Phil Jones Briefcase Combo - OK for keyboards?
Steve Freides
great with anything I put into it.
Anyone know if the Phil Jones Briefcase combo amp is similar or is it
really just best suited to a bass?
Thanks.
-S-
Derek Tearne
The Phil Jones gear is definitely in the 'reproduce the sound of the
instrument' camp along with Acoustic Image - but it doesn't quite have
the same accuracy of reproduction as the AI gear. If you play an
electric bass through it it sounds like you're playing an electric bass
through a bass amp - whereas playing through an AI sounds more like
you're in the studio playing through extremely good headphones.
Having said that I think you'd be able to play keyboards through it
pretty succesfully. A friend of mine has even used it for vocals in
situations where battery power is required.
I assume you need it for the battery power aspect - because otherwise
the AI will trump the briefcase in almost every other aspect -
especially for keyboards.
Incidentally, it looks like Acoustic Image are bringing out a new
slightly larger combo with a 10" forward facing speaker as well as the
downfiring one.
This seems to be exactly what I've been looking for and addresses the
few issues I have with my older AI combo for particularly electric bass
gigs where I've often needed to use an extension cab.
http://www.acousticimg.com/products/prod_ten2.html
I've often wished I could take the head off the AI and use it with a
different cab for electric bass gigs - the new ones the head slips out!
Although with the extra 10" speaker I might never need to do that.
It also has a mute switch and is only a tiny bit heavier than my current
AI combo.
It's almost like they designed it just for me!
And it's an 800 watt amp!! Cripes!
--- Derek
--
Derek Tearne - de...@url.co.nz
Vitamin S - improvisation from Aotearoa/New Zealand
http://www.vitamin-s.co.nz/
js
balls whatsoever, and you could get a lot more volume out of smaller and/or
cheaper combos like the GK or the Markbass.
"Steve Freides" <st...@kbnj.com> wrote in message
news:75n3kiF...@mid.individual.net...
Derek Tearne
> I really, really wanted to like it - instead, I was very disappointed. No
> balls whatsoever, and you could get a lot more volume out of smaller and/or
> cheaper combos like the GK or the Markbass.
And you could do this in a middle of a field or on a beach?
It's easily the best battery powered bass amp available.
It's far from the best small combo available.
The Phil Jones Briefcase is tiny, 100 watts, runs off batteries for an
hour or so and doesn't break any of the laws of physics - what more do
you expect?
I mean, it would be *nice* if it could blow away an SVT fridge - but I
wouldn't say I was disappointed to discover it didn't.
js
worthless to me.
That's also why it took me half of forever to find a small combo I could
live with.
"Derek Tearne" <de...@url.co.nz> wrote in message
news:1iyw57s.1uozxb93jr14rN%de...@url.co.nz...
Derek Tearne
> I don't care if it runs off of cold fusion; if it's got no balls, it's
> worthless to me.
By that kind of logic a carrot is worthless because it's not a potato.
> That's also why it took me half of forever to find a small combo I could
> live with.
Well, if you're looking for a small potato with a lot of flavour you're
wasting time cruising the cabbage aisles.
eadg
> Steve Freides <st...@kbnj.com> wrote:
>
>> I have an Acoustic Image Contra - it's sold as a bass amp but it does
>> great with anything I put into it.
>>
>> Anyone know if the Phil Jones Briefcase combo amp is similar or is it
>> really just best suited to a bass?
> Incidentally, it looks like Acoustic Image are bringing out a new
> slightly larger combo with a 10" forward facing speaker as well as the
> downfiring one.
>
> This seems to be exactly what I've been looking for and addresses the
> few issues I have with my older AI combo for particularly electric bass
> gigs where I've often needed to use an extension cab.
>
> http://www.acousticimg.com/products/prod_ten2.html
AI gear is expensive but that looks tasty...
--
SR
JoeSpareBedroom
> js <not...@nothing.com> wrote:
>
>> I really, really wanted to like it - instead, I was very disappointed. No
>> balls whatsoever, and you could get a lot more volume out of smaller
>> and/or
>> cheaper combos like the GK or the Markbass.
>
> And you could do this in a middle of a field or on a beach?
>
> It's easily the best battery powered bass amp available.
I'm trying to envision wanting to play on a beach or in a field for one
hour.
Still trying.
Can't.
Kloka-mo'
"JoeSpareBedroom" <news...@frontiernet.net> wrote in message
news:RqOJl.91712$9t6....@newsfe10.iad...
psst, joe, there's this thing called bikinis (or speedos)...
never mind. there are also sand fleas, no-see-ums, and having to stare at
the boats on the water while you're anchored ashore.
you win :-)
--
-rob
O>
/(\)
^^
JoeSpareBedroom
news:gt8j35$ou8$1...@news.eternal-september.org...
