EBS Stanley Clarke Signature Acoustic Preamp

THE EBS STANLEY CLARKE SIGNATURE ACOUSTIC PREAMP.

AMPLIFYING AN ACOUSTIC INSTRUMENT - LIKE AN UPRIGHT BASS - IS CHALLENGING. WITH SUPERIOR SOUND QUALITY, POWERFUL FILTERS, AND ESSENTIAL FEATURES, THIS PEDAL IS THE PERFECT TOOL TO DEAL WITH ALL THESE CHALLENGES.

I've been wanting to add this popular preamp to our offerings for quite a while. It's a very well designed and executed dual-channel preamp with a lot of great tools to craft your perfect upright bass sound. Its feature set reminds me very much of the Doubler amplifier from Euphonic Audio, which I personally own (and which we sold here for many years until EA closed up shop a few years ago).

In short, here are some of the key features:

• • Two channels can be blended, or switched between. You can mix two pickups, or a mic and a pickup, one one instrument. Or, you can "double" - bring two different instruments to the gig and switch back and forth between them with a simple footswitch, and having separate volume, EQ and filter controls for each.
  • Microphone capability - XLR mics are supported, with full 48v phantom power, as well as small electret mics that run on 9v.
  • Separate EQs on each channel - three bands with a semi-parametric midrange
  • Separate Filters on each channel - choose between a low cut (high pass) filter to reduce the "rumble" or a notch filter (which can help with feedback issues)
  • Phase Inversion - channel A can reverse its phase if the two blended signals have cancellation issues
  • Effects Loop - can be set to parallel or series, depending on your need
  • Super-High Input Impedance - the input impedance is at 10 Megohms, which is ideal for many piezo-based pickups
  • Headphone Jack for private monitoring of your sound
  • Aux Input Jack so you can play along with another sound source (MP3 player, phone, etc.)
  • Mute button for silent tuning (dedicated "tuner" output is active when mute is depressed)
  • 1/4" stage amplifier output
  • XLR DI (Direct Injection) output to send to live or recording console

Players all over the world have been raving about this unit, which was engineered and designed by EBS together with the legendary bass player and composer Stanley Clarke. A 2-channel preamp, built exclusively with premium components. We're stoked to have this amazing piece of gear in our lineup, and we're sure you're going to love it.

Deeper Dive of the Features

Professional grade signal level
Since the preamp operates at a signal level equal to professional mixing consoles it provides a huge amount of headroom. The superior signal quality makes it suitable to use as a preamp in combination with any power amp. The headroom and specific features make it ideal for handling the complex sonic characteristics of an upright bass.

Two channels - with a secret weapon
The A and B channels both feature an input GAIN control and an EQ strip with BASS, MIDS (pick the frequency range with one knob and cut or boost in that range with another) and TREBLE. They both also have a secret weapon, a control knob that can be used either as a HIGH PASS or NOTCH filter. A switch decides the function, while the control knob picks the frequency range. The notch and high pass filters are excellent tools to prevent unwanted feedback and adjust the sound to the characteristics of the room and your instrument.

Individual input options
With 10 Mohms input impedance for both the A and B channels, it handles any instrument with passive, active, or high impedance piezo pickups. The A channel also provides support for Electret pickups when activating a dedicated switch. The B channel allows you to use a 48V Phantom powered (or passive) dynamic or condenser microphone as the source via an XLR-input.* Choose whether to use the XLR or 1/4"-input for the B channel with a switch. The preamp lets you jump between the A and B channels to allow for different settings when you play with a bow or pizzicato or mix the two if you use two different input sources. Blending two different sound input sources can sometimes cause a phase issue. If that occurs, a Phase Inverter switch, attached to the A channel, will solve the problem.

* Important! Note that the Phantom power is always on, so do not connect microphones sensitive to 48V power, such as passive ribbon-type mics, to the XLR-input. If using a passive ribbon mic, connect it via the 1/4" input on Channel B instead to avoid the risk of damage to the mic.

Outputs and additional features
Hook up additional effects in serial or parallel through the EFFECTS LOOP (requires a Y-split insert cable). A TUNER OUT lets you plug in an external tuner. A BALANCED XLR-OUTPUT sends a studio-quality line signal to the front-of-house or a recording device. Use it in conjunction with a Speaker Simulator and use the Ground Lift to prevent hum. The Aux Input and professional-grade Headphones output makes practicing and learning new songs easy.

Can this pedal be used with other instruments?
Yes, of course. The frequency range of an upright bass is wide and complex, which means most other instruments - acoustic or electric - fits within the range that this pedal covers. Other acoustic instruments benefit from the same specific features that this pedal is equipped with to handle the upright bass. Electric bass players may find the two similar channels an excellent way to make individual EQ settings for two different instruments and make it possible to switch between the two smoothly at a gig.

There are even more features - a speaker simulation, other routing options, switch for the mode on the effects loop, and more - Click the tab above to view the product manual for an in-depth look at all of that, with diagrams and specs. We're also available to answer any questions you might have about this great preamp!

Stanley's words about his new preamp

"I have been using this new preamp on every show and in the studio since November 2019, when I got the final sample in my hands. It has become a mainstay of my upright bass sound. I think it is absolutely essential for every acoustic bass player to own one of these. The 2-channel preamp allows you to have a completely different setting for bowing and pizzicato at the push of a button. The effects loop, EQ, ¼", and XLR input, and outputs make it extremely versatile for stage or studio. It even sounds great on the electric bass." - Stanley Clarke, October 2020.

Dedicated 9V DC Power Supply included.