Genzler Bass Array 10-2 Combo

[DBerriff]

I have been waiting for 3 months for these to arrive. While not unhappy with my previous rig, everything I had read suggested this would be a very practical solution for EUB work with a big band.

I now have one sat in my living room. Bass Direct rang me up as soon as they arrived and had a combo set up to try out when I drove down yesterday. Having used Jeff Genzler's gear for a while now I just bought one on trust.

On a slightly touchy note, BD occasionaly comes in for a bit of criticism. I could not fault the team yesterday. I got a friendly welcome and the opportunity to talk about needs and solutions. They they had previously sold some of my gear on commission to help pay for this combo and that has worked really well for me. So a big thumbs up for Mark and his team.

What? The combo? Oh, sorry, I digress.

I was tired last night after a lot of driving (in my late 60s it does not get any easier despite the entertainment laid on by some of my fellow motorists) so my scrambled brain was incapable of systematic evaluation. Also, it will take a gig (this Saturday) to find out if this combo delivers in the way I hope. Which is, to provide greater clarity for EUB in a big band setting.

At home practice levels that clarity is already evident. The first bass I tried was to my disappointment a bit flat sounding. I switched to a passive 5 string with Nordstrand P/J pickups and everything came alive. This combo is going to give you back what you put into it.

Then a BSX EUB. That is what I have been looking for. Not quite a proper upright sound yet as that will need a bit more experimentation but well on the way.

The combo comes as a kit. The Magellan 350 head is its own box inside the speaker carton, as is the cradle, fixing scews, and a short Speakon cable. I have not assembled it all yet but along with the bespoke carry bag this is a supremely practical gigging solution for amplified acoustic and EUB work.

It is not cheap, and the fall in the pound has not helped. But I have great faith in Jeff Genzler's products, having previously used a Genz Benz rig for function work. For my needs - playing with a "big band" - the combo should be perfect for size, power, weight, portability, and of course sound. The array element should help me hear myself and keep my intonation under control.

To be continued. We have a gig this Saturday and that will be interesting.

[DBerriff]

Regarding the cost, the combo is cheaper than the sum of the parts. The build quality is excellent and on past experience it will stand up to the rigours of regular gigging. You do get what you pay for (pound/dollar apart) and seen as a working "tool" for the job, I consider this an excellent investment. I just wish everyone who plays EUB could afford one.

Edited May 5, 2017 by DBerriff

[DBerriff]

Ed Friedland likes it and to be honest it is likely that there will be nothing I can add to his review. He is vastly more experienced and talented than I could ever be.

http://www.genzleramplification.com/assets/File/bas0517_genzler.pdf

[Osiris]

Let us know what you think of it once you've had time to get to know it and put it through its paces.
Assuming that the Magellan 350 has the same tone as its big brother (of which I am a proud owner) I think you'll be a happy man.

[DBerriff]

The first bass I tried was a bit underwhelming.

The second bass (Lull PJ-5 with Norstrand pickups) sounded superb. This combo offers no hiding place. Buzzy fret - you are going to hear it. Slightly lifeless sound - yes, you will hear that too. But a spectacular bass is going to sound spectacular.

Low-end growl is all there. There is appreciably more low-note weight than I have been getting from my previous cab, and I thought that was good.

But the "moment" was plugging in my NXT EUB. It has never sounded so good, despite my trying to tame the piezo sound with a preamp. I have taken out a touch of upper mid using the 350 semi-parametric (frequency at 1 o' clock) but even that was nowhere like as necessary as before. This is what this combo was made for, this and a jazz bass. It should be good for a jazz double bass too.

So that is my setup for the gig tomorrow. NXT EUB, G&L MJ-4 and Genzler Mag 350/10-2. I just wish it had a name I could remember.

[DBerriff]

The Magellan sounds the same as the 800 I have been using. I have left that at Bass Direct which I hope does not prove to be a mistake in the long run. I don't need the power of the 800. I don't need the distortion. But... like all of Jeff's gear it has been so dependable that I feel wrong selling it on. The 350 is noticeably smaller and lighter. A few outputs have been left off, but the superb DI is still there, and 2 Speakon outputs. As you can daisy-chain the cabs that was not strictly necessary.

