Acoustic Image Clarus

Simple clean sound that does not change tone with volume. Playing live, I am always adjusting the volume up and down as the number of people in the room changes. I love that about this amp.

I play an acoustic bass with the Fishman 100 bridge mounted pick-ups. I used to use a pre-amp, but find it unnecessary with the Clarus. Changing the position of the pick-ups on the bridge tunes the sound, and the amp delivers that sound, loud and clear.

Here's the rub. I can't depend on this unit to work. It started to loose power. I thought there was something wrong with the speaker (a Contra EX) or the voltage supply from the wall. I never expected it to be the amp. AI repaired the unit within a few days. Fabulous service. It was back on stage after missing one gig. But...the problem has surfaced again. I'll wait to see what AI does this time. I really want to depend on this unit.

Top notch. They answer e-mail immediately, they repaired the amp immediately without question, without charge. I wish AI made cars!

I play in a combo where we do jazz standards, some bop and a bit of Western Swing, almost always acoustic with a bit of amplification help when the venue is big enough. I run the DI output on my amp to the board when there is a PA supplied, and the on stage sound is so good, I don't need to come through the monitor. Rarely, I play a J-bass with the Clarus and a 1X15 Yorkville cabinet in a blues band. It's a sloppy sound (on purpose) so I don't fuss as much about tone in that band. I can't think of anything else the Clarus needs.

Mine is a Clarus 2R - two channels w/reverb. I was looking for a traditional straight-ahead jazz tone for my Gibson L5 - something with more clarity than my old Polytone - and got just what I wanted. Additionally, this amp works great with solid bodies, especially Strats. Combined with a Raezer's Edge Twin 8 cab, it's a very portable yet versatile rig. I've also used it occasionally with a stouter cabinet for electric bass.

Remarkably clean but not sterile sounding. Very quiet. A couple of the reverb settings are a bit much but I'm always finding new sounds with this amp.

Solid state construction so it should be basically bulletproof. I bought it used from a gigging musician and the reason he was selling was to upgrade to a newer Series III version of this same amp.

When I got it, the reverb switch wouldn't lock down but this is the best part of the review. (See Customer Support section.)

Like I said, the reverb switch was broken when I bought it used. I contacted AI, told them up-front that I was not the original owner, and asked how much it would be to fix it. I got a quick response from Rick Jones, AI's president, who said they'd cover the repair under warrantee regardless. A week after I sent it to them, it was back in perfect working order. THAT'S my idea of customer support!

I've got a bunch of amps but this seems to be the one most used these days. Versatile, dependable, easily carted around, all the features I wanted and a manufacturer who's willing to stand behind their product. I can strongly recommend the Clarus.

I'ts a Clarus 1 series III, made in 2006. Its has one channel with no effects, and gives 250W at 8 OHM. 2 speakon outputs can push it down to 500W at 2 OHM (depending on your speakers).
Send-Return which you can plug to an effect loop, and has a seperate volume knob. Excellent and important feature, especially helpful in connecting reverb effects.
Notch/Low Cut filters are not useful for me, but as explained in the manual they become more helpful when connecting an acoustic guitar which produces lots of feedback that this filter can block.
Mute button is a nice and useful feature also.
Sometimes i wish it had its own reverb effect (like the CLARUS 2R) but then again, its best to make your own adjusment and preferences.

This amp is DRY, doesnt gets overdrived no matter what you do, excellent choice for playing jazz guitar.
You can actually play all types of chords, even the most tensioned ones, in the lowest set (6-5-4-3) and you will not hear muddy and blured sound. Simple PURE and extremly ACCURATE.
I play jazz, and its perfect for it. I was a tube fan for 10 years untill i discovered this beauty 2 years ago and thats it. I plug it to a .
My setup (as for now...)is Gibson ES137 Custom--->OD3--->ND1 NOVA Delay --->CLARUS--->Raezers Edge 12" Stealth speaker.
LXP1 is connected in the Send/Return loop ("opens" the sound), and i get a fresh, natural, accurate and clean sound.
This amp brings the true sound of the guitar, without distorting it or mess with it. Hollow body and semi hollow guitar will sound like its supposed to be.

Nothing, and its been traveling here and there...

Where i come from, we dont have this quality products, so i needed to but it from USA and to be sent overhere.
I was buying this amp from acoustic image and talked directly with Rick, which helped me alot. He shipped the AMP overseas in ten days, and didnt charge too much for all the trouble. Very helpful and kind.

