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What cab do you use with your Aguilar AG500?

#21
No one has mentioned a DB210 cab. As of right now there is a Aguilar DB210 cab on my front porch and Friday the AG500 SC head will follow. I will let everyone know how it goes but in the mean time is anyone else using this set up?
 
#25
jokerjkny said:
frankly, one man's "growl" is another's "fretboard noise". so that's hard for me to call.

for my tastes at least, and i'm primarily a fingerstyle player, the aguilar gs112's have plenty of bite and authority for rock. but the main point is that its up to you if you like a more versatile cab that takes nicely to your amp's EQ, giving you a wider range of sounds, i.e. the GS112. OR if you're mostly the type to leave the EQ alone on the amp and let the cabs do most of the tone shaping for you, and are happy with using one sound for a variety of gigs, i.e the DB112.

truth be told, sounds like you'd be happier as an Eden guy. another amp to consider is the eden wt550. has a nice rockin' growly sound thx to a pushable preamp tube front end. the EQ section isnt nearly as easy to use as the aguilar, but it does allow the amp to be a bit more versatile in a variety of situations.

another more aggressive sounding 1x12, that could also complement the ag500, is the little known eden D112XLT. great little cab that has that trademark eden woolly, edgy, yes... growl. doesnt have that annoying middle range frequency peak of the DB, rather sounds more in line w/ the GS112. and yet, has a much harsher, grittier tweeter that gives the upper mids and highs an almost, dare i say, "growly" character.

couple a pair of those w/ a WT550, and you'd have all the rockin' growl you'd want.

there have been alot of aguilar vs. eden debates for rock, but for your situation, here's my quick take.

ag500 +GS112 would be a versatile, easier to use and on the cleaner, punchy spectrum of the rock sound. the EQ section makes it a no brainer in finding a terrific sound w/ just a few turns of very few knobs. if you dont want much to fuss with and like a cleaner more punchier rock sound, the aguilar is it.

wt550 + D112XLT would be just as versatile, if not moreso thx to the more expansive tho slightly confusing EQ section. push the gain a bit, and its preamp tubed glow puts its rock sound is on the more grittier, somewhat harsher side of the spectrum. it can do clean and punchy as well, but it might take a little more fiddling.
Click to expand...

Dammit Joker, now why did you have to go and write all this? I was really satisfied with my amp after years of tweaking finally able to get a sound I liked through my GS112s. I don't find that the Alembic/BBE pres are that well matched to the GS112s, as they are inherently mid-scooped (Mid-eq is "cut" only), and that it's hard to set the bass knob to flat (it's around 1.5-1.6 IME). You got me really Gas'in for an AG500. My question is, how warm is it compared to say an Alembic/BBE tube pre? Cause I love how warm and fat the BBE sounds through my GS112s. But I am really looking for more punch on stage since I'm playin rock. The other thing is my power amp is too much for my speakers, whenever I see the smallest clip light flash I freak out since my [1602] is ran bridged. So I need to either trade for a PLX 1804 or get a lower-wattage integrated head like the AG500.
 
#26
amos said:
Dammit Joker, now why did you have to go and write all this? I was really satisfied with my amp after years of tweaking finally able to get a sound I liked through my GS112s. I don't find that the Alembic/BBE pres are that well matched to the GS112s, as they are inherently mid-scooped (Mid-eq is "cut" only), and that it's hard to set the bass knob to flat (it's around 1.5-1.6 IME). You got me really Gas'in for an AG500. My question is, how warm is it compared to say an Alembic/BBE tube pre? Cause I love how warm and fat the BBE sounds through my GS112s. But I am really looking for more punch on stage since I'm playin rock. The other thing is my power amp is too much for my speakers, whenever I see the smallest clip light flash I freak out since my [1602] is ran bridged. So I need to either trade for a PLX 1804 or get a lower-wattage integrated head like the AG500.
Click to expand...

haha, cmon man, you found a sound, made it work, and you said it yourself, you're "satisfied"!

but truth be told, i dunno how much warmer the ag500 would be compared to the alembic, cause that guy's THE preamp for warm, dark, mellow, in my book. the ag500 is a relatively warm sounding amp. its not as hifi as say my epifani head, but if you really want warm, but able to dial in punchy, maybe the eden wt550? its one of the darker sounding heads i've ever used, and yet, if you're handy w/ EQ's, which it sounds like you are, then you can dial in just the right amount of punch you'd like.

