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SubShop
The New State Law
Aguilar AG 500
By Emile Menasché
four- and five-string basses.
The amp can sit head-style atop a cabinet
HE FOLKS at Aguilar Amplification
or can be mounted with the included rack
are no strangers to high-end tone,
ears. At a very manageable 18 lbs, the head,
and the groundbreaking AG 500 head
which sports a flexible side-mounted carry
should add further luster to the company’s
handle, is surprisingly light and portable for
its power rating—one of the happy byproducts
reputation. The unit is Aguilar’s first solidstate, two-channel amp, and as
of the solid-state design.
such, enters a relatively crowded
Speaker connections are
THEDEETS
LIST PRICES AG 500
made at the rear panel, and
and competitive field, where it
$1595.00; S 410: $849;
nevertheless stands out mightily.
include a pair of 1/4” jacks and
S 210: $549; GS 112:
$529; GS 112-NT: $469;
a pair of Speakon jacks that can
This is no mere watered-down
GS 412: $1399
be used in any combination as
version of the company’s more
MANUFACTURER
long at the total load doesn’t dip
expensive tube models. Nor is it a
Aguilar Amplification,
599 Broadway, 7th Fl.,
below four ohms. Other con“me too” entry-level amp. Driven
New York, NY 10012;
nections include a 1/4” tuner
by a flexible Class-A preamp and
(800) 304-1875;
(212) 431-8201;
output, a front-panel mounted
high-headroom power section,
aguilaramp.com
XLR D.I. output (which has a
the AG 500 is a powerful, flexible
noise-killing ground lift and can
sound machine that makes no sonbe switched to take signal either before or
ic compromises and easily competes with tube,
after the gain and EQ stages). A front-mountsolid-state, and hybrid amps on its own terms.
ed mono effects loop, which can be switched
BASIC FEATURES
from series to parallel operation, has a boost
As its name implies, the AG 500 pumps
switch that allows you to match the circuit to
500 watts into a four-ohm load (or 250 watts
both rack and stompbox effects. The included
into 8 ohms). The Class D MOSFET power secfootswitch lets you toggle between the chantion provides a healthy engine for most club
nels and mute the amp for silent tuning.
gigs, especially when you mate the amp to one
of Aguilar’s impressive new S-series cabinets
CHANNEL 1
(see sidebar). But statistics are one thing; tone
Although Channel 1 is the AG 500’s “clean”
is another. In our tests, we were consistently
channel, it’s actually a very versatile circuit,
impressed by how the AG 500’s power transcapable of going from pure clean to warm,
lated into headroom, and into the amp’s abilpunchy drive in a very tube-like progression.
ity to deliver high-impact low notes from both
The Gain control sets input level, and the
T
channel’s built-in clip indicator light lets you
set gain for maximum signal-to-noise without
overload. (We actually liked the sound when
the amp pushed into clipping.) The -10dB pad
switch helps tame the signal of high-output
basses. The channels’ master volume control
governs overall level, so you can adjust volume without affecting your gain structure.
The AG’s tone-shaping controls include a
four-band EQ with rotary Treble (+/- 13dB
at 4kHz shelving); High-Mid (+/- 14dB at
800Hz peaking); Low-Mid (+/- 14dB at
400Hz peaking), and Bass (+/- 18dB at 40Hz
shelving), along with a bright switch (+5dB
above 4kHz) and a deep switch (+6dB under
100 Hz). Each EQ band offers both boost and
cut, so we were a little disappointed at the
absence of a detent marking the center “flat”
position. That omission notwithstanding,
the circuit is both flexible and musical. Its
ability to transform the bass from a pianolike percussive tone to a round, jazzy thump
impressed us, but even better was the richness
of the colors in between these two extremes.
Tested with a range of different instruments
in a variety of styles, the Aguilar proved
capable of finding the individual sweet spot
of each one.
CHANNEL 2
If Channel 1’s main mission in life is to
produce clean, wholesome tone, Channel 2’s
output is a little more X-rated. With its built-in
saturation circuit, it is capable of some truly
80 BASS GUITAR
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nasty action. But life in Channel 2 is not a tasteless
fuzz fest. The saturation is among the most flexible
and progressive of any bass amp we’ve tested. At low
settings, it can be on the borderline of clean, and lets
you use your own dynamics to control how much
grit edges its way through. Crank it up, and it offers
a harmonically rich overdrive that can go from John
Paul Jones grind to more modern meltdown. The EQ’s
tonal gymnastics aid and abet the action. It’s voiced
completely differently than its counterpart in Channel
1, with Treble (+ 6dB/-10dB at 4kHz shelving),
Midrange (+4/-10dB at 600Hz peaking), and Bass
(+8dB/-6dB at 40Hz shelving) bands augmented by
The AG 500’s the transformative Contour
most impres- control (which cuts mids up
sive feature
to 20dB at 1 kHz), a deep
switch (+6dB below 100Hz
is its ability
shelving), and the rotary
to sing and
sustain with- Presence control (+6dB/out losing its 20dB over 4kHz shelving).
