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Bergantino AE212 - Just Released
- Thread starter KJung
- Start date
- Status
- Apr 3, 2003
- 35,518
- 19,954
- Disclosures
- Editor-in-Chief, Bass Gear Magazine
Well, yes and no. It's a more clear cut picture when you use an 8-ohm 2x10 with a 4-ohm 4x10, because in that case, all six drivers are seeing the same amount of power (but yes, the 4x10 will be louder). If you were to somehow "equalize" this using a 2-channel head (or two heads) to make each cab equally as loud, then you would be pushing the drivers in the 2x10 harder.
My guess is that with a 2x12 & 2x10, you could get away with either using two 8-ohm cabs or using a 4-ohm 2x12 and an 8-ohm 2x10 (presuming that the 2x12 is rated to handle more power).
Tom.
Ah, I see... just to make sure, I assume you mean that the 212 would have to be rated to take 2/3 of the output of the given amplifier, not necessarily more power than the 210 cab it was paired with, yes?
BTW, if you are correct, this would seem to me to be a total "a$$ kicker" of a setup - with of course the right head driving it.
I tried out the AE212 last week when cab shopping. If I weren't going for the modularity of 2 x 112s, I would have bought this cabinet. I found it to be smoother and deeper than the AE112s, but I never tried 2 AE112s together. I am still dreaming of it's tight buttery goodness!
Granted I probably haven't been around the cabinet block as much as most TB'ers, but I would have to say it is best sounding cab that I have personally ever tried. Uh oh, GAS PAINS!
Another thing I LOVE about the Berg AE cabs is their depth, all right around 15", perfect for getting in and out of the backseat of car. Plus the spray on duracoat or whatever they use is a really nice touch. Love those Berg cabs.
Granted I probably haven't been around the cabinet block as much as most TB'ers, but I would have to say it is best sounding cab that I have personally ever tried. Uh oh, GAS PAINS!
Another thing I LOVE about the Berg AE cabs is their depth, all right around 15", perfect for getting in and out of the backseat of car. Plus the spray on duracoat or whatever they use is a really nice touch. Love those Berg cabs.
It's pretty amazing!
I have another outdoor gig tomorrow, but it'll only need the AE212 and a single Shuttle 9.0. I can still hardly wait!Greg
- Apr 3, 2003
- 35,518
- 19,954
- Disclosures
- Editor-in-Chief, Bass Gear Magazine
If it's a 4-ohm 2x12 and an 8-ohm 2x10 paired up on the same amp, then yes, the 2x12 is seeing 2/3 of the power.
So I took an AE212 to a gig today, FWIW here are my thoughts...
The Band:
20 piece jazz ensemble. A mix of tunes - lots of swing and latin, but a few ballads, pop and bluesy rock things as well.
The Venue:
Small/medium room, tiny stage, amp/cab about off the floor on a ledge. Not a room or group that needs a lot of volume, but clarity is notoriously hard to achieve in this room with this ensemble.
Associated equipment:
Alleva Coppolo LG4
Genz Benz GBE1200
Planet Waves patch cord
Analysis Plus speaker cable
The good:
Lots of volume - actually tons. My GBE400 would have been overkill. The AE212 is very even sounding from top to bottom, and very sensitive to it's sources; to the point that I had to dig up a screwdriver and adjust the height of my neck pickup at the intermission (needed a little more G string). The cab sounded very nice with both the tube channel, and the FET channel, but I decided to stay with the tube channel as it seemed to work best within the ensemble. I can see now why the Shuttle 9.0 would work very well with the AE212.
The AE212 has punch, and it has low end, but not bloomy low end - nicely extended, very focussed. It seems really seems to bring out both bridge and neck pickup sounds, and reacts nicely to different finger placement. Excellent slap sound, too.
All in all, an extremely versatile, really great sounding bass cabinet.
Having said all that, it's not perfect - but my issues lay not within the realm of sound. First, it doesn't feel all that light. The AE212 is taller than two stacked HT112 cabs, and though it is not as heavy as those two cabs together, it is still a load to move around. Second, though I love the look of the finish, it isn't all that durable, certainly not as durable as tolex. If you gig one of these a lot, prepare yourself for dings and scrapes and other boo-boos.
The Summary...