Playing for 14 years and syill havent heard anything like that. Beats the Polytone in any catagory, and no comparison to other solid state.
I spent 5 month in searching untill i found this amp, thanks to some friend who also owned it, and if it gets lost I WILL buy another one without even thinking about it.
Very light, reliable, simple, easy to operate, dry, clean, cool look and sounds like heaven. What else could i wish for?

2007 Clarus 1, series III. No reverb. Preamp, notch/cut filter, effects loop, and class D power amp. All in a small package.

I'm largely a jazz-oriented guitarist, although I dabble in bass a bit. (A friend of mine has been using this head occasionally for his rock band, in addition).

This is, of course, a transparent solid-state head that is designed to accurately reproduce the tone of any instrument plugged into it. It is not designed to produce any sort of overdrive, nor will it respond like a tube amp in terms of dynamics. If you want a tube amp, buy one. (I have several, and appreciate them for their sonic virtues. However, they also weigh a ton!)

The effects loop is a work of beauty. I use it with a cheap digitech digiverb pedal. I do have a TC electronic g-major, but I opt for the digitech pedal out of a desire for simplicity. The loop is parallel, so you can max out the reverb on the digitech unit, and feed a little bit of it back into your amp for color. Parallel loops are not standard kit on many high end tube amps (CAE, Rivera), so this is a nice feature that means that you don't have to add a line mixer or loop box. (ie: radial bigshot mix). It is also buffered beautifully. I can use it with a wide range of effects, at widely differing gain levels.

As for power levels, the amp provides hundreds of watts into a variety of speaker loads. On one of my Ear Candy 1x10 cabs - (sporting a 96db eminence gamma speaker) - I get plenty of volume for rooms and cafes.

However, in larger rooms or with a loud band, you are going to need a bit more volume. To that end, you can run a) higher sensitivity speakers, or b) more speakers.

In addition to the 1x10s, I have two Ear Candy 2x12s, each outfitted with speakers that offer > 101db sensitivity. I just subbed in for a guitarist in a worship service last night, and let me say that a 2x12 cab running EVM12Ls puts out an AWFUL lot of volume using the clarus. And clean, too! (It is much easier to amplify distorted sounds, which is why you can peel paint of the walls with even a moderately priced rock amplifier). I did not need to take the amp up above 25% of its power before people were glaring.

One great thing about the clarus is that it sounds good at low volumes. Great for recording. You'll have to push it pretty hard to encounter break-up. But I have (as opposed to some reviewers) managed to hit this point with just an electric guitar. It happened at about 7.5 on the master, running into the 1x10.


What else....I LOVE the fact that it has speakon jacks. Thank god. I wish more guitar manufacturers would shift to these.

I would like a presence knob. -1 points for that.

The clarus is a clean machine. It has a very VERY warm tone, for a solid state amp. My jazz guitars sound great through it. My solidbodies sound great through it. It will accurately reproduce the sounds of acoustic and electric basses. (in fact, my friend had to radically eq his ibanez SDGR bass when using it, since the amp showed the ibanez for what it was.. a metal-oriented bass with a tinny, metallic sound)

However, I have to take issue with people who say that the clarus sounds like a tube amp. It does not.

One of the major selling points of a tube amp is the way it responds to a) playing dynamics, and b) being driven past the point of linear operation. (ie: overdrive). When a tube amp overdrives, it reinforces the sound with relatively pleasing harmonic frequencies. Hence, the kind of warm tone that you get from pumping a guitar signal into a low-wattage amp. Blues players, among others, thrive on searing power-amp overdrive. There is also a place for it in modern jazz, where power amp clipping can be quite effective in moderation - particularly where the tube amp is dialed in to overdrive only when the strings are pushed hard. (You get a 'dirty clean', where low volume playing offers a clean sounds, turning to a warm, subtle overdrive as the player increases the strength of his picking).

This amp simply cannot venture into that territory. Overdriving it does not result in the same sort of warm overdrive, and the responsiveness to playing dynamics is not the same as offered by a tube amp. (Hint: It is not a tube amp!)

What it does provide is incredibly warm, clean sounds at high volumes. It won't give you the sort of spanky, shimmering, cutting clean of a fender twin or bogner shiva, but it really does an astonishing job of reproducing the sound of the instrument. For mainstream jazz guys who use archtops, this amp is probably a godsend. It also sounds great with strats and solidbodies, provided you aren't after breakup.

This is, for instance, the only amp I have ever found that can make my rainsong jumbo - (graphite construction, fishman preamp) - sound warm. It sounds tinny on most PA systems. With the clarus, it is full and rich. Plus you can play any instrument through it. (Try playing bass through a fender twin!)

