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Berg AE112 (& now AE-212) Cabs Now Shipping!

#41
VroomVroom said:
Thanks, Greg. Purely selfish motivation there...I just wanted to [del]steal more of your stuff[/del]...err, hear more of your fretless playing. :ninja:

Seriously - this was mostly selfish. I wanted to hear your bass in more of an ambient setting, but especially through this cabinet. Freakin' amazing. In more general terms, though, this type of recording really does, IMO, give an idea of how a cabinet will sound in a live setting...which is really my sweet spot. Even though I love working in a studio setting, I'm mostly a live player. And at that, the last time I played through an amp/cab setup in a studio environment was...geez, 1996 or '97. Everything else has been direct.

So...thanks again for that effort. This really is an amazing cabinet. Enough so that it has me mildly regretting buying two of the HT112's earlier this year. For environments where you don't have reinforcement...or if you just need the extra stage volume...this cabinet seems to be the perfect choice. It's got me thinking dirty thoughts....like parting with my beloved Epifani UL410-1.

Again, great playing, and that bass of yours....just wow. Thanks, Greg!
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FYI, my recordings are all made with the recorder/mic's just slightly off axis and about 10 feet from the cab, for the reasons you suggest.

You will never play that UL410 again once you experience the AE212... and my guess is, the HT112ER might spend a bit more time at home, since the weight and footprint of the AE212 is not that different! The SPL and total output of this thing (4ohms, and high SPL) is really stunning with a 500 watt or so micro head. It has that nice low end extension of the UL410, but much more low mid punch, and a much brighter upper mid response that isn't quite as 'over the top' as the AE410. Just about perfect for playing pop/funk gigs in moderate sized rooms without PA support, and still not break your back or have to have a truck to haul it!
 
#42
KJung said:
You will never play that UL410 again once you experience the AE212...
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It's funny that you say that - ever since I checked out your AE212 I've been struggling with my tone through my 410UL. I've played two services and a rehearsal at my church with the Epi and I've been fiddling with the knobs on the LMII the whole time trying to tighten up the low end and give myself more low mids.

At this point I know I'm gonna move to an AE cab, my only decision is whether it'll be the AE212 or the AE410.
 
#43
vision said:
It's funny that you say that - ever since I checked out your AE212 I've been struggling with my tone through my 410UL. I've played two services and a rehearsal at my church with the Epi and I've been fiddling with the knobs on the LMII the whole time trying to tighten up the low end and give myself more low mids.

At this point I know I'm gonna move to an AE cab, my only decision is whether it'll be the AE212 or the AE410.
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I think you should convince Ken to let you borrow his AE212 for one of those services and then report back to us on how it works out! (By us, I mean me.) :D
 
#44
vision said:
It's funny that you say that - ever since I checked out your AE212 I've been struggling with my tone through my 410UL. I've played two services and a rehearsal at my church with the Epi and I've been fiddling with the knobs on the LMII the whole time trying to tighten up the low end and give myself more low mids.

At this point I know I'm gonna move to an AE cab, my only decision is whether it'll be the AE212 or the AE410.
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Hey Jason!

As you know, I gigged a 410UL from the first week they were introduces almost a decade ago. As wonderful as that cab sounds, once I started to gig a lot with the AE, I started to just not dig that open low end, and that bit of a hole in the upper mids (at least with the newer Series II cabs... the Series I that you have, while sounding very similar, has a better upper mid response to my ear).

Don't really mean to dog the 410UL, which is a classic, but I really do like that low mid push, and that slightly more aggressive upper mid response versus that 'open, airy sizzle' top end of the 410UL!
 
#45
Eublet said:
I think you should convince Ken to let you borrow his AE212 for one of those services and then report back to us on how it works out! (By us, I mean me.) :D
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Jason (Vision) knows he is always welcome to grab it to check out! There are a couple of nice clips of Jason (Vision) playing the AE212 on my Youtube channel with a passive Fender J and my Alleva-Coppolo LG.
 
#47
KJung said:
Don't really mean to dog the 410UL, which is a classic, but I really do like that low mid push, and that slightly more aggressive upper mid response versus that 'open, airy sizzle' top end of the 410UL!
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I know exactly what you mean. I've been struggling for a while with the top end sizzle on my 410UL - that zing doesn't cut through when playing with the full band and it's competing with cymbals and keyboards up in the top end. And I've been rolling off the low end on UL cabs since I got 310UL with the Thunderfunk almost 5 years ago now. But after playing that AE212 I really notice that the big low end in the UL cabs sacrifices the low mid push that the AE cabs have.

