• 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.

Bergantino AE212 - Just Released

Status
Not open for further replies.
#641
Hey guys! I'm back from a wonderful gig in Louisville.

Let me tell you what, this cab is totally kicks **s. Totally stood up to anything I subjected it to... loud digging in on the E and B strings, slapping, etc., and it sounded equally beautiful on the low volume tunes at the very beginning of the night.

Like often happens, the differences that I hear at home and that you can hear on the comparison clip, (and on the couple of low volume gigs I've had it on) between the AE212 and AE410 are more impactful when you crank it up.

The AE212 is MUCH more low end extended and fat than the AE410. The B string is just round and full versus the more 'grindy' sort of response of the AE410, and the entire cab is smoother in the upper mids (versus that VERY aggressive upper mid spike in the AE410 voicing).

So, the low end notes and the slap tone are more growly and meaty versus the very bright, grindy and quite unforgiving tone of the AE410. The upper treble is the same on both (not surprisingly, since the tweeter is the same), but the treble is a bit more airy on the AE212... i.e., a bit of space between the top of the driver response and the tweeter, versus an almost 'overlapping' tone between the tweeter and top of the driver with the AE410.

I used my Sadowsky NYC Vintage ash/maple with singles and my F500 on this gig (a nice, loud pop gig with no front of house support... 8 piece band).

It really sounded good. For comparison... just as deep as my 410UL but with MUCH better lower mid punch and much more even mid response through its entire range.

So, it really is a smoother, fatter sounding AE410. I love both cabs, but at least with the Sadowsky, the AE212's 'fatness' was just a beautiful thing.

I've never been so pleased with the sound of a rig... period:bassist: Highly recommended!!!!
 
#643
jnewmark said:
So the Thunderchild is now playing second fiddle ? ;)
Click to expand...

Not at all... I HATE modular rigs... I ALWAYS have a large cab solution and a small cab solution, depending on the context I'm playing (size of band and room, type of music, difficulty of load in, etc.).

For the last few years, my large rig has been either a 410UL (for about a decade, actually) or the AE410 (depending on if it is a road gig or something closer to home), and my small gig/problem gig rig has been the Schroeder 115L+. Wonderful stuff.

However, as often happens as things either improve or someone puts out a product that is either 'better' than the current stuff, or just different enough to warrant a change, every few years, I make a shift (mostly due to the goal of 'equal performance' in a smaller and/or lighter box).

Now, the AE212 and the AE410 are my large gig rigs (one will be a road cab), and the Thunder Child (which actually has a bit in common with the tone of the AE212) will be my small gig rig (and even larger gig when needed due to room in an equipment van or difficult load in... amazing cab).

More of an evolution than revolution. I did eventually get a bit tired of the 410UL, but it sure handled everything I threw at it for the last 10 years. However, the more mid presence of the AE cabs just speaks to me more. Similarly, the 115L+ never let me down, but the Thunder Child has all the volume and significantly more low end... that is a no brainer for me!:bassist:
 
#644
So it sounds like you're saying I should just shut up and buy one already. Thanks for the report. It sounds good, but the low-end response scares me a bit, especially if you say it's a deep as the UL410. I'm not sure I want that kind of rumble.
 
#645
Eublet said:
So it sounds like you're saying I should just shut up and buy one already. Thanks for the report. It sounds good, but the low-end response scares me a bit, especially if you say it's a deep as the UL410. I'm not sure I want that kind of rumble.
Click to expand...

From my experience with the AE212. The low end extension is great but it is controlled and pretty tight. Which is unlike any other 212 I have played. It is not just a bunch of rumble like many out there
 
#646
Eublet said:
So it sounds like you're saying I should just shut up and buy one already. Thanks for the report. It sounds good, but the low-end response scares me a bit, especially if you say it's a deep as the UL410. I'm not sure I want that kind of rumble.
Click to expand...

It is not really rumble. The 'problem' (IMO) with the UL410 is that it is uneven down there... some peaks and holes in the mid bass/upper bass/lo mids'. The AE212 extends just as low or lower, but is much more even through the low mids... it burps! However, the AE410 is closer in voicing to me to the GenzNeox212... so if you are looking for MUCH more punch than true low end, the AE410 would be a better bet. (I reposted a 'slap' clip of the AE212/F500 and my A-C LG Jazz Bass on my Youtube channel... you can hear that sort of deep but growly sort of voicing on that clip IMO versus the uber punch and grind of the AE410).

That is what I'm recommending to my friend Jason (Vision).. He digs the 'super punch/super grind' and often greatly rolls off the deep low end of his 410UL. So, for that very tight, grindy, punchy, burpy tone, that is just built into the AE410.

The AE212 really is deeper and fatter than the AE410, but much more punchy and articulate than the 410UL. That's a pretty nice 'compromise' for my tone. I think my comparison clip of the AE410 and AE212 does a reasonably good job communication this difference.. although it becomes more apparent on the gig.

I can get the AE410 'close' to the AE212 by adding a touch of low bass (like 40hz shelving), cutting low mids a bit at 250hz or so, and cutting upper mids at 1K or so. However, the AE212 is a smaller, lighter box, and I just love the form factor. It WUMPS.... more than any other relatively small 212 I've experienced. Probably closer in performance to two HT112ER's at about 2/3's the weight, 3/4's the price, and with a more punchy, controlled low end IMO.
 