It also responds well to pedals. My pedal board is largely overdries, eqs, modulation effects, and a compressor. The clarus does a wonderful job with these effects. The overdrives in particular result in a very warm tone. (Although, as mentioned, you cannot get power amp distortion out of the amp. boost pedals that are designed to push tube amps will be of no use here).

I don't tend to use the onboard eq, to be honest. I typically eq outside with a pedal. And I have never used the line out. The filter/notch is also highly useful. I tend to use it to get rid of bass frequencies that can cause feedback.

Utterly dependable. We have played 30 performances on it, with a variety of guitar and bass cabs.

I have emailed Rick at AI several times for technical details, and he has always gotten back to me promptly.

I have never tried to obtain a repair, however. Hence I will abstain from rating this

I have been playing on and off for years. (more off than on lately!) All of my gear is reliable, pro-level kit. Jackson USA electrics, a hofner verythin, rainsong and carillo acoustics, CAE/Suhr OD-100, VHT and Mesa amps/poweramps. Lots of effects, including diamond and TC electronic.

The acoustic image clarus is a top-notch piece of gear for professionals. It is not a tube amp substitute, but rather a transparent solid-state amp with incredible fidelity and warmth. It weighs 5lbs - (which is probably 60 less than a rivera knucklehead reverb. Try lugging that around public transit!) Add a 99 dollar reverb pedal, and you are set for jazz guitar tones. (or shell out on a Room-mate tube reverb, if you want to make it even better)

If stolen, I would replace it immediately. It is so handy for rehearsals, pounding around town, and for small gigs. Pair it with a good cab.

I have the 2R version of this amp. It has all the features I need, including a good reverb. It is a great size, and also has a microphone input.

I use this amp with a Raezer's Edge cabinet and the sound is excellent. Very warm. Sounds great with my various archtops and with a 335. The amp sounds great with "flat" settings; it's hard to get a bad tone..

Built like a tank. No problems so far.

I've never used customer support.

I have been playing for over 30 years and have lots of high end gear. This is my primary amp. If it were lost or stolen I would most likely get a new one; however, I also would check out some other brands, such as Jazzkat.

The amp was made in 2006. The Clarus 1, played through either of the Raezor's Edge Stealth 12ER or the Raezor's Edge NY8 cabinets that I use, is the best sounding archtop jazz guitar head I've ever heard - better than my Polytone, better than my Gibson Goldtone 15R. The Clarus 1 has a 3 band EQ, a notch select filter, and that's it - and it's wonderful. One Channel, 400 watts.

I'm giving this head a 10 because it does everything I wanted it to do. It's got almost no features, but the features that it has a dead-on perfect.

I've used this head with a Martin CF-1 archtop, a Gibson L-5 with Benedetto pickups, a Fender Strat with Joe Barden pickups, and with a Yamaha Electric Piano - all to play jazz. The head is extremely quiet and will not distort at any volume. Perfect for jazz - extremely clean, robust tone.

I haven't had this amp long enough to know.

Haven't needed to repair this amp.

I've been playing jazz guitar for 34 years, through all kinds of tube and solid state amps. This head is unbelievable - it's light (around 5 pounds) and powerfully loud when you want it to be, has unbelievable tone - it's a perfect head for my playing style. I've even becom a believer in the eccentric speaker cables used with this thing (one of which is supplied, and others of which can be obtained.)

Mine is a Clarus 1. No reverb. Hi and Lo inputs, pre-level and master, 4 band EQ. FX loop with mix control and notch filter are useful features to have on board, even though I don't use them at the moment.

Beautiful sound quality. Gorgeous clean tone. I use a Tele with Lollar pickups (Charlie Christian/neck + Special/bridge) and I play some jazz, funk, acid and pop with pedals for o/d, compression, auto filter etc. I set the EQ flat and that's that.

I run the amp through a Raezer's Edge Twin 8 cabinet... very loud and warm. Great combination, as many others have discovered.

Build quality is top notch. Small, compact, easy-to-lug design. Even comes with a spare fuse, how thoughtful! Manual is well written too.

Haven't needed it, but the website is very detailed with lots of information.

I'm extremely satisfied with this great amp in every sense. I'll probably never outgrow it. This amp through a RE cab is IT as far as I'm concerned... loud, warm, clean, clear, sounds great with flat EQ. Not expensive considering the sound quality - very good value.

I sound like myself through it - that's the bottom line!

My model is the Clarus IIR, which includes a mike channel and reverb. This is a solid state amp - my first solid state guitar amp.

The amp is surprisingly diverse and powerful. It sounds good on vocals (with a Neumann KMS 105, which is smooth and wonderful).

The amp sounds great for jazz, standards and country. In other words, tones that don't need tube overdrive. I use a cheap overdrive pedal, which is OK, for those sounds.