Sonically, a total winner of a cab. Leaves absolutely any other "lightweight" cab I've played in the dust. At this early stage, I think I am going to like the AE212 even more than my trusty HT112/EX112 stack; it seems to have a slightly better tonal balance and there is no penalty in terms of punch, volume, or clarity. I also suspect that it will work well with a lot of the different popular heads; the Shuttle 9.0, Aguilar AG500, Orange Terror Bass, and TecAmp Puma are all likely candidates. I'm guessing that any decent head will sound pretty damn, well, decent.
Not an inexpensive piece of equipment by any means, but I feel that my money was well spent. Again, only my opinion, but I think that this is one of the very best cabs available, period. Way to go, Jim!
The Band:
20 piece jazz ensemble. A mix of tunes - lots of swing and latin, but a few ballads, pop and bluesy rock things as well.
The Venue:
Small/medium room, tiny stage, amp/cab about off the floor on a ledge. Not a room or group that needs a lot of volume, but clarity is notoriously hard to achieve in this room with this ensemble.
Associated equipment:
Alleva Coppolo LG4
Genz Benz GBE1200
Planet Waves patch cord
Analysis Plus speaker cable
The good:
Lots of volume - actually tons. My GBE400 would have been overkill. The AE212 is very even sounding from top to bottom, and very sensitive to it's sources; to the point that I had to dig up a screwdriver and adjust the height of my neck pickup at the intermission (needed a little more G string). The cab sounded very nice with both the tube channel, and the FET channel, but I decided to stay with the tube channel as it seemed to work best within the ensemble. I can see now why the Shuttle 9.0 would work very well with the AE212.
The AE212 has punch, and it has low end, but not bloomy low end - nicely extended, very focussed. It seems really seems to bring out both bridge and neck pickup sounds, and reacts nicely to different finger placement. Excellent slap sound, too.
All in all, an extremely versatile, really great sounding bass cabinet.
Having said all that, it's not perfect - but my issues lay not within the realm of sound. First, it doesn't feel all that light. The AE212 is taller than two stacked HT112 cabs, and though it is not as heavy as those two cabs together, it is still a load to move around. Second, though I love the look of the finish, it isn't all that durable, certainly not as durable as tolex. If you gig one of these a lot, prepare yourself for dings and scrapes and other boo-boos.
The Summary...
Sonically, a total winner of a cab. Leaves absolutely any other "lightweight" cab I've played in the dust. At this early stage, I think I am going to like the AE212 even more than my trusty HT112/EX112 stack; it seems to have a slightly better tonal balance and there is no penalty in terms of punch, volume, or clarity. I also suspect that it will work well with a lot of the different popular heads; the Shuttle 9.0, Aguilar AG500, Orange Terror Bass, and TecAmp Puma are all likely candidates. I'm guessing that any decent head will sound pretty damn, well, decent.
Not an inexpensive piece of equipment by any means, but I feel that my money was well spent. Again, only my opinion, but I think that this is one of the very best cabs available, period. Way to go, Jim!
So I took an AE212 to a gig today, FWIW here are my thoughts...
The Band:
20 piece jazz ensemble. A mix of tunes - lots of swing and latin, but a few ballads, pop and bluesy rock things as well.
The Venue:
Small/medium room, tiny stage, amp/cab about off the floor on a ledge. Not a room or group that needs a lot of volume, but clarity is notoriously hard to achieve in this room with this ensemble.
Associated equipment:
Alleva Coppolo LG4
Genz Benz GBE1200
Planet Waves patch cord
Analysis Plus speaker cable
The good:
Lots of volume - actually tons. My GBE400 would have been overkill. The AE212 is very even sounding from top to bottom, and very sensitive to it's sources; to the point that I had to dig up a screwdriver and adjust the height of my neck pickup at the intermission (needed a little more G string). The cab sounded very nice with both the tube channel, and the FET channel, but I decided to stay with the tube channel as it seemed to work best within the ensemble. I can see now why the Shuttle 9.0 would work very well with the AE212.
The AE212 has punch, and it has low end, but not bloomy low end - nicely extended, very focussed. It seems really seems to bring out both bridge and neck pickup sounds, and reacts nicely to different finger placement. Excellent slap sound, too.
All in all, an extremely versatile, really great sounding bass cabinet.
