jwbassman Posted June 25, 2012 Share Posted June 25, 2012 Does anybody have any first-hand experience of these - I've heard and read good things but was just wondering if anybody round here had actually used one? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
philw Posted June 26, 2012 Share Posted June 26, 2012 Now that's a coincidence. My AER Amp One appears to have developed a problem and the nice people at Westside Distribution are lending me a Basscube 2 while the Amp One is fixed. The Basscube should be with me on Thursday and I have a gig that evening. I'll report back. Phil Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jwbassman Posted June 27, 2012 Author Share Posted June 27, 2012 Hi Phil Great - not that you're amp is broken but that you're getting the chance to try the 2 How do you find the One - are AER 'all that'? Look forward to hearing how you get on with it later in the week... Cheers John Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
philw Posted June 29, 2012 Share Posted June 29, 2012 (edited) OK, post gig (with NS EUB and Wal) thoughts about the Basscube 2. First, if you're after something compact and light the Basscube is bigger than I imagined and bloody heavy. Where my Amp One is tiny and built like a brick-outhouse, the Basscube is built like an entire Victorian toilet block. The Basscube 2 just fits in the back of my Mini Clubman with one back seat down, but there's no way I'd be able to get the double bass in as well, as I can with the Amp One. Once you've heaved it out of the car, plugged it in and stood it on something, the Basscube sounds, well it sounds exactly as it should depending on the instrument you're playing. AER stuff seems to me to have an uncanny transparency with very little of its own character. The Wal sounds just as it should and the NS also. If you want an amp that's full of character and that imprints its own sound on everything you do, then the Basscube probably doesn't have your name on it. If you want something however that just sits there and does the job, and leaves the sound entirely up to you, then it's much more likely to be your thing. Needless to say the Basscube goes very loud without any sign on strain or getting dirty. Being AER the Basscube has a few idiosyncrasies. First its mains cable is terminated in a Speakon plug rather than an IEC. The advantage of Speakon is that its a locking socket/plug arrangement so its never going to fall out. The disadvantage is however that if you ever forget the mains cable you're stuffed. Having two completely independent channels and having a vast number of control options for each means the Basscube is not a simple plug-in and play amp. There's an awful lot of parameters that you'll probably want to work with to optimise your setup, and you probably will have to read the manual (not least because AER's input/control panel labelling is not as clear as it might be). There's also a comprehensive range of signal routing and output options. The Basscube input options mean that all basses are well covered (Ha! A pun!). There's even 48V phantom power available if you're using a condensor mic on your double bass. A high Z piezo input means you can plug-in a double bass pickup without an external preamp, however there's no phase reverse switch and in my experience that's one of the most worthwhile anti-feedback options when you're playing a DB. Rather frustratingly, if I were to have a Basscube, I'd still have to take my Fishman preamp just for the phase reverse switch. Seems to me with amps you pretty much get what you pay for. The Basscube isn't inexpensive, but there's no question that you can't see where the money was spent. If you can afford it, can accept the idiosyncrasies, don't mind the weight and you want an amp that's transparent rather than "colourful", then I wouldn't hesitate in getting one. P Edited June 29, 2012 by philw Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jwbassman Posted June 29, 2012 Author Share Posted June 29, 2012 Hi Phil Thanks for the review, makes for interesting reading. I'm currently running a Mesa Walkabout Scout and my understanding was that the Basscube was a similar size if not a bit smaller - weight-wise I think they are about same. I guess it's all relative, the Mesa is reasonably heavy I suppose but it sounds great so it's worth it - the lure of the Basscube is the dual channel for doubling gigs and the transparency and accurate representation of the DB. I'd like to try one but don't know where or when that might happen. Thanks again for review Cheers John Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bassvid75 Posted July 6, 2012 Share Posted July 6, 2012 [sub][size=6]have you tryed the Markbass AC101?[/size][/sub] [sub][size=6][size=5][size=6]Its much lighterand has plenty of power,and has two channels.[/size][/size][/size][/sub] [sub][size=6][size=5][size=6]i own one and its perfect for DB and EB.[/size][/size][/size][/sub] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fatback Posted July 6, 2012 Share Posted July 6, 2012 (edited) Not a combo, but why not try the EA Doubler and a small, lightweight cab? The Doubler is totally transparent, has two channels, phase shift, notch filter, phantom power etc. Lovely thing. Weighs a couple of pounds. Edited July 6, 2012 by fatback Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clarky Posted July 6, 2012 Share Posted July 6, 2012 .. or an Acoustic Image combo. Has similar DB-sepecific functionality to the above and wonderfully transparent sound Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jwbassman Posted July 6, 2012 Author Share Posted July 6, 2012 Thanks for the suggestions guys - might have to do a bit more amp shopping!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Owen Posted July 11, 2012 Share Posted July 11, 2012 [quote name='jwbassman' timestamp='1341584797' post='1721413'] Thanks for the suggestions guys - might have to do a bit more amp shopping!! [/quote] Now THAT'S living! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jwbassman Posted July 12, 2012 Author Share Posted July 12, 2012 [quote name='owen' timestamp='1342040041' post='1728709'] Now THAT'S living! [/quote] It's all talk I had to sell everything I owned to buy my DB (no regrets, it's amazing) - maybe one day I'll have enough to make it a reality Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TPJ Posted July 13, 2012 Share Posted July 13, 2012 I noticed you have a Mesa WA combo. That's what I use for DB and it really does rather well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jwbassman Posted July 13, 2012 Author Share Posted July 13, 2012 [quote name='TPJ' timestamp='1342166941' post='1730527'] I noticed you have a Mesa WA combo. That's what I use for DB and it really does rather well. [/quote] Indeed it does Takes a bit of tweaking to the parametric eq but it sounds good - the impedance is good too. I'm looking for something with two channels as when the EQ is right for DB is make my BG sound crap... I play in a big band and we do a wide range of stuff so it's a doubling gig really, hence the enquiry Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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