Main use is with an archtop, but a strat sounds surprisingly good and "tube-like". I've noticed a strong difference in chords with this amp- I couldn't say I was 100% happy with the tone until I added a Klotz patch cable. The cable difference was as significant as changing strings.

One limitation that I didn't anticipate was the sharing of vocal and guitar in the same amp. It's tricker to get the sounds of both right, mostly since both are going throught the same speaker. Vocals want a tweeter, and guitar sounds better without. With coax "PA" speaker, the guitar sounds less like an amped guitar, and more like an amplified acoustic guitar. This doesn't seem like a fault of the amp, though. It's just a reality of voice vs. guitar, and the guitar sounds we expect to hear.

It hasn't given me any reason to doubt it.

This amp covers an impressive amount of ground. For archtop jazz I think it's near perfect, and it's less than 10 lbs in it's gig bag.

Got a new Clarus 300IA in '02 for vintage acoustic German bass w/Underwood pickup. Hooked to a Raezer's Edge Bass 10 cab, it brings out everything that the bass could possibly deliver. No reverb, no notch filter. Don't need 'em, don't want 'em. I like the flexibility of the Clarus head (as opposed to a "combo") as I can hook it to different types of cab's. Tend always to set it "flat" - all controls at 12 o'clock, sometimes the volume and master volume get bumped to 1 o'clock. Will patch it into a PA system via the "Send" output or XLR-Out if I need more presence in a large room.

Recently upgraded from a 30 year old Underwood to a Shadow transducer pick-up. What was good only got better. The amp brings everything out of the instrument and maintains a natural sound. That's what I want for jazz: no effects, intended or unintended. Bass, mid's, and high's can be controlled perfectly. The amp runs perfectly silently. There is no distortion. Ever.

As long as the voltage provided by the electrical service is adequate, the amp will run perfectly. On two occasions out of the 400 or so gigs played through this head, the voltage provided was inadequate and the AI cut out. Both times, it was on an outdoor gig where the amps for the guitar, keyboard, sax, as well as the PA system all tapped off of a 100' 16 ga. extention cord. The cord couldn't deliver the necessary juice.

Response to my two or three technical inquiries have been immediate (email), courteous, professional, and effective. Each time, they came from the company president and chief engineer, Rick Jones.

25 years on the jazz scene in the NY metro area. Recently bought a new Clarus SL and relegated the 300IA to back-up status. The SL gives me an additional 50 watts into 4 ohms over the 300IA and, at 4 pounds, actually weighs 30% less than the 300IA. Audiophiles among the listeners say it offers perceptibly higher fidelity than the older model. I love both models. Yes, I'd consider myself a loyal AI player. I think it is this generation's Walter Woods. Actually, I sold my Walter Woods after I got the first Clarus.

I have the 2R, the dual channel model with built in reverb. Ultra compact, cigar box sized, also featuring notch and noise filters.

I use this with a variety of semi-hollow and solid body guitars, most frequently and es-335. I run it through an Ear Candy sovereign 112 cabinet. It really sounds great; i ditched years of heavy tube amps in favor of the Clarus. Although there is a noticeable difference between this and a tube amp (obviously), the soudn quality is great, silent and suprisingly warm and punchy. The built in reverb is superb.a

super reliable. However, the only thing i could anticipate being an issue is the unusual speaker cable jack, which is hard to find if lost or damaged. Also, you must be really careful to plug this in to the cab AFTER the power source is attached., or you could blow it out.

Never had to worry about it. So far so good.

I have been playing for 16 years, and like I said, have used every vintage tube amp under the sun. I chose this setup because I needed something that wouldn't dislodge my spine every time i picked it up, as well as be temperamental in different weather conditions. This was just the thing.

This one is an older model, I bought it about 3 years ago from Lemur music. It comes in a very nice Rok-Sak bag, and includes a speakon cable and nice heavy duty power cable. This amp is 100 watts rms@ 8 ohms, 200 @ 4 and 300 @ 2 ohms, manufacturers ratings. The amp has one channel, two inputs, effects loop, input impedance switch xlr direct out, and a dual voltage switch for international use. I use this amp primarily for upright jazz gigs, with an old carved German bass, and Underwood pickup, through an Avatar 1-12. It never fails to get a killer tone, and positive comments on the sound from other bassists, and band members. It is plenty loud, at 100 watts, with the 8 ohm Avatar cabinet- tweeter turned off. I have used this head with a single 15 4 ohm folded horn, in a large club, with a big r&b band, and the soundman said grudgingly, it was as loud in the back of the room as it was on stage. I loved hearing that. I haven't used two 4 ohm cabs yet, to get the full power rating, but I bet it smokes. I have also flown to Vegas, and put the head in the accesory compartment of my gig bag, carried it on the plane and put it in the overhead! I love Southwest Airlines! How's that for convenient? I'd like more power, and Acoustic Image has just released a much more powerful head. They also have a tiny, new switching amp, 350 watts, and it weighs like 3 lbs. Wow, technology!

