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I'm just about to take the plunge and order an Acoustic Image Clarus head. I'm going by recommendations, seeing Pat Martino live use one, and a few YouTube clips. They're only available by order or second hand in the UK, as if you live in London the distributor/showroom is on the Scottish borders! I notice a lot of the guys seem to have the two channel version - I wonder why? They now do a 1R series 4 with reverb + FX, maybe it's because the earlier one channel head didn't? I can't believe a clean SS amp would sound convincing overdriven, based on my experience with Polytone and Peterson amps - I wonder if many Jazz players use their 2Rs with an overdrive pedal - I'm assuming I'll switch to another amp for the dirtier sound. Or are people using the second channel for a stereo setup? I suspect most players are only using one channel, but I'd be interested in what you guys think.
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01-25-2012 07:40 AM
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I've had a couple of AI heads. Something to bear in mind is that the amp's tone controls are definitely from the '' true acoustic sound of your guitar'' school; the treble control particularly is more of an upper middle control, so you don't get that fender sparkle - of course, you may not want that. I found the sound rather boxy with electric archtops.
I'd guess the second channel is aimed at those who want to use a mic/ tape input/ whatever, in addition to guitar. And, at least until recently, if you wanted reverb, you had to get a 2 channel model. Maybe that's why you see people with the 2 channel head.
The AI head does an excellent job of amplifying whatever you plug in, without coloration, so it's a good match with a carved-top, as well as portable and compact. AI describe the sound as ''like a tube amp''; I'd have to disagree - it sounds nothing like a tube amp to my ears. Not that there's anything wrong with that, of course....
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Thanks for that, Franz. I have the option of returning the Clarus to the dealer, so I guess it'll be worth trying for the cost of sending one back. From the videos I've seen, most of the YouTube clipsters seem to play at low volume in a Jim Hall/Joe Pass vein, with quite a toppy string sound - some people call that "natural". When I saw Pat Martino, he got this great sound on "Round Midnight", for example, where you could hear the very edge of the ringing string, but with a full bodied tone. I emailed Mike Rood about his tone after seeing his CD promo, which is closer to Adam Rogers sound. He uses the Clarus, and the cabs were heavily miked on his recording. I've been using a cheap amp, an H&K Edition Blue, which gets a great clean sound thro' an EVM-12L, but lacks headroom and bite. I'm about to record, so I want something better. The sounds I like in the bop guitar world would be: Scofield's Rough House; Pat Martino's Exit; and Adam Roger's quartet/quintet recordings. I hope I haven't just talked myself into thinking about a JC120 or Fender Twin..
Jamie
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Exit is a 70s record so Pat must have recorded it with a Fender tube amp. Scofield has used Mesas, Vox and now uses a Two-Rock. Adam Rogers mainly uses tube amps I think (maybe a Walter Woods solid state head sometimes). I don't think an AI will put you in that tonal area... (I just played a combo briefly once but I have heard people playing with them)
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I seem to be unravelling here! The best clean/crunch sound I ever got was when I played a GrooveTubes one channel combo. I regret not buying it and they don't make them any more. Sco's Rough House was recorded with a Polytone, but the early ones were tube amps (as the former UK GT rep told me once!). Yes, Adam Rogers uses a SS preamp into a Fender tube amp for his Jazz stuff - I seem to have been going the other way round! It's a different world now - shops don't carry every expensive specialist amp these days, but I think maybe I should try out a few things before I get out the plastic - there, credit card, back you go in the wallet, it's all been a terrible shock..
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I fully agree to that. The center frequencies of the tone controls are not optimized for magnetic PUs but for acoustic instruments. For one thing, the center frequency of the mid control is way too high for magnetic PUs. OTOH, the AI head is neutral and thus versatile which means it will take many kinds of preamps/amp simulating multieffect units well. For magnetic PUs, the AI amp head should be seen as a kind of power amp needing something in front of it shaping the tone.
Originally Posted by Franz 1997
I have an AI head. I always use mine (with the controls set flat except for the low cut filter) with a Sansamp ParaDriver DI - on which I dial in the tone - and that combo works beautifully, but many other preamps or multieffects units will no doubt be great too.
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Question re the Sansamp: I often see the Sansamp mentioned in context of use with a solid state amp or head, such as the AI products. Is it not needed or add much to a tube amp, or is it a question of where the tone controls work on that tube amp to make it useful or not? Thanx!