It's kinda like an ice cream maker that runs on batteries, for 11 seconds.
Just long enough to do nothing. :-)
Benj
> Incidentally, it looks like Acoustic Image are bringing out a new
> slightly larger combo with a 10" forward facing speaker as well as the
> downfiring one.
>
> This seems to be exactly what I've been looking for and addresses the
> few issues I have with my older AI combo for particularly electric bass
> gigs where I've often needed to use an extension cab.
>
> http://www.acousticimg.com/products/prod_ten2.html
>
> I've often wished I could take the head off the AI and use it with a
> different cab for electric bass gigs - the new ones the head slips out!
>
> Although with the extra 10" speaker I might never need to do that.
>
> It also has a mute switch and is only a tiny bit heavier than my current
> AI combo.
>
> It's almost like they designed it just for me!
>
> And it's an 800 watt amp!! Cripes!
Hey I like this! It's built just like the sub I've got here on my
audio system which kicks some major butt. I've tried it (my sub) on my
bass but it has "no balls" because it's only 100 watts. Now 800 WATTS
Yikes. That could work! Which leads me to my suggestion and what I've
got going round my head right now. As you know I've done the portable
thing with my Laney 70W combo a deep-cycle trolling boat battery and
inverter. Works pretty nice, but heavy as hell.
Hence new scheme soon to be under construction (I hope). BK Class D
head (been trying it a GC...very nice but $$$) Inverter (already got a
bunch of small light high-powered and noise free ones ready to use)
Add a nice small cab from light, strong something or other, probably
built with one speaker forward and one down like the AI and my sub
with a pair of Neo 10's. And finally the coup de gras will be to go on
line and buy a bunch of Li-ion cells wired to make a decent
replacement for the boat battery. It'll take a few and that'll be $$$
but hey, I"m not building a Tesla auto here. You can get Li-ion cells
on line that are cool with the charging and protection electronics
build right into the end of the battery. I think this can be done!
Derek Tearne
A couple of months back, party on the beach after a wedding reception,
roaring bonfire, acoustic guitars/ukeleles, some really good singers, it
was good for a couple of hours at that kind of volume.
I've accompanied dancers by a stream in the middle of the bush, played
at various jams, workshops and performances where being able to play
anywhere in the room regardless of power is the most important thing.
I've played it in stairwells in fact I've played walking up and down
stairs (with someone else carrying it). My neighbour, who does a lot of
wedding gigs, borrows it fairly often for weddings in bizarre settings.
I've also used it plugged and unplugged at cafe gigs (and been asked to
turn down).
The one thing it doesn't do well is a conventional band gig with a full
drum kit and a couple of loud guitars - but then I already have an amp
for that.
Incidentally, if I ever did need to do a three hour gig in the middle of
a field, the briefcase will run off a car battery for much longer than
on the internal battery.
As a compact battery powered amp it is brilliant.
For the almost the same form factor there's the markbass minimark -
which is more powerful, louder and lighter - it's a shame that isn't
available in a battery powered option.
js
is super small and sounds great. Even if your primary goal is a battery
powered rig (and why that would be I don't know), there are better choices.
The briefcase just doesn't deliver on the hype, IMO
"Derek Tearne" <de...@url.co.nz> wrote in message
news:1iywlg8.1uachraura1ewN%de...@url.co.nz...
Brian Running
> Well, if you're looking for a small potato with a lot of flavour you're
> wasting time cruising the cabbage aisles.
You have cabbage aisles in New Zealand?! That explains the strange,
strong yearnings I've had to live there. Cabbage aisles, that can be
cruised!
Derek Tearne
Derek Tearne
> Not really. Markbass sounds great, and weighs about the same.
The markbass is 20lbs - the Briefcase is 28lbs *without the battery*.
Of course the mini mark didn't exist when I bought the briefcase.
> The GK combo is super small and sounds great.
I've actually got one of those - although I never use it anymore - the
Acoustic Image has it beat hands down.
> Even if your primary goal is a battery
> powered rig (and why that would be I don't know), there are better choices.
No there aren't. You have a choice of a pignose hog 30, which sounds
like someone farting in a wet paper bag, the crate taxi - I don't know
how that sounds - and hacking something together with an inverter a
trolley and a deep cycle battery.