This amp produces a clear, well defined tone. Although it is not very powerful, it is a high quality amplifier. It isn't for very loud rock and roll gigs, but it gets loud with bigger cabinets. The knobs are simple and work effectively, no fancy eq here, just the basics. It works great with either electric or upright, but it was designed with string bassists in mind.

No problems so far, looks like a well engineered amp.

I haven't needed it so far.

I have a lot of amps and cabinets, and this amp fills a void in the aresenal, a light, great sounding, reasonably priced rig for upright bass. If it were stolen, or lost, I'd get the new focus head, with more power. I wanted a Walter Woods, but who wants to spend 1 or 2000 dollars, and wait a year? This amp isn't just a poor man's alternative, it's in a category of its' own.

This is a Clarus 1R series II head. I enjoy Straight ahead, fusion, Bossa Nova, funk and blues. Up to this point all the reviews have been on the straight ahead and amplified upright bass sound. Considering my interest, I need an amp that can address other venues as well.

The standard features on this amp (go to website for details) are sufficient for my purposes.

I play various guitars, from Jazz archtops, semi-acoustics (335 / variations of), Les Paul types, Strats and etc. The straight ahead tone speaks for itself, so I need not re-address that point. Other reviews will substantiate that.

What blew me away is how good it sounded with a strat and a 335, in a blues fusion type setting. The amp EQ'd "flat" is fairly dark. The mid control also imparts quite a bit of effect on the upper mids and lower highs. I'm currently running the amp through a Raezer Stealth 12 cabinet. By reducing the bass and mids while increasing the treble, one can dial in some pretty nice tones for a strat and 335. The one adjustment that made the biggest difference for me was setting the pre-amp gain at 11-12 o'clock. This immediatelely opened up the sound dramatically. It added more depth and width to the sound. More importantly, it added compression, sustain and snap to notes. I was truly amazed at how good my 335 and strat sounded.

Now for the icing on the cake. I added a Texas Two Step Od pedal (by Pedalworx), set at low compression, gain at 9-10 o'clock and the result was similar to Larry Carlton's vintage tone. Think Crusdader days..."So Far Away (old Carol King tune)." The OD tone was huge, smooth and still sounding like your guitar with nice sustain.

Throwing in a modified (by the Analogman) TS9/808 Silver pedal and plugging in a strat, you can easily dial in the SRV type of vibe.

The only mild drawback is the amp is still very clean sounding when the OD pedal(s) are not engaged. If you're comparing with a good tube amp, this will be evident. I'm in process of trying an OD at very low gain settings to see if it will add a bit of grit to the clean tone.

Aside from this, the clarus is capable of producing some very convincing, blues / fusions type tones, whether clean or overdriven with a good OD pedal.

I purchased the amp used and have not had any problems with it yet.

Have not nad a need to contact customer support yet

I've been playing for over 30 years and own tons of gear. This is definitely a keeper. I still love a good tube amp, but for a small light weight package, this can't be beat. It covers all the styles that I'm interested in and does it quite well.

The key message I want to share is, this amp is extremely versatile!

I have the Clarus from approximately late 2001 - before they started producing the 1R with built in reverb. This is a one channel amp with effects loop, and two speaker outputs.

I have often thought about selling it and getting the version with reverb built in (the 1R)

I play mainly jazz, and i think this amp has an unbelievable sound - pretty clean for sure - which means you can't hide your poor technique. it has lots of power, and i don't think i have ever had it up above half way, and this is playing in clubs etc. with different sized bands. it has an XLR output jack which allows you to go direct into the board as well.

i am using it with the Raezer's Edge twin 8" tower speaker cab rated at 300W.

My principal guitar is a Washburn j-6, with the stock pickups, and the sound is pretty fat through the clarus.

the range of sounds that this amp makes is pretty limited. clean and fat. but it seems to sound that way in every room.

i have never noticed any distortion at any volume.

i have never had a problem in the two years i have owned it.

my only experience dealing with the company is through the exploits of a former bass playing friend who owns a Contra bass combo.

the amp quite working. he called Acoustic image. they sent out a part. he dropped in into the amp, and he was off to the races. no questions asked. pretty cool i thought.

i have been playing music since ~1984. I mostly play jazz, but do also get into funk, rock, blues, acoustic stumming, country etc. I have owned Fender twins, Ampegs, Marhshall heads (ohhhh! that 1972 super lead that i got rid of when i was younger and more foolish) and now just use the Clarus and the Raezer's Edge cab.

