Aguilar DB 212 Bass Cabinet

Price: about $900

Available at BassNW or other fine retailers

The Good Stuff:

It seems that we bass players are constantly discussing the difference between 10s, 12s and 15s, with no apparent end to the controversy in sight.  Let me begin by saying that I personally like the beef of a 15 and the clarity and punch of 10s, but I don’t like bringing two cabinets to gigs.  I also find that single 210 typically doesn’t cut the mustard for me, and that most 410s are a bit heavy to me.  Also, some 115 cabinets are too muddy for my liking.  The DB 212 is a great cabinet for a curmudgeon like me who wants the heft of a 115 and the clarity of 10s in a single cabinet (that is not monstrously sized).

As its name suggests, the DB 212 has two 12″ speakers and a tweeter.  More specifically, the cabinet sports two beefy 56 oz cast-frame speakers, which allows it an impressive frequency range of 41 Hz to 16 kHz and 600 watt power handling.  At 70 pounds, the DB 212 is a solid 28 pounds lighter than its 410 brother (the venerable DB 410) and 12 pounds lighter than 2 of Aguilar’s famous GS112 cabinets.  I found the DB 212 to be easy to load in and out of vehicles, yet quite sturdy feeling when on stage.  The build quality is flawless, and I would expect no less from Aguilar.

The sound is a great combination of 15s and 10s — a hybrid of tone.  The low end is hefty enough for modern 5 strings, thumpy reggae or country, but there is more clarity and focus in the lows and low-mids compared to most 15″ cabinets.  The high-mids and highs are smooth and warm, with a lot of punch like a 410.  The tweeter is fully adjustable as well.  I was quite pleased at how solid the DB 212 sounded when paired with a 410.  It was different than a typical 115 + 410 setup, but very focused and warm.  So, if you DO want to haul two cabs to a gig, the DB 212 would nicely replace a 115.

I have used this cabinet with my 1971 Ampeg SVT, an Aguilar DB 750, an Aguilar AG 500, and an Eden WT-400.  No matter what amp was powering it, the DB 212 sounded good.  Really, really good!

The Bad Stuff:

I have two minor gripes about the DB 212.  First, I have said it before and I will say it again — it is annoying that  Aguilar puts only one Speakon connector on the cabinet’s jack plate.  This makes daisy-chaining difficult when your amp has only 1 speakon out.  While Aguilar’s amps typically have two Speakon outs, many modern amps do not.

Second, the factory casters are wimpy.  I concede that a cabinet should not need to have 4×4 capabilities or the ability to climb Mount Kilimanjaro.  However, many of us play several shows per week and are constantly loading and unloading gear (without the assistance of road crew), rolling stuff here and there, etc.  Having 3″ casters instead of the factory 2″ ones would make a lot of difference!

Overall:

The Aguilar DB 212 is an amazing cabinet.  With tight, beefy lows and warm, focused mids and highs, it is a good solution  for folks who don’t want to haul multiple cabinets to a gig or to add some heft alongside a 410.

TwoGearGeeks’ DI Roundup

The TwoGearGeeks decided it was time to test out some DI boxes (Direct Input) for you folks!  We focused on DIs that would be good for both bass guitar and acoustic guitar, two instruments routinely run through DIs live and in the studio.  We hope to do some bass- and acoustic-specific DIs in future posts.

Here is what we tested, along with its respective price:

A-Designs Audio REDDI – $795

Manley Labs Mono Tube DI – $575

Tech21 ParaDriver DI – $209

Radial JDI Mk3 – $220

At the outset, let’s get two things out of the way.  First, sound is a tricky and subjective thing.  The TwoGearGeeks prefer classic tones and mainly play and listen to roots rock, country, Americana, etc.  So, put our comments about tone in that context — we don’t typically like over-effected basses that make a weird “meow” sound or a lot of guitars that sound like the guitar riff in “Owner of a Lonely Heart” (except when Yes plays it, of course).

Second, we did not test every DI on the market (although in our 40+ years of combined experience, we’ve played a good chunk of them), and we focused on DIs that would be suitable for bass and acoustic guitar.  For this review, we don’t have unlimited time and couldn’t get every single DI out there to test.  Plus, using a bass-specific DI (like the Aguilar Tone Hammer) or an acoustic-specific DI (like the LR Baggs Para Acoustic DI) would defeat the purpose of the roundup.  So, we figured that we would try to get a good cross-section of higher-end DIs without being 100% extensive across the market.

