the cab in question the cab in question is still available.
 
#90
Casting aspersions on an item that someone on this forum has proffered, and potentially stepping on his or her sale, is bad form. Just for your edification, here is the response from the buyer who took delivery of "the cab in question."

"The cab arrived today. Only had a little time to play through it, but it sounds really nice. Very warm, true to the bass sound as I was hoping."

Just by way of contrast regarding the etiquette spectrum on Talkbass, another TB'er emailed me to let him know when my VL-208 sold, so that he wouldn't list his in a way that made mine more difficult to sell.

QED

MR PC said:
:eek:



Some folks just don't move as quickly as others, I suppose.;)

I'm not surprised at all that the cab in question the cab in question is still available.
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#91
Oh, just relax..... the sales of used cabs have been made, and everybody involved has what they wanted in possession.....except for that order of forty new bass cabinets at a grand or so a pop, that is. ;)
 
#93
bassdoubler said:
hey guys, what's the final status on this? Is EA really going to do this cause if so I'm down for one....
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Bass Doubler,
Since only a few people even expressed any interest in buying one I'd say it's not going to happen, I'd also have to say that their are now cabinet's out their that will give the VL 208 a run for it's money, weigh less and cost less. Just my opinion though.

Ric
 
#94
Disclaimer: I have not worked, in the day to day operations of EA for about 6 months now. I do not speak for the company.The following are just some opinions that I have as a onetime employee.

I love these threads about the VL208. Let me try to lend some perspective. The VL208 was a revolutionary cabinet, way ahead of it's time. It continues to have an extremely loyal fan base, and rightfully so. Other companies have used the basic design as a springboard (or copy) for their own (less the transmission line, of course). Perhaps due to it's original cost or more likely, the perception of it's cost, based on a "Gold Card" feature in Bass Player, it did not garner the sales it could have.

ASIDE: BP did a few features on boutique gear called, basically killing the sales of gear as the audience got the perception that they could not afford it. This perception continued through to their review of the iAMP Pro. I had a 2.5 hour discussion with Bill Leigh, after reading the preliminary review, as their bent was that at $995.00 the i AMP 800 was REALLY expensive. It was an unfortunate perception that carries on today.

Anyway, back to the topic at hand. Times have changed, tastes have changed. People no longer want heavy cabs. Many are willing to sacrifice weight for tone. Those that love the 208, still do, but for some, tone requirements have also changed. Not to mention that costs have skyrocketed and to try to continue to build in the US with proprietary drivers, at the demand level for a VL208 reissue is just not feasible.

Now I do laugh when some self anointed "experts" try to compare the vl208 to some of the more modern cabs. I have been reading how the Thunderchild compares to the VL208. Must have been someone who has not heard them side by side. Both are nice cabs, but the tonal characteristics are miles apart. I just don't know where people get the comparison (a more accurate comparison might have been to the Cxl-112).

If the VL208 is something that really does it for you, I urge you to find one on the used market. It really looks that that will be your only hope. If you are looking to find a newer cab to emulate the VL, I believe that you are SOL

Mike
 
#98
Mike Dimin said:
I have been reading how the Thunderchild compares to the VL208. Must have been someone who has not heard them side by side. Both are nice cabs, but the tonal characteristics are miles apart.
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Well Mike, I find not one but two accounts by people who claim to have heard 'em side by side, one of whom owns the VL-208 and to the best of my knowledge has no intention of switching.

I'm somewhat curious about your statement that the tonal characteristics are "miles apart". That may well be true, I've only heard one of them, and am hardly an impartial observer. The people who heard both noted differences, but their descriptions don't imply the two are "miles apart". Anyway, would you care to elaborate on the basis for your statement?

Thanks.
 
#99
DukeLeJeune said:
Well Mike, I find not one but two accounts by people who claim to have heard 'em side by side, one of whom owns the VL-208 and to the best of my knowledge has absolutely no intention of switching.

I'm somewhat curious about your characteriization of the tonal characteristics as "miles apart". That may be true, I've only heard one of them, and I'm hardly an impartial observer. But would you care to elaborate on the basis for your statement?

Thanks.
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I find that your Thunderchild is more of a match for the EA CXL-112. I found the Thunderchild that I heard (run with a Shuttle 9.0) to have a similar mid hump to the CXL112, as well as a tight bottom. Although I did not play with it, it seems very much like the CXL112 in that it would also take EQ extremely well. I find that the VL 208 is smoother through the frequency range and therefore sounds a bit darker. I also found that the Thunderchild, that I heard, had a bit of upper mid distortion. I would have liked to know if that was the cab, the player or the signal chain

As I said the VL208 is a cabinet that is revered by some. In as much, it seems that there are those who always need to compare to it, even though they most likely have never heard it, remember there were just under 1,000 produced. I do not imply that the VL208 is the be all and end all. Personally there are cabs in the EA history that I liked better(i.e NL-210). But that is just my personal opinion.

I also stated that tastes have changed. Not only about weight but sound as well. A "classic" cab produced 10 or 15 years ago possibly has more "glow" based on history, hype and great memories. We are often disappointed in the remake. The new Challengers are cool cars, but they are updated for 2010. You are just not driving the same technology, the same taste.

Mike
 
#100
Thank you for replying, Mike.

The frequency response curve of the Thunderchild has no significant peaks or dips throughout the midrange region (either on or off-axis out to 45 degrees horizontally), and globally the frequency response has a slightly downward-sloping trend. I believe that the "mid hump" you describe probably originated elsewhere in the signal chain, and likewise the upper mid distortion, assuming the cab was working properly. (Note the comments that would cover the Thunderchild's midrange performance in the two accounts I linked to above).

If you don't mind, let me know whose Thunderchild that was, just in case there was something wrong with it that I need to address. I'd like to contact the owner and see if he's hearing what you described, because if so, that means something is wrong with the cab. You can shoot me a PM if you prefer.

Thanks,

Duke
 

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