I have an Alesis Nanoverb that i use for reverb if i am going light (it's about 5" square X 1" thick and super light), and a Korg Multi-effects floor pedal for other stuff - distortion etc.

I would definately buy a Clarus again, although I would look at a smaller speaker cab in the future.

Going by subway or bus, a Polytone Mega Brute, or the Clarus with a one 8" cab, or the AER compact 60 would be easier to move around.

Model 300 IA, Single channel pre-amp, Class D Switch-mode power amp, Volume, Bass, Mid, Brite and Master knobs, effects loop, high and low z inputs. Twin speakon outputs, top mounted balanced XLR DI out. Weighs about 6lbs, made around 2001.

Rated at 300W into 2Ohm, 240 into 4Ohm, 120 into 8ohm. Basic but rock solid - a carrying handle would be nice, but god basic feature set.

This was bought from eBay specifically as a lightweight amp that can fit into my floorboard for easy rehearsals. Set up is a selection of MusicMan basses into a Tech21 Bass Compactor, Boss LS-2, Boss SYB-3, Tech 21 Bass Driver, straight into the Clarus' input and through an Ashdown Mini48 (or Hartke 115 and 210 cabs).

It's a big, clean, totally transparent and very unforgiving sound, but with a valve-like edge which adds warmth and character - ideal for my setup which relies a lot on the Sansamp Bass Driver for warmth and a touch of grind.

Virtually impossible to make this amp overload or distort, even really slamming the input stage with the Bass Driver - the EQ is 10dB either way and pretty subtle, but seems well and thoughtfully balanced - it'll handle rock, funk, emo, and some jaw-crunching fuzz-synth lines perfectly.

I rewired the Ashdown cab from 8ohm to 2ohm to match the output capability of the Clarus, and boy is it one hell of a punchy and portable rig - competes with a noisy drummer in rehearsals, no problem.

It's designed to be a flat, true, audiophile standard amp in that it just amplifies what goes in - in that respect its ideal for what I wanted it for, but it's showing up my sloppy playing no end!

First day I got it home, I hadn't zipped up the little laptop-style case properly and it fell down a flight of 13 (count them, I did!) carpeted stairs out of the bag, from top to bottom... plugged in, turned on, no problem. Have heard horror stories about the output stage blowing if the outputs are shorted even momentarily (the manual stresses to take utmost care with sleeved output sockets etc.), but that's just anecdotal at the moment.

Now sits permanently in my floorboard as back-up to my main Hartke 3500 head... in fact the Hartke stays at home more and more!

Haven't had it long enough to find out.

Been playing bass for 3 years, guitar for god knows how many before that - it's perfect for what I wanted it for (powerful clean amp for low volume use), but would happily extend its use for live and stage use.

Simple as it gets. Volume, treble, bass, mid, brite. Has something lie 8 reverb settings and gives you the natural tone of your guitar. I have a it hooked up to a Raezer's Edge Stealth 12 cab and It is wonderful.

I play a heritage h 575 archtop through this amp and it is by far the best i've heard. I was a Fender amp man, and still am, and I thought nothing could beat vintage fender tube tone, however this amp blew me away. Best jazz amp out there. Thick, punhy, beautiful tone. I also play jazz fusion/jam music and will be experimenting with semi hollow bodies and this amp..

Great so far, can't see much happening to it down the line.. (knock on wood)_

I haven't talked to the maker of the amp, but the raezer's edge cab has a liftime warranty on it, so thats awsome.

I'd say this amp is the best jazz amp on the market. Jimmy Bruno uses it as well as Pat Martino and they sound great. For all you tube amp people, I use to be one too, and no one could change my mind, but this amp certainly did the trick.. However theres no wya in hell I'll get rid of my super and my bandmaster! They have their time and place as well.

Current (spring 2003) production Clarus 14. Comes with more digital reverb settings than you can shake a stick at, the notch filter that used to be found only on the 2r (handy for feedback control) and, otherwise, basic, sensible controls. I won't give it less than 10 because it doesn't have a zillion features. It has the *right* features, and that's what matters.

Really insane -- this is a great amp. It's super-portable, at five pounds in its little carry bag. Tone is perfectly flat. No, it doesn't have that polytone "warmth" and polytones extra "effects" and it doesn't have Evans' edginess. That's not the point. Want effects? Run a POD into this thing. Stand-alone, this has go to be the best value in an acoustic/jazz amp around. My guitars come alive. The sound is articulate, clean and just wonderful. Not colored by the amp.

