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Acme Sound LTD Low B-2 Series II Bass Cabinet

Summary
Manufacturer URL http://www.acmebass.com/
Features 9.3 (12 responses)
Sound Quality 9.4 (13 responses)
Reliability 9.1 (9 responses)
Customer Support 9.2 (12 responses)
Overall Rating 9.4 (12 responses)
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Product: Acme Sound LTD Low B-2 Series II Bass Cabinet
Price Paid: USD 500
Submitted 04/04/2008 at 01:37am by mako34

Features : 9
I bought this cab new about five years ago. I was attracted by its light weight and features (two 10 inch speakers, one 5 inch mid driver, and a tweeter). The mid driver and tweeter have their own attenuator knobs on the back of the cab. It has inputs for Speakon, banana plug and 1/4" jacks. It's rear ported.

Sound Quality : 3
This is where I differ from most reviews of this cab. Yes, it goes deep, like a subwoofer. In fact, I think that's its best use. But my tone is not dependent on the deepest lows. I prefer to go with a well rounded sound all through the frequency range. This cab does not do low mids and high mids well -- to me these tones were masked by the sub-lows that were very difficult to dial out or control.

In addition, I found strange directional characteristics to the sound. Stand directly in front of the cabinet with it pointing straight at your ears, and the bass disappears. I did this when I had the bass set up on stage and wandered into the first few rows during a sound check. If you stand in different spots around the cab -- over it, next to it, in front of it off to one side, in back of it, etc. -- there are drastic changes in the frequency range you hear. I found this very distracting when moving around during a gig.

Also, put this cab flat on a wooden stage, and those subwoofer like lows are amplified even more. To my ear, that was then all you'd hear. Your mids and highs would just disappear.

I tried this cab with several heads (Ampeg SVT III Pro, SWR 500x, Acoustic 370) all with the same results. I recently sold the cab.

Reliability : 5
The cab is well built. How do I know that? Well, to replace the fuse (really a car light bulb that's housed inside the cabinet), you have to unscrew the grill plate and remove the right hand 10" driver to access the circuit board that's connected to the input jacks and houses the crossover. The bulb is on the board there.

This was an extreme hassle, and forget about changing the "fuse" during a gig. I blew the bulb during two separate shows. Ironically, the circuit only seems to be protecting the mid driver and tweeter, so when the bulb blows, you don't completely lose your sound, but you do lose what little mids and highs you had to begin with, and all you're left with are those (IMHO) overpowering subharmonic lows. I don't think the two main drivers are protected at all. If you read the reviews of this cab in depth, you'll find a lot of people have blown those drivers. It's just a recipe for disaster: an inefficient cab that requires more power than it can handle, plus the lack of main driver protection.

But when you do tear apart the cab to change that bulb, excuse me, "fuse," you see pretty impressive construction. Two wooden struts hold the secret to this cab's hyper low lows, I believe. One spans the two sides of the cab down the middle of the interior, and the second spans the front and the back. They intersect directly in the middle of the inside of the cab, forming a cross. Large shims are used to wedge these struts together at the intersection, creating extreme strength and causing the front, back and sides to resonate in unison, much like the sound post in an upright bass acoustically connects the top to the back. Insulation is crammed everywhere, on all surfaces inside, further muffling the sound.

The ports that enter through the back have tubes that are extremely long, coming within inches of the front of the cab. Most people know that there's a lot of science that goes into the length of these port tubes -- their length can literally tune the cabinet's frequency. I thought about shortening them to see if I could cut out some of the overpowering subharmonics, but decided to leave it original and just sell it.

I have to take off reliability points due to this bulb fuse being prone to blow. Remember, due to this cab's inefficiency, you basically have to overdrive it to get the most out of it, but finding that sweet middle ground of giving it just enough power without blowing it is a fine line. (Even Andy at Acme, the builder, says you should feed more watts into this cab than it can handle).