We tested the DIs in a variety of studio and live environments with:

• 2005 Modulus Guitars VJ 4-string bass with Bartolini pickups and active Bartolini preamp, DR Black Beauty strings;

• 1965 Fender Jazz Bass (stock), with Rotosounds;

• Evidence Audio Melody instrument cables; and

• Vintage Crown acoustic guitar (Hummingbird copy) with LR Baggs M1 active pickup.

We also used Bob’s 1966 Ampeg B-15N for comparison purposes.

So, let’s get to it!

A-Designs Audio REDDI

The first thing to note about the A-Designs REDDI is that it looks cool — it is fire engine red and is housed in a serious metal box complete with heat vents and a brilliant blue power light.   It certainly looks like it means business, and is by far the largest and heaviest of the DIs tested.  It is not fitted for rack mounting, and will not fit in an average gig bag or guitar case.  The REDDI has impeccable build quality, but it seems appropriate to expect perfection when you spend $800 for a DI.

Tech specs

• Input Impedance: 1 meg
• Gain Range: 16 dB
• Noise (EIN): -126 dB
• Instrument Jack Input: 1/4 phono combo XLR
• Balanced XLR Output:
  • Output Impedance 600 Ohm
  • Maximum Level +22 dBu

• Output: Low-Z, transformer-balanced
• Frequency Response: 20 Hz – 60k Hz
• Distortion: THD: > .08 @ 1 Khz
• Power Requirements: 100/120/230 VAC – 42 Watts
• Dimensions (W x H x D): 3.5″ x 3.5″ x 14.5″
• Weight: 10 lbs. (4.54 kg.)

Bass

Before receiving the REDDI, Bob had a nice chat with Peter Montessi, the President of A-Designs Audio.  Mr. Montessi indicated that the REDDI was designed with a vintage Ampeg B-15N in mind, and, after some testing, that tone definitely came through.  The REDDI really did sound a lot like a bass through an amp, not simply a bass through a DI.  Good stuff.

With either an active or passive bass in the studio, the REDDI offered warm, round and clear tone that really sits well in the mix.  We thought that it smoothed out the “active” tone of the Modulus, without robbing any of the character of the graphite neck.  The REDDI offered a nice hot signal and it was really even along all the strings.  It has an adjustable gain setting, which is great.

With the passive bass, the REDDI sounded nothing short of amazing.  It sounded so good, in fact, that we kept soloing it in the studio, yearning for a song with a lot of sonic space so that the REDDI could shine.  There was plenty of satisfying low end both recorded and live, without any mud.

We first encountered the REDDI a few years ago at a bar gig in Seattle.  We overheard the sound guy tell the bass player after soundcheck that the REDDI was probably the best DI he’d ever heard.  We didn’t — and still don’t — disagree.

Acoustic Guitar

With an acoustic, the REDDI offered plenty of tube warmth, with lots of presence and clarity in the studio.   It really would be great in a sonically-open song or solo/small band acoustic setting live, i.e., vocals, guitar and piano.  The guitar got a little lost in a crowded song, but we would certainly use the REDDI in any solo acoustic performance.  It just sounds darn good.

Overall

Without a doubt, we can easily say that the REDDI is amazing piece of audio equipment.  It was the warmest of the DIs tested, and sounds a good deal like a vintage Ampeg B-15N flip-top (but portable and new!).  The REDDI is a perfect DI for bass and good for a sonically-open live or studio acoustic guitar.  However, we will acknowledge the obvious point that not everyone can afford an $800 tube DI.  But, if you have the money, give the REDDI a serious look.

Manley Laboratories Mono Tube DI

The Manley Labs Mono DI is a nice looking piece of equipment, with a subtle purple tint on the brushed-metal face. and simple, easy to access controls.  Being roughly one rack space tall and wide, the Manley seems more at home in a studio than at a gig, especially since it had no visible signs of the rack mounting capability.  Even though the shape is a bit confusing, the good news too is that it puts hair on your chest (get it — Manley??  Ed. — that was Josh, not Bob).

The test unit kindly provided by Manley Labs came equipped with an Electro Harmonix 12AX7 tube.  The build quality was quite impressive, and it would look great in any studio environment.

