Are Avatar cabs actually good?

[theophilus762]

ran a LMII and Avatar B410 neo for a while, and i was more than happy with it! the only reason why i sold it was because i found a deal for an Aguilar S410 that was too good to refuse. if this aguilar never showed up, i'd probably still be playing avatar...

 

[sonofzorro1]

a chance to try both (I bought an Avatar 410 Neo purely based on the buzz) and after playing for a while through it, I went to the local boutique bass store and tried the Bergantino version while trying out the Zon Sonus there. The Bergie was awesome, but sorry, no way is it worth the additional bucks for a musician who is not making the money to burn on something like that. If you are well-to-do, or have a sugar-daddy/mommy, then get the Bergantino, you won't be sorry. Otherwise, the Avatar just plain kicks ass. I am currently running it with a Genz-Benz Shuttle 6.0. vintage Mutron pedal flanger, vintage Peavey BAC-2 chorus, and for large venues, I have a Carvin BX 1200 to power the Avatar and, if necessary, a Sunn Beta Bass cabinet with a Peavey Black Widow 15-inch inside to blow the guitar player's hair back. No problems, a sweet, musical sound, you just cannot go wrong with Avatar. But no feet on the cab for rough venues, get a set of the big rubber ones off ebay and screw them on, you're golden. Enjoy!

 

[aurian4parker]

I use an avatar bass cab, and my guitarist uses an avatar guitar cab. We both LOVE them.

I've never heard of anyone being completely disappointed with the sound of an Avatar

 

[swmmojo]

Just got back from a gig using an Avatar 8ohm 112 w/Genz Benz 6.0. Outdoor gig - full rock band and it rocked as a ref monitor. Wonderful to carry it back to my car in one hand!!! Low B is fat.

 

[sonofzorro1]

a chance to try both (I bought an Avatar 410 Neo purely based on the buzz) and after playing for a while through it, I went to the local boutique bass store and tried the Bergantino version while trying out the Zon Sonus there. The Bergie was awesome, but sorry, no way is it worth the additional bucks for a musician who is not making the money to burn on something like that. If you are well-to-do, or have a sugar-daddy/mommy, then get the Bergantino, you won't be sorry. Otherwise, the Avatar just plain kicks ass. I am currently running it with a Genz-Benz Shuttle 6.0. vintage Mutron pedal flanger, vintage Peavey BAC-2 chorus, and for large venues, I have a Carvin BX 1200 to power the Avatar and, if necessary, a Sunn Beta Bass cabinet with a Peavey Black Widow 15-inch inside to blow the guitar player's hair back. No problems, a sweet, musical sound, you just cannot go wrong with Avatar. But no feet on the cab for rough venues, get a set of the big rubber ones off ebay and screw them on, you're golden. Enjoy!

 

[loend68]

How do you think they compare tone wise to an Ampeg 410hlf (non-SVT)?

I like my 4x10, but I'm looking for more power.....

 

[kirkm24]

Does anyone have problems with their Avatars cutting through? I played a venue last night and all I could hear were lows and highs when I really attacked the bass hard. I have played in other rooms where I could hear a lot more detail. Last night it just sounded like mud to me. I'm pretty frustrated with it and want to get different cabs if I can't "fix" this problem. Any ideas?

 

[CBRStingray]

Does anyone have problems with their Avatars cutting through? I played a venue last night and all I could hear were lows and highs when I really attacked the bass hard. I have played in other rooms where I could hear a lot more detail. Last night it just sounded like mud to me. I'm pretty frustrated with it and want to get different cabs if I can't "fix" this problem. Any ideas?

Did you EQ your amp to match the room?

 

[kirkm24]

Did you EQ your amp to match the room?

I left the EQ flat and had the VLE at about 9 o' clock and the VPF set at about 8 o' clock (on my Little Mark II head). Everything sounded nice on its own but once everyone else started to play everything but the muddy lows got buried in the mix. Should I have boosted the lo mids, the hi mids? I was using a Marcus Miller Jazz with the bass and treble knobs at about 50%. It was very frustrating. The guitarist said he couldn't hear me at all and all I could hear was mud.

