Double Bass Wizzy-M arrived today

[bribass]

My long awaited Euphonic Audio Wizzy - M Transmission Line cab arrived today. It was beautifully packed and arrived in perfect shape. Only got to play w/ it briefly in my living room before the kids had to go to sleep.

Head: AI Focus 2R III
Instrument: c.1829 Prescott DB
First impressions:
A light, neat box. Cool side ports. New nubby texture reminds me of the old DuoVox amps. Kinda retro. Very flat response. More pronounced mids than my Aguilar GS 112. Makes me understand why in comparison others described the GS 112 as bottom heavy w/o mids. In my living room I seemed to want to back off the mids a tad w/ the eq (unusual w/ this DARK bass), but I know that in a live setting it's gonna sit great in the mix and I'll probably run the eq flat. Eventhough the mids and highs are more pronounced than my other cabs the bottom is all there and wonderfully tight sounding. The side ports give it a surround sound effect. More omni-directional than most cabs. I turned up the juice for minute w/ the Master at 4:00 and the preamp vol. at like 2:00.
The Wizzy took it no sweat and sounded clear and clean. This is one compact rig that packs a punch.
At lower volumes it sounded fabulous. A real 'like my bass, but louder" sound. It's smaller than I anticipated.
Maybe I shudda got two. The GAS never ends.
I'll post more after some gigs w/ it this weekend.

BG

 

[Mike Goodbar]

I was considering a Wizzy as an extension cab for my Contra for electric bass gigs, but from your assessment, I suspect that the the Wizzy-M would work "more better."

*sigh* Funny thing about GAS -- its contagious.

Time to hide the frying pan.

 

[Ken Lloyd]

Seems that about 15 minutes after I buy something, a new improved model is announced that supercedes whatever I paid good money for. I bought a Revolution Solo pickup this year, and now there's RS2, which has a higher level output, better frequency coverage of the entire Fingerboard and who knows what else that I didn't get in my RS1. Same for Wizzy. I bought a Wizzy 1x12 this year, paid the going price, and now it seems there's this new version called the M-line. What's the difference between the Wizzy I bought new in June, and the new one that EA is currently offering hats and shirts to try out?

Man, my timing this year isn't that great.
Of course, there are no EA dealers within 3 hours of here so I miss out on trying the M-line and the free hat.

I've improved my gig sound a lot in the last month by moving the RS1 pickup to the G string side of my bridge and by adding a Fishman Pro EQ Platinum plus preamp/DI. (rest of my rig is Clarus 2R, Upton Hawkes). But if the M-line series will improve my sound just by using it with my existing rig, well........

So what's the M-line cab all about?

My long awaited Euphonic Audio Wizzy - M Transmission Line cab arrived today. It was beautifully packed and arrived in perfect shape. Only got to play w/ it briefly in my living room before the kids had to go to sleep.

Head: AI Focus 2R III
Instrument: c.1829 Prescott DB
First impressions:
A light, neat box. Cool side ports. New nubby texture reminds me of the old DuoVox amps. Kinda retro. Very flat response. More pronounced mids than my Aguilar GS 112. Makes me understand why in comparison others described the GS 112 as bottom heavy w/o mids. In my living room I seemed to want to back off the mids a tad w/ the eq (unusual w/ this DARK bass), but I know that in a live setting it's gonna sit great in the mix and I'll probably run the eq flat. Eventhough the mids and highs are more pronounced than my other cabs the bottom is all there and wonderfully tight sounding. The side ports give it a surround sound effect. More omni-directional than most cabs. I turned up the juice for minute w/ the Master at 4:00 and the preamp vol. at like 2:00.
The Wizzy took it no sweat and sounded clear and clean. This is one compact rig that packs a punch.
At lower volumes it sounded fabulous. A real 'like my bass, but louder" sound. It's smaller than I anticipated.
Maybe I shudda got two. The GAS never ends.
I'll post more after some gigs w/ it this weekend.

BG

 

[Crockettnj]

no hat or shirt here... what gives?

 

[mchildree]

Ken, I've heard several folks voice the same thoughts. I know Mike Dimin or Tom Bowlus will jump in here eventually, but I can tell you the little bit I know....the M-line was not even intended for production until they decided to produce a small number of them recently. EA had decided it was too expensive and complicated for regular production. Who knows..the high demand for this limited run may change that. Guess we'll see.

