Bergantino AE212 - Just Released

[Vic]

I love my M9. I love it the most paired with my two LDS 2x8's. They're pretty deep sounding cabs...
...
My current dream is this:
MB-Fusion+Berg AE212 would be about the same thing.

If the above is true, I'd say your chances are good. For me, I have a feeling I'd be bumping mids on the MB Fusion/AE212 rig, so it'd be all about how that head's mid voicing matches up )) with what I might feel I need to bump with the AE212. That said, if the AE212 even has most (if not all) the upper mid presence as the AE112x2 rig, maybe not. All I know is, I wanna' try it!

That said, I just have a gut feeling I would personally prefer the Markbass F head with the AE212. Someday I'll find out for sure tho.

 

[Jerry J]

hey jerryj; have put put your db750 thru that 212?

Alan, I honestly haven't had the chance. Just after I got the 212 I went on the road for work and I won't get back home until Jan 1st. I'm really curious about the db750/AE212 matchup as I'm not sure how it will work out. The db750 works magnificently with my AE410 and my NV215 which is ok with me if it isn't a match made in heaven.

The bit of time that I did spend with the 212 was with the M6 plugged in and I was really quite pleased after going through the "break-in period". I didn't get a chance to try that pairing out with the band as I had to quit that when I started traveling more. I really did like the M6 with my pair of HT112's running with a pair of very loud Marshall Plexis.

I really think that another key point in this signal chain discussion is THE BASS! To me the source is going to have a major impact on the final outcome. And I haven't seen any discussion regarding that portion of the chain.

 

[Saluki]

Man I have some concerned TBers here and I hope I am not making a mistake so let see what your opinions are.

Man, I hope Saluki isn't selling his AE410 to get an AE212 for use with that head... BIG mistake IMO.

I was planning on moving the AE410/AE210 to pick up a AE212/AE112. The form factor would work better for me when I am playing the small stuff, but I am planning on using the M6 with the AE212 mainly. I posted about it back on page 14.

I would think that would be an awesome rig... a bit fatter than your current rig, although probably not quite as forceful and loud in an absolute sense.

The nice thing about the AE112 and AE212 stack is that the footprints are identical (I think... almost sure), and the port design is also identical (not sure if this makes a big difference in anything, but makes sense to have each cab be designed identically (i.e., rear ports, footprint, etc.), versus a combination of different footprints and front/rear ports with the AE410/210 stack.

I love the Shuttle 9.0 but compared to the M6 it sounds a little processed or digital to me (hard to explain what I am hearing, but hopefully you know what I am talking about. The M6 is my favorite amp ever and hard to imagine it sounding bad through the AE212, but maybe not as good as through the AE410 is a valid concern for me. Jerry has both and maybe able to shed some light on the M6 through the AE212 vs the AE410. Anyone else using the M6 AE212 combination?

Me too! M6/AE410 =

And the ae212 sounds great with it, also.

 

[Vic]

The M6 is my favorite amp ever and hard to imagine it sounding bad through the AE212, but maybe not as good as through the AE410 is a valid concern for me.

First, I don't think anyone is suggesting it'd sound bad. At least that's not the way I'm reading the posts.

That said...

As I understand, Rocket Music has a return policy on cabs, so I strongly suggest you make your own decision on this in person.

In other words, don't sell the AE410... yet. Order the AE212, compare, and simply keep the one that works best for you.

Even if you can't justify keeping both on whatever gear budget you have, it won't be any harder to flip the AE410 later vs now, and you'd be missing a golden opportunity to not have to rely on others' opinions if you sold it now.

IMHO!

 

[Jerry J]

Man I have some concerned TBers here and I hope I am not making a mistake so let see what your opinions are.



I was planning on moving the AE410/AE210 to pick up a AE212/AE112. The form factor would work better for me when I am playing the small stuff, but I am planning on using the M6 with the AE212 mainly. I posted about it back on page 14.



I love the Shuttle 9.0 but compared to the M6 it sounds a little processed or digital to me (hard to explain what I am hearing, but hopefully you know what I am talking about. The M6 is my favorite amp ever and hard to imagine it sounding bad through the AE212, but maybe not as good as through the AE410 is a valid concern for me. Jerry has both and maybe able to shed some light on the M6 through the AE212 vs the AE410. Anyone else using the M6 AE212 combination?

