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Genzler Amplification Club
- Thread starter Discount Saint
- Start date
Questions for the Genzler crowd:
I've never had a Genzler amp or cabs. Right now I use a Fender Rumble 800 combo and 2x10 extension cab. I don't really have anything bad to say about it. It gives me sounds that work for my basses (Fender Jazz, Music Man Stingray, Spector DW3 and 5-string RST, mainly at this point) and overall sounds just fine to me. I have had a GK 1x12 800 watt combo and 1x12 ext cab a couple years ago and actually prefer the Fender Rumble tone so switched back to the Fender.
But, I'm almost to the point of buying a Genzler rig in order to get things a bit lighter and more compact for hauling and stage real estate. Problem is, I'm having a very hard time deciding on both the amp and the cabs. My choices are narrowed down to:
Amp: either the Kinetix or the new Magellan 800+
Cabs: either a stacked ULV 112T/210T , or , stacked Bass Array2-112-3SLT/Bass Array2-112-3SLT
Beyond the portability and lighter weight, I'm mainly looking for a good, clear, defined, quick attack, punchy tone. I'm not really into "vintage" (at least not muddy vintage) sounds or overdriven/distorted sounds. I almost always play basses with fresh roundwound light-gauge strings. But I also play with a very light touch, so things don't get overly bright or clanky when I play. Any suggestions on which amp and which cabs might suit me best???
I do like the simplicity of the Kinetix control layout, but like I said, I'm more into clarity/punch over tubby or overdriven sounds. Does the Kinetix give a nice tight punchy sound or would I be better off with the Magellan? Of course, I don't want really sterile sounds either. Decisions, decisions!!!
Also, I like the idea of the Bass Array cabs, but are they worth the extra weight? How close are the sounds between the Bass Arrays and the ULVs?
I've never had a Genzler amp or cabs. Right now I use a Fender Rumble 800 combo and 2x10 extension cab. I don't really have anything bad to say about it. It gives me sounds that work for my basses (Fender Jazz, Music Man Stingray, Spector DW3 and 5-string RST, mainly at this point) and overall sounds just fine to me. I have had a GK 1x12 800 watt combo and 1x12 ext cab a couple years ago and actually prefer the Fender Rumble tone so switched back to the Fender.
But, I'm almost to the point of buying a Genzler rig in order to get things a bit lighter and more compact for hauling and stage real estate. Problem is, I'm having a very hard time deciding on both the amp and the cabs. My choices are narrowed down to:
Amp: either the Kinetix or the new Magellan 800+
Cabs: either a stacked ULV 112T/210T , or , stacked Bass Array2-112-3SLT/Bass Array2-112-3SLT
Beyond the portability and lighter weight, I'm mainly looking for a good, clear, defined, quick attack, punchy tone. I'm not really into "vintage" (at least not muddy vintage) sounds or overdriven/distorted sounds. I almost always play basses with fresh roundwound light-gauge strings. But I also play with a very light touch, so things don't get overly bright or clanky when I play. Any suggestions on which amp and which cabs might suit me best???
I do like the simplicity of the Kinetix control layout, but like I said, I'm more into clarity/punch over tubby or overdriven sounds. Does the Kinetix give a nice tight punchy sound or would I be better off with the Magellan? Of course, I don't want really sterile sounds either. Decisions, decisions!!!
Also, I like the idea of the Bass Array cabs, but are they worth the extra weight? How close are the sounds between the Bass Arrays and the ULVs?
For even more simplicity the Magellen 800 is killer! Super easy to dial in and tons of tonal options. It's cured me of g.a.s. The 800+ looks great but the additional eq points are not for me.
If you're going for light the ULVs would be the way to go.
I went with a bass array2 10-2 and will be getting another one because I wanted to go as light as possible with the arrays. I'll be buying another to have a pair. I have two audiokinesis 12"s that are both in the 25-27 lbs range.
I have both the Kinetix and the Magellan 800. Either one will have you smiling but I do prefer the Kinetix. The Kinetix is capable of the tone you are going for. Clean, warm (not muddy) and powerful. The Magellan is also a great amp but the tubes in the Kinetix seem to add some wonderful spice to the recipe. I have no experience with Genzler cabs.
How would you compare your Genzler cabs to the AK (I realize there are a number of significant differences)? I owned a Thunderchild 112 v4 briefly and really enjoyed it. Very transparent and could handle a lot of power. I've been looking for something similar to offset my Greenboy Dually. Thanks in advance.