 

[fretlessrock]

I ran a Avatar 210 for a long time, as well as owning a 115 and a 112, and it sounds like your problem was the room/stage. I don't think that mid presence was ever a problem with my Avatar cabs. What can happen is that you get physical coupling with a resonant stage and it sounds boomy, and can suck up midrange (or boost bass and treble). Playing a scoopy bass like a MM can also play into that. One of the better sound guys I ever worked with used to say that "all EQ is relative"... meaning that your EQ settings (any setting on your bass, effects, amp, or cab) meant nothing in comparison to the resonances of the stage and room. I've had great sounding setups for the rehearsal space that totally vanished on a club stage or in an especially "live" sounding space. Just $0.02.

 

[AndrewShirley]

I agree with FretlessRock. A change in venue will completely alter your sound. Play too close to a brick wall, your sound changes. Play on a hollow stage, your sound changes. Play in a dry-walled room, your sound changes.

In my practise room, all my "C" notes are WAY boomy, which is completely due to my room and its resonant frequencies.

Unfortunately its difficult to hear the mids when the C's are booming so loudly.

- Andrew

ps. best room I've ever played in was my friend's unfinished basement. It had nothing but pink insulation on the walls, it was warm and even. Churches are especially problematic, bars somewhat problematic, gymnasiums are terrible, but unfinished basements are the cat's meow! Mmmmm...

 

[Gearhead43]

+1

+100

 

[J-wall]

I left the EQ flat and had the VLE at about 9 o' clock and the VPF set at about 8 o' clock (on my Little Mark II head). Everything sounded nice on its own but once everyone else started to play everything but the muddy lows got buried in the mix. Should I have boosted the lo mids, the hi mids? I was using a Marcus Miller Jazz with the bass and treble knobs at about 50%. It was very frustrating. The guitarist said he couldn't hear me at all and all I could hear was mud.

I do not own a LM product, but I have read a good deal about them because I am interested in them and I like them. It is my understanding of the VLE and VPF knobs that they are both EQ boosts, one is for lows and mids for a vintage vibe and the other for a modern scooped sound. To me it seems odd use them together. I like a LMII (Specifically the 112 combo) with the EQ flat, both "specialty knobs" off, and a passive P-bass or a jazz. I am not familiar with Marcus' bass EQ stuff, but it is possible to me that you were cutting your mids from the bass pre-amp.

My Avatars that I dearly love (112, 212, 410) are powered either by an Ashdown MAG 300 or a Carvin B800. I only use passive basses (Mex. P w/Nordstrands; Mex. Jazz V w/Nordstrands - real single coils; SX P w/Quater Pounders) and with a flat eq on both amps I can hear myself all the time in a mix, I even have to reduce the lows with my 5er. Keep experimenting, I am not sure that it is the cab, but I may also be dead wrong.

I had an Eden set up before this (WT800, 212XLT, and a 210XLT). It was great, but I did not hear enough of a difference to say that the Eden stuff was substantially better, that was with both rigs paid for and in my possession side by side. I could not justify owning both for many reasons at the time and the Eden went. I do not miss it, and I understand that it ought to be the better rig and in many ways it is, but not for me. I love my current sonic space. I do not miss my Eden stuff, but I still love that sound and wish I had the bucks for a Vinny D. style set up. In the meantime, I will rock ALL of my economical gear to deafness.

 

[Handyman]

I left the EQ flat and had the VLE at about 9 o' clock and the VPF set at about 8 o' clock (on my Little Mark II head). Everything sounded nice on its own but once everyone else started to play everything but the muddy lows got buried in the mix. Should I have boosted the lo mids, the hi mids? I was using a Marcus Miller Jazz with the bass and treble knobs at about 50%. It was very frustrating. The guitarist said he couldn't hear me at all and all I could hear was mud.

Using the VLE and VPF is a very weird combination, unless you really like the sound of having pillows stuffed in front of your speakers. The VPF sucks out the mids while boosting your lows and highs. The VLE then sucks out the highs. This leaves you with mud.

Both LMII filter knobs are very useful, but both together sounds just plain icky IME.

 

[Gearhead43]

Using the VLE and VPF is a very weird combination, unless you really like the sound of having pillows stuffed in front of your speakers. The VPF sucks out the mids while boosting your lows and highs. The VLE then sucks out the highs. This leaves you with mud.

