Xsonics 212cf review and comparison

[Gab124]

It does make it versatile. I like the mid switched in at 1500, but I might change my mind later.

Can you verbalize what you like about it? I try but I will be darned if I can put my finger on it and translate into words. More full, smoother..... IDK. It might give more emphasis on the low/lowmid growl, which is something I like a great deal.

 

[RockNRollAl]

Can you verbalize what you like about it? I try but I will be darned if I can put my finger on it and translate into words. More full, smoother..... IDK. It might give more emphasis on the low/lowmid growl, which is something I like a great deal.

To me, it's sounds a bit smoother.

The "growl" I get from my instrument(s) and it does not affect that.

But there's a slight harshness or distortion that goes away when I use the midrange driver. This is more in the upper mids/lower highs.

I doubt that anyone but me would notice when I'm playing, but I need to satisfy my ears first. That said, if I had never heard the midrange driver, I don't think I would miss it. It sounds good without, better with it.

I've yet to try these out in a band setting...

 

[Gab124]

I've had it live finally, it had much more low end than I was expecting and I spent a bit of time adjusting eq from my norm. But once there is was fantastic, velvet sledgehammer

 

[johnnybass01]

Velvet sledgehammer , I love it ! I think it would be fitting to call the 212cf the velvet hammer.

 

[buffalobillh]

Velvet hand sledge. ;-)

 

[johnnybass01]

Well last night I had a last minute gig, I have a third band that is getting ready to do a standing Thursday night open mic blues jam , we were supposed to start next week . The club owner called me and asked if I could throw it together and was able to last night. There were about 5 guitarist that came down to set in and there were 4 bassist that came out as well. All sorts of different styles of playing . And being the house band all bassist's got to play through my 212cf. And better yet I had a lot of time out front to really get to hear how it sounded for each different player. We had one guy with an old jazz bass with flats and I was able to dial him in for some muddy waters , and some older blues tunes, the next guy had a modulus 6 and a more modern tone and so on four other players and all had their own tone wants and needs and the xsonics 212cf fit . each player sounded all their own and the 212cf simply let their tonal character come through. All were equally impressed with their sound , and for me there wasn't a spot in the club where I couldn't hear and above that feel what they were throwing down , the cab consistently had its own spot in the mix , always there and always solid . There was nothing but smiling bassist's there last night .i got to finish the night off with a local guitarist that loves pulling off Robin Trower ,Jimi Hendrix , and Pat Travers . And it was awesome getting compliments and questions about the cab. It really does all it is intended to do. End of the night I was out in one trip, cab in left hand gig bag with bass and genz benz shuttle 9.2 in my right ,I walked about a half block to my car and it was painless.

 

[godblender]

Anyone running all tube amps with any of these new cabs??

 

[jnewmark]

Well last night I had a last minute gig, I have a third band that is getting ready to do a standing Thursday night open mic blues jam , we were supposed to start next week . The club owner called me and asked if I could throw it together and was able to last night. There were about 5 guitarist that came down to set in and there were 4 bassist that came out as well. All sorts of different styles of playing . And being the house band all bassist's got to play through my 212cf. And better yet I had a lot of time out front to really get to hear how it sounded for each different player. We had one guy with an old jazz bass with flats and I was able to dial him in for some muddy waters , and some older blues tunes, the next guy had a modulus 6 and a more modern tone and so on four other players and all had their own tone wants and needs and the xsonics 212cf fit . each player sounded all their own and the 212cf simply let their tonal character come through. All were equally impressed with their sound , and for me there wasn't a spot in the club where I couldn't hear and above that feel what they were throwing down , the cab consistently had its own spot in the mix , always there and always solid . There was nothing but smiling bassist's there last night .i got to finish the night off with a local guitarist that loves pulling off Robin Trower ,Jimi Hendrix , and Pat Travers . And it was awesome getting compliments and questions about the cab. It really does all it is intended to do. End of the night I was out in one trip, cab in left hand gig bag with bass and genz benz shuttle 9.2 in my right ,I walked about a half block to my car and it was painless.

What head were you using ? I'm interested in getting this cab for a Blues band gig I have once a month in a small restaurant.