Customer Support : 5
Andy, the guy who builds these, was very helpful and supportive when I called him up and emailed him prior to my purchase. After I bought the cab, he was not as cool. I was just trying to get info on how I was supposed to change the fuse, not really believing I had to take a speaker out to do it. Can I damage that speaker? I wondered. He was really kind of a dick about it. Get a screwdriver, turn it, remove the grill and speaker, replace the bulb, etc. Like I was a kid or something. I was worried about tearing the foam surround and other things, but he treated my childishly, as though he just wanted me to go away.

Overall Rating : 5
If you're into dub reggae or bass tones that are thoroughly dominated by the subharmonic lows that overpower everything else, this cab is for you. That's not my bag, however. As I said, I bought this cab new, tried it with different heads and different setups for the better part of five years. I tried standing it on its side, propping up the front with a book to decouple it from the ground. Everything I could think of. It never got anywhere close to delivering a smooth tone across the entire frequency range. I sold it on ebay.


Product: Acme Sound LTD Low B-2 Series II Bass Cabinet
Price Paid: USD 550
Submitted 10/20/2007 at 11:57pm by Beirne

Features : 10
Made in 2007. Its small. Light and easy to cart/carry in manhattan nyc.
Well made strong carpeted cabinet. 2x 10 1xmidrange and 1 tweeter.
Will take a lot of power and reproduces like a hifi monitor speaker.

Sound Quality : 10
I use it with a Warwick 5 string into a roland V-bass midi unit. I also use it with my acoustic guitar. Both sound amazing. Reproduces the low B and synth notes cleanly. I run the cabinet off a QSC power amp. It puts out 500watts. The cabinet could probably take much more. No bottoming out or distortion.

Reliability : 10
Seems well made and sturdy with steel edging and heavy grill.

Customer Support : 9
Owner answers emails and phone calls.

Overall Rating : No Opinion
Playing 30yrs
I would replace if lost.
I want a second one!
Excellent value. This speaker sounds great with anything.
I wish it came in orange covering. But black is well done.


Product: Acme Sound LTD Low B-2 Series II Bass Cabinet
Price Paid: US $560
Submitted 03/27/2006 at 06:26pm by Mike McNally

Features : 8
The design of the cab--as others have stated--allows for the use of dedicated Eminence bass drivers with astoundingly rich bottom end. They really do make a difference to my ears and everyone who's heard the bass throught them, and I'm a four stringer exclusively. The mid and tweeter (more high quality stuff) are fully controlled by attenuaters in the back which are just a wonderful feature for bassists.
Again--as others have mentioned--the trade off is power. The woofers are VERY hungry and you need a good 500-600 watts to bring out their sonic potential.



Sound Quality : 10
I'm not really a bass buying freak so my one and only is a Fender '62RI Jazz. I've owned this unit for only two months. I play blues, rhythm and blues, top 40, and SOME jazz, and I have to say that I'm ecstatic about the sound I'm getting.
If I can describe it at all, it's something like plugging your favourite bass into a Neve console through a pair of high end monitors. It really is that clear and defined. I've seen others say that the mids are very timid, but if you trust your ears and ignore your normal preamp settings and experiment, you'll get what you're looking for with this unit. I prefer a bit of mid definition myself, and the B-2 can give it with some patience and the right settings.
But the real kicker is the bass response. After doing the suggestted "breaking in" period, I finally got it to the rehearsal space and took it and my bandmates for a test ride. I'll be getting another as soon as I can muster the cash.

Reliability : No Opinion
No opinion.

Customer Support : No Opinion
No opinion

Overall Rating : 10
I've been playing for 20 years. My other gear consists of a Crest ST1500 and an Alembic F2-B. If it were stolen, I'd order two more to complete my rig.it's compact, sounds amazing, looks sexy. The only thing I wish it had was a Latch-on front cover. If you're serious about your tone, you simply cannot find a better deal for your hard earned cash. The quality and sound of Acme cabs has won me over.


Product: Acme Sound LTD Low B-2 Series II Bass Cabinet
Price Paid: US $585
Submitted 10/04/2004 at 11:52am by Bill A

Features : 10
As listed in pevious reviews, this is a 2-10 cabinet with an Audax Tweeter and Saami(?) 5". 50 pounds, which feels lighter thanks to very clever handles. Speakon, 1/4" and banana jack inputs, attentuators for the tweeter and 5" speaker. I bought the stand receptacle option and Tuki cover as well.