Having said all that, it's not perfect - but my issues lay not within the realm of sound. First, it doesn't feel all that light. The AE212 is taller than two stacked HT112 cabs, and though it is not as heavy as those two cabs together, it is still a load to move around. Second, though I love the look of the finish, it isn't all that durable, certainly not as durable as tolex. If you gig one of these a lot, prepare yourself for dings and scrapes and other boo-boos.
The Summary...
Sonically, a total winner of a cab. Leaves absolutely any other "lightweight" cab I've played in the dust. At this early stage, I think I am going to like the AE212 even more than my trusty HT112/EX112 stack; it seems to have a slightly better tonal balance and there is no penalty in terms of punch, volume, or clarity. I also suspect that it will work well with a lot of the different popular heads; the Shuttle 9.0, Aguilar AG500, Orange Terror Bass, and TecAmp Puma are all likely candidates. I'm guessing that any decent head will sound pretty damn, well, decent.
Not an inexpensive piece of equipment by any means, but I feel that my money was well spent. Again, only my opinion, but I think that this is one of the very best cabs available, period. Way to go, Jim!
Really, really great review! Thank you for taking the time and the depth that you covered here. So I assume that you will be keeping the ae212?
Great review. I did wonder about that finish, and I agree, I imagine the weight isnt that low. But if it sounds great then 
Really, really great review! Thank you for taking the time and the depth that you covered here. So I assume that you will be keeping the ae212?
F*** Yeah!
Sorry, couldn't resist the Team America quote.
Great review. I did wonder about that finish, and I agree, I imagine the weight isnt that low. But if it sounds great then
Yeah, no matter what 55 lbs is still 55 lbs, but because the cab is narrow, not deep, and has good side handle placement, it's about as good as 55 lbs can be. I believe this is why people are referring to it as a light cabinet. If you can lift 55 lbs w/o any back issues, popping it off a handtruck to lift it onto a stage or go upstairs is very easy, as is slipping it into a backseat or truck bed. I strain a little bit trying to turn it sideways to drop down into the truck of a car without banging the sides, but that's about it. But I really agree with the above review: very balanced, nice low end w/o boom, versatile, focused w/decent punch without sacrificing balance.
Well 2 outdoor shows under my belt with the AE212 and all I can say is WOW ! Soundman came on stage at our first break and was making a list of every peice of equiptment I was using. Despite a fellow TB'ers opinion that the TCE RH450 and the AE212 are not a great match , I went all out with this setup and I have to say the it really works for me . Beautifully balanced sound , I love the cab shape . Just 2 minor negatives for me . I feel that the grille is a little weak and my cab seems to be closer to 60lbs than 55lbs . I have not actually weighed my cab but will do so sometime soon . If you buy this cab you really should get the padded cover .
55 to 60 pounds for a great sounding 212 is pretty spectacular in my book. I too have an old weary back but I think that this weight is a very small price to pay for the great tone that is being reported.
That is a definite on the cover with that coating. It's just not as forgiving as tolex or rat fur.
That's an interesting comment on the grill feeling thin. I've always thought that about my NV grill. It's just seemed that there should be more spacers to keep it from flexing.
That is a definite on the cover with that coating. It's just not as forgiving as tolex or rat fur.
That's an interesting comment on the grill feeling thin. I've always thought that about my NV grill. It's just seemed that there should be more spacers to keep it from flexing.
Just to clarify about the weight a bit... I dug around inside the back of the cab (hand through the ports), and there is a fair bit of bracing inside, probably one of the reasons that the cab performs as it does. And it is light for a 212 no doubt.
Sounds great. Im shocked the grille is weak. I reckon with Jim's great QC it should be spot on 55lbs, but time will tell once you weigh it.
Strangely, although the TC RS212 wont handle that power, its lighter and ceramic! Very odd. It wont be built to the high spec of the AE212 though.
How does it sound, in your opinion, with the RH450?
I like nice chewy mids, warm lows, and sweet highs. Nothing ganky and too 'in your face' treble. Good match?
+1 Unusual bracing IMO with that long diagonal brace that almost creates two separate cabs. 55 pounds seems quite light to me.
Not sure about the grill... heavy duty metal... zero issue for me.
Still LOVING the cab.
I've always thought, in my case, with the my NV that a few more light weight stand-offs would firm the grill up a bit. I need to check but I seem to recall that my ae410 has more stand-offs on it. It would be a drag to dent the grill.
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