I've had this thing for a couple of weeks now and am just getting around to writing up a review. There hasn't been much info on it, and I think I'm the first one here to get one so I feel obligated.
Here's the specs: http://www.carvin.com/products/single.php?ItemNumber=BRX112NEO&CID=BRX
Here are a couple pictures of it, my bass, & a Ampeg BA112 so you can see relative size.
Most of my time playing the amp has been with my Lakland 55-02 which is fairly dark, growly. I have played my Yamaha TRB5 also though which is more trebly & modern. I also have to warn you that I haven't had a chance to try out any real high-end amp systems like Epifani, Accugroove, EA, but I'm pretty familiar with Guitar Center "high-end" GK, Ampeg, SWR stuff.
First Impressions
First it is a little bigger & heavier than my BA112, but it's a heck of a lot smaller & lighter than my previous rig (Ampeg B2R, Workingman's 115). Looking at it, it looks a lot heavier than it is (gotta love Neo's).
On powering it up the first thing I noticed was a clicking noise like an old film projector. Talking to Carvin, they suggested it was probably the wires in the fan & I could fix it myself with out shipping it back. Well, that turned out to be a little bit of an adventure in the dangers of working on amplifiers.
I did get the fan fixed without getting electrocuted, but I'm not sure I would try it again. Those caps put out something like 170V when charged! It was enough to blow up the variable resistor I was using (light dimmer)... After all that it was just a matter of gently tugging on the wires at the fan motor and the clicking was gone.
The sound
I really like the amp a lot. It's very plug & play, and it's got a great sound. Very deep & flat. Not mid scooped or with a low bass cutoff like most combos. The horn is very nice, smoother and more usable than many other cabs I've tried. It handles a low B about as well as my SWR WM 115 (which I like more than most SWR speakers), but isn't quite as loud. The low end is very clear and big. The mids are pronounced & articulate with a bit of a bark with the EQ set flat.
Interestingly, tilting the combo back or upright makes a huge difference. Much more so than with the BA112. Flat on the ground it's got a big soft vintagey low mid emphasis. Tilted back it's more airy & Hi-Fi. It also rocks way back so you can really point it at your head.
It's quite loud, but I wouldn't describe it as terribly loud, but that's probably because of my EQ preference. If you cut the bass/boost the mid a little it would go a lot farther. It's definitely enough for me to keep up with a drummer though, and I wouldn't hesitate to use it by itself for small gigs.
Controls
The 6 band EQ is nice, very musical frequencies & widths. It's a little bit interactive (one freq affects the ones beside it a little) but not problematic. The "drive" knob" is a little mystifying in that it's not strictly gain volume, and it doesn't cause the input to distort even at the top. It does add a little bit of volume and a little bit warmer color, but it's pretty subtle. I tend to leave it at about 12 o'clock. Speaking of input I can't get the input stage to clip even on passive mode with an active bass & the drive all the way up - tons of headroom there.
While I was trying to get the input stage to distort, I did manage to get the amp to clip some. But, once I figured out what it's capable of & where to set the drive I have had no problems with clipping. With the volume cranked and the bass set high, I do get a little bit of port fluffing, but not enough to bother me.
Haven't tried out the DI out yet.
External Cabs
I have run it with a couple extension cabs at 4 & 2.6 Ohms total to great effect. So much so that I sold my Ampeg B2R since this combo does everything I need better.
Now if only Carvin made a matching 112 extension cab, or something like the Schroeder 1210L... I would be interested in extension cab recommendations if you have any. For now I'll stick with the 115 WM, which I am pretty happy with and pairs nicely with the Carvin, but I'd like something smaller.
Conclusion
All in all, it's fantastic. Especially when everything comparable in size/weight/power is about twice as much. It's replaced my Ampeg B2R, Peavey 210TX, and Ampeg BA112. Head, cab, & practice combo all in one.
Here's the specs: http://www.carvin.com/products/single.php?ItemNumber=BRX112NEO&CID=BRX
Here are a couple pictures of it, my bass, & a Ampeg BA112 so you can see relative size.
Most of my time playing the amp has been with my Lakland 55-02 which is fairly dark, growly. I have played my Yamaha TRB5 also though which is more trebly & modern. I also have to warn you that I haven't had a chance to try out any real high-end amp systems like Epifani, Accugroove, EA, but I'm pretty familiar with Guitar Center "high-end" GK, Ampeg, SWR stuff.
First Impressions
First it is a little bigger & heavier than my BA112, but it's a heck of a lot smaller & lighter than my previous rig (Ampeg B2R, Workingman's 115). Looking at it, it looks a lot heavier than it is (gotta love Neo's).
On powering it up the first thing I noticed was a clicking noise like an old film projector. Talking to Carvin, they suggested it was probably the wires in the fan & I could fix it myself with out shipping it back. Well, that turned out to be a little bit of an adventure in the dangers of working on amplifiers.
I did get the fan fixed without getting electrocuted, but I'm not sure I would try it again. Those caps put out something like 170V when charged! It was enough to blow up the variable resistor I was using (light dimmer)... After all that it was just a matter of gently tugging on the wires at the fan motor and the clicking was gone.
The sound
I really like the amp a lot. It's very plug & play, and it's got a great sound. Very deep & flat. Not mid scooped or with a low bass cutoff like most combos. The horn is very nice, smoother and more usable than many other cabs I've tried. It handles a low B about as well as my SWR WM 115 (which I like more than most SWR speakers), but isn't quite as loud. The low end is very clear and big. The mids are pronounced & articulate with a bit of a bark with the EQ set flat.
Interestingly, tilting the combo back or upright makes a huge difference. Much more so than with the BA112. Flat on the ground it's got a big soft vintagey low mid emphasis. Tilted back it's more airy & Hi-Fi. It also rocks way back so you can really point it at your head.
It's quite loud, but I wouldn't describe it as terribly loud, but that's probably because of my EQ preference. If you cut the bass/boost the mid a little it would go a lot farther. It's definitely enough for me to keep up with a drummer though, and I wouldn't hesitate to use it by itself for small gigs.
Controls
The 6 band EQ is nice, very musical frequencies & widths. It's a little bit interactive (one freq affects the ones beside it a little) but not problematic. The "drive" knob" is a little mystifying in that it's not strictly gain volume, and it doesn't cause the input to distort even at the top. It does add a little bit of volume and a little bit warmer color, but it's pretty subtle. I tend to leave it at about 12 o'clock. Speaking of input I can't get the input stage to clip even on passive mode with an active bass & the drive all the way up - tons of headroom there.
While I was trying to get the input stage to distort, I did manage to get the amp to clip some. But, once I figured out what it's capable of & where to set the drive I have had no problems with clipping. With the volume cranked and the bass set high, I do get a little bit of port fluffing, but not enough to bother me.
Haven't tried out the DI out yet.
External Cabs
I have run it with a couple extension cabs at 4 & 2.6 Ohms total to great effect. So much so that I sold my Ampeg B2R since this combo does everything I need better.
Now if only Carvin made a matching 112 extension cab, or something like the Schroeder 1210L... I would be interested in extension cab recommendations if you have any. For now I'll stick with the 115 WM, which I am pretty happy with and pairs nicely with the Carvin, but I'd like something smaller.
Conclusion
All in all, it's fantastic. Especially when everything comparable in size/weight/power is about twice as much. It's replaced my Ampeg B2R, Peavey 210TX, and Ampeg BA112. Head, cab, & practice combo all in one.
I'll post my impressions. From all I've heard about the BRX series I suspect it will be just right for me.