Sound Quality : 10
I play heavily worked-over old Jazz (most of the time), a neckthrough custom (hacked together) fretless (some of the time) and an Ashbory (when no-one is looking). My rig is an Alembic F-1X preamp with an old DBX 263 compressor in the loop, into a QSC 1500a.

Right now I'm in a rock band and playing with a guy who does acoustic bluegrass. I play a lot of different styles, and I wanted something that would give me a lot of versatility. The B-2 has that in spades.

Every little change in how and where I pick, pickup levels, tone controls, you hear everything. I roll up a bit of mid on my preamp and dial in the compressor, and there's a huge thundery snappy rock tone. Slide back the mids and take out the compressor, and there's a huge open tone that sits beautifully with an acoustic. It's amazing.

This cabinet lives up to every good thing that has ever been said about it, and then some. Huge, lows that are responsive and musical, even at low volumes. Fast response and incredibly clarity, whether you are playing loud or quiet.

You will hear your instrument--and the rest of your gear--more clearly.

If you are looking for the SVT sound, this is not the cab for you. Go get an SVT--They rock. If you are looking for the mid-hump you hear in a lot of cabs, this cab will make it harder to get. It is very smooth through the mids, and it takes getting used to having such a powerful, articulate presence down low.

If you like the sound of your bass, and you really want to hear it, then this is the cabinet for you.

Reliability : 10
I've had the cab for about six months. It's built like a bomb shelter. I've had it open, and it's just as impressive inside as out. I think that the only way that this thing would fail is through neglect or abuse.

Customer Support : 10
I've spoken to Andy on the phone about 10 times. He's busy, because he makes a popular product, but he still answers the phone most of the time, and calls you back (on his nickel) promptly if you leave a message.

I had some problems which had nothing to do with the cab. He very patiently worked with me to get the problem solved. I think I took up more than a fair amount of his time, and throughout this, his main concern was that I be happy with the cabinet.

If I'm ever in Boulder, I'm dropping off a case of beer...

Overall Rating : 10
Been playing for about 20 years. I've used GK, Trace (2103h), EV (15s), Eden, Sunn, Carvin, Fender, Ampeg, and a bunch of others. This is the best cabinet that I have ever used.

I'm trying to come up with anything about this cabinet that I can even be indifferent to, and the only thing I can come up with is that it drinks a lot of power. That's not really much of a criticism for something that does what it does so well.

The closest comparison I have would be the Eden XST cabs. I used a 410XST that was absolutely stellar. The B-2 is about 1/2 the price of the 210XST, lighter, and I like it more.


Product: Acme Sound LTD Low B-2 Series II Bass Cabinet
Price Paid: US $480.00
Submitted 06/09/2003 at 01:19pm by Kerry Klein
Email: kdklein18 at aol<dot>com

Features : 10
I purchased and received this cab in May of 2003. This cab has been reviewed so many times I feel describing it in detail is redundant. However, for the uninitiated, it is a 3-way cab with two specially designed Eminence woofers, Saami 5 inch mid, and an Audax tweeter, mid and high attenuators, and is rated at 350 watts RMS. Being a Series II, the corner trim is now black, and the input panel sports 1/4 inch, banana, and Speakon jacks. Other than that, it is a classic Low B2. This cabinet is incredibly compact (23" x 15 3/4" x 16 1/2") and weighs a scant 49 lbs. Thank you, Andy, for rescuing my 53 year old back! You appreciate the Acme's compactness and lightness when you gig out 5-6 nights a week like I do! Andy incorporates "stressed panel" construction in the cabinet. It's kind of Sopwith Camel technology, but very applicable to producing a strong, light, compact, and sonically accurate speaker cabinet.It appears to be extremely well built and looks great, too.