I really haven't had a chance to put the AE212 through it's paces with the M6. Once I got through the break-in it sounded really great. But I've not had it in a mix/band situation so the jury is still out. I do REALLY love my AE410 with the M6 AND my db750. There is something magical with an ash/maple Sadowsky with single coils and my old preEBMM Stingray gets that nice snarl.

I bought the AE212 mainly for a practice space cabinet, if and when I get a normal (low travel) job and can get back into a band. It will fit better in my car than the 410 does. Plus the tonality is close enough so that it shouldn't be that noticeable when practicing with one cab and gigging through the other.

If I had to make a single cabinet choice this instant it would have to be the AE410.

 

[gregbackstrom]

I really haven't had a chance to put the AE212 through it's paces with the M6. Once I got through the break-in it sounded really great. But I've not had it in a mix/band situation so the jury is still out. I do REALLY love my AE410 with the M6 AND my db750. There is something magical with an ash/maple Sadowsky with single coils and my old preEBMM Stingray gets that nice snarl.

I bought the AE212 mainly for a practice space cabinet, if and when I get a normal (low travel) job and can get back into a band. It will fit better in my car than the 410 does. Plus the tonality is close enough so that it shouldn't be that noticeable when practicing with one cab and gigging through the other.

If I had to make a single cabinet choice this instant it would have to be the AE410.

When I spoke with Jim Bergantino about the AE212 before buying mine, he told me that the design of the cabinet was influenced by the proliferation of SMPS and Class D amplifiers. I think you can still make the AE212 work with M6's and DB750's, but you'd want to thin out the bass (unless you're after that thick, pillowy dub-ish sound).

I'm having tons of fun driving AE212's with a Pope MPP-1 and the new Peavey IPR-3000. Sonically, though, this is just a more refined version of the Markbass F 500 or Genz Benz Shuttle 9.0 Eventually, I'll lug out the DB-750 to see what I can get. It sounded great with my AE410, so it'll probably sound just as good with the AE212's!

- Greg

 

[esoxhntr]

When I spoke with Jim Bergantino about the AE212 before buying mine, he told me that the design of the cabinet was influenced by the proliferation of SMPS and Class D amplifiers.

That's what I was told when I bought mine, but I've been running a Genz Benz GBE400 with my AE212, and it's just a fantastic pairing. Very full and punchy, with just the right amount of bright so that it's articulate without sounding brittle. I say get that M6 and/or DB750 out - I bet you'll be pretty impressed.

 

[hennessybass]

I think you can still make the AE212 work with M6's and DB750's, but you'd want to thin out the bass (unless you're after that thick, pillowy dub-ish sound).

+1 for this...

I've had my AE212 for some time now. Using mostly a Fender Bassman 100 with it - have also tried a V4B very briefly.

Thick, pillowy, dub-ish sound is exactly how I would sum up my overall impression of the cab.

 

[Eublet]

I'm still surprised by those who say the ae212 is thick and dub-like. Even after the break-in, mine is punchy and aggressive. It's not what I'd call a tight low end, but neither is it dub sounding. Even and full, with a tendency toward tight.

 

[scowboy]

I think it can be thick with the right bass. This is the first cabinet where I have not wanted or needed to bump the bass control on my Stingray 4H to get the very bottom where I like it.

Still have not found a tone I love with my P-bass, but that's normal for my P-bass. Love the bass, don't always love the tone.

I'm still surprised by those who say the ae212 is thick and dub-like. Even after the break-in, mine is punchy and aggressive. It's not what I'd call a tight low end, but neither is it dub sounding. Even and full, with a tendency toward tight.

 

[gregbackstrom]

I'm still surprised by those who say the ae212 is thick and dub-like. Even after the break-in, mine is punchy and aggressive. It's not what I'd call a tight low end, but neither is it dub sounding. Even and full, with a tendency toward tight.

Personally, I don't that "thick and dub-like" is the cabinet's inherent voicing at all -- and that's certainly not the sound I'm getting from it with Shuttles or my MPP-1. In fact, with the basses and amps I'm using, I would say it definitely has a tight low end.

