Baggs Ar Amp Improvements. Don't Forget This Amp

RickR · #1 11-14-2010, 10:26 AM

I just got my Baggs AR amplifier back from Baggs. Those of you who might have been following this amplifier may know of the problem that LR Baggs had with some of the amplifiers. This amp was designed around a revolutionary 8" flat panel speaker. The entire concept was to have an amp that would fill a room. This speaker allowed a phase coherent dispersion of 140 degrees. The only problem was that the production speakers they received didn't match the performance of the prototypes that they designed around. They were also inefficient and the amp really didn't sound like 200 watts.

I can report that the new speaker takes care of those issues. I can now hear what this amp was meant to do. Lots of sparkling head room and much more open sounding. Volume to spare. I've had to dial back all the settings I was using before. If you're a Baggs AR owner and have had questions about your amps performance I would recommend that you contact Bryan at Baggs Technical Support. They are charging a reasonable upgrade fee for the improvement and I can assure you that it's worth having it done. I'll be gigging with this amp over the next few weeks and will report further.

Dotneck · #2 11-21-2010, 03:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RickR

. The only problem was that the production speakers they received didn't match the performance of the prototypes that they designed around. They were also inefficient and the amp really didn't sound like 200 watts.

I can report that the new speaker takes care of those issues. I can now hear what this amp was meant to do. Lots of sparkling head room and much more open sounding. Volume to spare. I've had to dial back all the settings I was using before. If you're a Baggs AR owner and have had questions about your amps performance I would recommend that you contact Bryan at Baggs Technical Support. They are charging a reasonable upgrade fee for the improvement and I can assure you that it's worth having it done. I'll be gigging with this amp over the next few weeks and will report further.

Why wouldn't this be done as a warranty repair...if the original speaker was not up to spec?

BuleriaChk · #3 11-21-2010, 03:51 PM

I certainly agree with RickR; the upgrade is a tremendous improvement over the original. I had mine upgraded, and have been performing with it, and the difference is very, very impressive. (I had purchased the original based on reviews, and while it had an excellent sound at low levels, it didn't sound like 200 watts. The upgraded version is quite competitive with my Fishman SoloAmp.... If you own an A-Ref, contact LR Baggs - the upgrade is a no-brainer...)

JLS · #4 11-22-2010, 09:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dotneck

Why wouldn't this be done as a warranty repair...if the original speaker was not up to spec?

If I were a Baggs AR owner, I'd be asking this question, too.

BuleriaChk · #5 11-22-2010, 10:45 AM

Good thing you're not an A-Ref owner, so you don't have to....:-)

Quote:

Originally Posted by JLS

If I were a Baggs AR owner, I'd be asking this question, too.

RickR · #6 11-28-2010, 10:13 AM

Flamenco Chuck,
I've been gigging with my upgraded amp and have found it to be an interesting experience. The new speaker is so much more dynamic that I'm having to "back off" with my right hand. I play a very strong rhythm guitar with the Irish band I'm in and the new speaker projects so much more that I had to get used to what I was hearing again. Also my previous EQ settings are all out the window, so am revising those as well. It's all positive, but the amp is so much more expressive that I'm forced to change my approach. I'd gotten so used to how it used to sound.
What's your experience been so far?

Bobby1note · #7 11-28-2010, 10:37 AM

How does a prospective buyer find out if his A-Ref has the (ahem) "upgrade" or not? What does this (cough) "upgrade" cost? Do you have to ship the amp? and, how long before you get it back?

BuleriaChk · #8 11-28-2010, 10:47 AM

Hi, Rick

I've only gigged twice now with the A-Ref since the upgrade (I have/had been using my Fishman SA-220 (SoloAmp) because of the form factor in the venue I'm playing), but for me (since I wasn't taking advantage of the full volume anyway), the difference has been in the quality of sound. It was excellent before, and now markedly improved. I think "much more expressive" is a good choice of words and is probably as close as we're going to get for the decribing the difference on a subjective level, but LR Baggs did a thoroughly professional (and ethical) job on the update - hats off to them.....

With all of that, of course, the reverb is much more clearly defined now; a real joy to dial in a bit of it.....

I do perceive the aux in to be not quite flat (a little mid-rangy compared to how I hear my drum tracks through, say, the SoloAmp), but it could be my imagination... (it may be because of the power boost, and is fixed with a bit of EQ change....) I used to have to tweak the EQ on the amp (not much), but now it sounds perfect flat, as with my other amps....

Quote:

Originally Posted by RickR

Flamenco Chuck,
I've been gigging with my upgraded amp and have found it to be an interesting experience. The new speaker is so much more dynamic that I'm having to "back off" with my right hand. I play a very strong rhythm guitar with the Irish band I'm in and the new speaker projects so much more that I had to get used to what I was hearing again. Also my previous EQ settings are all out the window, so am revising those as well. It's all positive, but the amp is so much more expressive that I'm forced to change my approach. I'd gotten so used to how it used to sound.
What's your experience been so far?

BuleriaChk · #9 11-28-2010, 10:49 AM

As far as upgrade cost, shipping, etc., that is handled on an individual basis (well, ok, certainly not by me - I am only a customer).
But I think paying for an upgrade of this magnitude is certainly fair, since it is still an excellent amp even without the upgrade. I consider it similar to upgrading Sonar or Ableton Live in that sense - it is an improvement on an already excellent product....

Call Brian at LR Baggs for info; they'll give you the information you need ....

http://www.lrbaggs.com/contact/

L.R. Baggs
483 N. Frontage Rd.
Nipomo, CA 93444

Phone (805) 929-3545
Fax (805) 929-2043

For technical support please e-mail: [email protected]
For sales and product information please e-mail: [email protected]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bobby1note

How does a prospective buyer find out if his A-Ref has the (ahem) "upgrade" or not? What does this (cough) "upgrade" cost? Do you have to ship the amp? and, how long before you get it back?

RickR · #10 12-03-2010, 02:19 PM

Bobby. To my knowledge any of the newly marketed A-Ref. amps will have the new speaker. Baggs held back the production and sale of the amp waiting for a speaker that they were happier with before offering it again. Yes you have to ship it, they turned mine around in one week. I paid shipping to them and they paid shipping back.

Chuck is right in that the amp was really OK for most buyers, but the inefficiency of the speaker held down the power, which some players found lacking. Baggs repaired my reverb, changed out the original speaker and did some up grades, BEFORE this last procedure. They charged me nothing for any of the previous work. They're a great company and honest as well.