Euphonic Audio iAMP 500 Head

My I amp 500 was purchased in 2007, it was new. This amp is class D which means it is extremely light weight(13 lbs) and also runs so cool it doesn't need a cooling fan. It puts out 400 watts RMS into 8 ohms and up to 500 watts RMS into a 4 ohm load. The manual says it has a minimum requirement of 2 ohms, but does not rate the power output for that impedance. There are two input jacks, one for passive, and one for active basses. A clip light is provided so you can set your level, using the appropriate input jack. (As per instructions in manual.) There is a separate master volume control for over all output. There is also an jack for a cd player, or drum machine, with a level control so you can play along with it. There is a speaker off switch that allows for silent tuning along with tuner out, and headphone jack. There is a effects loop with level control. Direct out is via XLR plug and can be switched to either pre or post EQ; it also has a level control, and can be muted as well.
The EQ on this amp is semi parametric, or sometimes called paragraphic. It has four sliders that control which frequency you want to work with. There is a rotary cut/boost control for each frequency slider. Also there is a selector switch for the two center bands that chooses either 1/2 or 1 octave for the boost/cut, and frequency sliders.(This helps fine tune your control.) The low and high sliders are shelving controls. That means that wherever you place the slider that frequency will control from that point selected and up for treble, and from that frequency and down for the low band. It sounds complicated but really isn't. It becomes very intuitive. If you like, there are four selectable presets for low, low mid, mid, and high. These make it super easy to get a great tone. All you do is push a button and listen; don't like it, push it again to defeat. Presets can also be combined with the parametric EQ.
Output jacks are speakon only, no 1/4" plugs, sorry! (Speakon is better anyway.)Fuse is on rear panel. AC power cable plugs in on the rear panel. Also included on back panel, is a voltage selector switch, so it can run on USA, or European voltage. User manual is well written and explains everything very thoroughly.Whew!

PRISTINE is the best word I can think of to discribe the sound of the Iamp 500. But that doesn't mean that it lacks warmth at all. It is the best sounding amp I've ever had in several ways. First of all it seems that I can always find my sound. I use this head with three different speaker setups. Even set flat it sounds good; that's how I like to start out. Then I make subtle changes as I go. Because of the ability to fine tune the EQ it makes it very effective at finding what I'm looking for, in terms of a trouble spot I want to eliminate, or a certain frequency that might sound better with a boost.
I have 14 basses and many different speaker cabs. I typically use this amp with a Schroeder 1212L. It was originally purchased to go with that cab as a small and light weight setup that could stand up in some larger venues without being "under gunned". (Specifically, the California Bar at Heavenly Valley ski resort, Lake Tahoe. There are several flights of stairs to carry your gear up!) I have pushed that rig to the max with great performance; far louder than I ever intended. I also use the head with an AccuGroove Whappo Jr. That is an outstanding combination. For smaller gigs I use the head with an AccuGroove Tri 110L cab. It sounds like a great studio kind of tone with either of the AccuGroove cabs; just that one cab is smaller, and the big one is for larger venues. It seems to make whatever speaker I use sound it's best.
As for the basses, My main work axe is a G&L L2500. I often use a NS Design CR5M electric upright bass. Occasionally I'll play my Ken Smith fretless 6 string bass.
I DON'T miss having a tube preamp, to my huge surprise. If I didn't know, I don't think it would even cross my mind that there isn't a tube in there.
The only thing I can say that even remotely seems negative, and isn't, is I wish it had more power sometimes. I chose this model over the Iamp 800 because of it's small size and 13lb weight. (I might buy the bigger amp for use with larger setups. The preamp is identical to the 500, but has 800 watts with 2500 watts total headroom.)

I have had my I amp for about a year now. I've been using it almost exclusively, so it has been in a wide variety of venues from concert, to night club, to small bars. I have run this amp to the point that the limiter warning light has activated. That means the amp is getting dangerously close to clipping, and could damage your speakers. That never happened, thanks to the limiter.( That was at a large venue where I was set up on stage right next to a very loud guitar amp running full out, and I was trying to keep up.) I placed my hand on the amp, expecting it to feel hot, but no! Even running close to clipping the amp didn't even "break a sweat". There hasn't been a single problem with this amp. My gut feeling about it is there is not likely to ever be a problem with it.

