Hey Robin,
I used to have a Phil Jones Sixpak, paired with a 9B. I loved it, although it was far from conventional. Clarity and punch were beyond anything I've used before or since. But these amps change the way you hear the bass. Set flat, they don't give that low end rumble that most people associate with bass, and while this can be a bit disconcerting, and lead you to think that the whole rig is rather quiet, it's actaully a very good thing - onstage sound is much cleaner and much less boomy than with a regular rig. Also, it projects better than anything else I've used. It may not feel like there's a lot of bass coming out of it when you're standing right in front of it, but stand 20 feet in front of it, and it hits you in the chest like nothing else.
The other benefit of those small drivers is that you really get to hear the spaces between the notes - the drivers can stop and start on a dime - there's none of the waffle and inertia you get from big drivers and cones - which means you really better clean up your technique or you won't like these cabs at all . . . they reveal everything.
I also found that the smaller drivers were much less directional than big cones - so everybody onstage hears the same bass sound that you do.
Build quality was second to none - Phil Jones gear is built to last.
His heads have the most flexible eq I've ever used - very easy to isoalte any sound you want to. But they have a slightly strange volume graph - the volume is basically linear, unlike most amps out there. So you'll have it at at least 5 (out of 10) before you feel you've got a decent playing volume. Other amps usually give you a good volume as low as 2 or 3. However, this is deceptive - most other amps then don't get much louder as you turn them up. Phil Jones gear DOES get louder, all the way to the top of the dial. So you may think, on first using one, that you're going to be short of headroom, but that's not the case.
Downsides? It's heavy - all those magnets and that build quality don't make a lightweight package. It's also bulky - the drivers may be small but the cabs themselves aren't (unless you're talking about the portable stuff, like the suitcase and briefcase). And it's expensive, if you look at it on a 'per watt' basis. But the chances are you won't need as many Phil Jones watts as you will another brand! :-)
I'd heartily recommend them, but bear in mind these cabs and amps really come into their own in a group performance situation. Solo them at low volume in a shop, and they seem fairly run-of-the-mill. Don't be fooled!
Only reason I got rid of mine is the weight and size issue - just not convenient for hopping in and out of cabs, tube trains, buses, etc in London. When I get out of the city and get a bigger car, I'll definitely invest in some more.
Hope that helps! Also, Phil Jones is always ready to chat about his gear and offer advice - give him a call or drop him and email - he's a good guy.
K.
www.myspace.com/karlclews www.myspace.com/harambe
