Download soundroom

soundroom
H Y B R I D
H E A D
AGUILAR
© 2003 Bass Player Magazine,
reprinted with permission from
United Entertainment Media, Inc.
W I T H
7 5 0 - W A T T
P O W E R
A M P
A pair of piercingly bright LEDs indicate whether the DB 750 is
in diagnostic, mute, or operational status.
DB 750
The DEEP switch can add lowend fullness to a soloed bridge
The flexible effect loop has variable SEND and
pickup. Use the BRIGHT switch to RETURN levels, with a push/pull pot to accommogive slap tones a crisper edge date instrument-level or line-level effects and a
or enhance the detail of darkerpush/pull pot for parallel or series operation.
sounding basses and cabinets.
BY TERRY BUDDINGH
under poor lighting conditions. For speaker connection, Aguilar
chose Neutrik Speakons exclusively. Speakons are better able to
O
ver the last seven years, Aguilar has built a solid reputation
deliver high-power signals than q" jacks and plugs, which were orig-
by designing high-quality speaker cabinets and all-tube
inally intended for lower-level applications.
bass amps, preamps, and DIs. The DB 750, a high-
The DB 750 is expensive, but when I peeked inside its no-
powered head with a solid-state output stage, marks a
nonsense exterior, I began to understand why. Removing the top
noteworthy shift in direction: While its tube-driven preamp circuitry
plate exposes a chassis jam-packed with beautifully rendered cir-
borrows from earlier Aguilar designs, the MOSFET output stage pro-
cuitry. It’s obvious a lot of painstaking work went into its design, and
the quality of workmanship is exceptional.
vides a significant power boost. Not wanting to sacrifice fidelity for power, Aguilar
Elegantly prepared wire harnesses con-
designed its first solid-state power-
nect the three printed circuit boards,
amp section to have low distortion that
which pack in the high-quality com-
provides clear detail and dynamic
ponents that contribute to the DB 750’s
sensitivity even when fully cranked.
extensive self-diagnostic capability,
big power, and tone. For example, the
Hidden Treasure
power supply’s hefty toroidal trans-
Like Aguilar’s other gear, the rack-
former and eight large filter capacitors
mountable DB 750 has an austere
(hidden below the top PC board) pro-
external design, and its metal-flake
vide a substantial voltage reservoir.
enamel steel front panel sports utili-
Unlike a lower-capacity power supply,
tarian knobs and switches. The DI’s
the 750’s robust power supply does
jack and controls are conveniently
not compromise the amp’s headroom
mounted on the front, as are the effect-
and dynamic punch when demand is
greatest.
loop controls; there’s no fumbling
around behind the amp when you need
to check important switch positions,
although some of the front panel’s let-
The DB 750’s internal components are of an exceptionally
high quality. Aguilar’s attention to detail is admirable—
note the carefully harnessed wiring.
BASS PLAYER
J A N U A R Y
the 750’s full width and draws heat
away from the 12 MOSFET output
tering is quite tiny and difficult to read
58
At the rear of the chassis interior,
a large internal heatsink runs across
2 0 0 3
T E C H S P E C S
Sorry, no 1/4" speaker jacks. Neutrik Speakon jacks more reliably handle the DB 750’s high power output.
transistors. Two high-capacity cooling fans draw
bottom was always tight and clear. The onboard DI
air through the amp’s side vents and expel it out
kept the soundman happy. For warm fingerstyle
the back. The fans run at full speed at all times
funk tone, he used the 750’s DEEP switch and boosted
to efficiently dissipate the heat, and they are
the mids to 3 o’clock. To brighten up his tone for
moderately noisy. I prefer a variable-speed fan,
slap passages, he engaged the well-voiced BRIGHT
as the 750’s noise would be excessive in some
switch and backed off the robust BASS control.
environments.
I recorded tracks via the DB 750’s DI to DAT
and found it to be quiet and musical in both pre-
On The Job
and post-EQ modes. The all-tube circuitry and
We tested the DB 750 on numerous gigs, ranging
high-quality Jensen output transformer faithfully
from low-volume jazz settings to loud outdoor
convey the DB 750’s sonic subtleties while rival-
venues, with various basses and cabinets. Pow-
ing the sound quality of expensive outboard DIs.
ering up the amp begins the approximately 45-
Back in the BP Soundroom, I experimented with
second self-diagnostic procedure. Once the
overdriven rock tones. A ’71 Fender P-Bass with
heavy-duty input and output relays are engaged
an Ampeg SVT 8x10 sounded huge with a snarling
and the status LED stops blinking, the amp is ready.