[Osiris]

Out of interest, what was the first bass that you plugged into it that you found underwhelming? What was underwhelming about it?

Yes, I agree that the Magellan offers you nowhere to hide. It has certainly forced me to be a bit more careful!
I've not experienced any underwhelming sounds from any of my basses yet, even my cheap and cheerful Peavey sounded good through it, but it has been fitted with a decent pickup which no doubt helps.

As for the weight to the low end, that seems to be a characteristic of the Magellans. I emailed Genzler to ask if they use a high pass filter as there is no mention of one either in the manual or online. I had a reply from Jeff Genzler himself (how's that for customer service!) and this is what he said;

[i]Hello Sid,[/i]

[i]Thank you for your purchase.[/i]

[i]Yes, we do utilize a High Pass filter with the MG-800. It is a very steep slope and set low around the 30 Hz range. [/i]
[i]This allows us to achieve a clean, solid and authoritative low end without potential flubbyness.[/i]
[i]This also helps with protection from over-excursion for speakers under high power situations.[/i]

[i]I hope this information is helpful.[/i]

[i]Best Regards,[/i]

[i]Jeff Genzler[/i]
[i]Founder[/i]

My guess is that this accounts for the weighty low end!
Class D doubters take note

[DBerriff]

The bass is an active P/J of European origin, including the pre-amp and pickups. I really like it as a practical bass but it just sounds a bit bland compared to the Nordstrands. It might be the nickel strings; it came with stainless. Until I have spent more time setting it up it would not be fair to name names. Also, for gigging volumes it would not matter; I am just being picky while trying to work out the practicalities of using this combo.

It isn't the Magellan that has made the difference, it is the line array cab. I am comparing the combo with my Magellan 800 into one or a pair of Barefaced One 10s. To be fair, the One 10 is smaller, lighter and designed to have a coloured sound. I really like the One 10 and I will be keeping one of them as an alternative for home practice or an old-school sound.

[Phil Starr]

Good to hear that they sound so good. Thanks for the review.

[DBerriff]

That is the first gig successfully completed. Our venue was the village hall in Greetham, Rutland, which has poor acoustics with bass-heavy reverberation. I had to turn the bass down to around 10 o' clock. But the band approved of the sound and with a touch of mid added for the EUB so did I. This little cab has plenty of low-end energy. It seems every review now is amazed at how much low-frequency bass small cabs can output. Sorry, but here is another. I was amazed by how much low-frequency bass this small cab can output.

Overall I was running the volume at around 9 o' clock. So a single cab will easily keep up with a big band using a PA for vocals and solos.

Two cabs will, obviously, get one off the floor and improve self-monitoring and, so I read, dispersion. Better, best.

When I say the band approved, they do not normally comment at all. The clear mids of the Genzler allowed me to push the mids to get a clearer sounds without bringing out the piezo artefacts from the NXT. They have a sound in their heads of clear bass, not loud bass. This is what the 10-2 cab is able to deliver. I have to wonder what the larger cabs in the range sound like!

But this is a combo. I have enough gear already what with doubling on bass and EUB. To be able to pack the combo and its associated cables into a single bag is really convenient.

[Guest subaudio]

Glad your liking the Genzler, I'm looking at them too now.

I used a Genz Benz shuttle 10t combo for double bass and it was a real workhorse, always sounded great and always powerful, it sounded great with a P bass too. I still marvel at how much bass end and volume it kicked out from a tiny super light box.

Drummers loved it because they could always hear me with clarity.

Id love to get two as a rig, I don't think Id ever need more oomph.

I'm busy checking out Genzler gear now, all very exciting

[DBerriff]

Re-reading this, I seem to have been a bit lukewarm about my Sandberg VT bass. With some new strings and a minor change in string height it is now my workhorse 4-string bass guitar. My ears must have been clogged up for that first review.

The Genzler gear is superb and has proved a really practical solution for my admittedly light gigging and practice schedule. One cab or two - that is the only question now.