But with a Peavey VB-3, for example, the sound is really fat and round in the low end with the tone controls set at noon (which I'm sure isn't "flat"). The M6 and DB-750 also have big low ends, and I think they would also bring out the "big bloom" in the AE212.

Of course, the size of the speaker's bottom is easily adjusted by 1)turning down the bass control(s) on your amp; 2) lifting the cabinet off the floor with a dolly or GRAMMA-type foam device; or 3) just moving the speaker toward or away from walls and corners.

The AE212 just seems to be one of those rare cabinets that can do many things well! Great design!

- Greg

 

[Eublet]

The AE212 can sound full and thick, but for me dub has a huge booming sound underneath. I just don't think this cab has that in it's voicing at all, regardless of head or bass. It just doesn't put out those kinds of sub lows, which is a huge plus or I'd be flipping this thing in a heartbeat.

 

[gregbackstrom]

The AE212 can sound full and thick, but for me dub has a huge booming sound underneath. I just don't think this cab has that in it's voicing at all, regardless of head or bass. It just doesn't put out those kinds of sub lows, which is a huge plus or I'd be flipping this thing in a heartbeat.

Well .... One of the deepest sounds I've ever achieved is with a P-Bass with flatwounds and the highs rolled off through two AE212's powered by a VB-3 with the bass and resonance controls turned up.

I knocked a clock off my music room wall that my nephew made for me in wood shop when he was a kid. My daughter came running downstairs and told me I was rattling all the dishes in the kitchen cupboards and "Mom is getting really mad."

I'll probably never play raggae, or anything else that uses that deep dub tone, but I know from personal experience that the AE212's will do it!

Greg

 

[5StringPocket]

I can see you like to live dangerously...

 

[scowboy]

Got the Shuttle 9 today. A/B'ing with the Shuttle 3, I favor the Shuttle 3 at least in this non-real life at home environment. I pretty much knew I liked GB's FET front end from messing with a Shuttlemax 12.0 but I'm still kind of surprised that I like it that much more.

I don't care for the knob-o-rama on the Shuttlemax series but that still may be where I end up. Just seems backward to buy the Shuttlemax to get the power and the FET front end. Also very curious about the F500 and some of the MB models. Bought it from AMS so I think I have 30 days to return it.

If I am forgetting something that under $1200 and 12 lbs let me know.

 

[bucephylus]

I have and use a 6, a 12, and a 9. Didn't have enough sense to stop I guess.

Anyhow, the difference between the FET and tube front ends seems extremely subtle to me. Maybe it is the tone I use or something, because I know some other players favor one over the other. I can't really tell a whole lot of difference. JMHO.

 

[foderaman]

Well I jumped on the AE212 Bandwagon today myself!Should be here either Wednesday or Thursday my Christmas present to myself.Plan on using either my MB F1 or Walter Woods Ultra or possibly Mesa Fathom decisions?

 

[emjazz]

Well I jumped on the AE212 Bandwagon today myself!Should be here either Wednesday or Thursday my Christmas present to myself.Plan on using either my MB F1 or Walter Woods Ultra or possibly Mesa Fathom decisions?

Please let us know how the Ultra and the F1 compare with that cab.

 

[esoxhntr]

Well I jumped on the AE212 Bandwagon today myself!Should be here either Wednesday or Thursday my Christmas present to myself.Plan on using either my MB F1 or Walter Woods Ultra or possibly Mesa Fathom decisions?

All three of those should work really well, it will be interesting to see which one you prefer - if, that is, you're able to make a clear-cut decision.

Another gig tonight with the AE212 - I am amazed at this cab's ability to make music in difficult situations. Simply the best cab I've ever encountered for the type of things I'm doing.

 

[Jerry J]

Well I jumped on the AE212 Bandwagon today myself!Should be here either Wednesday or Thursday my Christmas present to myself.Plan on using either my MB F1 or Walter Woods Ultra or possibly Mesa Fathom decisions?

Umm, I hadn't thought about trying my WWU through the AE212 yet or even my AE410. I'm really curious to hear about the outcome on this. I've found that the WWU is really fussy about what cabinet it is attached to.