Sound Quality : 10
Now for the best news. This cabinet sounds like my bass in the studio. That is precisely what I was looking for in a cab. The 3-way design reproduces all of the mids and highs that all the 2-way cabs miss. And LOW end, well, there is an abundance of tight, projecting bottom. Bottom line is that this cab has balance, Grasshopper! No longer do passages played up and around the 12th fret get lost in the mix. Now they project with the same emphasis as the bottom end. I play a Status Graphite Stealth II, which in my 30+ years of playing is unsurpassed for sound, as well as playability. The Acme Low B2 reproduces live the spectral range and purity of the Status like no other cab. I play a special brand of"Texas" music (think Hank meets Megadeth), as well as straight ahead country, classic rock, and Norteno. The Low B2 has the perfect tonality and attack for these styles. I can't imagine any experienced player not drooling over this sound. It ain't the most effecient or the loudest cab out there, but as Andy says, it's only a 2-10! Give it clean signal and sufficient power, though, and watch out. It's no deth metal stack, but for club gigs, I will consider no other! The only improvement I could make would be to add another.

Reliability : No Opinion
I have been playing this through this cab for almost 3 weeks now, and believe that if you read and follow Andy's advise contained in the included manual, this thing will never fail. It appears outwardly to be extremely well built, and looks great as well. Respect the designers limitations, as one should with all products, and the Acme will hold it's own against all comers. However, the true measure of reliability is years, not weeks. For this reason alone, I won't blow smoke up your pipe and therefore will not offer a rating here.

Customer Support : 9
Obviously, from the forgoing, I haven't had this cab long enough to require service. I believe, that in the 2 year warranty provided, I never will as long as I don't abuse it. When you call Acme, Andy Lewis himself answers the phone. He is a busy cat, so don't bug him unless you have a genuine issue. I don't get the impression he is going to hold your hand and dry your tears! However, if you have a real problem, Andy is there for you. Just remember you are talking to a true speaker designer/engineer/technophile, not a car salesman! He answered all of my questions during my single call with sincerity and accuracy. That's all I want or need!

Overall Rating : 10
For the money, nothing in the universe can touch this cabinet. Even at twice and three times the cost, nothing else has impressed me any more or lived up to its claims any better. What more can be said? It may not be ideal for all styles, but for a gigging bassist who plays clubs, parties, and small outside venues and wants a cabinet that sounds real, then the Low B2 is the best of all worlds. Call or order on-line; if you don't like this cab, then you ain't playing bass on this planet!


Product: Acme Sound LTD Low B-2 Series II Bass Cabinet
Price Paid: US $500 each included shipping
Submitted 03/27/2003 at 09:18pm by Derek Dean
Email: derekdean at earthlink<dot>net

Features : 9
2001 model. 23" (H) x 15.75" (W) x 16.5" (D), 49 lbs. Two custom made Eminence 10" speakers ( wound to go LOW), one 5" Sammi midrange, and one Audax high frequency driver. A custom designed 3 way crossover with points at 1000 hz, and 9000 hz. The midrange and tweeter are protected by an ordinary tailight lightbulb, which acts as a slow reacting fuse in a special circut which allows the bulb to absorb excess energy, thus lighting up, and still let the speaker function normally. Pretty neat. Rear panel conains 3 different input options. Dual banana plugs, 1/4", or speakon. Also has a separate attenuator knob for the midrange and tweeter, letting you custom voice the sound to your taste. This is all housed in a beautifully crafted, and heavily braced cabnit of 7 ply birch. Covered nicely in black carpet like material, all edges protected by black powder coated steel baces. Corners have the typical plastic corner protectors. Grill is black coated heavy steel.
damped with large rubber gromets and edge damping material. I wish it had castors on the bottom ( I made my own little platform with wheels, much easier to move). I also painted the 5 large washers, which help hold on the front grill, black powder coated, to match everything else. I wish the fuse (lightbulb) was easier to get to. You have to remove the grill, then take out one of the 10" speakers to get inside the cab. Wouldn't want to do that in the middle of a gig. Seems like a little flip out panel on the back would be in order. I bought two of the 4 ohm cabs, and think this is a great way to go. I can put one by the drummer, and that really helps us sync up. One thing to be aware of, these need a lot of power to develop that clean sound. I'm using a Crown K1, which is 550 watts/ channel, stereo, into 4 ohms. They could probably use more, but this really sounds great. Sensitivity is 93db SPL compared to an Eden which is over 100, these cabs are not loud, but they are clear, and they can get loud enough, if you've got the juice.