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I havent tried my Sansamp with a tube amp. But I imagine it's not so much a question of tubes versus solid state as it is how the amp is "tuned" - flat for acoustic instruments and PA like purposes or with a midrange boost for magnetic pickups. Preamps such as the various Sansamp models are designed to work with the "flat" kind of amps, such as the AI, in order to provide some a tube like sound and sparkle. They also work well when plugged directly into a PA system or a powered PA speaker. The question is whether a preamp like the Sansamps are needed at all with a tube guitar amp which already has the characteristics the Sansamp is supposed to add to a "flat" amp. However, there is no harm in trying it out if the opportunity presents itself. Originally Posted by Bushwackbob
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Wow didn't know Scofield recorded with a Polytone. I think you should decided calmly, rush decisions rarely bring good results Originally Posted by VitalSigns
I always wondered why companies like Henriksen, Acoustic Image or Evans don't design their amps with and EQ designed to be used ONLY with electric guitars - I don't my guitar amps to fit my acoustic guitar or my bass. It's such a common complaint... Neutral sound yes, PA eq no.
(my jazzmaster ultralight is great in that regard - with bass and treble close to zero and mids flat gives a very natural sound but with a guitaristic vibe - and the eq is very effective for guitar even with the treble on 10k).
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Continuing on the topic of Acoustic Image, does anyone know if there are significant sonic differences between the various "Series" of the Clarus/Clarus R heads? I sometimes see the Clarus Series II at very reasonable prices (e.g., $300 - $400 on ebay) while the Series III and of course the Series IV seem to command much more. Are the differences primarily in the amount of power each of these versions puts out? (I've always wondered about the usefulness of 600 watts, 800 watts, etc.) The Series II looks a bit dated, but if it produces the aural equivalent of the Series III or IV, with just less power, it seems like a good deal at the lower price.
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Thanks for all the replies, chaps. It's difficult to make a decision about gear without actually trying it, tho' you have to do this all the time with mics, preamps, computers etc, based on reviews. There's usually a piece of information which makes up your mind, even when people all say how great a piece of equipment is. With the Clarus, I think it's the fact that it's uncoloured - which suits a pre-Beatles archtop sort of guitar sound, an acoustic guitar or bass, maybe, but not a more electric, "coloured" sound, where the amp is as much a part of the sound as the guitar. The search continues..
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Lower wattage - 150w at 8 ohms for example allows you to choose a bigger range of speakers if you get the head. With AI current power ratings I think you're pretty much stuck to the usual jazz routes - RE and RS cabs.
Of course maybe there are sonic improvements in these new series - or maybe the old ones will give you problems due to age.
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Hi VitalSigns,
I'm a bit confused about your requirements and whether your only question is about whether to get 1 or 2 channels. The AI people advertise compact, light weight, transparent hi-fidelity designs, and a "unique warm sound" which is "distinctly transparent" and "unlike that of any other instrument amplifiers". "Transparent hi-fidelity" combined with a "unique warm sound" seems like an oxymoron to me, and so does "distinctly transparent" and "unlike that of any other instrument amplifiers". Nevertheless, people who have AI gear speak well of it, and you've at least heard clips. So my questions would be:
- Is this the sound you're looking for?
- Is a powerful, compact, light weight product important to you (bearing in mind that you cannot dime an AI head without many kilos of the right kind of cabinetry)?
- And do you have a requirement for a second, clean channel
Good luck VitalSigns. I'd have a some jitters too if I were plunking down that kind of cash for something I'd never seen up-close-and-personal.
HighSpeed
- Is this the sound you're looking for?
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The AI head will work with any impedance from 2 Ohms to 8 Ohms (like your Fender Ultralight) which is a great advantage I think. But of course the high watt output calls for a speaker which can take it. Normally a higher wattage is an advantage as it provides better headroom. And the AI - like many solid state amps - sounds great also at very low volumes. BTW, I can recommend the RS cabinets. RE are likely just as excellent, but I haven't tried them so I can't comment. Originally Posted by jorgemg1984
Well, I don't think those three brands are the same in this respect. I used an Evans for 15 years and it was definitely guitaristic without anything in front of it. The AI is definetely neutral and needs something in front of it to give me the tone I want (think Burrell, Roberts). I have no personal experiences with the Henriksen but from what I read it could well be in between the Evans and the AI (?).I always wondered why companies like Henriksen, Acoustic Image or Evans don't design their amps with and EQ designed to be used ONLY with electric guitars - I don't my guitar amps to fit my acoustic guitar or my bass. It's such a common complaint... Neutral sound yes, PA eq no.