Tech specs

• Vacuum Tube: 5751 (Ed. — the lower noise and gain version of a 12AX7)
• Gain: -6dB or -26dB
• Input Z: 10 Mohm to 1 Mohm
• Output Z: 150 ohm xfmr
• Frequency response: 12 Hz – 15KHz (-3dB)
• EQ: LF rolloff -3dB points: 12, 42, 100, 250Hz
• Transformer-Coupled Balanced XLR Output
• Console Out Boost Switch
• Ground Lift Switch
• Factory set for 100V, 120V or 220-240VAC operation for original destination country’s mains voltage.
• Operating Mains Voltage changeable with power transformer re-wiring and fuse value change.
• Mains Voltage Frequency: 50~ 60Hz
• Mains power consumption Mono Tube DI:
  0.050 Amps (50 milliamps = 50mA) @ 120V = 6 Watts
  0.025 Amps (25 milliamps = 25mA) @ 240V = 6 Watts

The Manley Mono Tube DI has a few items of note to discuss.  First, on the front of the unit, there is a toggle switch labeled “Console Boost” and “Unity.”   According the owner’s manual,

“UNITY” refers to power conversion similar to the way a good transformer works. The voltage is lower and the current is stronger but the power stays the same.  The voltage loss is 23 dB and in a good range for all console mic preamps to handle well. “CONSOLE BOOST” mode adds 17 dB of voltage gain over “UNITY”.  The voltage loss is about 6 dB.  This is a good setting when the instrument has a low output or when feeding several consoles in a live setting due to losses in splitters.

We found that we used the “Console Boost” when recording but “Unity” live.  You may have a different experience.

Second, the Manley DI also has a five-position knob that allows allows users to adjust the output frequencies, which is really handy to get some EQ tweak on the fly.  The knob

[s]elects between five types of 6 dB per octave low frequency rolloff:  BASS FULL is the closest to a “flat setting”. BASS FULL = 12 Hz / -3 dB, BASS MED = 42 Hz, GUITAR/SYNTH = 100 Hz, GUITAR MED = 250 Hz, GUITAR BRIGHT = 550 Hz.  All settings have a gentle roll-off on the highs (15 kHz -3 dB) to avoid some of the harshness of typical DI’s and to better approximate a clean amp-like sound.

Bass

Not surprisingly, we tested both the active and passive basses with the full spectrum position (i.e., “Bass Full”) in live and studio settings.  The Manley Labs DI offered ample tube warmth to bass along the full spectrum, although with the active bass it was not as punchy as the REDDI.  The tone was clear and round, and the higher notes popped out nicely in the mix.   With the passive bass, the Manley was actually a bit punchier than the REDDI.  However, it is like comparing a Porsche to a Ferrari — they’re both awesome, just different, and people could argue about which is better indefinitely.

For either passive or active basses, the Manley is a very high quality tube DI that we would recommend.  It offers warm, rich tube tone that sits well in the mix.

Acoustic Guitar

We tested the acoustic with all five frequency positions, but ultimately settled on the middle position (i.e., “Guitar/Synth”) during our recording sessions.  The Manley offered warmth and a smidgen more clarity than the REDDI.  The Manley sounded great solo or in the mix, with mellow highs free of harsh overtones.  It’s nice that it has a few settings so you can match the sound to your instrument, especially live.

Overall

The Manley Labs DI offered a warm, rich tube tone that sits well in the mix.   For the price (which admittedly is beyond many people’s budgets), we were not disappointed.  It is a great-sounding tube DI, and the bells and whistles really add value for the price.

Tech21 ParaDriver

Tech21 is a company well-know for its SansAmp line of pedals.  Most folks have seen or used a Tech21 product, and they generally don’t disappoint.  The ParaDriver sported impressive build quality for the price, and it came delivered in a nice metal tin with a sticker.  The manual was informative, easy to comprehend and access, and had some great sample settings.  In this day of overseas outsourcing, we like that Tech21 still makes their products in the good ol’ US of A.

Tech specs

Because the ParaDriver is more than just a DI, we decided to include a guide for the controls (from the manual):

• DRIVE: adjusts the overall amount of gain and overdrive, similar to when the output section of a tube amp is being pushed.