Sound Quality : 10
I've played for over 35 years. Started on string bass in the symphony, then played bass guitar in the jazz band, then got into Rock and Roll. I've played thru too many amps to count. Kustom, Ampeg, MusicMan, Acoustic, Fender, JBL, Eden, SWR etc.... Many basses, mostly Fender and Rickenbacker. I currently use a wonderful George Furlanetto BN4 bass. Glorious, clean,deep sounding bass. And the Acme cab lets the true tone of the bass come thru. I like Eden cabs alot because they cut thru, like SWR, and it takes less power to get that sound, but for what I do, which involves acid Jazz, upright, heavy rock, R&B, and original stuff, I wanted a more even sound. That's what these cabs are made for. The low is clean, and clear. Very articulate. The midrange is very smooth, and the highs are sweet, not overly bright. I usually run the attenuators full open, and my preamp is basically flat. Just a little bit of treble on my active pre, and I'm set. You don't need to pump up the low end with any EQ. It's all there, at least if you have a quality bass. I don't think these cabs are for everybody. Definitely not heavy metal. And if your more interested in loud, and don't mind a little speaker coloration, then there are other better options. But, if you've got the power, and a good bass, and the desire for a flat, even sounding system, this might be for you. My upright with an Underwood pickup sounds great thru these. Slap and funk sounds good on these, but they might seem a little warm sounding for some folks. Acme gives you two weeks to try one, and your only out shipping one way if you don't like it.


Reliability : 8
When I first got the speakers, one had a buzzing sound in the high end. A quick call to Acme, and we determined that the fuse had been damaged during shipping. An easy fix, but involved a lot unscrewing and screwing to get at the lightbulb. I was also trying to play using a wa and distortion, and kept blowing the fuse. More screwing and unscrewing. Kind of a drag, but now that I've settled into using them for more taditional bass grooving, I hav'nt had any probems in over a year. And I do play them loud. Since I have 2 cabs I don't carry a back up. Worst case, the fuse blows and I lose the high end for rest of the gig.

Customer Support : 10
Andy Lewis is the best. He answered all my questions when I ordered, and got right back to me when I had a problem. These come with a two year warranty. It would be almost impossible to blow these up. They are built solid, and the fuse will definitley protect the midrange and tweeter. Service is only available under warranty from Acme.

Overall Rating : 10
If these were lost or stolen, I would definitely get another pair. They give me exactly the sound I'm looking for. Clean, clear, articulate, and even over the entire range. They live up to everything Andys web page claimes. I've had them for 2 years now, averaging 2-3 gigs per week, and it still kind of freaks me out how good they sound. I like Ampeg 8 x 10 and Eden 4 x 10 cabs too. But the Acmes are more natural sounding to me. One cab will work with most small clubs, I just like the extra headroom I get with 2 cabs. Again, I don't think everyone would be happy with these speakers, but for the price, I feel like I got a great deal.


Product: Acme Sound LTD Low B-2 Series II Bass Cabinet
Price Paid: US $400 used
Submitted 01/14/2003 at 07:43pm by Adam Leeper
Email: sir_suplex<at>hotmail dot com

Features : 10
The separate controls for the mid-range and tweeter are very good for fine tuning the sound, especially depending on the character of the room. Mine has banana-plugs, a speakon jack, and a 1/4" jack. The most versatile aspect of this amp is its size...it's more compact than any 2x10 I've seen, weighs less, and is a breeze to transport. Specs are: rated at 350 watts RMS handling (though you can safely run up to about 500 RMS), 4 ohms.