I registered the amp on line; it's quick and easy. I never had a repair, so I didn't have to deal with them for any service. I did notice that the amp doesn't come with a spare fuse. Like a boy scout, I like to be prepared so I tried to get one at my local Radioshack, but they didn't have that one. I looked all over South Lake Tahoe, and couldn't find one anywhere. So I emailed EA. Gary Gibilisco responded right away, and he sent me a couple of fuses, no charge. Gary said I would probably never need to change the fuse. But he understood me when I told him that I would feel very foolish to have my amp blow a fuse for a power surge, and not be prepared to get it going again. Thanks Gary!

I have been playing bass since 1965, I was 13 when I started. I still work full time playing bass, since 1972. I play all sorts of music from old school rock, classic rock, rockabilly, country, R&B, soul, Psychedelic funk, disco, bluegrass, and jazz. I have used some modern hi fi basses (Alembic, Ken Smith), and good old P bass. Acoustic upright, acoustic bass guitar, and electric upright too. I have had quite a few bass amps over the years too: SVT, Standell, Fender,Sunn, Yamaha pb1 with Carver power for many years, SWR SM 500 for quite a while, Crown amp with Art Night Bass.
NOTHING COMPARES with the EA Iamp 500. I know there are some dynamite amps out there these days, and I haven't tried them all, so I'm not talking about Glockenklang, Demeter etc. I'm sure I'd probably love those too. But if you want an amp that really performs, doesn't overheat, or have any other problems like tubes going out, etc; an amp that is easy on your back, and it's reasonably priced to boot; you should definitely consider this amp.

This is an early edition iAMP 500. It has a semi parametric eq with a sliders for frequency adjustment instead of knobs, which is pretty cool. It sounds great at 12:00 with all setting, but also has some cool presets. I play in an alt rock band, and also a church worship band. I have sofar only used it for the alt-rock band. I use a Lakland 55-94 USA and 2 Aguilar GS-112s and the combination is amazing! I love the footswitchable mute button, why every amp doesn't have this I don't know. I also love the led meter for the inputs as I play pretty hard and it helps me to know what levels to set the pre-amp gain to to avoid clipping. Has two effects loops, for series and parallel effects, although I have never used anything other than serial effects. This unit has the built in tuner, which is great! This amp has more usable features than any amp I have owned. I only give it a 9 because it has 1 speakon connector instead of two.

I am used to a Mesa M-Pulse 600 and this amp cleans the table with it! The Mesa was very noisy even when not being played, it just had a hiss that came through the DI and was annoying. This amp is dead quiet. It has a really balsy tone (could be the Aguilars though) and when you hit the "deep" preset, you can feel your chestbones shaking. It really lets the sound of my Lakland cut through-I was standing in rehearsal with a goofy smile on my face because the sound was for the first time ever, the deep punch that I have been striving for. With the pick, with fingers, and with slap it sounds punchy, loud, clean and present. It is everything you could want in an amp.

It seems really dependable. With a solid state amp, it is hard for anything to go wrong, it is not like there are tubes to blow. Perhaps my favorite feature is its lightness. The amp is a featherweigth compared to the M-Pulse which really was a beast and a pain to lug around.

No dealings with Euphonic Audio.

For the price, I think Ea is awesome. If this were stolen,I would immediately buy the Iamp 800 which is all of the stuff I love about this amp-huge tone, light weight, lots of musical features-with bone crushing power! There is nothing I hate as of yet. I love that it has presets which give me a jumping off point instead of messing with the eq for hours. I love the LED input gain meter. I wish it had two speakon connectors. I can't believe how much better I like this amp than my Mesa M-Pulse which cost ALOT more. This is my first experience with a class-D power amp, and I think I am sold for life.