• BASS & TREBLE: These active tone controls cut or boost ±12dB from unity gain at 12 o’clock. Bass is 80 Hz, treble is 3.2 kHz.

• MID SHIFT & MID: Sweepable, semi-parametric EQ controls range from 170 Hz to 3.5 kHz, ±16dB, respectively.  With Mid Shift, you can select the center frequency of the mid-range control (MID), enabling you to notch out specific frequencies that may be causing your acoustic guitar to feed back.

• BLEND:  allows you to blend the direct instrument signal with SansAmp Tube/Microphone Emulation circuitry.  In most cases, you will probably have this set at maximum (100% SansAmp). If you should want to hear some of the distinct timbre of a piezo pickup, or reduce the amount of “compression,” you can simply adjust accordingly by turning the Blend control counter clockwise. At minimum, the SansAmp circuitry is bypassed. However, all the other controls remain active.  The unit then functions as a standard DI with EQ.

• LEVEL: adjusts the output level of both the 1/4” and XLR outputs.

Bass

After using the ParaDriver in the studio, live and in rehearsal, we found that it really shines as a live/rehearsal tool.  In the studio, the ParaDriver gave both the active and passive bass a high-tech, detailed sound.  As noted above, this is not really the type of sound that we like, but others may disagree.  C’est la vie.

Using the ParaDriver as an amp simulator (either in rehearsal or live) really allowed it to come into its own.  The manual has several sample settings, including “Deep Tube Bass” and “Active Bass Simulator,” each of which did a surprisingly good job of tone transformation.  During our first session with the ParaDriver (during a rehearsal), we tested the “SVT® Bass” setting and it made my little Eden combo come alive with growl and beefy bass goodness!

Acoustic Guitar

To be perfectly honest, we had a hard time finding satisfying tones using the ParaDriver with an acoustic.  We tried the sample settings, we tried the DI straight, and then we tried some more, but we found the tone a bit dry and brittle compared to the other DIs tested.

That said, the ParaDriver did sound really great as an overdrive pedal for electric guitar.

Overall

Overall, the Tech21 ParaDriver DI offers a really good option for a bass player with about $200 to spend who needs both a dependable DI and tone shaping capabilities.  The ParaDriver was not our favorite studio DI, but it is a great live tool.

Radial JDI Mk3

The Radial JDI tested is the only one of the four that was not made in the USA.  Radial’s products are proudly made in the Great White North, eh.  Perhaps its Canadian roots explain its sturdy build and nice evergreen color.  The JDI is built to last, and to take abuse while it is around, so it is not surprising that it has a high-quality Jensen transformer and welded steel construction.  The JDI was the most traditional DI-like in appearance, and is at one with the Force (get it — JeDI??  Ed. — that was Josh again.  Sheesh.).

Tech specs

• Dynamic range: 135dB
• Signal to noise: 119dB
• Maximum input level: +19dB
• Frequency range: 10Hz~40kHz
• Linearity 20~20kHz: 0.1dB
• Phase coherence: 4º at 20Hz, 0º at 1kHz
• Distortion at 20Hz: 0.006%
• CMR rejection 100dB @60Hz
• Input impedance: 10kW
• Output impedance: 600W
• Construction: Welded steel
• Finish: Baked enamel
• Input connectors: Two 1/4” phone
• Output connectors: XLR male

Bass

With the active bass in the studio, the Radial JDI offered a more balanced tone than the Tech21 ParaDriver, but perhaps not as much warmth as the tube DIs.  No surprise there.  With the passive bass in the studio, the JDI was much warmer sounding and had a nice low-end beef.

Either live or in the studio, the JDI provides a nice, warm tone (although a bit low-mid heavy), with excellent clarity in the mix.  It is a solid, portable piece that fits easily in any gig or utility bag, and can handle the road like a champ.  Bob has been personally using a JDI as his “go to” DI for smaller live shows (at home and on the road) for the past several years.  Now, a REDDI purchase may be warranted too…

Acoustic Guitar

We were both surprised at how well the JDI sounded with the acoustic.  The tone was remarkably warm and balanced for a solid state DI.  It seems to have the correct sonic range for the guitar — great bass response and a full sonic palate  of mids and highs.

