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Joined:
July 2020
Posts: 40
Location: NY | So I recently snagged one of these elusive (to me anyway) Adamas 2080 models. Somehow, this one escaped my focus, but I have to say, I'm really smitten with this thing! It's so responsive and alive....I'm so surprised honestly for no real reason haha! This guitar shows me a little about where the brand was going and how they tried moving forward at the time. The oversized sound hole is very welcomed and simply cant say enough good about it... and can't keep it out of my hands. The look wasn't "Ovation" to me when I'd seen it in the past... but now that I own it... I love the look. Very contemporary....
The VIP is new for me and I'm still playing around with that... but I'm so diggin this thing! Not sure how this differs from the newer MD80 but I'm glad they're keepin it going forward. I'm gonna sneak it into my next record somehow 
Peace | |
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Joined:
October 2005
Posts: 4069
Location: Utah | Yes, the 2080 is a superb guitar! Big and bold sound, but with great sensitivity to right hand technique. It is probably my favorite Adamas for solo performance, though 2 weekends ago it got played with the full band at a garden party. Other Adamas models have very different tonal characteristics and responsiveness. I would say other Adamas models are refined and beautiful, whereas the 2080 is bold or even brash.
The MD80 is a mid depth contour bowl rather than the deep contour of the 2080. I haven't seen or played one in person. The MD80 is advertised on the Ovation website as having the suspension ring, which may give it a slightly different tonal response, and they say the top is woven carbon fiber and kevlar. That's the first time I've seen kevlar spoken of in an Adamas. Also, the MD80 preamp is the OpPro Studio rather than the VIP.
I've had a variety of wood topped Ovations, a wood top Adamas, and several Adamas, with both the VIP and OpPro Studio preamps (as well as a couple of plain old OpPro preamps). Preference is totally individual, but I find the VIP superior in the Adamas. The Studio just doesn't add much for the Adamas. Though they sound great plugged in with the factory installed OpPro Studio, the VIP mic emulation brings out the best live sound.
In fact, I am in the process of installing a VIP into a brand new 1688GT 12 string Adamas that came with the OpPRo Studio.
But for the wood topped guitars the Studio is better imho. The aural exciter and the compressor add good things to the wood topped Ovations for live performance, especially when not using any outboard pedals such as a compressor or reverb. It just sounds more polished.
There are a couple of downsides to the VIP. They really chew through batteries. Yes, you can use phantom power via the XLR, but you have to stay within the voltage limits and you have to be plugged into your amp or recording interface with the XLR. Also, you need to have the dummy plug in the 1/4" jack in order to power up the preamp. At least with the battery and using XLR you need the dummy plug, and I think but am not 100% sure you need the dummy plug even on XLR phantom power. IIRC, you can use an XLR with a correctly grounded shield to activate the battery rather than using a dummy plug. You'd have to source the exact correct xlr cable and then be sure you have it with you when needed. That whole aspect of the VIP is clumsy and a bit of a design flaw from Ovation.
Don't try to use phantom power with a different preamp plugged into the VIP receptacle in your guitar! You will probably fry it immediately. e.g. don't try it with an OpPro Studio or regular OpPro. I have successfully swapped around VIP, Studio, and OpPro preamps using just battery power, though there may well be some differences in the circuitry within the receptacle boxes. | |
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Adamas 2080