#647
rodneyat said:
From my experience with the AE212. The low end extension is great but it is controlled and pretty tight. Which is unlike any other 212 I have played. It is not just a bunch of rumble like many out there
Click to expand...

+1 For lack of a better term, it is really 'round'...not pillowy, but as you say 'deep and controlled'... nice attack to the note, even way down in the bass frequencies.

I did find myself adding just a touch of upper mids at around 2K, but more due to me being so used to that uber grind of the AE410 than something that was needed in an absolute sense.
 
#648
I liked the Neox 212 for fingerstyle, but that upper-mid articulation was a bit over the top when slapping at times. I'm afraid the AE410 would be similar. The Eden 212xlt is THE tone I'm after, except I don't want an Eden 212xlt. That cab has a big round bottom, but it's not all that extended. It also had nice, present mids without sounding boxy, and just enough gap between the cones and tweeter to give the treble response a nice airy feel. It's just too big and heavy for me these days, among other things I don't want to get into. Is the AE212 more like that you think?
 
#650
Eublet said:
I liked the Neox 212 for fingerstyle, but that upper-mid articulation was a bit over the top when slapping at times. I'm afraid the AE410 would be similar. The Eden 212xlt is THE tone I'm after, except I don't want an Eden 212xlt. That cab has a big round bottom, but it's not all that extended. It also had nice, present mids without sounding boxy, and just enough gap between the cones and tweeter to give the treble response a nice airy feel. It's just too big and heavy for me these days, among other things I don't want to get into. Is the AE212 more like that you think?
Click to expand...

The 212XLT is the only XLT cab that really ever sounded good to me. Yes, if you dug the 212XLT, you will LOVE the AE212...even more. They are IMO in the same tone universe, with the AE212 being louder, lighter, a bit smaller, and more even.
 
#651
Ken, I competely agree with you, these AE212's are just sonic artwork! I guess there really is no adequate way to describe these cabinets - you really have to hear them to get it. Just unbelievable...

I am running two, and just for fun I have been experimenting a bit with the tweeter control on one while leaving the other flat. I stack them horizontally with the bottom cabinet on just a slight tweeter boost and the top cabinet flat. Not that they need any tweeking, but wow, you cannot believe this combination...

:)
 
#653
Really great review Ken! Thank you for your update.

I knew that there was a tonal difference between the ae410 and the ae212 but you put what I found into words. I won't get a chance to gig as the band I was playing with broke up and I am traveling for work more than I hoped.

But I really feel that the tonal difference between the two is enough to justify owning and loving both. I really think that Jim Bergantino just nailed it with both of the AE cabinets for me.
 
#656
KJung said:
That is what I'm recommending to my friend Jason (Vision).. He digs the 'super punch/super grind' and often greatly rolls off the deep low end of his 410UL. So, for that very tight, grindy, punchy, burpy tone, that is just built into the AE410.
Click to expand...

It's funny that you mentioned that - when I was reading your review on the AE212 I was thinking to myself the whole time "Sounds like a great cab! But the AE410 sounds like it's more my style." :D
 
#657
I've only gigged my AE212 probly 5 times so far. & one was a real low volume gig where I USUALLY take my Mesa WA Scout 12" & that's PLENTY!! Another 2 were in rooms with AWFUL acoustics.

Perhaps I've been 'spoiled' by the Mesa WA head, but when I used the LMII into the AE212 the other nite I was seriously disappointed!!

- it WAS one of the gigs where the room was AWFUL acoustically, but every OTHER time I've used the AE212 it's either been run by the Mesa WA head or a 200 or 300w all tube head, & the AE212 DID sound great on a nice BIG stage in a room specially designed for acoustics, but the LMII > AE212 'try out' was a DUD!! Will try again in a better room ASAP
 
#658
rodl2005 said:
I've only gigged my AE212 probly 5 times so far. & one was a real low volume gig where I USUALLY take my Mesa WA Scout 12" & that's PLENTY!! Another 2 were in rooms with AWFUL acoustics.

Perhaps I've been 'spoiled' by the Mesa WA head, but when I used the LMII into the AE212 the other nite I was seriously disappointed!!

- it WAS one of the gigs where the room was AWFUL acoustically, but every OTHER time I've used the AE212 it's either been run by the Mesa WA head or a 200 or 300w all tube head, & the AE212 DID sound great on a nice BIG stage in a room specially designed for acoustics, but the LMII > AE212 'try out' was a DUD!! Will try again in a better room ASAP
Click to expand...

The LMII sounds 'OK' with the AE212 to me, but not in the same league as the F500 to my ear. A little too much fat low end meets fat low end, and the polite, smooth upper mids of the LMII make the AE212 sound just a smidge on the 'dull side'.


The AE410 is a better match for that warm, smooth, fat head.
 
#660
KJung said:
The 212XLT is the only XLT cab that really ever sounded good to me. Yes, if you dug the 212XLT, you will LOVE the AE212...even more. They are IMO in the same tone universe, with the AE212 being louder, lighter, a bit smaller, and more even.
Click to expand...

Wow. I just don't understand it. I use a D-212XLT at my band's practice space, and it doesn't sound anything like my AE212. I actually owned that XLT and sold it to the guy at whose house we practice. It is neither as crisp nor as tight as the Berg. It seems to emphasize low mids a lot more. If the AE212 sounded anything like it, I would not have bought it. The D-212XLT is the cab that turned me off to 12s, and the AE212 turned me back on.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Latest posts

Top Bottom
Back