ebs hd 360 sounds a lot different

[bassjim]

hi all

just wondering...........................

i recently upgraded from the ebs350 to a 360.

i was expecting the sound of the 350 but perhaps some extra?

what i find is where i used to get amazing highs they are now buried when the bands playing. i got a component sent over from sweden and this was fitted and i thought all would be ok. when i sound checked it all seemed to be there but when the inevitable every one turn up a bit once the gig gets going i was forever reaching for the treble and bright.

just could not get this amp to sound good (or should i say as good as the 350)

on its own it all seams ok so this is very much an issue when the gitard,keybads,drunkerd and ego are all making a noise.

now ive played this venue many times before with the hd350 and never an issue. right from the start the 360 wasnt quite cutting it. a lot of poncing about with the eq when with the 350 i hardly ever needed to touch it.

the amp is 100 percent working and there are no faults with it but..............................

any other 350 users out there that "upgraded" that would rather have the old 350 back?

Ive since decided to use my reidmar back up as a main amp now cause it just sounds better. and no need to ponce about all night with the eq!

any ways is it just me or have they gawn and fxxx it up?

Edited October 6, 2014 by bassjim

[stingrayPete1977]

Where is EBS freak when you need him?
Afaik both the people I know first hand that are ebs to the core sent their 360s back, I have personally PAT tested a 350 for both of them too, one has it squirelled away the other is taking his on a European tour and will be using it at some high profile gigs very soon. They both also have a 650 they wont sell but both prefer their 350s too.

[EBS_freak]

350>360

650>660

350>650

Holy grail is the 350+... (350 with a 650 output stage in a 350 case).

EBS claim nothing has claimed... but all us EBS users can't be wrong.

Edited October 6, 2014 by EBS_freak

[stingrayPete1977]

And there you go

[ursus]

I had the 360 for two months. EBS redesigned the preamp in 360 towards rock/metal and took away the glorious shimmering highs that you find in the 350 and Reidmar.

[EBS_freak]

I agree - I think the focus on getting a foothold in the European rock and metal market meant that these amps got tweaked appropriately.

As big as fan as I am of EBS, I am disappointed that you can see them beginning to pinch to the pennies - e.g. Compare earlier era carpet covering to those on the modern cabs to those on the current models. Also the hardware has been switched out for cheaper Chinese equivalents. :-/ And don't get me started on the pedals.

[molan]

We had a good look at EBS at MusikMesse last year as a possible brand to start stocking in the shop and they just didn't seem as good build quality as we remembered. Difficult to put a finger on exactly what the difference was but this, combined with the fact that they were really pushing all the smaller units and combos put us off

[thodrik]

If you already had a HD350, why bother 'upgrading' to what is essentially being marketed as 'the same amp, but ten watts louder'?. Ten watts is almost a negligible increase, so negligible that I am surprised that EBS even bothered doing it.

I have tried the HD350, 650 and Fafner. The 350 was my least favourite of the three, although still a very nice amp.

Getting a poor sound at the venue could be down to a number of factors. Unless you could simply switch the HD350 back in and see if that made a difference, it could be down to monitoring or changes in levels from any one of the band.

[EBS_freak]

[quote name='molan' timestamp='1412632350' post='2570702']
We had a good look at EBS at MusikMesse last year as a possible brand to start stocking in the shop and they just didn't seem as good build quality as we remembered. Difficult to put a finger on exactly what the difference was but this, combined with the fact that they were really pushing all the smaller units and combos put us off
[/quote]

I think their focus has shifted from being the best a product can be to shifting boxes for max profit. I'm guessing the boxes with the most profit are now the ones containing the classic range and the Reidmar.

I hated it when they dropped the chrome off the heads. It was marketed as a "save the environment" thing - but I suspect it was down to the fact that matte black powder coating is so much cheaper. Scratches that much easier also.

If you compare the earlier range to the modern day, there is penny pitching everywhere - right down to the recessed dish on the back of the speaker with the jacks and crossover. Most disapppointing.