> The briefcase just doesn't deliver on the hype, IMO
Not as the silver bullet lighweight combo that will replace all your
other gear - the minimark comes closer - and the new Acoustic Image
combo might actually be it - but as a battery powered bass amp for all
your outdoor performance needs it is fantastic.
The other Phil Jones Bass stuff pretty much does live up to the hype
tonally - it is also way way too heavy to be practical for anything
other than a permanent installation or for a band with a team of body
builders for roadies.
Steve Freides
> js <not...@nothing.com> wrote:
>
>> Not really. Markbass sounds great, and weighs about the same.
>
> The markbass is 20lbs - the Briefcase is 28lbs *without the battery*.
>
> Of course the mini mark didn't exist when I bought the briefcase.
>
>> The GK combo is super small and sounds great.
>
> I've actually got one of those - although I never use it anymore - the
> Acoustic Image has it beat hands down.
Maybe I just need a new AI - mine is older, and it's 200 watts and, if I
guessed at weight, I'd say 40 lbs. I was just looking for smaller for
those times when smaller would do. There is nothing I've had to do
where the AI wasn't enough in terms of volume. The battery is a
non-issue for me, just looking for something close to the AI in terms of
sound but smaller - like I said, maybe I just need a new AI.
-S-
Derek Tearne
> "Derek Tearne" <de...@url.co.nz> wrote in message
> news:1iyz7ha.1q1qnans27rekN%de...@url.co.nz...
> > js <not...@nothing.com> wrote:
> >
> >> Not really. Markbass sounds great, and weighs about the same.
> >
> > The markbass is 20lbs - the Briefcase is 28lbs *without the battery*.
> >
> > Of course the mini mark didn't exist when I bought the briefcase.
> >
> >> The GK combo is super small and sounds great.
> >
> > I've actually got one of those - although I never use it anymore - the
> > Acoustic Image has it beat hands down.
>
> Maybe I just need a new AI - mine is older, and it's 200 watts and, if I
> guessed at weight, I'd say 40 lbs.
The new ten2 is apparently 28lbs - which is a whopping 1lb heavier than
my series II acoustic image coda - probably the same one as yours
(200watts internal ~300 with extension cab).
The briefcase is about the same weight, actually a little heavier (I
think there are black holes in the speaker magnets). So you're gaining
nothing there - and is only 100 watts total (you can't run an additional
extension cab - although the amp is louder played through a conventional
sized cab).
The current model coda is 20lbs, 450watts internal and 1000watts with
extension at 2ohms (cripes!!). I had been vaguely thinking about
replacing the AI with a newer model simply for the reduction in weight
and a couple of other improvements - however upgrading to the ten2 looks
like a no brainer for me.
I think the Acoustic Image format is about as small as you can get and
have a decent amount of volume. The minimark would be the only
serious contender for equivalent power etc. and I think that is about
the same physical volume - but in a squarer and easier to carry format.
js
have it still sound like a bass..
FWIW, I though the Minimark sucked too. There's a certain amount of physics
that you just can't get around.
"Derek Tearne" <de...@url.co.nz> wrote in message
news:1iyzq68.16hpcj0pqt7sdN%de...@url.co.nz...
JoeSpareBedroom
news:gtbdne$3ta$1...@news.eternal-september.org...
> The real issue isn't how small you can get, it's how small you can get and
> have it still sound like a bass..
Bingo!
There's a weekly open mic thing I go to occasionally just to hear a couple
of really great bluegrass pickers. The host band provides a thing for bass
to plug into. It's a guitar amp cabinet with some sort of 10" speaker in it.
It makes all basses sound like crap. But the fella who owns it says that
can't be true because it's got "John Nau circuitry" in it. Nau is a locally
famous guy who custom-builds amps that sound pretty much like off the shelf
equipment, and you have to wait a long time for your special order. The wait
is apparently part of the mystique surrounding the name.
Steve Freides
> and
> have it still sound like a bass..
>
> FWIW, I though the Minimark sucked too. There's a certain amount of
> physics
> that you just can't get around.
What do you think of the AI Contra? FWIW, I have used my Contra for
everything except electric bass - upright several times, and guitar.
I've had student play eb through it in my living room but that's not
enough for a real opinion. I'm probably going to be running a $150
Yamaha keyboard through it at a gig in a couple of weeks. I like the AI
a lot for upright.
-S-
js
At the time I was shopping, AI was having a thermal shutdown problem with
their amps, which really concerned me. Don't know if that's been fixed or
not, but it did give me pause.
Also, the AI sound is very "dark"; lots of low mids. It's a great sound for
upright, not so great for electric (unless you play electric like an
upright) IMO.
