Featured review by:
UG Team, on july 25, 2008
1 of 1 people found this review helpful
Price paid: $ 479
Features: Phil Jones Bass strikes a resonating balance between the Vintage and the new, technology and playability, weight and style. Through years of research they fill the incredible shoes that they created by successfully eliminating mud from the sound of the players that use their cabinets. This is perfectly complimented by light weight design of the new Neo-Power line of cabinets. For the engineers at PJB the release of these cabinets marks 3 years worth of research into lightweight speaker units. The yield of this research is a new Drive unit with an unprecedented power to weight ratio. The magnet material is Neodymium Iron Boron (NeFeB). This magnetic material is currently the most powerful available on the planet and gives the PJB acoustic motor the necessary torque for maximum cone excursion with extreme Precision and control. Our test 8B had eight of the PJB signature five inch speakers, all using the new NeFeB material. These eight speakers are capable of handling four hundred watts at four ohms, all while weighing less than 60 pounds. The speaker cab was complimented beautifully, albeit quietly, by the D-200. The D-200 builds on the work seen as of late, rampantly throughout the world of electric bass. It brings an onboard limiter plus a five band eq together to compliment one hundred and fifty watts of power. In addition to these features the D-200 also features line out, DI out (with ground lift), headphone out, and an FX send and returns. All this is packed into a nine and a half by two inch package. All this aside, the real perk in this amplifier lies in its 2.5 pound weight. // 9
Sound: Despite their diminutive size, both the 8B and D-200 manage to pack an unbelievable punch. The D-200’s 5 band EQ and limiter combination make it one of the most sonically versatile amplifiers on the market. From booming lows, to gut wrenching mids, to crystal clear highs, and everywhere in between this amp will take you there. These sounds are blasted out by the eight five inch speakers, all with stunning clarity and punch. The combination of amp and cabinet are incredibly brilliant, in sound as well as mind. The most significant problem that it has is in being too bright. Never before this cabinet have I had to dial down the high knobs, but I found my self cutting out the highs and a little bit of the high mid. However with this adjustment made the high’s become very pleasant and the cabinet continues to bark. // 10
Reliability & Durability: Overall both units seem very strong and durable. However there are two points that could develop into problems as time goes on. The first of these problems is on the 8B. The cabinet is a tilt back design that has casters. As another convenience it has a telescoping handle. However the metal that the handle is constructed out of seems to be rather weak, and seems like it would break with even light use. The second problem of the units lies in the D-200. The top of the unit has a lot of play up and down. This could prove to be a problem later on in it’s life, but for now it keeps the dust off the top, and isn’t really an issue. // 8
Impression: With the introduction of their NEO-Power cabinets, PJB promised the world of electric bass a revolution. They, unlike many companies today, practice what they preach. Both the cabinet and amp weigh next to nothing compared to their peers, but yet they still offer an incredible range of sonic possibilities. While the amp lacks power and punch for more than a practice, this is more than compensated for by the crystal clear sound generated by the 8B. If you are stuck in the 60’s and still value a pile of thick bass glob that nobody can hear, much less understand, then this amp is not for you. However for those of you out there still searching for that perfect punchy, clear sound, your search is over. // 9
- Nicholas Cole-Klaes (c) 2009
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