• TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
    Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
    Join free Log in
    Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.

Baer Amplification Megathread!

#2,881
maisbass said:
Now that I have the Baer ML112 and loving it, I'm still bouncing back and forth with my rig as far as heads go. I'm presently selling my M6 Carbine but having second thoughts. I also use a Read Custom pre with an Avalon U5.

So my question is to Roger, and others who have tried the Valkyrie, why should I sell my Carbine and purchase a Valkyrie? Convince me. For those of you who have tried both, Can you explain the differences of these amps? I do find the Carbine a bit aggressive for me but can be tamed with eq, but I do not like the potentiometer of the Master control on it. I would prefer the volume increase more evenly. Thanks in advance.
Click to expand...

Huge difference between these amps. From what I've heard, the Mesa has quite a dramatic baked in EQ, which boost the lows and highs quite a bit, with maybe even a mid cut going on. This is probably one of the very few amps that I have heard with the ML112's that I didn't care for much. Too bright up top for my likes. The Valkyrie has a fairly flat EQ. We do have a little (and I do mean little) something going on in the low end, but we don't have any kind of mid cut, or high end boost going on at all.

The Valkyrie has a more flexible EQ and of course the variable gain tube section. I don't think the EQ on the Valkyrie would ever allow it to get as bright as the Mesa with it's quite large top end boost. To me the Mesa is always going to sound more modern and crisp, while the Valkyrie will have a more vintage thump going on.
 
#2,882
R Baer said:
Huge difference between these amps. From what I've heard, the Mesa has quite a dramatic baked in EQ, which boost the lows and highs quite a bit, with maybe even a mid cut going on. This is probably one of the very few amps that I have heard with the ML112's that I didn't care for much. Too bright up top for my likes. The Valkyrie has a fairly flat EQ. We do have a little (and I do mean little) something going on in the low end, but we don't have any kind of mid cut, or high end boost going on at all.

The Valkyrie has a more flexible EQ and of course the variable gain tube section. I don't think the EQ on the Valkyrie would ever allow it to get as bright as the Mesa with it's quite large top end boost. To me the Mesa is always going to sound more modern and crisp, while the Valkyrie will have a more vintage thump going on.
Click to expand...

I would be surprised if early reviews of your amp don't use comparisons like 'a more powerful and full range Thunderfunk 800, and/or a more balanced mid present DB750, based on what you are trying to achieve tone wise.
 
#2,884
CTC564 said:
Is there any hope for an official release of the Valkyrie by the end of 2013?
Click to expand...

Absolutely! Right now, we are waiting on parts to build a small run of 10 amps that we will build ourselves. We already have the things with really long lead times, like the custom transformers, chassis components, etc., and we are just waiting on PCB's to be fabricated and loaded, which should be about another 6 weeks. Once the boards are done, we start assembling this first run. We should be able to knock those out in a couple weeks. While all that is happening, we are looking for the right contract manufacturer to help us get these built in a higher volume so that we can get the cost within reason and actually make some money on them. The first run is more about getting them out there but in small quantities, there just isn't going to be much profit at the price point we hope to achieve.

So, yes, the amps will be hitting the market soon. We will probably start taking deposits for the first run here next month, so that's good news and we hope to have the amp in full production sometime this summer.
 
#2,887
R Baer said:
Absolutely! Right now, we are waiting on parts to build a small run of 10 amps that we will build ourselves. We already have the things with really long lead times, like the custom transformers, chassis components, etc., and we are just waiting on PCB's to be fabricated and loaded, which should be about another 6 weeks. Once the boards are done, we start assembling this first run. We should be able to knock those out in a couple weeks. While all that is happening, we are looking for the right contract manufacturer to help us get these built in a higher volume so that we can get the cost within reason and actually make some money on them. The first run is more about getting them out there, but in small quantities, there just isn't going to be much profit at the price point we hope to achieve.

So, yes, the amps will be hitting the market soon. We will probably start taking deposits for the first run here next month, so that's good news and we hope to have the amp in full production sometime this summer.
Click to expand...

Excellent! I read that tube section can cop some of that exquisite Monique vibe which is quite a feat by itself. Do you think the Valkyrie could also do the Orange BT500 type of sound with that warm, fat, punchy low end with midrange complexity and sweetness?
 
#2,888
R Baer said:
Huge difference between these amps. From what I've heard, the Mesa has quite a dramatic baked in EQ, which boost the lows and highs quite a bit, with maybe even a mid cut going on. This is probably one of the very few amps that I have heard with the ML112's that I didn't care for much. Too bright up top for my likes. The Valkyrie has a fairly flat EQ. We do have a little (and I do mean little) something going on in the low end, but we don't have any kind of mid cut, or high end boost going on at all.

The Valkyrie has a more flexible EQ and of course the variable gain tube section. I don't think the EQ on the Valkyrie would ever allow it to get as bright as the Mesa with it's quite large top end boost. To me the Mesa is always going to sound more modern and crisp, while the Valkyrie will have a more vintage thump going on.
Click to expand...