I had the opportunity to try out an M-Line prototype for a couple of weeks, and it's a nice little box...but the regular WizzyE is not a lesser cab at all, IMO. The M-line sounds a bit different, with extended response on both ends, but, especially in the URB world, I'm not so sure that has the practical application that it might for electric bass. The WizzyE has strengths as well, in the midrange response.

IMO, especially considering the price difference, I have no regrets that I'd just bought a pair of new WizzyE units when the M-line became available. Actually, if I had the choice between both at this point, I'd stay with the WizzyE cabs and save some cash for something else. I'll qualify my thoughts by stating that I don't particularly enjoy some of the super-modern sounding stuff out there....I kind of like a "focused old-school" tone, so the extended range has limited application in my world.

 

[tony moore]

I'll echo Mike's sentiments, especially considering I just got my M-Wizzy on Friday. I've never owned the normal Wizzy, but I did own a Wizzy Combo which was hands down the best sounding amp I've owned (just REALLY uncomfortable to transport - think the new handles will fix that). That amp just did everything well...

I wanted the extra lows to help with a loud gig I occasionally have where much of what I do is very dub. The same gig also has me playing DB and the M-Wizzy fit the bill perfectly. I did have to roll off some lows on the DB channel with my Raven Labs PMB, but I think the extra highs actually helped the "air". So for this I was happy to pay the extra $100 and 5 or so pounds But for straight DB work, I think you'd be hard pressed to find anything as good and definetly nothing in the value of the normal Wizzy.

As soon as that iAMPmicro comes out, my rig dream will come true

Tony

 

[tony moore]

Here's a pic of the rig I used this weekend and will also next weekend. Sorry for the bad flash, a photographer I ain't...

I'd like to replace the G-K head and Raven Labs PMB with an EA iAMPmicro when they come out

But this little rig as it is now gets what I need done well enough. The Wizzy was a huge improvement over the Avatar 1X12 I've been using. Not that the Avatar is a bad cab, it's very nice for the money are really nice for BG, but there is just no comparison with the versatility of the Wizzy...

Tony

 

[Chris Fitzgerald]

I'd like to replace the G-K head and Raven Labs PMB with an EA iAMPmicro when they come out

I haven't heard of this ea micro amp yet. What information do you have?

 

[Bob Gollihur]

Here it is:

Link Removed

 

[tombowlus]

I believe that photo is quite close to the actual size, isn't it, Bob? Anyway, that Micro is going to be quite the mini powerhouse!

Regarding the M-line versus the regular Wizzy, it's not a matter of one being better than the other, IMHO. They both have their strong points, and are far more alike than they are different. The M-line has deeper, bigger lows, more refined mids, and slightly more perceived high end (though I credit this to psychoacoustics). The original Wizzy has a more warm, vintagey tone to it, and has more focus and punch through the mids. They both sound great, and actually, one of each makes for a pretty darned good rig!

Now, obviously, they will sound great with EA heads, but FYI, they also sound killer with all-tube amplification!

Tom.

 

[Uncletoad]

I can't believe you still have Advent Utility cabinets! I had those for years. Replaced them with Klipsch Cornwalls.

 

[tombowlus]

I can't believe you still have Advent Utility cabinets! I had those for years. Replaced them with Klipsch Cornwalls.

Heh, yes, Advent Large's, with AR-2ax's on top. That's my basement audio system. I really like the Advents, but the AR's are the shiznit.

 

[bribass]

