Aguilar GS 112
Price – $500
Available at BassNW and other fine retailers.
This is the second in my series of three reviews of compact 1×12 cabinets. For my earlier review of the Epifani UL Series 2 112, click here.
The Good Stuff:
Plain and simple, the GS 112 is a great cabinet. While the cabinet is not quite as “clear” along the sonic spectrum as the Epifani UL112, the tone of the GS112 is rich and warm, with plenty of beef in the low end. I would guess that a lot of the beef comes from the 56oz speaker magnet and the Philippine mahogany construction. This cabinet does not sound thin or weak at all, which says a lot coming from someone who loves to run a ’71 SVT through 15s.
The GS112 has roughly the same frequency response as the Epifani (42 Hz to 16 kHz for the Aguilar and 44 Hz to 16 kHz for the Epifani), although it is rated at a less-efficient 95dB (Epifani is 99dB). However, I found the Aguilar to be quite loud and responsive. The GS112 can handle 300 watts, which is about all you can ask for in a small cabinet like this. If you need more than 300 watts for a gig, you probably shouldn’t be running through a single 1×12 cabinet anyhow…
At 42 pounds, the GS112 is pretty stout, but still portable enough to comfortably carry with one hand. The handle is placed on the side, which is nice for the shape of the cabinet (wide and deep, like a Bag End). I would have to say that the balance feels a little weird when holding the cabinet by the handle because the speaker is down at the bottom. I’m sure Aguilar placed the handle here for a reason, so who am I to say.
As far as the tweeter goes, I have no complaints. The adjustable level allows you to easily dial in a tiny bit of added clarity all the way to some raucous treble for aggressive slapping and popping. The tone out of the tweeter is clear and not overly harsh, which is a nice change from many brands IMHO.
The Bad Stuff:
My main complaint about the GS112 is that it has a single Speakon connector in the jackplate. The other contenders in this arena all seem to have 2, which makes daisy-chaining a second cabinet easier. If your amp only has a single Speakon, you either have to have a special cable made or rely on 1/4″ cables.
Although not necessarily a bad point from my perspective, some people may find that 42 pounds is too heavy for a 1×12. If the weight bothers you, the Epifani UL Series 2 112 is the same price and its neo driver and Baltic birch construction make it a full 11 lbs lighter.
Overall:
The GS112 is an excellent cabinet. I liked it so much that I bought two (which, by the way, make for a killer practice or small-gig setup).
