Glockenklang 'Double' (2x12) - short review

OK, after weeks of waiting I finally had a rehearsal and a club gig with my new cab.

All I can say is: WOW!

You plug in, power up the amp and everything sounds just as it should.
Clean, natural, without any peaks or valleys throughout the whole range, no boxiness, no roaring or barking mids, powerful low end down to the low B without any mud, crystal clear highs which still sound smooth and seamless even with the tweeter turned full up.
For the first time in my life I heard the sound of my bass and (pre)amp through a cab the same way as I know it from practicing with earphones – without even touching the EQ!!
And those 12” inch speakers add just the right touch of low mids for a powerful sound which cuts through really well. I finally ended up dialing in some mids around 1kHz to optimize the result.
(BTW I play a Stingray 5 through a Hughes&Kettner BassBase 400 head)

What I can not say is how this cab performs at ‘full blast’, because I had no rehearsal with my loudest band yet – but the cab seems to be at least as loud as my previous 215 and I have no doubt it will sound much cleaner.

But what I really like best is this floorshaking and ‘belly-vibrating’ bottom end, which is so clean and focused that you can enjoy it without drowning everything else in mud and ‘BOOOM’ - a totally new experience for me. Also this cab does NOT have this ‘artificially inflated low end’ which disturbs me with many ‘modern’ sounding 10” loaded cabs.

IMHO this cab is the perfect compromise between faithful and detailed sound reproduction and a great 'stage monitor' which allows just enough punch and bite to cut through while still sounding totally natural in the mix.

So am I happy?
Yes. Perfectly happy.

Matthias

P.S.: Some additional information:
Price:
As it is cheaper than the 212 cabs by Eden and Epifani here in Europe, the price seems to be more than fair – I have not heard the other cabs though. If it’s worth the money in the US (~1.900$ for what I know!) or elsewhere ‘oversea’ – it’s up to you.
Specs:
2 12” speakers custom made by Volt, Fostex tweeter, ported design
birch plywood, epoxy coating, studio-grade acoustic foam for damping
500Watts, 4 and 8 Ohm available, 100dB/1W/1m, 36 Hz - 18 KHz
555 x 595 x 435mm (~22 x 23,5 x 17”), 29kg (64lbs)
Pic:

My setup:

 

damn GAS

 

Yawnsie: Thanks, I submitted my review today.

Jock: Definitely no mud, but with 'vintage' sound I associate emphasized (maybe even 'roaring') mids - this cab sounds very neutral as I said, but it shure has the guts to put out a great rock tone if it is put in by the bass and amp. (My Stingray and H&K can do that quite well ))

According to Dirk Groll, reviewer of 'Gitarre& Bass' magazine, the Epifani is more on the rock side.