I don't think the UK is EBS' market anymore. When you consider their best selling unit was the classic 450 in Europe, I can't actually recall seeing an abundance of those anyway in the UK.

The Reidmar is a great amp with the sound of the 350. Still reckon they dropped the ball on that one too - for the market they are pitching it against, it hasn't got that oh so desirable size that enables you to put it in a gig bag and although it is a seriously loud amp, for those that measure volume in watts, it's just not as attractive on paper as the offerings from genz (at the time), mark bass or tc (even though their watts are a sham anyway - at least EBS have always had true specs published on that front).

Shame. Especially as I am an EBS fan. Obvious. Just more of a fan of the earlier stuff I guess.

[JTUK]

I think it is always a shame when a product ethic is over run by accountancy but almost inevitable in some ways.
Typical story tends to be, Founder builds product over 20 years or so and just doesn't have the same drive anymore.
Sells shares or part of the business and takes a back seat, or figure-head role, and spends the money he has spent
most of his working life making or building up.
Most companies consider cheaper components and far east production as something they will have to embarce at some point.
I admire the ones you resist and try to make a point of supporting them if I can... but maybe we all need to retire on
the cash we made, at some point, so this is a most natural progression.
The best you can do is buy the older stuff but the market is littered with this type of thing..
We all want cheap fridges..... and will buy them.

Not saying I know exactly what they have done in this case, but the industry knows the path trodden very well.

Edited October 7, 2014 by JTUK

[molan]

I definitely got the impression that EBS wanted to shift boxes and move to the 'high street' rather than maintain high quality. Could just have been the sales rep I encountered at Messe though.

I see that TC electronics are up for sale now so it'll be interesting if the founders are going for a 'take the money and run' approach (for which I don't blame them on bit!).

I guess my surprise with EBS was that they always seemd such a classy brand and had a strong image which they appeared to maintain both through the product range and in all external communications (something which can't be said of TC)

[JTUK]

I keep looking west at Aguilar... they have really hit the market since they used to be a
small studio brand.
I know their product is generally expensive ..but I think it can justify the premium at the moment
but there must be a very fine balancing act keeping sales up, supplying those sales, and producing
local and small....i,e staying close to a family busniess.

It can be done, if AC, Pensa, Fodera, etc etc ...are still doing it.
With amps, it is probably harder..???

[AntLockyer]

Classic business problem. What got you here wont get you there. Additionally what got you here wont keep you here.

[bassjim]

thanks for all your replies.

really started to think i was going mad

i just knew it was different but when they tell you nope its just the same you start to question yourself!

In hind site i would have taken a different route. i needed a back up amp as i do so many gigs these days(functions,weddings,pubs ect) so i thought swap the 350 for a redimar and to treat myself.............. buy a 360. Which i did.

well im now considering either getting a second redimar (so far in 30 years the only real plug and play amp I have ever come across.blown away by this) and selling the 360 or swapping the the 360 with any one who has a 350 that goes to 2 ohms

cheers all. much appreciated

[bassjim]

just in case any one is interested this is where I am now.

had a moan at EBS about the amp. they have very kindly found me a new HD350 to replace the HD360 and are sending it over.(should be here now) they are going to check out my 360 when it gets back to them as there could be something not right with it?
they say that lots of players have turned to their brand because of the recent changes.this tells them its a way forward for them. so swings and roundabouts i guess. you cant please everyone at the same time!

anyway I thought i would share this with you all because it shows that they are still listening,still interested and obviously still a very nice bunch of chaps.

[stingrayPete1977]

That is a good outcome, just hang onto that 350 then!

[Dood]

I've not had a chance to try out the newer TD heads, but one of my favourites from EBS was the TD650 - A model that I spent many an hour beating with a variety of different cabinets when Bass Merchant had that little upstairs shop in Suffolk.

[bassjim]

and here is my conclusion:

after two gigs this weekend back with the 350 I can honestly say hand on heart in my opinion the 350 is very different to the 360. i could get what i wanted straight away with a minimal tweak and got what i call "my " sound back. i am sooooooooooooooooo happy with the outcome.