• 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.

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

#81
You guys are scaring me off with all this talk of the AE212 having a big bottom. At first, everyone was saying it sounded like the AE410 but a touch smoother. Now folks are describing this big, fat and wide bottom. Doesn't sound very AE'ish to me at all, and maybe I wouldn't like it if it's true.
 
#82
nostatic said:
I have the 112 because I do a fair number of jazz/oldies rock gigs at nursing homes where a small rig is essential due to playing space and hauling (need one trip setup). And in that setting with a Rob Allen it sounds pretty good. But for funk or edgier jazz gigs it really didn't cut it (that was with a TC RH450 that I sold or with a MB LMTube that I currently use and like a lot). The AE210 is way closer to the tone I wanted, as I like to have mids so I can hear myself at reasonable volumes. I tried a pair of AE112s but it just didn't do it for me - I found that is was just too much low end and I couldn't really get any mid definition out of it.

I've thought about getting a 1-10 for the small jazz gigs and getting a pair of 210s for bigger gigs, but a 212 is certainly smaller/lighter than a pair of 210s - though there is an argument for modular...which was what I thought about the pair of 112s but I'm talking in circles now. :hmm:
Click to expand...

Not to muddy the waters, but the HT112ER might also be a good fit for both of your situations. It's got the small size (albeit with a tad more weight, maybe 10 lbs extra?), and it could handle both situations without the need for a second cab... it's got ooomph to spare compared to the AE-112, and still has plenty of mids.
 
#83
Eublet said:
You guys are scaring me off with all this talk of the AE212 having a big bottom. At first, everyone was saying it sounded like the AE410 but a touch smoother. Now folks are describing this big, fat and wide bottom. Doesn't sound very AE'ish to me at all, and maybe I wouldn't like it if it's true.
Click to expand...

There are a couple of rules-of-thumb in play here. The first I'd imagine most of us know: it's easier to make a bright bass dull than it is to make a dull bass bright. You cut treble & upper mids in the first case (noiseless), you add treble and upper mids in the second case (hissy and harsh).

My second ROT would be this: it's easier to make a warm cabinet edgy is than it is to make an edgy cabinet warm.

It is just straight up hard to get a lightweight head (say the Shuttle 9, the TC RH-450, the MarkBass whatever) running though a "neo" cab to sound warm. It's generally got edge for days, and it is just hard to tame that out without killing the tone of the rig.

With the AE212, you can actually achieve a warm tone, even with a lightweight head. But the beauty of it is that you can cut the lows and bring it right back to edgy. The converse (when you add lows to an edgy cab to warm it up) is more often than not flubby and/or boomy.

Obviously, I'm speaking in generalities here. But I am particularly keen on the AE-212 as one of the more versatile cabs in the "lightweight" arena.
 
#84
FWIW I do totally feel like I've got the best of both worlds. The HT112ER is amazing, and sounds great at low volumes...only getting better as things get louder. When it's not enough...which is very rare for me...the AE212 takes over. The character of the tone us undoubtedly a bit different...if I had to quantify it I'd guess that everything moves up a bit in the frequency range compared to the HT. However, the output is amazing. And for me, there's a distinct advantage to the single AE212 as opposed to two HT's. The oomph is there, but it's not overbearing.
 
#85
Continuing my saga a bit, here are some clips with the AE212 and the ash/maple Jazz bass. (This bass really is pretty special...Pete, you nailed it. If I only keep one it'll be this one. Although...I just love the old-school look of the 3TB + rosewood w/ pearl blocks.)

Amp (Shuttle 9.0) settings were all @ Noon, except for pre-gain @ 7/10. Cab had the tweeter at noon. The bass had the lows boosted to ~ 6/10, with mids and highs centered. I slightly biased the bridge pickup for fingerstyle, and centered the blend knob for slap playing. It was a typical event room - very, very live when empty, and almost dead-sounding when the dance floor was packed. Speaking to that, I've never used a better cabinet for rooms like this.