but i'm a little confused. IME, if the clip light is flashing on the power amp, then you're in need of more wattage to keep it tighter, no? if you're too loud already, then yea, go with a smaller power amp. but you could scale back on the volume knob on the power amp, too. if you're in need of more volume, then you'll need more power AND more speakers, cause a pair of 1x12's only do so much against a raging marshall stack of 4x12's.

so, if you're really happy with the fatness of the pre, i can only recommend maybe getting a cab w/ 10" speakers. you'll retain the warm sounds of the pre, while also getting some natural punch ala the smaller, quicker firing drivers.

lots of ways to go about this. just a matter of how committed you are to that alembic / BBE fatness.
 
#27
jokerjkny said:
haha, cmon man, you found a sound, made it work, and you said it yourself, you're "satisfied"!

but truth be told, i dunno how much warmer the ag500 would be compared to the alembic, cause that guy's THE preamp for warm, dark, mellow, in my book. the ag500 is a relatively warm sounding amp. its not as hifi as say my epifani head, but if you really want warm, but able to dial in punchy, maybe the eden wt550? its one of the darker sounding heads i've ever used, and yet, if you're handy w/ EQ's, which it sounds like you are, then you can dial in just the right amount of punch you'd like.

but i'm a little confused. IME, if the clip light is flashing on the power amp, then you're in need of more wattage to keep it tighter, no? if you're too loud already, then yea, go with a smaller power amp. but you could scale back on the volume knob on the power amp, too. if you're in need of more volume, then you'll need more power AND more speakers, cause a pair of 1x12's only do so much against a raging marshall stack of 4x12's.

so, if you're really happy with the fatness of the pre, i can only recommend maybe getting a cab w/ 10" speakers. you'll retain the warm sounds of the pre, while also getting some natural punch ala the smaller, quicker firing drivers.

lots of ways to go about this. just a matter of how committed you are to that alembic / BBE fatness.
Click to expand...

Great reply Joker. What you said makes total sense, because in reality, I'm planning on adding a 2x10 or something similar to my setup before I change anything with my amp (other than a power amp that puts more power out in stereo). I also really need a GRAMMA pad for places like the one I played in Tuesday night. Big stages are great, they allow clubs to put the subs under the stage. Then you realize there's nothing underneath where your amp sits, and it's resonating like crazy.

I will try turning my power amp up and my pre's master down. I just get freaked out turning the power gain past halfway (plx 1602 bridged). Of course reality, if the preamp gain's down then I shouldn't worry about turning the power amp up higher.. I think.

-Dave
 
#28
KJung said:
+1.. that match up is the first time I really dug the tone of the AG500. However, that's probably because I like it tight and clean sounding and place a big emphasis on even, articulate tone. The HS210 really tightens up the voicing of the AG500 to my ear, and evens it out. However, that's probably not the tone that most who buy the AG500 are going for. It sounds much bigger, more wooly, and with more 'emulated tube warmth and give' through the Aguilar DB112's, and I assume that's closer to the design goals of that amp. It sounds great through the DB's, just not my thing.
Click to expand...

Hey Ken, Hoping you see this...

Given this, do you expect this would hold true w/ the combo of an AG500 + AE210? Of course, you never know until you try it. I'm just pinging for an opinion, YMMV, etc...
 
#29
McHack said:
Hey Ken, Hoping you see this...

Given this, do you expect this would hold true w/ the combo of an AG500 + AE210? Of course, you never know until you try it. I'm just pinging for an opinion, YMMV, etc...
Click to expand...

From what I hear between my HS210 and my AE410, my guess is that the AE210 would sound wonderful with the AG500. The only reservation I have is that I find the AG500 a little bloomy down low with many cabs, and part of the reason it sounds so good to me with the HS210 is that very tight attenuated deep low end of that cab. The AE210 goes quite a bit lower. However, I'm sure the mid punch is still there.

I would think this would be a wonderful combination!!!
 
#31
I use my AG500 with a GS112 and GS112-NT. Sounds great. As mentioned by others my Stingray 5 sounds absolutely awesome through this setup. Still haven't quite found the sound with my Spector though. In time I suppose...
I am not a huge fan of the sound of the AG500 through my Eden D-210XLT. Might have to work with that a little more but I think if I really need another cab a GS212 might be in the works.
Jason
 

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