The AI is deiberately not guitaristic because it is not designed as an amp for electric guitars in the first place. It is aimed at acoustic instruments and the controls are set up for that. AI amps (including their ideosyncratic speaker system) are popular with double bass players. Eventually, at some point, jazz guitarists discovered them. I figure AI still sell more amps to acoustic players than to jazzguitarists. At least it is easier to find them in violin shops than in guitar shops.
That said, I do like the idea of having a neutral amp where your desired sound is shaped not by the amp but by a separate swappable small box in front of it. If you are playing in a place which has a good neutral speaker available, you can just pack the amp head and the small box in a backpack. If they have a well working PA system or a good powered PA speaker, you can even leave the AI at home and just bring the small box in your coat pocket. Quite different from hiring a van and a body builder to haul along a Twin Reverb or a JC120.
Think of sax players. All Selmer Mark VI tenor saxes are pretty much the same. The great variaty in sound comes from an approppiate choice of mouthpiece, reed and playing technique. Charlie Parker usually kept his mouthpiece in his pocket whereever he went, so he could still play and sound like himself if he hadn't brought his own horn or it was in hock. I our world, the neutral amp is the sax as such, while the various preamp pedals, pods etc. is the mouthpiece/reed combo.
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I always wondered why companies like Henriksen, Acoustic Image or Evans don't design their amps with and EQ designed to be used ONLY with electric guitar
Jorge, I'm with Oldane on this point, and I've owned all these amps. The Evans eq is guitaristic' e.g. they feature a ''depth'' control specifically aimed at fattening up the fundamental of the top E. and it works. Similarly the 'expand' control does add sparkle in just the right place.
I didn't find the Hendriksen ''guitaristic'', but then I know from correspondence with the late Bud Hendriksen that he was trying for a dark, flat sound; that's why he specified a bass speaker for the jazz amp. I'd say he succeeded, although- like you- the awful oil-tank reverb and build issues got me in the end!!
The other thing perhaps to bear in mind is that the AI uses class D technology, which is a sophisticated way of getting high output power from a very small amp. It works well, but it's a long way from the analogue technology that many of us are used to, and does sound different. I agree that, if you're looking for a portable, neutral platform that you can modify with outboard devices, the AI is a good ( though very expensive) solutionLast edited by Franz 1997; 01-26-2012 at 06:08 AM. Reason: missed out quote
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Hi guys - really sorry about the Evans mistake; I never tried one but read some people also complaint about the eq controls so i thought it was also hard to dial a good guitar sound.
About Henriksen and AI (maybe I am very wrong here) you are right you in your description of their sounds and lots of people love them but I also think lots of people love their sounds but hate their eq controls for elctric guitar... It would be possible for them to make them sound the way they sound but make them more suitable for guitar right? I remember having a really hard time trying to EQ string 1E and 2B in my Henriksen which is not exactly a good thing (if I really liked the sound of the amp, which I didn't, that would really piss me)
Oldane is there a big difference between plugging the Para Di to the AI or a PA?' You're basically using it like a PA right (plus reverb)?
About the power ratings current AI production pumps 350w into 8 ohms. I never tried RS or RE (I would like to one day but they are rare here) but I wouldn't want to have an amp limited to closed back cabinets with Eminence Beta speakers...
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The AI's have incredible feature sets, and I don't recall ever reading about an actual customer who complained that they could have done better for less. That makes me wonder what is as good but cheaper in a portable, neutral platform. Originally Posted by Franz 1997
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HSS - Yes, I'm confused too! My take on all this is that the Clarus is basically a high wattage power amp with a neutral preamp that enables you to plug an acoustic bass, guitar or electric guitar into it - you couldn't do that with a conventional guitar combo, for example. The portability question isn't an issue for me, but I suspect for some people it's a big factor. When I saw Pat Martino, he got a big sound from the Clarus, but there's still this tinkly string ringing at the top, which a lot of people think is "natural", but for me sounds like you're miking the cab and the strings. I wouldn't want that. I still want to try the Clarus, but I don't think I'll buy one first to do that. I think the 1R series three would probably be the one I'd consider, as I don't think you could "dirty up" the second channel of the 2R, also I've never found an amp reverb which was as good as a Lexicon box.