Link Removed

Nothing Ever Hurt Like You

Link Removed

Link Removed
 
#86
Yep, I'd agree with that, Jerry. I think the ceramic magnet in the HT112ER helps tame the edge of lightweight heads, but the small volume of air doesn't let it pack quite the same smooth, low-end punch that the AE-212 has. And the AE-112's "neo" driver doesn't do quite as much "warming" as the HT112ER's ceramic driver, AND it equally lacks in air volume... thus the even greater "edginess" in the AE-112.

Lots of assumptions in there, probably too much engineering knowledge in my head for my own good... but that all makes logical sense to me and agrees with what I hear...
 
#89
RocketMusic said:
Yep, I'd agree with that, Jerry. I think the ceramic magnet in the HT112ER helps tame the edge of lightweight heads, but the small volume of air doesn't let it pack quite the same smooth, low-end punch that the AE-212 has. And the AE-112's "neo" driver doesn't do quite as much "warming" as the HT112ER's ceramic driver, AND it equally lacks in air volume... thus the even greater "edginess" in the AE-112.

Lots of assumptions in there, probably too much engineering knowledge in my head for my own good... but that all makes logical sense to me and agrees with what I hear...
Click to expand...

I generally agree with the above discussion. A couple of comments.

1) I hear no 'edge' that is specifically associated with lightweight heads. Very little difference any more between SMPS driven heads versus traditional transformers in other SS or hybrid heads. The class A/B LMII is about as warm and fat as they come. Other heads, like the Genz stuff, are bright and upper mid present, but that is due to a design goal (i.e., their lead sled heads sound pretty much the same) versus anything to do with the power supply.

2) Interestingly, based on many EE comments, it isn't that many neo cabs are 'bright', but rather that many ceramic loaded cabs have quite a bit of space between the top of the driver response and the tweeter crossover point. This results in them sounding 'smoother', but is actually a lack of even response (in some cases) versus a positive. It is VERY easy to soften this upper mid response if you have a head with an upper mid control centered around 1K (like the Markbass, GK, TecAmp, etc. heads). Much harder to go the other way... if there is a hole between the top of the driver's response and the tweeter, you can't EQ that back in... it just isn't there.

I continue to love the AE212... it is a touch less upper mid present than the other AE cabs, but as you can probably hear from my clips, I can virtually match the AE410 and the AE212 with some simple low mid (at around 250hz) and upper mid (around 1K) cut and boosts between the two.

In my recent trial of the HT112ER (another nice cab), I had a bit harder time with really 'changing' the sound of that cab with EQ (much harder to dial in upper mid clarity than to take it out IMO). With that cab, it isn't so much that the low end is 'too big', but rather that the mids and especially upper mids are a bit under represented.
All nice stuff!

K
 
#90
We've been out of stock on the AE-212 for a couple weeks and Jim B. has also been out. That will change this Friday when Jim is ready to ship the next batch. I've got one coming to my store plus a backorder or two that Jim will drop ship straight to my customers.

So if you've been waiting to order one of these killer cabs, we're open for biz again on the AE-212!
 
#92
More love.... X-posting a bit from the Mike Lull Club thread, but I wanted to share some more love for the AE212. Fodder from Saturday's hit...

5238333003_f7fc600e72_b.jpg


Ran a Mike Lull M5V through the trusty Genz Benz Shuttle 9.0 and the incredible AE212. To my ears, this the perfect rig for the 'retro/vintage' vibe. On this type of gig, where we covered a lot of ground, especially disco/R&B stuff, the setup was simply perfect. The cab really shines on this type of stuff. Not that it doesn't on the jazz and rock/pop stuff, but this type of music just seems right in its wheelhouse. Here are some clips...

Let it Snow

Link Removed

Link Removed

Link Removed

Link Removed
 

Latest posts

Top Bottom
Back