Yeah, they extra sweepable mid EQ thing, I'm sure is a selling point for most players, but I've never really liked or needed that feature. Just more to fiddle with and never quite get it the way it was that one magical time.
happens with me and basses with sweepable mids too.I have been kind of leaning toward the Kinetix, but then I get second thoughts. From the few Youtube videos on the Kinetix (Nate Navarro always does a great job), it sounds like the amp can certainly be clean, punchy with quick attack. The only complaint I have with some vintage tube amps (and tube amp emulators/modelers) is that the attack is slower than some of the more modern amps. That in itself can come off as being a bit "muddy" sounding. There are definitely differences in basses and "attack" as well. I far prefer the quick attack variety on both amps and basses. No "pillowy" softness for me.
I second that. I just swapped my ShuttleMax for a Magellan 800 because I don't really need two parametric bands per channel on stage. It was bit too much to tweak. Nice to have it but I never used it.
Since you've already got an 800W setup that you like, and you're looking for a lighter, flexible alternate, you might want to check out the Magellan 350. It's got a lot of bang for the buck, and I've used it everywhere from small rooms to banquet halls and outdoor stages.
I don't have any experience with Genzler cabs (yet), so I can't help you there. I love the sound of the Magellan 350 through my Bag End 210 (4ohms). Tight, punchy, and responsive.
I agree 100% with this. That little box can carry a lot of sound and in the right application, band situation, volume needs, etc. I more than enough and gives up nothing in the core sound to the original Magellan 800. And a few additional thoughts that may not matter. I know most folks doing what we all do always gravitate to the next new shiny thing. That's natural and keeps mfgs alive. I however am not that person in most cases. Truth the M800 has some features that I will never use, but they're there just in case. The M350 does not have that, is more economically priced yet highly capable and (Mr. G can stop reading here) be found used for incredible value for quality. There is nothing in either the Kinetix or the 800+ that the core M800 cannot sonically provide for my needs and what they do provide is not the sound I am after. I say all this to the OP that to put a toe in the Genzler pool will not require a crazy outlay of capital. Theer are really really good options.
Regarding your Rumble 800. I know those aer highly regarded and I had considered the Rumble 500. But in that period I was a GK guy and the MB series was apparently similar, especially the 500 that suited me sonically very well. Fast, clean and modern, and I am not a vintage guy either. Your experience with your GK may have been a product of comparing 10's to 12's. I have tried on several occasions across many high quality brands to like 12's. But I have had to concede that I simply do not. I am a 10's guy and am now at peace. So I see you are referencing 12's on your wish list and no 10's so do keep that in mind. You may want to consider that.
These are always kind of tough to answer as we're all different but I can share my experiences. I have the Magellan 800 and BA410 cab. This setup does all I need it to....easily. I leave the amp flat and typically use the contour knob to shape the tone....anywhere from off to a max of around 10 o clock, but I've found the sweet spot for me around 9 o clock. With my Sadowsky I get a full but punchy tone....it really sounds impressive. I have played the Kinetix and it was amazing....but if I'm honest with myself it's not a piece of gear I need....or even a series 2 BA cab. I chose the 410 as a one cab solution. It weighs just over 50lbs so it's an easy schlep for my 50 year old back....and that's moving it a lot of weekends out of the year. I've talked about it regularly, but if your band is like the ones I play in using floor monitors, the BA style cabs are quite impressive for stage coverage....so that may be a consideration for you. The best suggestion is to try the different amps/cabs out if you can but when it comes to Genzler I don't think you could go wrong with whatever you get. If I had the scratch floating around and could get anything, I would probably grab the Kinetix and the series 2 BA410 and call it a day. But like I said, I'm totally happy with what I have now and have been rocking it for several years now with great success. You know the saying....'if it ain't broke....don't fix it..' Anyhow....keep us posted on how things turn out.
I love that color on your Sadowsky
Ive been using the Magellan 800 into a Nu Classic 2x12 for a little while now. It does everything I need it to without breaking a sweat. Its a super easy haul too!
We had bass all over the place last night!!
I recently picked up a 210 ULV and have had it out on a few gigs. Thought I'd share my thoughts since there isn't a whole lot out there about this cab, besides the Genzler sponsored content. It's replacing a Bergantino AE210 which I've had for a number of years so that's what I'm comparing it to mainly. TLDR - I like it.
I made the switch mostly because of portability. Guys that haul around big cabs are going to laugh but I use these cabs mainly for club dates where I have to keep up with a moderately loud drummer. Doing this several times a week portablility/convenience becomes a big concern for me. I'm drving all over the place and also need something I can hide in my trunk if I need to stop. I also do some 'loud jazz' gigs on upright and have been looking for a medium sized cab that I didn't mind hauling for those.