Well I 've never tried a regular Wizzy so I cannot make that comparison, but I can say that the Wizzy-M's are the sh**.
Fri. night W-M w/ the Focus 2R III and the Prescott w/ a Realist pu: drummerless trio gig w/ overly load guitar player and keys in small - med sized restaurant.
-what can I say. Just about the best sound I've gotten thru an amp w/ this great bass. It has the refined mids that I've been craving for this bass when amped. Lows and highs all there too. As I suspected I would be doing, I ran the eq pretty flat the whole night. And it DOES sit great in the mix like many have said about the Wizzys in general. Got great comments on sound. The keyboard player even called the next day just to tell me how good.
Sat.-same equipment set up, but in a goofy (kinda large) social hall w/ an equally goofy band , but I was still smiling 'cause of the sound of the thing.
Sun. (today)- F2R III, TWO W-M's (thanks Crockettnj!), w/ Eminence RN into a LR Baggs Paracoustic DI and Music Man Sterling straight into the Focus- Jazzy 6 piece clubdate @ NY Botanic Gardens (med-large glass atrium). -
The two W-M's were again fantastic. I set them up side by side and used the tiltback handles. I usually need the Baggs to eq the Eminence so it has, at the same time, fat lows, cutting mids without the too twangy upper mids and highs. W/ these cabs I didn't need the Baggs. I never enjoyed playing that instrument as much. It had just about every feature I wanted in its sound wether we were loud or soft. Even 'the above E on the G string' twang/whine of this axe was cooled out while maintaining the defined mids of the lower notes at the same time! I never experienced that on this bass w/ any other amp set up.
W/ the MM BG, w/ the eq on the amp flat and my usual slight cut of mids and boost of lows on the bass eq, it was fat and rockin'. I need to play more BG w/ these cabs to really say more. Also, I'm not a 5 string guy so I can't say about extended lows, but I'll bet they can handle them.
Complaints? None really so far. If I was hard pressed for one I might say the upper mid pop of the BG was a tad "dry", but this was in a glass room. One Wizzy on top of my EV Proline 15, (which I have not tried yet) perhaps may have a bit more girth to the sound, but then again I did not boost any lows all weekend and w/ the master at 2-3:00 I didn't have the pre amp gain above 8 or 9:00. I wanted to go easy 'cause I never ran a 2ohm load before w/ the Focus, but no prob there.
I think the whole weekend I found myself playing at lower volumes because I had more 'presence' in the mix.
BTW- these are my first EA products ever. Whata a cab!

-Tom Bowlus, do you think it's better to stack 2 W-M's instead of side by side?

BG

 

[tombowlus]

-Tom Bowlus, do you think it's better to stack 2 W-M's instead of side by side?

BG

Yes, I do. First off, you get that "line array" effect, and I find that the horizontal dispersion is actually better with them on top of each other, rather than side by side. Counter-intuitive, I know, but that's physics, for ya. It also gets the drivers closer to ear level, which is an added bonus. And with the M-line vents on the side of each cab, you are actually stiffling your sound a bit by putting two next to each other. Try it both ways, and see if you notice a difference.

Tom.

 

[bribass]

And with the M-line vents on the side of each cab, you are actually stiffling your sound a bit by putting two next to each other. Try it both ways, and see if you notice a difference.

Tom.

Yes, I know the vents. That's why stacking them tall side down is not a good option either. I was trying the dual 12 kickback thing like so many kickback dual 10 combos out there, & try to avoid a tall stack. But the Wizzy's a small enough box for a stack. I'll try it.
thanks, bri

 

[Huy Nguyen]

Here it is:

Link Removed

Wait wait wait... 2 channels? Damn!

So Bob, any idea on what the pricing will be like yet?

 

[Bob Gollihur]

Wait wait wait... 2 channels? Damn!

So Bob, any idea on what the pricing will be like yet?

At this point I understand the target list price to be $695 (selling, less), subject to final changes, of course. Quite reasonable.

 

[Chris Fitzgerald]

With HP filters, that thing would be downright dangerous for DB! I've always loved the EA sound.

 

[tony moore]

yep! my only complaint is that the fx/tuner send is for channel one only. but, that's easy enough to work around. at that price point with the current features, it's my dream amp...

 

[drurb]

...The M-line has deeper, bigger lows, more refined mids, and slightly more perceived high end (though I credit this to psychoacoustics)...

Well, I've tried many times to clarify what is the field of psychoacoustics. Hearing/perceiveing something that is not present physically is not "psycho" acoustics.

From a recent invited essay that I coauthored, "Psychoacoustics is the area of auditory research in which behavioral methods are used to discern and to describe how, and how well, listeners perceive sounds." In practice, it draws on the a knowledge of experimental psychology, communications engineering, electrical engineering, acoustics, and neurophysiology (among others).

In the specific case mentioned, I am highly confident that you perceive more "high end" because the spectral profile of the response physically has a greater proportion of those frequencies.