So do you think the AE212 or the 410 would be a good fit for me? I've always been a fan of 410's, but I really like the form factor on the AE212.
 
#50
vision said:
I know exactly what you mean. I've been struggling for a while with the top end sizzle on my 410UL - that zing doesn't cut through when playing with the full band and it's competing with cymbals and keyboards up in the top end. And I've been rolling off the low end on UL cabs since I got 310UL with the Thunderfunk almost 5 years ago now. But after playing that AE212 I really notice that the big low end in the UL cabs sacrifices the low mid push that the AE cabs have.

So do you think the AE212 or the 410 would be a good fit for me? I've always been a fan of 410's, but I really like the form factor on the AE212.
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Knowing your tone and basses, and also knowing that you are a big manly man so that the extra 7 pounds is trivial, IMO it would be the AE410 for you. That cab really pushes out that mid punchy and growly tone that you like. IMO there... both cabs sound great... the AE212 would sit a bit between your 410UL and the AE410. However, with that AE410, you would never have to worry about being able to keep up with a loud band with no PA support.
 
#51
KJung said:
Knowing your tone and basses, and also knowing that you are a big manly man so that the extra 7 pounds is trivial, IMO it would be the AE410 for you. That cab really pushes out that mid punchy and growly tone that you like. IMO there... both cabs sound great... the AE212 would sit a bit between your 410UL and the AE410. However, with that AE410, you would never have to worry about being able to keep up with a loud band with no PA support.
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Great points! Yeah I think I'll be making that swap soon...
 
#52
So I'm back to considering a Berg 112 again. Current gear:

Sadowsky M5-24 with VTC and stock Sadowsky pups
Genz Benz Shuttle 6.0-12t combo

I find myself EQ'ing out some mids. It sounds fine, and I do realize this part of what you get with the M5, but I've been told I might have better luck getting a more even sound with a different rig.

I can trade my combo locally for a 9.0 - which I have played be I through an Uber 410 which sounds great, but it's way more than I need or can haul in my vehicle. That leaves me with either a 1x12 or maybe a small 2x10.

The Genz Neo112 is an option, but I think I want to try something else. I love the Genz head, and a lot of pele seem to pair that head with Berg cabs. my question - should I go with the HT112 or the AE112? I like a fairly modern tone as evidenced by my choice of bass. I play al kinds of styles, and except for jazz gigs in small to medium venues, I have PA support.

Thoughts from those in the know...
 
#54
Ok....picked up my AE212 yesterday. Holy balls. No other way to say it - this cab is just amazingly ridiculous. Or ridiculously amazing. Either way...just damn.

I'm really blown away by this thing. Mostly because it's just that awesome. But also because I didn't expect to care much for it. Took me forever to find 12" cabs that I liked, and at that I never seemed to grasp the whole neo thing. (Took to 10's quickly, especially my old Epifani gear, but 12's...I couldn't find the expression in the lower mids and lows that I craved...hard and quick.) Obviously the exception is the Shuttle 6.0-12T combo, but in my defense that's an example of an amp and cab carefully tuned to one another, and realistically I use it for practice, most rehearsals, and very small gigs...environments where tone is less of a priority than convenience. When it comes to gig time, it was all about the HT112ER. Anyway, enough digressing. I guess I didn't expect to like this one mainly because I don't really care for the AE112. That one fits the generic description of a neo 112 for me - nice mids, plenty of cut, but where's the booty? One listen of the AE212, though, and I was hooked. Just as quickly as I was with the HT112ER.

Coincidentally, and I know I've mentioned this elsewhere, but having two HT112ER's on a gig was overwhelming. I found myself dialing out lows...those things just have so much bottom end that you can cause seizures and make pacemakers fail. One? Perfect. Two? Too much good stuff....like eating a whole gallon of ice cream or watching six straight hours of porn. (Was that my outside voice? :ninja:)

So...out went the trusty old Epi 410, one of the HT112ER's, and a 112 Shuttle extension cab that was an impulse buy last year. In their place? Ta da! An AE212 that is freakin' awesome. Every one of my basses sounds great through this thing. Lull four-string Jazz in passive mode, with the bridge pickup biased? Hi, Jaco, nice to meet you. MTD sixer, with fresh MTD strings? Thunderous, crystalline, and massive. Sadowsky M5-24...slurp. Roscoes? Don't get me started. :D Awesome, awesome, and a bit more awesome on top.

