Aguilar review

SOUNDROOM
AGUILAR AG 500 DUALCHANNEL HEAD
List Price $1,595;
Approx. street
price $1,199
Pros Strong tone and
quick response with
plenty of headroom;
beefy distortion
channel; lightweight; many gigready features
Cons HIGH- and LOWMID EQ are limited
and too narrow
AGUILAR
AG 500 Dual Channel Head
and AG 500SC-112C Combo
BY BILL LEIGH
AGUILAR AG 500SC112C COMBO
List Price $1,895
Approx. street price
$1,399
Pros Strong tone and
quick response with
plenty of headroom;
great-sounding cabinet; extension cab
makes a potent rig
Cons No casters;
cumbersome to
carry; high- and
low-mid EQ are limited and too narrow
METHODOLOGY
Soundroom Fender
American Standard Jazz,
Ernie Ball/MusicMan
StingRay, Lakland 44-94,
It’s nice to have back-panel regulars like the D.I. controls, footswitch jack, and effects loop up front and at hand. Pulling the
effect RETURN knob switches from series to parallel—dropping out your dry, unaffected signal—while pulling effect SEND boosts the
effects signal up to line-level.
and flatwound-strung
Lakland Skyline Darryl
Jones Signature with
Aguilar GS 410 and Ampeg
SVT
Gigs/rehearsals AG 500
head with Fender American
www.bassplayer.com
Standard Jazz, F Bass BN5,
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and Aguilar GS 112 1x12;
AG 500SC-112C Combo with
Washburn Taurus T14 and
Line 6 Bass Variax 700
BASS PLAYER
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SAY YOU GOT SO GOOD AT PLAYING IN A CERTAIN
style that you gained a reputation for it. How audacious
would it be for you to completely change your approach?
That’s what Aguilar Amplification is doing with their
new AG 500 head, a lightweight solid-state amplifier
that marks a new direction for the Manhattan-based
amp maker. Amp-wise, Aguilar built its reputation on
warm-sounding tube-filled amps and preamps. The AG
500 is not only the company’s first tube-less head, it’s
also its first head to utilize a switching power amp. The
MARCH 2005
result is a cool running, beefy sounding, two-rack space
head that weighs only 18 pounds.
Aiming to reach gigging rock players who need flexibility and power, Aguilar also offers the AG 500 as a
standalone head or in a 1x12 or 2x12 combo that incorporates GS-series speaker cabinets. Chief among the
head’s features is a second preamp channel for overdrive, which runs parallel to the clean preamp channel
and is selectable via footswitch and front-panel switch.
Aguilar offers a single-channel AG 500SC for a lower
TECH SPECS
AG 500 & AG 500SC
HEADS
Power rating 500 watts
into 4Ω minimum
RMS
load
Front panel jacks q"
input with –10dB input
pad, effects send, effects
return, footswitch, D.I.
Back Panel jacks Two
Speakon speaker outputs, two q" speaker
outputs, q" tuner output
Tone Controls Channel 1
BRIGHT
(+5dB@4kHz
shelving), TREBLE
(±13db@4kHz shelving),
(±14db@800Hz
HIGH MID
peaking), LOW MID
(±14db@400Hz peaking), BASS (±18db@40Hz
shelving), DEEP
(+6db@100Hz shelving)
Tone Controls Channel 2
(AG 500 dual-channel
only) CONTOUR (broad
range mid scoop@1kHz
(clockwise flat, counterclockwise approx. 20dB),
TREBLE
(+6dB/–10db@
4kHz shelving),
MID
(+4db/–10db@
600Hz peaking),
BASS
price. I checked out the AG 500 dual-channel head and
the AG 500SC-112C, a single-channel head in a 1x12
combo.