So far, so good.

No experience yet, but the dealer (thanks, Jeff Hale!) was amazing and I have full confidence that any problems that might arise will be handled fairly.

Do you play an archtop or nylon string? Get one. In fact, even a strat sounds beautifully musical with this unit.

I was looking for something that would give me a clean slate because I had the following:
Gibson Les Paul
Fender Strat
Godin Nylon
Seagull Acoustic
Boss GT-6
I bought the new Clarus 2 which has 2 channels one with a single XLR input meant for a microphone (for voice or acoustic) with a preamp section that includes Level, Bass, Mid, Hi, and Brite knobs.
2nd channel has 2 inputs (Lo and Hi Impedence) and the same preamp selection as the Mic channel. Then they also threw in an effects 1/4 loop in and out with return control knob. AND an XLR direct out with ground life switch AND a notch filter. Lots of Features in the SMALLEST BOX I'VE SEEN, and I've been searching for over 2 years all over the place.

THIS IS BETTER THAN I COULD HAVE IMAGINED. I've played through hundreds of amps and this thing is PERFECT for my setup and it makes all my guitars sound real and smooth as silk. I could spend a few pages on this but I can't right now. If you are that interested, and you shoul be try it out for yourself, most stores will let you ty the amp for a day or two.
This solid state sounds tube like but without being to purcussive. I 've had an played through tube and solid state and the latest emulators (Johnson, Line 6 Digitech) and they can't even come close. This thing is a HIFI unit,
YOU GET WHAT YOU PAY FOR.

Feels solid but it is too early to tell

OK, I made a huge mistake! I had a Johnson JM150 Combo, which sounds AMAZING but it is too heavy for a New Yorker who takes the subway for gigs (85 lbs. with case!!!). The JM150 has 2 Celestion Vintage 30s connected by a 1/4 cable to the amp input of the JM150. I plugged in the Clarus into the input of the JM150 and blew the transformer by mistake (DUH!!!!!STUPID, STUPID, STUPID) I called Acoustic Image and they said "NOt smart on your part but we'll fix it since you just bought it, send it to us." And they sent it back Priority and it was perfect. Unbelievable. I didn't even have to call the dealer. They may not do this again if I'm stupid enough to do that again, but I would gladly pay to have it fixed. THANK YOU ACOUSTIC IMAGE, I AM A HUGE FAN!!

Now I can buy different speaker cabinets based on the type of show. It gives me the most options and allows me to plug in my acoustics or electrics for maximum options. I even pplug my GT-6 into the effect return to fully utiliae the GT6 Preamp emulation and the power of the Clarus. This is a small company and most people buy the easily and cheaply available products you can find at Sam Ash and Guitar Center. Although there is nothing wrong with that (because it is all about the music anyway), I wish these major retailers would carry products they truly believe in and have tried.

When I buy any gear I like to list the functions I'm looking for in any given product and I sort them by importance. then I figure out which ones meet my criteria and then get costs from several stores. Once I've weighed all those elements I decide then which one I'm willing to put the extra money into. In any case, I want to buy another just in case Acoustic Image stops making them. WELL WORTH MY MONEY!!

One channel, tone controls, effects look, magnetic and piezo (5 megohm) inputs, and 100-300 watts out, depending on speaker load. Simple, basic amp with plenty of power and no frills. Comes in a really nice travel bag smaller than a laptop computer case. For me, it has all the features I need.

I'm using mine with a P-Bass, an electric upright (Azola Bugbass) and a standard upright. What I love about this amp is the pure, unadulterated amplification. This is the *only* amp I've ever used that makes my uprights sound like uprights. It's the first one that gives me a really woody tone from my Azola. Pure, quiet, clean amplification. I love the sound of my P-Bass through it. And owing to the class-D swicthing amp, absolutely no detectable heat, even at max volume! Metal players and heavy rockers may wish for nore effects and sound variation, but this does everything I need. I find it's great for acoustic amplification in general; I've used it with fiddle, mandolin and my ES-165 copy Epiphone, too.

From what I've heard, these amps are super reliable.

Never used the customer support, but all reports say they're exceptionally responsive.

I've been playing bass off and on for 30 years, and upright for about 6. I'd read a lot about the AI amps, and had a chance to play one in my luther's shop. A bit expensive, I thought, but pretty good.