 

[johnnybass01]

I am currently using it with a genz benz shuttle 9.2 , but I have tried it with a GK MB800 and a GK MB FUSION head the fusion is only 500 watts. Any head with about 350 watts will push the cab nicely. The 212cf is a very versatile cab it will give you pillowy lows and a clean even spectrum through out the range . Or if you push it you can really get it to grind if you want . I have built cabs that had the same driver 3012HO but I didn't like them they were to aggressive .in this cab they are really smooth , I don't know how he does it but it definitely works. The 212cf is the middle cab in the xsonics lineup and seems to be one of the more popular ones. I don't think in your situation you can go wrong with the 212cf . The 210cf will be lighter but if your venues get bigger you might end up wanting more than a 210 and I think this is where the 212cf wold leave you more confident that you probably wouldn't need any more than that.

 

[Gab124]

Great to hear how versatile it is Johnny!
GAB

 

[johnnybass01]

Thanks gab124, I guess the proof is in the pudding! I think that is the phrase I'm looking for. LOL . I have found the 212cf to be a very versatile cab indeed. I am really looking forward to my gigs this weekend three different venues . The outdoor show on Sunday will really let me open this bad boy up. Looking forward to every time I play at this point. I am seriously done with worrying weather it will be enough. At this point I know it will handle everything I throw at it without a problem.

 

[johnnybass01]

Well last nights gig was another success , I was able to dial my 212cf in about three songs.the room is a little weird as far as where the stage sets , it's a long room with the stage set up at a 45 degree in a corner so if there isn't a lot of people there you get a lot of sound bouncing off the walls . But we were lucky , we had a great crowd. I also noticed throughout the night I was able to start dialing back my lows a little bit each set, I will attribute this to speakers opening up, and getting more broken in. I was able to push the box a little further up on the volume to. I was running my shuttle 9.2 at gain 2 o'clock , volume 12 o'clock . And I got my master up to a little over 11 o'clock . It was simply solid and tight top to bottom . We do a dance set that let's me let the funk fly , and the slap tone I had coming out of this thing was just unreal . It was one of those gigs where I was smiling from ear to ear. I am really digging this cab .i am able to get my head set and leave it , and change tone just using my preamp on the bass. I can go from cant you see by Marshall tucker to we want the funk by parliament like that it is awesome .

 

[jnewmark]

Well last nights gig was another success , I was able to dial my 212cf in about three songs.the room is a little weird as far as where the stage sets , it's a long room with the stage set up at a 45 degree in a corner so if there isn't a lot of people there you get a lot of sound bouncing off the walls . But we were lucky , we had a great crowd. I also noticed throughout the night I was able to start dialing back my lows a little bit each set, I will attribute this to speakers opening up, and getting more broken in. I was able to push the box a little further up on the volume to. I was running my shuttle 9.2 at gain 2 o'clock , volume 12 o'clock . And I got my master up to a little over 11 o'clock . It was simply solid and tight top to bottom . We do a dance set that let's me let the funk fly , and the slap tone I had coming out of this thing was just unreal . It was one of those gigs where I was smiling from ear to ear. I am really digging this cab .i am able to get my head set and leave it , and change tone just using my preamp on the bass. I can go from cant you see by Marshall tucker to we want the funk by parliament like that it is awesome .

Take good care of that cab, Johnny !

 

[johnnybass01]

Will do buddy, I haven't even unleashed all its got. Just breaking it in my friend. It sounds better every time I plug into it.

 

[ErnieD]

jb01, gab124,billh and any others...y'all using your cabs' with or wihtout PA support? Mighta addressed this earlier in this thread but searching that is abit tough.

I would use my 212 or 212-5 or 215+/-5 cab in a loud-ish, classic rock/blues rock, bar band. No PA for bass. More leaning to a 212 configuration I think.

I'd be using either my MB500, GB Streamer 900 or Shuttle 9.2 maybe even bust out my Carvin B1500 for kicks. Always use only 5 string basses. Oh and just got a Aggie TH effects pedal (AGS). I like what that pedal is doing with my amps'/cabs so far. It offers very nice mid EQ options. So that'd go into a cab of mine as well.

