Australian
Musician Spring 2002
If you’ve been an avid reader of Australian
Musician in past issues, you’ll know what
a vast array of products there are available
to the musician today. So much so, that it
can get extremely
confusing when looking for that special piece
of equipment that’s affordable and does the
job. As a writer for AM mag, I’ve been a big
supporter for quality Aussie-made products
and this issue is no exception. If you are
a bass player looking to get into a pumping
rig or something portable and don’t have the
big bucks to spend, then the guys at Audio
Assemblers just might be able to help.
This
privately owned company has been operating
since 1981 in the outer northern suburbs of
Melbourne solely on the assembly of audio electronics.
Over time the company re-located to bigger
premises and expanded production that today
includes musical instrument amplifiers, 100-volt
line power amps as well as mixer amplifiers
and specific amps for the cinema industry.
The in-house manufacturing processes
have also expanded over time and today includes,
wave soldering, screen printing, sheet metal
fabrication, cabinet manufacture and conventional
transformer manufacture. The result is the
Flagship "Ebony" series of bass amplifiers
and the Quake 400 and the Pocket 50 were the
two amps I got to check out. They are two different
rigs with two different price tags so let’s
begin with the biggest, the Quake 400.
Bold
& Beastie…
The
first thing you’ll notice about the Ebony
Quake 400 is that it is built like
a tank. The red anodised front panel is well
laid out, will neatly fit into a rack and is
packed with features to ensure plenty of control
over the bass to achieve that desired tone.
Having a bass player in the family I had a
number of different basses to try the amp with
and hooked it up to a 2X12 cabinet with a horn
tweeter.
The
front panel includes an active 4-band EQ consisting
of bass, lo-mid, hi mid and treble control
as well as a 7-band graphic EQ. Setting everything
flat is a great starting point and I began
by turning the pre gain to about 1’o’clock
and brought the post gain volume up to a pretty
bold level
(about 11 o’clock).
The
P bass sounded warm and round just like a P
bass should. Playing around with the EQ’s and
the mid shape, lo cut buttons produced some
extreme tonal changes showing the versatility
this amp has to offer. Whether it is fingers,
pick or slap style the EQ allows wide tonal
variation at the touch or turn of a button
or knob. It really is that simple. Again, once
I hooked up the 5-string active bass, the Quake
400 with a bit of tweaking here and there produced
a very capable sound that would riva amps costing
double in price.
All
the features needed for live playing or recording
are available on this amp. Things like a 600
ohm balanced D.I output and an effects loop
with mid shape EQ foot switching is standard
on the Quake 400. The amp is responsive and
has 400watts of power, which will cut any gig
with feeling and everything bar the anodising
and powder coating is done in-house which is
impressive to say the least. At $1,299.00 it’s
got to be one of the best mid-priced bass heads
going around at the moment. There is a 250-watt
version that’s about 400 bucks cheaper as well
as combo style amps to consider as well.
The pocket 50 is the smallest in the
range and if portability with value for money
is what you’re after then keep on reading.
Pocket
Rocket!
The
Pocket 50 is a combo style amp that delivers
a loud 50 watts and houses a 12-inch 100 watt
speaker. Again this amp utilises the same active
4-band EQ as the Quake 400 and has a Pre/post
gain control. The combo is lightweight (13kg)
and extremely portable making it perfect for
small gigs or rehearsals. The 12-inch speaker
is well voiced and low B strings don’t bottom
out or warble on this amplifier. The EQ controls
are very responsive and whether it is an active
bass or passive, you will pull a good sound.
This combo retails for $599.00, which is great
value for a very loud well-built quality product.
Conclusion…
Audio
Assemblers have provided quality bass products
that are very functional, well priced and built
to last. The wealth of experience shows when
you listen to what these Ebony amps have to
offer. The value and playability makes them
a serious contender especially if you are looking
to upgrade your rig without breaking the bank.
All products have manufacturer’s warranties
and the backup service is second to none. So
get out and support "Aussie made".
If you want to find out more on the Ebony range
of amps, you can give them a call on (03) 9357
8595 or email – info@audioassemblers.com.au
and they will be happy to put you onto the
nearest dealer.
What
we reckon:
QUALITY
PLAYABILITY
BANG-F0R-YOUR-BUCK
OVERALL