midrange grind, and the ample headroom provided
While the diagnostics help prevent potential equip-
wicked chest-pounding punch that was forceful,
ment damage when the DB 750 is suddenly pow-
yet focused. By raising the GAIN knob settings and
ered down, one staffer thought this was an
lowering
annoyingly long time to wait, especially when the
the DB 750’s preamp. It was easy to find the
amp was accidentally unplugged during a sound-
dynamic “sweet spot” where the tone transfers
check. At 46 pounds, the hefty DB 750 is a two-
from clean (when played with a moderate touch)
hander—rackmounting is recommended.
to a bit dirty when played more aggressively. While
MASTER,
I coaxed woolly overdrive out of
With a Fender Jazz Bass and an Aguilar GS-
overdriving the preamp can create grind and growl,
112 cab at a quiet jazz gig, I was impressed by the
the super-clean power amp still provides tons of
DB 750’s sensitivity to subtle dynamic inflections.
uncompressed dynamic impact. Pretty cool.
Its abundance of clean power provides effortless
If you prefer to precisely sculpt your tone, you
reaction to dynamic changes, and its ultra-fast
may find the DB 750’s preamp, which lacks the
transient response conveys accents with startling
graphic and parametric EQ found on many other
crispness. The DB 750’s high sensitivity to musi-
amps, simplistic. Nevertheless, the straight-
cal detail can be refreshing if you’re accustomed
forward tone controls are effective and thought-
to an amp with more limited dynamic response.
fully voiced, and I was always able to dial in
The DB 750 puts its best foot forward when
gig-appropriate sounds with ease.
cranked. At a high-volume R&B gig, with a
Lakland 55-94 5-string and an Epifani 3x10, the DB 750 retained its
distinctively clear and detailed
character without a hint of strain.
I kept an eye on the clip indicator
light, and it never blinked. The
Aguilar exhibited tight bottom-end
control with well-defined and
focused fundamentals, even in a
Simple Pleasures
Aguilar DB 750
List price: $2,895
Score
1 2 3 4 5
Construction: ● ● ●●● ● ●●●
Electronics: ● ● ●●● ● ●●● ●
Ease of Use: ● ● ●●● ● ●●●
● ● ●●● ● ●●● ●
Sound:
● ● ●●● ● ●●●
Value:
5-string’s lowest register.
Another staffer who used the DB
750 on several gigs commended its
copious headroom and punch. Using
a Roscoe LG-3005 at a mediumsize club, he thought the DB 750
never sounded strained and that the
Although good tone is substantially a product of technique and musicality, it certainly
helps to have a well-designed,
no-compromise, and carefully
constructed amp like the DB
750 at your disposal. Its price
Power rating: 975 watts RMS into
2Ω minimum load, 750 watts
RMS into 4Ω, 425 watts RMS into
8Ω (all with <0.01% THD)
Input impedance: 1MΩ passive,
68kΩ active
ACTIVE/PASSIVE switch: Provides
6dB attenuation in ACTIVE mode
Tone controls: TREBLE: ±12dB @
4kHz; MID: ± 12dB @ 400Hz;
BASS: ±12dB @ 40Hz; DEEP
switch: +3dB of broadband
boost @ 30Hz; BRIGHT switch:
passive RC pre-emphasis @
5kHz–7kHz
XLR DI output: Tube-driven
Jensen DI transformer with
PRE/POST and GROUND LIFT
switches
Tube complement: Three
Russian-made Sovtek
12AX7As and one
Chinese-made 12AU7
Dimensions: 19" x 14r" x 5q"
(three rack spaces)
Weight: 46 lbs
and weight may be excessive
for the player doing casuals
Pros: Effortless headroom;
tremendous tone.
Cons: Fan noise may be
a problem in quiet environments.
The Aguilar DB 750 is a hybrid
head; it combines an all-tube preamp with a solid-state power
amp. All of the preamp functions,
including the effect loop and DI
circuitry, are tube powered. The
DI features a Jensen transformer
comparable to those used in
expensive DI boxes.
To ensure dependable operation, Aguilar equipped the DB 750
with extensive start-up protection
circuitry that checks for outputstage problems and extends tube
longevity by gradually ramping up
the high plate voltage delivered to
the preamp tubes.
For international use, the DB
750 can be internally reconfigured
to operate on 100-, 120-, 220-, or
230-volt AC lines. (This procedure
should be implemented only by a
qualified tech, as 220-volt and
230-volt operation requires
changing the circuit breaker/
power switch.)
and coffeehouses. If you have
the
money
and
muscles,
though, the DB 750’s exceptional tone, enormous power,
and high fidelity definitely
warrant a test drive.
Made in: U.S.A.
List price: $2,895
Option: Mute footswitch ($100)
Warranty: Ten years limited
800-304-1875
www.aguilaramp.com
BP
J A N U A R Y
2 0 0 3
BASS PLAYER
59