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New AER Basscube II

Jun 24, 2006
2,560
90
Vancouver
www.youtube.com
Disclosures
Endorsing Artist: MTD basses and strings; Bergantino Amps & Cabs
For electric bass - unbelievable!

For string bass - unbelievable!

THE best SMALL combo amp in the world. Absolutely astonishing! 15.7"x15.7"x14" - about the size of a Roland cube. Certainly doesn't SOUND anything like a Roland cube...doesn't sound like ANYTHING else. Astonishingly flat, even response, sweet deep bass, incredible dynamic range, gorgeous crystalline top end via an exquisite tweeter.

This is among the most gorgeous sounding things I have ever heard in my life - up there with a pair of Genelecs, but you can run this thing at gig levels. On par/better than/just different from the Berg IP rig with the Summit tube front end that I currently use, but more convenient (one piece) and MUCH much smaller. Amp in one hand, bass in the other. Two channels, studio quality compressor, a million ins and outs; plug it in, set the gain, leave it FLAT, and be overwhelmed by the sound...it is just the greatest thing I have EVER heard in my life. Pretty much PERFECT sound - to **** with the price, this is the art of sound at its pinnacle...spare no expense.

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I kid you not! Expensive...relatively...by the time you buy three or four BAD small amps, you could have bought one of these...for life. I'm sure it will still sound great 40 years from now, like an old pair of Tannoy Reds. Built like an exquisite watch, every control deadly accurate, sound is just STUPIDLY good. I heard a good string bass player playing through it as well, sounded amazing, and I played Bobby Vega's 66 jazz through it, sounded incredible, played my MTD Marilyn through it - words fail me. Seriously; they are that good.

Tom Bowlus - try this thing. Barely bigger than a 12" speaker...moderately heavy. The sound...

:bassist::bassist::bassist::bassist:

Stupendous. The best thing out there.

Cheers,
Cameron
 
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Well, I haven't spent a ton of time with the BassCube2, but it just so happens that I currently have an AER AMP 3 in for review. :cool:

TOTALLY different piece of kit. It's an old school amp, but a very very good one. Sounds PHENOMENAL with a Fender jazz with both pickups on. Not great with active basses for some reason, or with a slap sound, unless you like slap with no tweeter. It will take an active input, and if you're into an old school sound it will really turn your crank. Phenomenally powerful little thing, beautifully built, but COMPLETELY and TOTALLY different from the Bass Cube II.

I picked up a bass cube 1 for £500, best £500 I've ever spent.

And the Bass Cube I was very good, but SUPER heavy, and did not quite have the power, the depth of bass, and the sound for electric bass that the Basscube II does. I found I needed the powered sub with Basscube I, but NOT with basscube II (although it certainly would be magnificent). And it's now substantially lighter (but still on the heavy side).

Seriously, Tom, try the Basscube II sometime when you get a chance. In a tie with the Berg/Summit for greatest amp ever status. But one piece...bass in one hand, amp in the other.

And check out the Bassic Performer....really nice as well. The one I'm really interested in now is the last AER amp I haven't tried yet...Amp 2, with a 12" and a 4", biamped (I believe) with 240 watts. Supposed to be more of a new school sound.

But I can't get the basscube out of my head. It really is that good, Tom, I KNOW you'll be blown away.

Cheers,
Cameron
 
I wonder if they were trying to spell "air" or "ear"?

:hiding:

and if you notice, it's not actually a spelling problem, it's a pdf problem... the 'H' is supposed to be over by the control marked 'F level' - HF level, as in tweeter control, up top on the main panel where it needs to be. Somehow a space got lost on the pdf. I can assure you, on the amp it's fine.

And you wouldn't be laughing once you heard the thing, you'd be trying to figure out how to get the money together to get one.

:hyper::hyper::hyper:

Cheers,
Cameron
 
...In a tie with the Berg/Summit for greatest amp ever status. But one piece...bass in one hand, amp in the other...

I'm trying to see the justification for even a regular gigging bass player paying around $4K for this. I'm sure there are many players making a good living solely from gigs/recording that this may be worthwhile. But that's a $4K hit to one's income when there are so many lightweight alternatives out there that also do the job quite well. And they do it at a price where one could own one of these other lightweight rigs and keep another $3K in their pocket.

Not knocking it because I always like seeing/hearing small rigs that do amazing things. I'm curious as to it's output because if you're hauling your own rig to a gig, either it's a quiet affair or there is a PA of some kind.

I noticed it has a subsonic filter and limiter which (combined with the size of the cab) tells me it's low end output is limited. Not necessarily a bad thing depending on tonal goals, but even on my quieter blues gigs (actually specifically on quieter gigs), I prefer some deep low end tone (clean but deep).

Interesting, but not $4k interesting.

That's my thought on it as well.
 
I have the Head One/Cab One/Cab Two setup. It's an decent setup, kinda like EA to me with a bit more mids to it. I'm more of a rock player and it hasn't really worked out in that regard. It has lots of features and flexibility, but I found the sound I wanted in an Aguilar DB750. I'm just waiting for someone to take the AER rig off my hands.