I loved the sound of the Berg but at 42 lbs, while certainly not heavy, often had me opting for a smaller 1x12 on gigs that I probably should have brought the 210 to. I didn't look forward to shcleping the Berg around. Little things like going through doorways, I'd have to stop, open the door, lift the cab through, turn around and close the door. The Genzler I have in one hand and open and close the door with the other, so easy with it's small foot print. I had a gig in a country club last week where I had to enter through the crowded kitchen and some of those pathways would have been too narrow for the Berg without moving food racks and garbage cans out of the way. It's nice that cabs are getting lighter but the form factor is a big part of portability. Some of the newer cabs are light but they are chunky cubes that make the schlep more difficult.
The 210 ULV is a great sounding cab that puts out a lot of sound for it's size. I've had it out on several gigs over the last couple weeks and I think it's going to work great for what I need it for. For some context on the club dates I do I play a wide variety of music from Sinatra to Rihanna, a lot of motown, disco & top 40, not whole lot of rock music, but some. The bands have several singers, horns, rhythm section. I usually don't have PA support for country club type stuff but do for the occasional larger venues like convention centers, where it would be used for stage monitoring only. I also work with a few original music projects and cover bands, singer/songwriter, funk, whaterver comes down the pike. I mainly play jazz style basses and go for a brighter but not overly zingy sound that sits well in the mix. I also do a lot of jazz gigs on upright. Main amp is a Trickfish Mini 500.
Compared to the AE210 the first thing that jumps out is that the 210 ULV has a bolder more forward midrange, which makes it sound louder, and the Berg is already an efficient cab. I never thought of the Berg as a particularly scooped cab but the Genzler makes it sound that way. I usually don't love midrange focused cabs but the Genzler is very musical and balanced, not pokey at all and the mids help it sit in the mix nicely. The profile of the mids are crucial for me when using it with upright. With some cabs I have to cut a ton of mids because they bring out the harsh twang of a piezo pickup but the Genzer sounds smooth and works well with upright. I thought Nate Navarro's video did a good job of highlighting these forward mids in comparison to the 12 inch ULV cabs.
The Berg is more open with a deep punchy low end. It sounds wider overall. I never really boosted lows with the Berg but on one gig in a big open space I had the lows up with the Genzler. Maybe the speakers will open up a bit in the lows with more use? The Genzler is not laking in lows but the Berg to me was just exceptional for a smaller cab in this area. I have an outdoor gig next week I'm hoping the Genzler will hang, low end wise. The Berg did a good job on these types of gigs, we'll see.
The tweeter is really well integrated and smooth. Set at the midpoint it the transition from mids to highs is pretty seamless. The Berg had a similar integration although the tweeter seemed more prominent in the sound due to the less forward midrange. Turning up the tweeter on the Genzler gives some glassy slice which slappers or pick players might appreciate.
Overall I'm glad I made the switch to the Genzler. The Berg was a beautiful sounding cab but the Genzler will fit my needs better, I think.
I made the switch mostly because of portability. Guys that haul around big cabs are going to laugh but I use these cabs mainly for club dates where I have to keep up with a moderately loud drummer. Doing this several times a week portablility/convenience becomes a big concern for me. I'm drving all over the place and also need something I can hide in my trunk if I need to stop. I also do some 'loud jazz' gigs on upright and have been looking for a medium sized cab that I didn't mind hauling for those.
I loved the sound of the Berg but at 42 lbs, while certainly not heavy, often had me opting for a smaller 1x12 on gigs that I probably should have brought the 210 to. I didn't look forward to shcleping the Berg around. Little things like going through doorways, I'd have to stop, open the door, lift the cab through, turn around and close the door. The Genzler I have in one hand and open and close the door with the other, so easy with it's small foot print. I had a gig in a country club last week where I had to enter through the crowded kitchen and some of those pathways would have been too narrow for the Berg without moving food racks and garbage cans out of the way. It's nice that cabs are getting lighter but the form factor is a big part of portability. Some of the newer cabs are light but they are chunky cubes that make the schlep more difficult.
The 210 ULV is a great sounding cab that puts out a lot of sound for it's size. I've had it out on several gigs over the last couple weeks and I think it's going to work great for what I need it for. For some context on the club dates I do I play a wide variety of music from Sinatra to Rihanna, a lot of motown, disco & top 40, not whole lot of rock music, but some. The bands have several singers, horns, rhythm section. I usually don't have PA support for country club type stuff but do for the occasional larger venues like convention centers, where it would be used for stage monitoring only. I also work with a few original music projects and cover bands, singer/songwriter, funk, whaterver comes down the pike. I mainly play jazz style basses and go for a brighter but not overly zingy sound that sits well in the mix. I also do a lot of jazz gigs on upright. Main amp is a Trickfish Mini 500.