Sound Quality : 10
I use an ESP F-205 5-string bass with active pick-ups. This cab has never started to "break-up" on any notes on the low B (hence the name...). At first I wished the cab had a "fatter" sound, but I realized it's because most cabs add a lot of mids to the sound, whereas these cabs are CLEAN. This can make some people think the cabs are too quiet...it's just because there isn't a bunch of distortion and other crap "filling out" the sound. I'm running 425 watts RMS at 4 ohms and as long as I put the cab on top of something (at bar gigs I usually ask the guy in another band if I can use his cab just to set mine on top of) so that the sound disperses well around the room, I can keep-up with my two-guitarist's 4x12's no problem...It's fun to have people look at you funny when you show up with just a 2x10, but it WORKS! Finally, the cab is such a hi-fi speaker that you can play regular music material, such as a CD, through it and it sounds perfect...the response is flat across the entire frequency range. If I get the money I would like a set of these as PA speakers...

Reliability : 9
These cabs are built super-solid, and I have no fear of speakers blowing or anything, especially since my head has clip-protection. However, I have had to open the thing up twice to replace the bulb that is wired in with the cross-over to protect the mid-range and tweeter. While not too much of a hassle, and certainly not expensive to fix, if the bulb blows at a show and you aren't running another cab with it, your highs are gone...

Customer Support : 9
I bought my cab used, but they come with a 2-year warranty. Andy was very knowledgeable and helpful when I first blew the resistive bulb in the crossover, tho he does have a sort of "cold-courtesy" that may irk some people.
You really shouldn't need to worry about lots of support tho, because these cabs are well made and won't die on you.

Overall Rating : 10
I have been playing bass about 2 years now. Before the Acme I had a Peavey 210TX, and recently bought a Genz Benz 410XB. The Acme and the Genz cab sound very similar, and together they just ROCK! My Peavey Firebass head is the weakest link right now...but at least it runs down to 2 ohms. If my Acme cab went missing I would definitely get another one, even if I still had my Genz Benz, because it is really nice to have such a compact, powerful cab for small shows.


Product: Acme Sound LTD Low B-2 Series II Bass Cabinet
Price Paid: 400 (# sterling)
Submitted 11/07/2002 at 03:22am by Graham Gordon
Email: gordongj<at>blueyonder dot co dot uk

Features : 9
2002 made, series two with slight cosmetic changes and new tweeter. Otherwise same specs as all the others reviewed. Has Speakon, binding posts and jack socket.

Sound Quality : 10
Sounds absolutely huge. The low end I get from this is astonishing, shakes the room. I'm using a Shuker fretted 6 string and this cab provides a wonderful even sound throughout the range, the tweeter sounds sweet not harsh and mids are handled beautifully by the 5" driver.

Reliability : 10
Seems solid as a rock, protection circuit on the tweeter and midrange driver ensures 99.9% safety (only an auto bulb to blow).

Customer Support : 10
Swift response to all of my e-mails and very helpful in getting it shipped out to my mom's house in the States so that I could take it back to England myself to avoid extra shipping costs. I'd be a bit buggered if I needed any sort of repair as it would have to be sent back to the states, however I don't envisage this ever happening.

Overall Rating : 10
I've been playing for 7 years now and have owned Trace elliot, SWR, Orange and Peavey cabs before this. This is by far the best of all I've owned or tried out in shops. My current rig uses a sansamp PSA-1 pre-amp and Matrix STR1500 power amp - providing 1500w bridged mono (lots of headroom, no need for this much power). I've also used this cab feeding about 500w into it and this (in my opinion) IS enough power, but the more the better as greater headroom can only be beneficial.
Some reviews I've read state that it is very flat sounding and would not suit some styles. I beg to differ, it all depends on what else you are using in your set-up. My PSA-1 is a very "coloured" pre-amp and works fantastically with such a flat response cab - sound is just like FOH. Attenuators for the tweeter and midrange provide a good deal of adjustment without any harsh extremes which could be considered un-usable. I simply love the clean and punchy lows you get from this cab right down to the low B, I'd replace it without hesitation should it get half-inched.