Both LMII filter knobs are very useful, but both together sounds just plain icky IME.

True, I can't see why anyone would use the two filters at the same time and I doubt they were intended to be used as such.

If you are having a hard time cutting thru, don't scoop the mids AND also roll off the high end. In fact, don't do either.

 

[kraigo]

Does anyone have problems with their Avatars cutting through? I played a venue last night and all I could hear were lows and highs when I really attacked the bass hard. I have played in other rooms where I could hear a lot more detail. Last night it just sounded like mud to me. I'm pretty frustrated with it and want to get different cabs if I can't "fix" this problem. Any ideas?

I'd suggest something like an Auralex Gramma. I think it was probably more the stage than the room.

KO

 

[kirkm24]

I've never had problem using the two filters together at different settings. It has always sounded good in other rooms and venues. I just bought a Schroeder cab though which are notorious for being loud and cutting.

 

[fireincairo]

I suppose Avatar's website answers this question, but, how come Avatar cabs are only popular on bass forums? According to the source, "we don't advertise because our customers advertise for us." Is that why one couldn't simply waltz into a guitar store and try em out (read, "is that why they're not in stores)?

Is that why you can grab a avatar neo 212 for $339??

Is it kind of like a Ampeg/Hartke type thing, where people find it hard to give the latter a chance (at least, as far as the 1980's goes)? Are the majority of ::non forum:: bassists just into the big names?

It just seems hard to grab an Avatar rig over a trusted one (even though everyone here WHO HAS ONE will say they're awesome and trust-worthy) like GK or another non-backline company.

Everyone will say, "price does not = sound quality". But let's be real: the exceptions to the rule "price does = sound quality" are few and far between. Consider Markbass. They were bought out by an italian company and Guitar center has rights to them. That's why when you roll into GC they try to sell you that stuff. It costs so much because it's manufact. in europe and the dollar is weak right now. This is an exception to the of "price does always = sound quality". I just don't think they're are many exceptions. Who knows..

Avatar speaker cabs are not just known around bass forums, they're very popular with guitarists. For many of the same reasons, too. I owned a vintage oversize 1x12 cab and it was pretty huge sounding.

The key to Avatars success is a combination of great pricing, quality speakers and plywood, and construction/tuning. Someone spent time choosing the proper dimensions, porting, and tone. They just sound good.

 

[Bassorama57]

FYI - there's a "legend" that says if you turn the horn volume down "all the way" you can burnout the cross-over. As I was talking to Dave the other day anyway (order tracking), I asked him about this... and quote:
"We've had about 3 or 4 out of 8,000 cabs have this problem. In order to make it happen, you'd have to do all three of the following: crank your amp up into full clipping mode; turn the horn volume all the way down, and do these two things for a full set (at least an hour+). Remember that the signal has to go 'somewhere.' If you don't ever want to use the tweeter at all, open the cab, disconnect and shunt off the wires." However, as they're now using a "Full 12db Mylar Crossover Network / Input Panel/Wire Assembly on all bass cabinets," this shouldn't be a problem anymore.
(And PS: Reason I'd called about my order, which had taken a few days longer than promised, was because they were backlogged doing a major order for a well-known, instantly recognizable act.. I would "order soon" were I in the market, as I suspect that they're about to break out of the "Mom&Pop" stage, which would mean more distribution channels, overhead expenses, etc..and undoubtedly push prices a little....)
Myth exploded, my work here is done.

 

[willyrep]

Alright, i've posted before about my appreciation for avatar cab in other thread. . Its a 4ohm cab in classy brown tolex, reminiscent of vintage amps in color. When i needed to spend a grand on a brand new rig, i needed lots of CLEAN and clear power as well as deep cushiony lows and my rig is friggin awesome for toting all over the city as well-one trip from car to club. Heck, i passed up on a Schroeder 1210 for a steal just because it didnt have the open full low fundamental spectrum and "air movement" sound as the Avatar. I've played through Eden, Hartke, Ampeg, Nemesis and SWR rigs. And for a under 300 bucks, i made my money back after a couple gigs. By the way , I've been using the cab around 5 nights a week for about 10 months and it still looks and sounds great. Oh, and my power source is a couple Fenders and BSX EUB going into an EA iAMP 500 head. Tons of clean old-school tone.