As with Channel 1, you’ll also
bass focus.
find a Master volume, so you
can balance the two channels
while still enjoying the independence of their respective gain structures.
Sonically, the AG 500’s most impressive feature is
its ability to sing and sustain without losing its bass
focus. Most modern bass amps offer some type of overdrive, but the tone often falls into one of two categories: raspy fuzz or flatulent quack. The AG 500’s drive
is much richer, with low, high, and midrange present
in equal measure. You can move from a bass to a lead
role without sounding like you just swapped your bass
for a guitar.
THE BOTTOM LINE
Earlier, we discussed the AG 500’s tonal flexibility,
but its dynamic flexibility—the ability to kick at both
high and low volumes—is equally impressive. High gain,
low gain, clean, overdriven, rock-club loud or studio
quiet, the amp delivered consistent results without
sounding squeezed, compressed or artificial. Ultimately,
it is the amp’s nuanced response to player input that
puts it over the top. This is a well-designed and well-constructed instrument with which you can carve your own
individual sound. Highly recommended. ■
Meet Your Maker
Aguilar’s Dave
Boonshoft does us a solid on the AG 500
What materials or design
concepts make the AG500
different from other highend solid-state amps?
We wanted the AG 500 to
offer complete versatility
for the player doing rock,
blues, or funk gigs. To accomplish this goal we felt
that our new amp should
have two discreet preamp
channels, one a flexible and
musical distortion channel,
and the other a no-compromise, powerful clean
channel. In addition to the
flexible tone-shaping ability,
we wanted to make sure
that the AG 500 had more
than enough clean power to
be used at any sized gig. To
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achieve that goal, we built
the AG 500 power section
around the latest in Class D
amplifier technology.
What made Aguilar decide
to finally build an all-solidstate amp in the first place?
We are always interested
in offering the best amps
for every gig. It became
apparent to us that while
many players salivated over
our hybrid DB 750 amp,
most players really wished
for the Aguilar sound in a
lightweight, portable head.
The best way to accomplish
that was to use the most
advanced and musical
solid-state technology available today.
Cabinet Fever
Aguilar GS and S Series Cabs
By Emile Menaschè
I
N THE GREAT formula of
tone, the amp is only half the
equation. The speakers—and
the cabinet in which they reside—
make up the other half. Mate the
same head with a different cab,
and not only will the frequency balance change, but the amp’s workrate—and, concomitantly, its core
tone—may be different, too. Aguilar
sent us a trio of cabinets with which
to test the AG 500: the compact GS
112, the economical GS 112-NT, and
the mammoth GS 412. Each left its
own sonic footprint.
The GS 112 comes in a compact
and relatively lightweight cabinet
made from seven-ply, void-free
Philippine mahogany assembled
with interlocking corners. The
result: a super tight cab that delivers
reasonable low end for its size. How?
The two front ports help tune low
frequencies, so the sound is much
“larger” than the cabinet’s 14” x
19” x 18” footprint would suggest.
Frequency response is a healthy 42
Hz to 16 kHz.
The cast-frame woofer features
a 56 oz. magnet and is mated to
an adjustable Phenolic tweeter
with integral phase plug. This
combination boasted a “present”
upper midrange (excellent string
detail) but didn’t sound too bright
or hyped. Power handling is an
impressive 350 watts at 8 ohms. The
GS 112-NT is very similar but lacks
the tweeter, which shaves a little
bit off of the top end. For general
playing, I really liked this cabinet
in combination with the AG 500:
it sounded warm and punchy, and
still packed enough top-end for bass
applications. Weighing in at a backsaving 42 lbs., these cabs are easy to
tote around and are ideal for smaller
gigs, rehearsal, onstage monitoring,
and recording. And thanks to the AG
500’s ability to handle a wide range
of impedances, you can use them in
combination (a nice alternative to a 4
x 12) or separately.
On the other end of the spectrum
is the big bad GS 412. The tall
cabinet—built of the same materials
as its smaller siblings—boasts four
12” cast-frame woofers stacked in a
vertical array, the same adjustable
tweeter found in the GS 112, and
two large front ports. With enough
muscle to handle an earth-shaking
1200 watts, the GS 412 isn’t the
cabinet you’d use when playing
at the vicar’s tea party, but it can
definitely rock all but the largest
clubs. Tight as a drum, the GS 412’s
composed, neutral tone earns major
props. With a frequency response of
37 Hz–16kHz, this monster can get
down. It delivers ample midrange
presence but doesn’t sound harsh or
nasal, and kicks plenty of low-end
thump without sounding boomy.
The bass just sounds alive.
If the GS series speakers are
too rich for your blood, you might
want to check out Aguilar’s new,
less costly S series. Two models are
available: the 500-watt S 410 and
the 250-watt S 210 (both available
in both 4 or 8-ohm configurations).
These cabs feature custom 38-oz.
10” Eminence woofers, adjustable
P-Audio tweeters, and ported
cabinets. ■
Aguilar GS 112-NT
and GS 112
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