I was using an SWR WM 12 for P-bass and a G&K MB200 for my electric upright when a friend offered me his Clarus and a Euphonic Audio cabinett at a good price. Once I plugged my Azola in, I was hooked. This is just the best bass amp I've ever found for my purposes. If I lost it, I'd buy another in a heartbeat. Or I might upgrade to the 2-channel model, which offers a built in microphone preamp.

200 watt into 4 ohms digital switching (all solid state)Bass amp. Small, lightweight, simple controls, direct out. Great rubber knobs easy to control.
Little Box just sits on top of speaker cab.
One draw back it's not rack mountable. No tabs, will not fit in a standard rack, to bad. Would be a Nine if you could rack mount it.

Used it with my Fender P-Bass at a Blues gig. I don't own this amp but I played it for about an hour and listened to three other guys play it for another two hours. By the end of the night I was so impressed with the amp I would consider buying one but my kids would have to go without new shoes for the next three years. Very clean and warm sound like tubes but less noise. Got plenty loud for such a small amp into a 4 x 10" cab. Blues night jams tend to be one guy trying to out play the next so everything gets louder all night, this amp had no problems cutting right through with everyones Basses.

It didn't seem to get hot and never faltered all night so my guess would be it gonna be very reliable. Seems very well built, quality construction.

Who knows? Before that night I had never heard of Acoustic Image Bass amps. After that night I went to the web to look them up. Are they high end tweeky? For techno geeks? Maybe but who cares they really sound great.

I found a dealer in NJ who sells them for 579. shiped to your house.
Could be my next amp. I've been playing for 20 years, pro for the last ten. Small is good, Who can carry a big ass Bassman 100 tube head to a small blues gig? This is the answer AI sounds great, small and lightweight. Would be a 10 if it was under $500. but price wise it compares with Mesa/Boogie or Ampeg,or other top quality amps.

I picked this up new last year after checking out the contra combo, which i like but didn't quite believe in the speaker cab design. I'm mostly an upright jazz player, but i have played many electric or double gigs with this amp, and it works just as well. I like the simple eq, and having a DI is also a must have for me. Plenty of power, especially considering the size! I don't think it work for those of you who feel ears must bleed, but for those of you who play at a musical volume level it's perfect. I wish it had a mute switch or standby. Perfect for casuals and jazz gigs where space is a concern, or if you're a subway no car NY/big city guy.

Sounds very warm and musical, almost like tubes. Very clean, no distortion. Sometimes it seems a little to warm, i feel like I sometimes lack the crisp high from the SWR stuff i've also used. I checked it out side by side with a Walter woods, almost sounded as good, but again not quite as crisp. Best sounding amp i've owned though.

I blew an internal fuse and had to send it back to AI, they promptly fixed it for free, but i was suprsised becaused it was only six months old. I don't think I was doing anything wrong.

Fixed my fuse quickly, they were helpful in getting it fixed.

I've been playing 10 years, six as pro. I use it with either and older eden 4X10 or my GK microbass cab for the ultimate lightweight rig. It does justice to my Hawkes and son upright bass as well as to my Ken Smith electric. I love the size and warmth. I think i'd rarther have a Walter woods but they are so expensize and hard to get. If you play upright and are looking for somewthing portable, check it out. Created a little buzz around Denver because of it's size- everybody wanted to see it.

addendum to my previous review: power amp blew (not good). acoustic image had a new power section deliverd to my front door not 24 hours after i called. extremely helpful and easy to deal with. i called, explained the problem, no questions asked. dropped the new power section in, good to go.

I have an older model sans reverb. I plug in a Boss RV3 and I'm happy.
A straight-ahead volume/bass/mid/treble/brite/master jazz player's dream. Killer tone is its best feature.

I use this amp with a Raezers Edge Twin 8 cabinet.My guitar is a Comins archtop with built-in Kent Armstrong PAF+ pickup. John Pearse jazz strings.
I thought that this solid state amp could not compete with my tube-powered Fender Bassman head.
I was wrong. I prefer the Clarus.

Going on one year without any problems and I do not expect any.

N/A

I stopped looking for the perfect SS jazz amp when I bought this one.

5 lbs. cigar box-sized. brand new model with revisions from a.i. solid state 300 watts. you can read most of this technical info at: www.acousticimg.com plenty of power. crystal clear sound. very nice eq section.

good for rock or jazz. i bought two because they're light and i can't tell a difference between the clarus and my 64 bf showman. dead quiet, too. no distortion.

the nice thing about solid state is that it is hard to beat. i don't have any doubt that this amp will be a survivor for years to come.

comes with warranty. hopefully, i won't have to find out.

so far, this is a great amp. if you want an in-depth review, feel free to email me: jimfowler@prodigy.net