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New Head: Valkyrie from Baer Amps... Thoughts?

RTK,
No real news on the VALKYRIE, other than we have made some really good progress lately towards getting this into production. Not promising any timeframes at this point until I have actual dates. On a design note, we were getting quite a few players asking for a more aggressive distortion from the tube section, so we went back in and did some work there. I'm really happy with the results and I think the pick wielding rockers are going to be as well.

One bit of good news is that we should be taking orders for the ML112 here in the next few weeks, as soon as the grills come in. The ML212 should be following shortly thereafter.
 
On a design note, we were getting quite a few players asking for a more aggressive distortion from the tube section, so we went back in and did some work there. I'm really happy with the results and I think the pick wielding rockers are going to be as well.

Oh man, now I'm even more interested in this amp.
 
I really like the concept behind this amp, I'm sure the market has room for it if it sounds as good as I think it will. Cabs look great, too, especially that double 12"!

One question, though. Will the transformers be wired for use at other voltages as well? I realize this will be a direct order product at first at least, but I'm sure some sales would come from Europe if the amp was dual voltage.
 
Still going to offer the bedliner-style coating, Roger? I don't see any reference to it on your site anymore... :hmm:

MM

MM,
You are correct. The poly urea coating has been dropped, for two reasons. First off, the cost of the coating itself has risen about 15% this year and would add about $75 to the cost of a small cab like the ML112. Just imagine something like an 810! Secondly, due to skyrocketing neo prices, my cost on drivers has more than doubled in the last 6 months alone. We are doing what we can to keep cost under control and dropping a very expensive covering is the best way to do that without compromising the actual design.

Also, our cabinet shop isn't set up to do custom, one-offs on cabinets, I would need to either invest in stocking at least a dozen poly cabinets in the hope that they will move fast, or wait till I can get a dozen orders for poly cabs before running a batch. So, either I sit on an expensive inventory, or you sit on a waiting list with an uncertain ETA. Neither sounds like a great option at this point. The covering is now our "Black Cougar" vinyl, which is about as high quality a "tolex" product as I could find. Good heavy weight material and it looks great. We will have covers available.


I really like the concept behind this amp, I'm sure the market has room for it if it sounds as good as I think it will. Cabs look great, too, especially that double 12"!

One question, though. Will the transformers be wired for use at other voltages as well? I realize this will be a direct order product at first at least, but I'm sure some sales would come from Europe if the amp was dual voltage.

The amp is dual voltage. The operating voltage can be changed externally at the power entry module.
 
Well, I can't say I'm surprised. It's all perfectly understandable, of course. If nothing else, you've just given many of us a bit better insight into why high-quality boutique gear costs as much as it does - because for one reason, you don't enjoy the same economies of scale as Ampeg, or Fender, or even Hartke. :hmm:

BTW, very cool that the Valkyrie will be dual-voltage. You seem to have thought of everything... :cool:

MM
 
Tolex is way cool. More tolex, less rat fur!

We had actually decided on rat fur a while back, until I lent the carpeted prototype cabs to a local player for a few days who, as it turned out, has a couple cats. Needless to say, the felines wholeheartedly approved of our choice in covering material. After that field test, we switched to Tolex.
 
From Rogers comments, Im expecting that this cab will have alittle bit of midrange growl that alot of us were missing with the fearful type cabs.

It definitely does. Interestingly, I commented on the ML-112 briefly in an Acme thread, and my comments were pretty might right in line with your expectations:

The Baer cab seems like it's the most aggressive of the bunch in the upper mids ... and I love the weight & dimensions. I haven't broken this one in all the way, yet, but it seems to have great articulation and a hint of growl.
 
From Rogers comments, Im expecting that this cab will have alittle bit of midrange growl that alot of us were missing with the fearful type cabs.
Tom made a comment on the various new 112 cabs out there and how he thought we were all "playing in our own pond" so to speak. I was really after something different with these cabs and honestly don't see the point in going to market with the same design and tone that everyone else is using. I'm the new guy in town and I don't see how I am supposed to compel a bassist to open his wallet for our gear, when it sounds just like our competitor's, but at a higher cost.

We had been designing the cabinets right along with the amp from very early on. I had always wanted to this rig to be capable of delivering a great aggressive rock tone, something along the lines of Chris Squire's tone on "Roundabout". It took a bit of aggressive mids from the cab, combined with the tube distortion from the amp to pull that off. If you need it warmer sounding, just dial back the upper mids a hair and add a touch of bass.