In the studio, the JDI translated a real “woody” sound, even in a relatively crowded mix.  Live, the JDI manages to maintains warmth, but translate clarity as well.  This is certainly a “go to” piece for an acoustic player, and a workhorse that will be with you for many years at home and on the road.

Overall

The Radial JDI Mk3 is an excellent DI, especially for the money.  It gets a special nod for how well it handled the acoustic guitar.  You really can’t go wrong.

Conclusions

Of the four DIs that we tested, each offers a different tone, a different price point, and a different recommended use.  If you’ve got the money and need to have the absolute best, grab yourself an A-Designs Audio REDDI.  You won’t be disappointed.

If you’ve got some money and want a tube DI, but want a few more bells and whistles than the REDDI, the Manley Labs Mono Tube DI will treat you well.  It offers tube warmth, gain control and some tone shaping options all in one.

If you only have about $200 and you need a solid, reliable DI with serious tone shaping options, the Tech21 ParaDriver DI is a good choice.  It is a great tool for the working bassist.

If you only have about $200, you like simplicity and want a DI that will be good for bass or guitar, and will operate flawlessly night after night (after night…), the Radial JDI Mk3 is a great choice.  It just works, period.

Overall, you really can’t go wrong with any of these items.

L.R. Baggs M1 Active Soundhole Pickup

Price: $250 List
Available at: Sweetwater.com

The Good Stuff:

I bought this pickup for my 1960’s Crown Hummingbird copy after hearing how it sounded on my buddy’s Epiphone EJ-200. The main thing I noticed was that it sounded like an acoustic guitar and not like an acoustic/electric guitar. Rather than having the sort of thin, slightly distorted sound that I hear from most under-bridge pick ups, it has a warm woody sound more reminiscent of a mic’ed guitar. There were some super technical explanations on the LR BAggs website about how they achieve this sound using stacked pickups to cancel hum etc. The gist of it  is, that you clamp the sides of the pickup to the sides of the soundhole and this picks up vibrations from the surface wood of the guitar. That tone is then blended with the string sound picked up by adjustable magnets (very similar to an electric guitar pickup). The magnets are adjustable up and down with a hex wrench (included), and it comes with a few extra in case you lose some (which I did ). I have used this guitar/pickup setup extensively like and have not had any problems with feedback (or lack of volume) whether I was at a big outdoor venue or a tiny cramped club. Additionally, the volume knob is located directly on the pickup so there is no need to drill anymore holes for that.  I was also interested in this pickup because you can install a quarter inch jack through the strap button on the base of the guitar so you don’t have to  have a cable hanging out the front of the soundhole like some of the other pickups I was considering. The battery is lithium so it lasts forever too. I have had this pickup for three years and never needed to replace it.

The Bad Stuff:

Honestly, I can’t say much bad about this product. The only problem I have ever encountered is when I adjusted the magnets up too close to the strings and it clipped in the house system a little. It does require you to drill a hole in the base of your guitar to use the strap button input and I know not everyone will be willing to do that. It is also not easy to get in-and-out of the guitar. It is pretty much put it in and leave it. So if you are concerned with having the pickup in your soundhole all of the time then you might not like it.

Overall:

This is a solid product that sounds great and just works. If you look on the http://lrbaggs.com you’ll see tons of professionals use this pickup and for good reason. I’d recommend it to anyone looking for a pickup for playing live, especially with a band.

P.S. I am actually hoping to try out an LR Baggs DI with it to see if it sounds even better. We’ll see, we will be posting our DI round-up pretty soon with reviews of a whole range of DIs.

Evidence Audio “Forte” Instrument Cable

Price: $130

Available at BassNW and other fine retailers.

The TwoGearGeeks tested a 20′ right to straight cable in a variety of live, rehearsal and studio settings, primarily with bass guitars (but with a smidge of guitar thrown in for good measure).  The test gear included a 1972 Fender P-Bass, a 2005 Modulus Quantum 4, a 2006 Lakland Skyline DPLE2, an RS Guitarworks Telecaster and a host of amps.  We followed Evidence Audio’s advice and did well over 10 hours of “break-in” on the cable before the testing (by running signal through it from a continuous output source to an amplifier to a speaker cabinet at home).