DESIGN & CONSTRUCTION
In terms of construction, the only difference between
the standalone and combo-based heads is six top-positioned hex screws that hold the combo’s head in the
cabinet; a couple minutes with an allen wrench and it’s
possible to slide out the combo head and use it on its
own. The chassis is a solid welded box with a separate
top plate, resulting in much more rigid construction
than chassis designs that have two perpendicularly
opposed U-shaped panels. The amp’s internal layout is
excellent. A beefy toroidal transformer supplies ample
power to all components, as well as the bulk of the head’s
weight. Also under the hood are four huge power-supply capacitors, which provide a substantial power reservoir for enhanced dynamic punch and impact.
In addition to its light weight, and quiet, fan-free
operation, the AG 500 offers several gigging-pro features, like reliability-enhancing protection modes, a fullfeatured DI, a side-mounted carrying handle, and a
front-panel effects loop and footswitch jack. I did wish
the head had feet on the side opposite the carry handle,
as I tended to set it down on its side when loading. The
AG 500SC-112C combo is essentially the company’s
easy-tote GS 112 cabinet with an AG 500 head tacked
on. But the short-depth head and added height make
the cubular combo awkwardly front-heavy and cumbersome. The combo doesn’t accommodate casters, so
I used a dolly to roll into a rehearsal space, but that
(+8dB/–6db@
40Hz shelving),
DEEP
(+6db@
100Hz shelving),
PRESENCE
(+6db/–20db@
4kHz shelving)
Other controls EFFECTS SEND
level with push-pull
series/parallel, EFFECTS
RETURN
level with push-
pull for instrument
level/line level, D.I.
PRE/POST,
D.I. GROUND LIFT
Other models Aguilar AG
500SC single-channel
head (list price $1,295;
approx. street price
$970), Aguilar AG 500112C dual-channel
combo (list price $2,195;
approx. street price
excess heat to require noisy fans and large heat sinks, which add to an amplifier’s bulk. Class D amps are far more efficient. They
$1,649), Aguilar GS 112
produce power by switching transistors on and off at a high frequency using a process called Pulse Width Modulation. The AG 500 is
NT tweeterless extension
like a Class D amp, but it utilizes switching technology developed by the Tripath Corporation. The Tripath power amp topology, named
cabinet (list price $479;
Class T, modulates the output using a proprietary module that purports to eliminate some of the weaknesses of Class D amps while
approx. street price
maintaining the efficiency that’s a hallmark of the technology. Aguilar’s AG 500 uses a Class T output stage and a conventional linear
$359)
www.bassplayer.com
The conventional class AB power amplifier is a tried-and-true design, but one that operates relatively inefficiently, producing enough
power transformer.
MARCH 2005
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BASS PLAYER
65
SOUNDROOM
TECH SPECS cont.
Aguilar continued
Options Rack ears are
didn’t help me heft it into my hatchback or grunt upstairs
to a second-floor practice room. For my next practice
I carried the AG 500 head by it’s side-handle in one
hand and a separate GS 112 in the other—a breeze by
comparison.
included with all standalone heads; a twobutton channel-select
and mute/operate
footswitch are included
SOUND & APPLICATION
With the EQ set flat, the AG 500’s clean channel sounds
strong, with a full, warm bottom and crisp, articulate
top end. Turning up GAIN reveals a logarithmic slope
that gets real loud real quick once the knob passes noon.
Backed up by the power amp’s quick, immediate feel,
the clean channel has a huge dynamic response with a
punchy, percussive attack and dryish texture that’s great
for aggressive playing styles. CHANNEL 1 also has a naturally strong, deep bottom, but its powerful BASS EQ has
enough boost to tackle any reasonable situation. Adding
in the DEEP switch’s musical boom helps extend coverage to unreasonable situations. The TREBLE control adds
a nice top-end sweetness that never gets harsh even
when fully cranked. Nearly all the knobs were like this—
even at their extremes, there were useable tones; you
simply couldn’t mess yourself up too much. That said,
the HIGH MID and LOW MID knobs aren’t voiced as well
as the others; their comparatively narrow bandwidth
tended to add honk or notch the tone, rather than offer
a more universally useable application. Overall, I found
the AG 500’s clean channel to be very musical, both in
the head and combo contexts. With a band, I cut through
clearly with a round fundamental that didn’t get lost,
with the dual-channel
AG 500, whether standalone or in a combo. A
footswitch for the AG
500SC is also available
(price unavailable at
press time).