And from some vids I've seen of these Xsonics', like Dennis' (flboy), seems like these cabs kinda have a tone similar to my GB NeoX 212T cabs. Maybe its the GB heads Dennis is using causing that, dunno. But I'd be using primarily my GB heads, so that'd work. And if its's more of what the GB cabs offer me; that's very cool.

 

[ErnieD]

The tone of the cabinet was designed as a cross between the neox212 and 410xlt...but a lot smaller and lighter

When I bought my two NeoX 212T's; I sold off my fave, 4ohm, 410XLT cab. Dang it, didn't want to deal with the weight anymore but I really dug that cabs' tone. I was using a couple Markbass heads with it at the time. Wish I had it back to try my GB 900 watt heads thru it. So that's good to know, thanks Dennis.

Oh and by alot smaller n lighter, you do mean the Xsonics cab size/weight, not its' volume/tone right.

 

[johnnybass01]

My gig last night had very little coming through the P.A. It was all the 212cf just doing what it does and it does it well . I also play just 5 string basses. And the quality of the b string on this cab is very well defined and above all tight . I can slap a B with killer articulation .and as Dennis has mentioned it can match the tone of the Genz Benz neox 212 no problem and it has a lot of output easily that in the range of a high quality 410 cab . As far as heads I have ran mine through a MB800 MB fusion and the genz benz shuttle 9.2. The voicing between the Genz and the Gallien are quite different . The GK has a really big bottom and lots on top . With the GK heads I ran the tweeter at half on the cab , bass on the head flat with a little treble rolled off. On the genx head I can run the tweeter on the cab full up , and have the bass on the head at 1 and the treble at one. And it sounds great.

 

[ErnieD]

thanks jb01 and Dennis. I did like hearing those comparisons of those cabs....ooh prolly shouldn't say that anymore.

Sorta funny in the Berg CN212 thread, another cab I'm looking at, a few cats are chiming in saying they're diggin the HD212 over the CN212 based on the neo/ceramic drivers. I know that is very subjective.

But wonder if ceramic tone cabs, to some, are making a come back over the lighter neo cabs regardless of their larger weight. Their preferenc I'm sure.

I do like the lighter, louder neo cabs that are coming out. But I sure do recall some fun times with some of those heavier, ceramic cabs not too long back for me. But if I can get there with a lighter, smaller cab...why not.

 

[John D Harris]

Well last night I had a last minute gig, I have a third band that is getting ready to do a standing Thursday night open mic blues jam , we were supposed to start next week . The club owner called me and asked if I could throw it together and was able to last night. There were about 5 guitarist that came down to set in and there were 4 bassist that came out as well. All sorts of different styles of playing . And being the house band all bassist's got to play through my 212cf. And better yet I had a lot of time out front to really get to hear how it sounded for each different player. We had one guy with an old jazz bass with flats and I was able to dial him in for some muddy waters , and some older blues tunes, the next guy had a modulus 6 and a more modern tone and so on four other players and all had their own tone wants and needs and the xsonics 212cf fit . each player sounded all their own and the 212cf simply let their tonal character come through. All were equally impressed with their sound , and for me there wasn't a spot in the club where I couldn't hear and above that feel what they were throwing down , the cab consistently had its own spot in the mix , always there and always solid . There was nothing but smiling bassist's there last night .i got to finish the night off with a local guitarist that loves pulling off Robin Trower ,Jimi Hendrix , and Pat Travers . And it was awesome getting compliments and questions about the cab. It really does all it is intended to do. End of the night I was out in one trip, cab in left hand gig bag with bass and genz benz shuttle 9.2 in my right ,I walked about a half block to my car and it was painless.

Very nice review!
As you mentioned, what a great way to get an idea of how the cab sounds with different bassists & basses from a listener's perspective, as well as on-stage.

Be nice if we could all experience our gear in a similar fashion.

 

[johnnybass01]

Well last night put yet another gig in the books for the xsonics 212cf. This was a bigger room about 300 and it was almost full up a couple times during the night. Straightforward stage set up so not really issues with any sound bouncing around. I did however change the amp settings on my shuttle 9.2. I went ahead and set the master at about 3 o'clock and brought up the gain and volume to get the needed output I was looking for , this resulted in a really clean signal with a lot of meat behind it. It sounded awesome, this little cab just continues to impress me every time I get to use it , I really couldn't be any happier.