Complaints? I should use a much smaller font for them. They're that trivial. Moving this thing, even at its relatively light weight, is a bit awkward. Partially due to my current shoulder issues I'm sure, but physics is as physics does, this thing is tall & narrow. Not really a huge deal, even at that, since movement for me consists of lifting from the cart to the truck, truck to the cart, and cart to the stage. Rinse & repeat at the end of the gig. The cover...good enough, but it'll be interesting to gauge the durability. Compared to the much higher quality Epi and Aguilar covers I'm used to using, this one feels flimsy and cheap. It was $90. I would've happily paid $140 for something thicker, with a nice lining. Oh well. And speaking of price, there's no ignoring that elephant over there in the corner. This thing is $1,000. Add tax or shipping, and you're bellying up for an expensive shot of whiskey. Worth it? No doubt. Just prepare your wallet cheek for a bit of warmth.

No gigs yet, although I did use it on a rehearsal for an upcoming session. The Shuttle combo would've sufficed, but I brought the sledge hammer. :D Asked the fellas to turn up for a bit (there was a guitarist involved, so it wasn't as if I was twisting arms or asking Gard to help me polish off a Bud Lite or something), and everyone had smiles. Sounds great at low volumes too, which was a nice litmus test for me...many of my gigs start out with trio/quartet jazz and then expand into loud disco/R&B.

So, the verdict. Big fat juicy win all over the place. My only complaint is that I don't have enough gigs on the books to use this more frequently. My HT112ER will still see the vast majority of the work...and it's not as if that's a crummy problem to have. :) This thing is awesome. If you're on the fence, and can justify the extra money over the competition, I can't encourage you strongly enough to take this one for a test drive.
 
#55
Yeah, but how do you REALLY feel, Jerry? It's all shades of grey with you! :D:D:D

I concur with all that (except for the cover, I haven't seen one yet, so I can't comment). It really is a bitchin' cab... makes me wish I had one in stock. :(:help::D Soon. Soon. Jim is reloading as we speak.
 
#58
Man, I took the AE-212 out of the box today, and DANG!!!! I forgot how much this cabinet LOVES my fretless Roscoe.

The AE-212 might just be my favorite Berg cabinet now... I love my NV-610 for my main gig, but I'd be hitting this cab if I needed a more versatile setup.
 
#59
Finally got to gig this cab today. Thoughts in a nutshell? It's going on tomorrow's gig too. ;) Excellent cab.

Today's hit was with a jazz-ish quintet at an art & wine festival. This group does a few of these each year, and I've gotten used to pushing a lot of air...the reinforcement is iffy at best. Well today it turns out the sound company was awesome...great gear, lots of monitors, and two techs who really know their business. So, I really didn't tax the cab at all, but it sure sounded terrific. I ran a Fender Jazz bass....yep, you read that right...a Fender (!) into the Shuttle 9.0. Had a blast, and the cab is - no surprise - a keeper.

5065719405_3c926c221f_b.jpg


Clips - stage mix from my little handheld...with not enough keys in the monitor. The bass sounds too loud, but it actually wasn't.

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'Lovely Day' - be sure to check out the sax riff @ 2:00...bad ass.

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'My Baby Just Cares for Me'

Tomorrow's hit is a wedding, with a lot more R&B, rock, disco, etc. I'll be using a different Fender (long story...more on that soon) and I'll follow up with some more clips.
 
#60
^ Nice Jerry, sounds and looks great. Funny seeing the Fender bass, anxious to hear the skinny on that! My first thought is that you were borrowing one from a friend.If I do get a Jazz bass, I will have to put it in the witness relocation program (I now have 5 basses and few gigs at the moment).

Curious about the gig- was it in Napa or Sonoma country? The term "art & wine festival" instantly made me think NOCAl wine region. I love that area and have been there about 4 times since 1990.

Looks like it was a cool setting and the band sounds great
 

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