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No need to apologize. The controls on the Evans are not that hard once you get the hang of them. It's just that they are different from the normal low-mid-treble setup. Now, if anyone would make an amp with low-mid-treble controls AND make the center frequency of the all important mid control adjustable (aka parametric EQ), that wold really enable some serious onboard tone tweaking. Originally Posted by jorgemg1984
Yes, basically, insofar the three tone controls are set flat and the tone shaping takes place on the ParaDriver. But on the AI, apart from the reverb, I use the adjustable low cut filter for bass boom removal as I have described in earlier posts. I have seen very few amps with this extremely useful feature, but I guess it would not be too hard to make one in a small box and use it in the FX loop. The AI head also provides Phantom Power to my ParaDriver (but many powered PA speakers and almost any PA amp could do that) - I love the absense of that flimsy 9V power cable. The AI has a mute button as well which I also find useful and use often (no, not at the request of my wifeOldane is there a big difference between plugging the Para Di to the AI or a PA?' You're basically using it like a PA right (plus reverb)?
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As you may remember, I was once on the look for a Fender Ultralight like yours, but since I didn't find one, and my old Evans amp was broken, I went with the AI, which Thomann happened to have in stock at that time. I do believe I would have been just as pleased with the Ultralight if I had found one.
Within EU, Foulds Music in UK has the RE speaker cabinets. I got my RS cabinet directly from the manufacturer in US - no problem - but they have no dealers in Europe.I never tried RS or RE (I would like to one day but they are rare here)Last edited by oldane; 01-26-2012 at 08:48 AM.
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I really agree with the swepabble mid center frequency - my parametric EQ pedal has it and it's great. That's precisely my point on the AI and the Henriksen - I would like them to be more tweakable; I once tried the Henriksen flat with the Fromel Shape EQ and it was so much easy to dial a good sound. The low cut filter must be really useful and more jazz amp builder should have one - the bass can go out of control on archtops with humbuckers in some rooms.
Well even considereing reverb, phantom power and the low cut filter - if you add the price of the AI and the Para Di (plus a speaker) it's an expensive rig.... if the AI had properly placed tone controls to begin with would you need the Para DI? Ha what the hell - it's working for you right? That's all that matters
Yeah Thomann stocked AI and Polytone in the past - they even had the Ultralight and when Fender ended the product they sold the last items at 400€ or something like that... The ultrlalight is just perfect for me - very light and can have a jazz amp vibe or a fender tube vibe but it always has a guitar amp sound - never sounds like a PA. And the EQ is really good, the treble is set very high (10k) but it's extremely effective. Man even the ODs and Reverbs sound fine
I know Foulds stocks RE but they are too expensive... at that price range I would go for something like a Port City cabinet that is supposed to be the best of both worlds - the strong sound of closed backs with the dispersion of open backs. I have been very curious about the RS-8, seems very light and Stan was always extremely nice and helpful in the e-mails we traded. But I am afraid of the speaker (it's both 8 and a Beta). And importing from the US it's so tough... But Vince Lewis gets great sounds with a JMUL and a RS-8 in his guitar solo videos. But in any case I would have to buy without trying first which is scary (Thomann has a 30-day return policy but they stock these cabs)
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I think some of you guys might really like the LR Baggs Para Acoustic DI. I initially bought mine for the notch filter (adjustable for frequency center and db +/-). But I soon discovered how effectively the tone stack - including a sweepable midrange control - is for shaping the tone of my archtop. It really improves the sound through both my Mesa tube amp and my SS California Blonde. I was really taken aback at the difference, especailly since for whatever reason the amp tone stacks don't work quite the same as the DI. BTW, having the 180 phase inverter button right at my feet is also very handy.
I should disclose that I don't play out (yet), so I have never plugged into a PA or house system. But if I did, I would very likely run my own reverb through the DI's FX loop, and it sounds like some of you might do that too.
HighSpeed
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Agree all the above comments about Henriksen - I have a Jazzapm 110 without reverb, and I now use a Boss FDR (Deuxe Reverb) pedal in front of it for most applications. It's a great combination and gives me a lot of flexibility. I still use the Jazzamp without the pedal for big band stuff - they just want to hear me strumming on that.
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