So for the first time I got to try my ML112 with my Mesa Carbine M6 and Roger you couldn't be more right about this, not a good match at all IMO. My bass sounded so bright and harsh that I had to turn the treble down on the M6 to about 8 o'clock. Even playing with the voicing on the Mesa, it just didn't fair well with this cab, at least not enough to give me versatile tonality for different playing styles. However you can get a very mid forward sound with the M6 almost piano like, as well as a mid scoop sound, but i think the ML112 accentuates the mid forward frequencies too much when you do this. My Read Purity sounds so much warmer and fuller with this cab than the M6 did. So I guess I'm going to part with my M6 after all. Decision made. Looking forward to trying the Valkyrie when it becomes available. :hyper:
 
#2,890
Here's a surprise pairing...

ImageUploadedByTapatalk1362275047.858604.jpg

The TE head has always been a bit dark and meaty... which is cool, because that's part of the whole "Trace Sound" thing... but the ML212 just brings so much life out if it!

Incredibly cool rock tone using the signature Trace "preshape" baked in scooped EQ with the graphic EQ completely bypassed.

And this head is only 300 watts but I couldn't get the master past 2 before the windows were rattling!

Total win... So glad I finally tried it.
 
#2,891
So I'm gigging now (my 2nd gig with it) and another thing I noticed with this cab is you really need to hear it in a band context. It's one of those cabs that may not sound perfect to your ears when you are practicing with it by yourself, but in a band context it really shines, totally kills, really cuts through the mix and the low end feel is wonderful. Ok I'll stop now... I know you all know this already, just having a love affair with this cab. I think my wife is jealous! Lol!
 
#2,892
Addison said:
Here's a surprise pairing...

View attachment 321811

The TE head has always been a bit dark and meaty... which is cool, because that's part of the whole "Trace Sound" thing... but the ML212 just brings so much life out if it!

Incredibly cool rock tone using the signature Trace "preshape" baked in scooped EQ with the graphic EQ completely bypassed.

And this head is only 300 watts but I couldn't get the master past 2 before the windows were rattling!

Total win... So glad I finally tried it.
Click to expand...


Very nice! :bassist: :bassist: :bassist: :cool:
 
#2,893
maisbass said:
So I'm gigging now (my 2nd gig with it) and another thing I noticed with this cab is you really need to hear it in a band context. It's one of those cabs that may not sound perfect to your ears when you are practicing with it by yourself, but in a band context it really shines, totally kills, really cuts through the mix and the low end feel is wonderful. Ok I'll stop now... I know you all know this already, just having a love affair with this cab. I think my wife is jealous! Lol!
Click to expand...

Roger mentioned the same thing to me. I am finding sonic magic in the band context too. The ML112 is wonderful on stage!
 
#2,894
gillento said:
Will there be 230volts units with the first small batch?
Click to expand...

We won't be shipping any of the first batch overseas, for one simple reason. This is a brand new design and we want to keep the first batch small and local, in case anything turns up that needs to be corrected. If we ship any overseas and we need to bring it back for modifications, we eat it big time and you are out of an amp for a couple months. We won't ship any overseas for a while until we are satisfied the design is set and we have a couple authorized repair centers in place to take care of our customers, should they need service.

5StringPocket said:
..Do you think the Valkyrie could also do.... warm, fat, punchy low end with midrange complexity and sweetness?
Click to expand...
That is exactly what this amp was designed to do.
 
#2,895
maisbass said:
So for the first time I got to try my ML112 with my Mesa Carbine M6 and Roger you couldn't be more right about this, not a good match at all IMO. My bass sounded so bright and harsh that I had to turn the treble down on the M6 to about 8 o'clock. Even playing with the voicing on the Mesa, it just didn't fair well with this cab, at least not enough to give me versatile tonality for different playing styles...
Click to expand...

I'm only making an assumption here, but if the M3 shares the same built in EQ curve of the M6 and M9, then the frequency response chart at the top of page 31 of Bass Gear Magazine's review of that amp will explain exactly what you are hearing. Also notice the curve showing the optimally flat curve. There's pretty much no way around that built in EQ curve using the controls on that amp, which is exactly what you are describing. Not knocking the amp at all, but just trying to explain why players are finding the combination of the Mesa M series and ML112's to be a very bright mix. And of course we do have some users pairing their ML's with these heads, so it does work for some players.

Link Removed
 
#2,898
I want to thank everyone who helped encourage me to pull the trigger on a Baer ML112. Definitely a leap of faith trying something new and different. But Rogers expert consultation along with other TB'ers input gave me the assurance that this would be a worthwhile trial.

I can now see doing perhaps 80% of my gigs if not more with a single Baer ML112.

I am still giddy from the performance of the single cab at my outdoor concert gig last weekend. It was superb in every way. I used the cab vertically and had no problem hearing myself. The low end fullness and punch was all I needed.

In two more weeks, i'll be doing some louder dance band gigs, but with FOH support. So I'm gonna see if the ML112 will give me enough stage monitoring volume. That will be interesting. Thanks again!
 
#2,899
Glad it's working out, Gary! I wish I had more gigs so that I could use mine. I agree that a single cab is probably all I ever need, but I want another one just in case.

And while I'm at it, I call dibs on the first used ML112 in this thread if someone decides it's not for them. :D
 
#2,900
Eublet said:
Glad it's working out, Gary! I wish I had more gigs so that I could use mine. I agree that a single cab is probably all I ever need, but I want another one just in case.

And while I'm at it, I call dibs on the first used ML112 in this thread if someone decides it's not for them. :D
Click to expand...

:D ...You were a huge help Jason. Thanks again! Hope we get a chance to cross each others path in person sometime!
 

Latest posts

Top Bottom
Back