Compared to the AE210 the first thing that jumps out is that the 210 ULV has a bolder more forward midrange, which makes it sound louder, and the Berg is already an efficient cab. I never thought of the Berg as a particularly scooped cab but the Genzler makes it sound that way. I usually don't love midrange focused cabs but the Genzler is very musical and balanced, not pokey at all and the mids help it sit in the mix nicely. The profile of the mids are crucial for me when using it with upright. With some cabs I have to cut a ton of mids because they bring out the harsh twang of a piezo pickup but the Genzer sounds smooth and works well with upright. I thought Nate Navarro's video did a good job of highlighting these forward mids in comparison to the 12 inch ULV cabs.
The Berg is more open with a deep punchy low end. It sounds wider overall. I never really boosted lows with the Berg but on one gig in a big open space I had the lows up with the Genzler. Maybe the speakers will open up a bit in the lows with more use? The Genzler is not laking in lows but the Berg to me was just exceptional for a smaller cab in this area. I have an outdoor gig next week I'm hoping the Genzler will hang, low end wise. The Berg did a good job on these types of gigs, we'll see.
The tweeter is really well integrated and smooth. Set at the midpoint it the transition from mids to highs is pretty seamless. The Berg had a similar integration although the tweeter seemed more prominent in the sound due to the less forward midrange. Turning up the tweeter on the Genzler gives some glassy slice which slappers or pick players might appreciate.
Overall I'm glad I made the switch to the Genzler. The Berg was a beautiful sounding cab but the Genzler will fit my needs better, I think.
I believe that portability (weight and dimensions) has become a major factor for many of us these days and when we can find cabs that give us that with no sacrifice in sound we gravitate towards them. This is an area of preference that Jeff and Genzler has honed on nicely with their series of cabs.
For quite awhile I was playing 750w or 500w heads through 2x12 and 1x12 Epifani Cabs until even at just over 50lbs that 2x12 got to be more than I wanted to move. All of that got sold and replaced with an MG350 Combo and a BA10-2-S2 extension cab and I couldn't be happier. It's all I need these days.
For quite awhile I was playing 750w or 500w heads through 2x12 and 1x12 Epifani Cabs until even at just over 50lbs that 2x12 got to be more than I wanted to move. All of that got sold and replaced with an MG350 Combo and a BA10-2-S2 extension cab and I couldn't be happier. It's all I need these days.
Attaboy, Hawk! The 110 combo and extension is plenty of sound for most situations. Lots of low end, too, for its size. Clear as a bell with the array.
I was amazed when I unboxed my combo (see my post earlier in the thread.) People sometimes stare when I walk in with it. "That's a bass amp? It's too small." And then they are dumbfounded when they hear the sound it puts out, even with just the combo, but even more so with the extension.
* * *
I played a musical last week with just the combo, as I normally do, without the extension. I used a Broughton Low + High Pass Filter pedal to roll off the lows and highs to give a smoother, controlled sound more akin to an upright. That's 80 Hz for the HPF and 600 Hz for the LPF. I can approximate that with the MG350 bass and treble controls, but the pedal puts me spot-on. I just left the MG350 controls at noon.
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Joeykun
pronounced ジョーイくん
- Jun 22, 2007
- 4,200
- 16,150
- Disclosures
- Endorsing: LAKLAND SADOWSKY GENZLER DARKGLASS NORDSTRAND TEMPLEBOARD KIRLIN DRSTRINGS ACCESS
I would go with the Kinetix 800 and (2) BA2-112-3 cabs. This will give you a nice compact rig with clarity, punch, with a nice bottom end and great dispersion on stage. The Kinetix 800 can get you any tone you are looking for and some nice options to control boominess on stage with the lean switch. It is extremely useful. Ask me any questions if you got them.
Hey Genzler Peeps,
I just got a mint in box Magellan Pre off Reverb cause I was curious.
Sounds great, works perfect, but I'm not gonna keep it, as I'm happy with the preamp I bought it to compare to.
I'm gonna put it up for sale here over the next couple days, but if anyone wants dibs, it'll be $200 +shipping.
I just got a mint in box Magellan Pre off Reverb cause I was curious.
Sounds great, works perfect, but I'm not gonna keep it, as I'm happy with the preamp I bought it to compare to.
I'm gonna put it up for sale here over the next couple days, but if anyone wants dibs, it'll be $200 +shipping.
Just out curiosity, what preamp did you compare it to?
I've used a GK Plex for years now and wanted to see what I was missing, so that's what I compared it to.
The Magellan Pre is top notch, sounds great, made real solid, easy to use, but my GK sound is really what I still want.
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