The Good Stuff:

Let’s cut right to the chase — the Forte cable is great.  It has an excellent, rich, warm tone, with deeper lows and clearer mids than a Monster cable or a generic cable with either bass or guitar.  Sonically, the Forte is very similar to Evidence Audio’s Melody cable, which we reviewed last year.  Perhaps the Forte has a slightly beefier tone, though, one that is perfectly suited for rock bass.  The simple benefit over the Melody is that the Forte is a much more flexible cable, which makes a huge difference in live applications (especially during tear down at a busy club).

The Forte is also hand made in the USA, a fact that we love.

Honestly, everything good that we said about the Melody applies equally to the Forte.  No need to repeat ourselves, just read the Melody review!

The Bad Stuff:

As with the Melody, the Forte is a pricey cable.  But, you get what you pay for in cables, IMHO.  If you are using a good instrument into a good amp, why cheap out on cables?

Overall:

The Forte is an excellent addition to the Evidence Audio cable stable, and — to us, at least — worth every penny.

Aguilar AG 500SC Bass Amplifier

Price — $1,099 at BassNW and online retailers

The Good Stuff:

If you’re a bass player or know a bass player, you’ve likely heard the name Aguilar Amplification.  The company has a well-deserved reputation for making professional quality (and quite expensive) amplifiers and cabinets.  While most of their early amps and preamps were tube-driven (such as the venerable DB 359, which I recently added to my personal stable), Aguilar has ventured into the solid state realm with its AG 500 and AG 500SC amps.  With a much lower price point and the classic Aguilar tone, this is great news for bass players.

The Geeks tested the AG 500SC amp, a compact single channel amp that pushes a respectable 500 watts at 4 ohms and 250 watts at 8 ohms.  Aguilar builds its products in the good ol’ US of A, and the build quality on the AG 500SC that was tested is on par with any amplifier that I’ve ever seen.  Removing the lid to look at the innards, I was shocked (figuratively, of course) to see just how tidy and organized it was.  Not a wire out of place; not a square inch of wasted space.  It was like looking at airplane components:

The AG 500SC is also compact and relatively lightweight at around 18 pounds.  Given that Aguilar’s flagship amp, the DB 751, weighs in at a beefy 42 pounds (close to the weight of my 1972 Ampeg V4-B!), 18 pounds is an easy haul to just about any gig.  The AG 500SC can also be rack-mounted or can be transported in one of Aguilar’s handy bags.

So, the big question is “Does it sound like a DB 751?”  Well, yes and no.  The best way that I’ve found to describe the “Aguilar tone” is “clear.”  Really, really clear — think “glassy” —  but not harsh.  The AG 500SC definitely has the clarity from its big brothers like the DB 359 and DB 751, but it isn’t quite as warm as Aguilar’s tube driven amps.  I doubt this comes as much of a surprise to you that a solid state amp is not as warm as a tube amp…

Anyhow, I was able to coax some pretty warm, clear tones out of the AG 500SC with some eq and some patience.  While it certainly still sounds like a solid state amp, the tone warmed up noticeably when powering the AG 500SC with an E.S.P. power cable.  The AG 500SC has a robust eq (more robust than the DB 751, actually), with individual controls for Low- and High-Mids, and Bright & Deep switches, along with standard Bass and Treble controls.  It also has a footswitch-controlled mute and effects loop.  I’m pleased that the AG 500SC has two Speakon outputs, as it bugs me that Aguilar cabinets only have a single Speakon connection (which makes daisy-chaining difficult without multiple Speakon outputs on the amp).  There’s also a Tuner Out on the back, which is a “must-have” output in modern rack-mountable amps.

The Bad Stuff:

The only possible gripe that I can find with the AG 500SC is that it can handle only down to a 4 ohm minimum load.  It would be great if it could handle 2 ohms, but I’m sure that there’s a reason why Aguilar chose to have it bottom out at 4 ohms.

Some may say that $1,100 is a steep price for a solid state amp that pushes 500 watts.  To me, getting an Aguilar for $1,100 is a steal (the DB 751 is over twice the price of the AG 500SC).

Overall:

The AG 500SC is great amp!  Classic Aguilar tone at a more affordable price, and in a more portable package.

Essential Sound Products MusicCord-PRO Power Cord

Price: $180 direct from Essential Sound Products

I will state at the outset that I came to this review with a very healthy skepticism of this product.  I mean, $180 for a power cable?!  C’mon.  But, I dropped down my hard earned cash and gave it a whirl in the quest for GearGeek-dom.