AG 500SC-112C
SPEAKER CABINET
Speakers Custom castframe Eminence speaker
with 56 oz. Magnet,
P.Audio compression
driver tweeter
Impedance 8Ω
Frequency response
42Hz–16kHz
Power handling 300
watts RMS
Sensitivity 102dB spl
Dimensions AG 500:
17e" x 10w" x 3k";
AG 500SC-112C: 20" x
18w" x 20w"
Weight AG 500: 17 lbs;
AG 500SC-112C: 69 lbs
Made in U.S.A.
Warranty Three years
limited
www.bassplayer.com
Note the two preamp boards, large power supply capacitors,
and the Tripath output module. The small passive heatsink is
due to the AG 500’s efficient switching power amp.
66
even with ludicrously loud bands practicing in adjacent
rooms.
CHANNEL 2 is the dual-channel AG 500’s overdrive
circuit. A SATURATION knob sits where CHANNEL 1’s GAIN
knob resides, but internally its followed by a compensating gain stage, which ensures the output volume
remains constant and the channel free of overload regardless of how much saturation is dialed in. From a gritty
snarl at the SATURATION knob’s lowest reaches, to a powerful growl with the knob at noon, CHANNEL 2 is like the
ugly-and-loving-it Mr. Hyde to CHANNEL 1’s clean-living Dr. Jekyll. CONTOUR and PRESENCE have the most
direct effect on the overdrive quality, with the former
adding a broad-range scoop in the upper mids and the
latter enhancing top-end fuzz. Through bigger rigs it’s
clear that the AG 500’s overdrive is not like a traditional
overdriven tube fuzz, but a thick sound all it’s own.
Some may prefer a favorite fuzz pedal or find no need
for distortion at all, but I loved having both sounds of
the AG 500’s two channels at my toe tips, especially
when it came time to play big unison riffs. With CHANNEL 2 engaged, CONTOUR around 10 o’clock, and PRESENCE at 2 P.M., the AG ripped my bandmates’ heads off
most pleasantly.
The real fun of the AG 500, though, is in its killer
dynamic sensitivity. Clean or dirty, it always feels like
you’ve got more power available. It’s notable that the
AG 500’s underlying technology makes the playing experience completely different than that of the company’s
flagship high-powered head, the DB 750. Rather than
plushy and finger sensitive, the AG 500 has a quick,
more immediately responsive feel. And it’s loud. Through
big cabs, small cabs, or in the combo, the AG is indeed
a full-figured head. No doubt, this puppy barks big. But
you can use that power responsibly, digging into that
extra headroom to make accented notes and fills really
mean something.
The AG 500SC-112C combo exhibits all of the qualities of the standalone head’s clean channel in a warmsounding one-piece combo with plenty of bottom. Using
an additional GS 112 as an extension cab, and turning
off one of the tweeters made for a compact but potent
4Ω rig.
Playing through the Aguilar’s AG 500 is like working with a specially crafted tool, with lots of options,
thoughtful conveniences, and a good, solid sounds.
Backed up by its big power section, the AG feels like a
muscle car, with ample reserve to deliver more when
necessary. Aguilar has produced a great product for bass
players, and that’s why the AG 500 head deserves a BASS
PLAYER Editor’s Award.
BP
SECOND OPINION
Using the AG 500 with a separate Aguilar GS 112: Nice warm sound on the gig with a strong fundamental that didn’t dominate.
Plenty of headroom. EQ knobs seemed reversed. Channel 1’s HIGH and LOW MID EQs a bit peaky; couldn’t get the Jaco sound using MID
knobs. Appreciate mute both on footswitch and push-button. Lights seem mighty bright. — J O N A T H A N H E R R E R A
BASS PLAYER
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MARCH 2005