Euphonic Audio iAmp 350 Head

The Euphonic Audio iAMP 350 is a very versatile, solid-state, 350 watt amplifier head made in New Jersey. It accepts either a 1/4 inch active or passive signal. It has a 4 band semi-parametric equalizer, equalizer presets, speaker on/off switch, XLR DI out with level control and on/off switch, effects loop with level control, 3.5" line-in, 1/4" tuner/line out, 1/4" headphone out. All recent Euphonic Audio iAMPs have the same feature set.

The equalizer is powerful, but daunting if you don't trust your own ears. In general, with upright bass I turn the equalizer off and use only one of the EQ presets. When playing electric bass, I tailor the EQ to give a sound more like the characteristic sound of a tube amp. When using a multi-effects unit, I disable the EQ and the presets completely.

The 'deep' EQ preset is intended only for quiet operation, since apparently it can blow your speaker cone at higher volume levels.

The mute switch does not mute the DI, but there is a separate DI on/off switch that achieves the same effect.

You can not plug two instruments into both jacks at the same time. One signal will be muted.

I have been using this amp for 4 years, indoors and outdoors, in small and large venues, with and without a PA system. It has proven to be exceptionally effective in all situations.

I play a 5-string Warwick FNA, which is essentially a hot-rodded Musicman Stingray, as well as playing a 60 year old German carved-top upright bass. The iAMP's sound production is just like plugging either instrument into a mixing board. My speaker cabinets (2 EA CXL-112, one light, one heavy) are exceptionally clear and focused, and cleanly amplify whatever signal I put through them.

Other bassists love it when I provide the backline at gigs. I've had great comments about my tone in rooms where bass is normally not heard.

When using only one 8 Ohm 350 watt cabinet, the amp is quite loud, generating 250 watts (I think), but with two 8 Ohm cabinets, and the amp able to produce all of its 350 watts, the iAMP is able to generate a thunderous, clear, powerful sound--louder than ANYTHING else in my loud rock band. Really, louder than just about anything else I've heard.

I have powered different speakers with the iAMP on occasion, twice, a Gallien Krueger 4x10, and a few times, some monitors used during a rehearsal as a bass cabinet. The iAMP really retains its clarity going through other speakers. My upright bass sounded great through the 4x10 Gallien Krueger, though it's MUCH bigger and heavier than my EA cabinets.

I sometimes listen to music at home using the 3.5" line-in of the iAMP, and it sounds fantastic. I also play bass and guitar through an M-Audio Black Box (effects/cabinet emulation box) and it sounds phenomenal for everything from clean tones to super-distorted tones, to tones with lots of sonic mayhem.

It has never once let me down. I always keep it in the gig bag I purchased with it, and use a surge suppressor.

I have been playing for 11 years; professionally for 8. Before I purchased my iAMP, I used a 200 watt 2x10 Eden Nemesis combo. I'm glad I bought this rig, because it's smaller, better sounding, and more versatile and powerful than the Nemesis ever was. It's equally amazing for electric and upright bass, but essentially, if you have ANY signal than you want amplified--bass, guitar, recorded music, voice, keyboards--then an iAMP is the way to go.

It was the last amp built by EA to be fully solid-state (ie. not having a digital switching power supply). It is heavier than the newer EA amps, but I believe better sounding.

The knobs and jacks are obviously of high quality. I wish there was a handle on one side of the amp, since it's a little hard to pick up and occasionally slips when I'm putting it back in its case. It also doesn't come with rack-ears or provide an easy way to attach them. (I think that's because my particular amp was originally intended to be used in a combo)

It's a great amp, but nothing's perfect. It was expensive. It can't make a $400 Squier P-Bass sound like a high-end bass, but it will accurately amplify whatever you put through it, and provides AMPLE tone-shaping options to get it sounding as good as it can in any given room.

I bought this amp in a scratch & dent sale as a 1x10 combo and removed the head to use in my bass rig. I was so impressed by my CXL112L that I wanted to hear the amps. I play a Kay upright & Fender P-bass.
It has an impressive eq section that seems a little wierd at first, but is really easy to get used to.
The only thing I wish it had would be some kind of notch filter to help find the resonant freq of the upright. Maybe if the mid-bass eq would go lower it would work for that purpose.

The only bass I have used since getting this amp is the upright.
I set all eq flat and set the volume and never looked back the whole night.
Maybe I should take back what I said about the eq. Time will tell.

Don't know yet. I expect it to be a real workhorse.

Killer service. All questions have been answered promptly and politely.

I love it for the upright. Don't know about the electric yet.
I would replace this in a heartbeat if it went away with the i800.
I have had Ampeg, GK, Boogie & SWR amps in the past. This is the one.