I tested the 2-meter version with my 1965 Fender Jazz bass and my new Modulus VJ bass through (a) an Eden Metro and (b) Eden WT400 and WTX-260 amps through 2 Aguilar GS112 cabinets.  Note that I did not test this cable with any 5 or 6 string basses (I don’t use them), and I did not use any super high powered amps (I don’t own anything over 400 watts).  I also did not test any guitar amps, as I only own vintage amps with hardwired power cables.

The Good Stuff:

The first thing you’ll notice is that this is — by far — the biggest, thickest, gnarliest power cable that you’ve likely ever seen.  This thing is massive, and it even comes with its own carrying case!  The MusicCord-PRO means business.  For $180, though, it better mean business!!

After A/B-ing the cable with a standard power cable, I will admit that I can hear an audible difference with the MusicCord-PRO.  There seem to be more fundamentals in the lower register and definitely less noise overall.  It was not the biggest difference ever, but it did sound better to my ears.  I know it is difficult to define, but I will give it a thumbs-up for making my tone sound more “musical” and “warm” than with a standard power cable.  I heard fewer harsh overtones in my bass tone for sure.

I will say that the noise issue was more noticeable than the tone difference.  I typically pick up radio frequencies through my amps at home, and I didn’t get a single stray news cast when using the MusicCord-PRO.

The difference in tone and noise seemed most noticeable to me when running a passive bass (my 1965 Jazz) through a class-d amp (Eden WTX-260).  Class-d amps have torroidal transformers (and are much more reliant upon a good power signal), so this was not much of a surprise.  However, having a massive and relatively unwieldy power cable for a 3.5 lb micro bass head sort of defeats the portability of the class-d amps IMHO.  The MusicCord-PRO seems to weigh the same as my WTX-260…

The Bad Stuff:

As hinted at above, the MusicCord-PRO is difficult to maneuver, especially in tight spaces.  The cable is quite thick and stiff, and it is sometimes difficult to twist the end to fit into the back of the amp. But, the connectors are seriously top-notch, so once the cable is plugged in I was not the least bit worried about it jimmying out while playing.

The elephant in the room is that $180 is a big chunk of change for a power cable.  But, if you must have the latest and greatest for your gear, the MusicCord-PRO should be on your list.

Overall:

The MusicCord-PRO is quite an impressive power cable and it will make an audible difference in your bass tone.  However, I am not so sure that it makes an $180 difference in my tone.  That said, I will definitely be keeping the MusicCord-PRO in my gig bag for future shows and studio work.  Overall, I would give this product a thumbs-up for quality and I would encourage bass gear technophiles to give it a try!

Eden D112XLT Cabinet

Price – $500

Available at BassNW and other fine retailers

This is the third in my series of compact 1×12 reviews.  Please see my earlier reviews of the Epifani UL Series 2 112 and the Aguilar GS112.

The Good Stuff:

I really like the look of the D112xlt.  It looks like a mini version of other Eden cabs with the porting.  Nice touch!  The D112xlt has two speakon and two 1/4″ input/outputs in the jackplate, which makes it easy to daisy-chain two cabs.  You’ll remember that that was one of my nits to pick with the Aguilar GS112.

At 38 pounds, the D112xlt is not the lightest cabinet, but it is still quite portable.  The handle is well-placed, on the top instead of the side.  It is easy to carry the D112xlt with one hand.

As with most of Eden’s cabinet’s the efficiency is an excellent 103db, which makes for a LOUD little 112.  At 32hz – 14khz, the D112xlt has a deeper frequency response than the Epifani and Aguilar cabinets I reviewed (by a solid 10hz), but the tone was not deeper.  Power handling is 250 watts at 8ohms, which is 50 watts less than the Epifani and the Aguilar.  This may not seem like much, but it is right on the line of many small amps, like the the Eden WTX-500 and WT 550.  I always prefer to be conservative on powering speaker cabinets, and that seems to have paid off for me in the lifespan of my cabinets.