Also, the AI owners I know tend to play VERY quietly. I don't know if this
is a function of the amp, or if it's because it sounds so much like an
upright that they want it to blend in. I have yet to see anyone crank it up
and play a "slap" solo on either instrument, for example.
"Steve Freides" <st...@kbnj.com> wrote in message
news:75tn9nF...@mid.individual.net...
Derek Tearne
> I've mentioned this before:
>
> At the time I was shopping, AI was having a thermal shutdown problem with
> their amps, which really concerned me. Don't know if that's been fixed or
> not, but it did give me pause.
That really was a very long time ago. AI have an incredibly generous
warranty - particularly in the US - and if there is anyone with an AI
with a thermal shutdown problem that hasn't been fixed I'd be quite
astonished. Compare that to my GK which never really got fixed. The
chaps at GK said "I've just played one here at full blast for an hour,
so there can't be a problem with the combo". They did help narrow the
problem down (overcurrent protetion circuit failure) but it always
shutdown on me at gigs - strangely the person who's been borrowing it
since then has had not problems with a 4 string bass - maybe it just
doesn't like 5 strings.
Certainly googling for acoustic image thermal problem finds people
saying they heard a rumour about a thermal shutdown problem but nothing
recent from anyone who actually suffered from one.
> Also, the AI sound is very "dark"; lots of low mids. It's a great sound for
> upright, not so great for electric (unless you play electric like an
> upright) IMO.
It's interesting that you call the sound 'dark' - my experience is the
tone reflects what you plug into it very accurately - if you plug in
something that has a naturally dark tone it sounds dark - if you plug in
something that is bright and cheerful it sounds bright and cheerful.
Electric players tend to feel there is something missing from the lack
of forward facing speakers. An electric bass through an AI doesn't
sound how we expect an electric bass to sound. It's not that it is a
bad sound, but it's not quite what we're used to.
So if I'm playing a mainly electric gig, or anything involving loud
drums I'll generally use a 2x10 extension cab. There's only so far a
single 10 is going to get you.
> Also, the AI owners I know tend to play VERY quietly. I don't know if this
> is a function of the amp, or if it's because it sounds so much like an
> upright that they want it to blend in. I have yet to see anyone crank it up
> and play a "slap" solo on either instrument, for example.
With the combo alone you can't play particularly loud - however, played
through an extension cabinet you get the kind of volumes you'd expect
from a 200+ watt amp.
And yes, you can play slap solos in this configuration.
Anyway - their new ten2 combo is clearly intended to address this
particular issue for electric players. Whether it does or not will have
to wait another couple of months to be answered. I'm quite hopeful.
Steve Freides
> I've mentioned this before:
>
> At the time I was shopping, AI was having a thermal shutdown problem
> with
> their amps, which really concerned me. Don't know if that's been fixed
> or
> not, but it did give me pause.
>
> Also, the AI sound is very "dark"; lots of low mids. It's a great
> sound for
> upright, not so great for electric (unless you play electric like an
> upright) IMO.
>
> Also, the AI owners I know tend to play VERY quietly. I don't know if
> this
> is a function of the amp, or if it's because it sounds so much like an
> upright that they want it to blend in. I have yet to see anyone crank
> it up
> and play a "slap" solo on either instrument, for example.
I'm getting in over my head technically here, but I think part of what's
odd about the AI sound is that most "normal" live sound gear handles
peaks with some sort of clipping/distortion, and I think people have
come to expect that. It's part of the "punch" or other words people
might use to describe a certain kind of gear and sound they like.
The AI just doesn't do that. In the end, I think you'd have to like the
sound of your electric bass without any color (call it character instead
of color if you like) being added by your amp if you're going to use an
AI as a eb amp at a gig. Either that or you'd have to get your sound
out of something in your effects loop. The AI is kind of like playing
your electric bass through your home stereo except that you don't have
to worry about blowing it up.
At the last gig I did, I was playing two guitars, one electric, and one
acoustic/electric. It was kind of funny but the electric guitar sounded
"better" through my small Peavey combo - it's maybe 100 watts, if that,
I think. I just couldn't get a "good" sound out of the AI because it was
too honest. I ended up using the Peavey combo for the electric guitar
and the AI for the acoustic/electric, and I'm thinking that this is just
how these things work. It was a 300 seat theater and the Peavey combo
was plenty loud enough.
All of which is my way of saying, after reading your message and
thinking about the whole thing, that I don't think the AI is going to be
first choice for many people playing electric bass. Might work for
jazz, but very unlikely to work for any pop/rock sort of music.
-S-