The Bad Stuff:

The tone of the D112xlt is quite heavy on the midrange.  I found that this made for excellent clarity during gigs, but I did have to crank a bit on the bass knob to get some fat low end.  I was able to get fat low end with a flat EQ on the Epifani and the Aguilar, so I am adding this as a negative because I personally prefer a bass-heavy tone (I play mainly country and rock).  I felt that tone was a little thin and sterile with the EQ flat, and that some tweaking was needed to get the good solid Eden tone from the cabinet.

Another issue I have with the D112xlt is that it is an odd width.  At 21″ wide, the D112xlt is too wide to interlock with the Aguilar or Epifani (which are 19″ wide) and too narrow to interface with other Eden cabinets (which are about 23″ wide).

Overall:

Overall, the D112xlt is solid, portable 1×12 cabinet.  It is voiced to cut through the mix better than some, but I personally find the tone a bit thin without EQ.

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).

Behringer CS-100 Compressor/Sustainer Pedal

Price: $30

Available Online at: Trading Musician

The Good Stuff:

This is my first review that I really don’t have much good to say. It’s cheap, it hasn’t elctrocuted me, it doesn’t have bone, monkey, or axe or any other dumb title as its name.

The Bad Stuff:

Aside from the problems with all of this line of Behringer pedals (ie cheap contruction, difficult to change battery, weird AC placement), this pedal just doesn’t really sound good. I bought it to try out getting a super compressed country sound with my tele. I read a few other reviews of the pedal suggesting turning the attack and sustain (ie compression) all the way up. So I tried that, and it definitely compressed the heack out of the signal but the tone just sounded bad. It tried messing around with the tone knob to no avail, and I tried out the attack and sustain at a variety of positions. This pedal basically sucks the tone out of my amp and leaves it sounding thin and unpleasantly distorted.

Overall:

I’ve heard good things about MXR compressor pedals (which also appear to be built better) and I’d like to try one of those against this Behringer pedal. This is one of those cases where you should spend the extra dough for the higher end pedal, cause unfortunately, this one ain’t cutting it.

Epifani UL Series 2 112 Cabinet

Price – $500

Available at BassNW and other fine retailers

The Good Stuff:

The Epifani UL2 112 is is the first in my series of three reviews of compact, 1×12 cabinets.  This cabinet is a lightweight cabinet with big tone.  Despite featuring an ultra-light Epifani Aluminum-frame neodymium driver, this little sucker will pump some BASS (response is 43Hz to 16kHz).  The neo driver and the Italian poplar plywood construction keep the cabinet down to 31 pounds, and the top-mounted handle make this super easy to move.  I’ve now played it at multiple gigs and rehearsals and I smile every time I pick it up.

The cabinet features 2 Speakon and 1/4″ input/output jacks, allowing for ease of use with a second cabinet.  With a 300W rating and 8 ohm impedance, this little cabinet can easily handle what micro amps can deliver.  With a 100dB sensitivity, this is a pretty loud (i.e., efficient) cabinet.

The tone can best be described as “accurate” and “clear.”  No matter where I am on the neck of my bass, the UL2 112 offers a full, clear tone with minimal coloration.  I wouldn’t describe the tone as “warm,” nor would I describe it as “cold.”  It is clear — which really is great in live band scenarios.

Having never before used 12″ speakers for bass, I am pretty impressed.  The cabinet offers more fundamental in the tone than a 2×10, but quicker and tighter response than a 1×15.  I found it just as easy to dial in modern, aggressive tones than it was to dial in big, fat country thump.

EDIT: I forgot to add that I tested this cabinet with both electric and upright, so let me add my thoughts about the upright in particular.  When paired with my Eden WTX-260,  I thought the UL2 112 did a great job.  The low end was solid and not too “woofy,” and the clarity was great across the range on the bass.  I felt that I could plug into a flat EQ with this cabinet and get a great, round, solid tone, where I was doing a lot of EQ tweaking with the other cabs I will be reviewing.

The Bad Stuff:

The only thing negative that I can say is not really a bad point about this cabinet, per se.  Having played this cabinet both alone and with other 112s, I feel that a single cabinet just doesn’t produce enough volume with a loud drummer.  But, all bets are off with two!

Well, I suppose I can add that this is not a cheap cabinet.  However, the price of the UL2 112 is well within the price range of similar cabinets and, after all, you get what you pay for with this cabinet.

Overall:

This is a great, if spendy, cabinet that is perfect for bass players tired of moving heavy cabinets.  Great tone, great portability.