I'd just like to comment on peoples doubts putting synth and sub-octave effects through this cab, Andy states on the website that putting anything below 30hz through it can seriously damage the cab, I noticed this when using my EBS octobass and Akai deep impact - the speakers were trying to jump through the grill at higher volumes. The solution? simply a high pass filter set at about 32hz between the pre and power amp. This way the speaker is protected and runs more efficiently due to it not attempting to produce sounds below it's range, furthermore the DI from the pre-amp is not effected for FOH use (although this will probably be shelved at an even higher frequency for the benefit of the pa). So #55 on a behringer shark to cut those subs and you are laughing, using all the fx you want still with a huge sound and you seriously cannot tell the difference in sound with below 30hz cut - you just don't watch your speakers making an escape attempt.


Product: Acme Sound LTD Low B-2 Series II Bass Cabinet
Price Paid: US $480
Submitted 10/07/2002 at 07:52am by Ron
Email: rfloyd at 1sb<dot>com

Features : 10
I just bought my second Acme low B-2 bass cabinet. This cabinet is a three way cabinet that weighs in at about 50 pounds. Has all the features you would ever want in 2x10 bass cabintet. I have the 4 ohm version so I can coax every watt out of my amp.

Sound Quality : 10
I play a fender jazz, precsion deluxe and Carvin acoustic bass through this system. I mainly use an Eden 400 watt head. This cabinet is like a good high fidelity home speaker meant for the rigors of the road. If you play with a pick and want a whole lot of meaty rock tone go get the SWR cabinets, I have two 2x10's! If you want a killer super low (sounds like it has a sub hooked into it) clean cabinet these can't be beat. You really want to get a serious head for these cabints if you playing live, I would suggest a minimum of 400 watts. I just bought a mackie 800 watt amp and ran it in bridged mono WOW! I'm even gonna use a pair as PA speakers at my friends wedding reception they are that clean. You just need to realize these speakers are very neutral not for metal heads. I have read negative articles on these cabintes and I can only conclude these guys only care about how loud they are.

Reliability : 10
never had a problem. Had this speaker about six months.

Customer Support : 10
I haved talked to Andy Lewis maybe three times. He has always been very helpful and even rushed my order for me because I had a gig the next week.

Overall Rating : 10
Ive been playing Bass about three years and have owned a set of SWR cabints and numerous heads including AMPEG, Trace, and GK. Just remember these cabinets aren't about being loud they are about sounding big. I took this cabinet and compared it to my KEF home speakers that cost about $1400 per pair and they blew them away at comparable low volume levels in regards to killer bottom. They sounded almost as good listening to classical music. George Clinton would love these speakers. I would definetly replace these speakers if something happened to them.


Product: Acme Sound LTD Low B-2 Series II Bass Cabinet
Price Paid: US $480
Submitted 09/11/2002 at 04:51am by joker

Features : 8
not much you can say about a bass cab, but it does have high and also a mid attenuator which is very cool. great for tuning to certain band mixes. also has more inputs than most other cabs like banana clips, speakons, and the usual 1/4". i dont know of many cabs that have banana clips. given its got lots of cool things vs. other cabs, i give it a high feature rating.

Sound Quality : 9
hooked up with my Demeter VTBP-201s & Peavey DPC1400x, its clean clean clean. tho lots of you guys say Kern's seem to go best with the B-2, i cant help but love the Demeter's sound thru it. has an gorgeous airy feel.

highs are smooth. not as peaky as i'm used to, but its a sound i definitely appreciate. mids are very detailed and notes had a carve to them that my Aguilar GS112 never showed.

i can hear all the subtlties, and its fun to be able to clearly differenciate between my Lull's smooth & burnished Lindy pickups, against homemade jbass jobby's gut punchie Dimarzio Ultra Jazz. even the preamps, i could tell how harsh the Bart in the Lull was, while the J-Retro's EQ taper was much smoother and nicer.

and that bass... round, clean, HUGE. i loved the way my Aguilar pumped out my El's LowB, but the B-2 told me how its supposed to pump out. the Aggie simply "presented" my low B in all the right tones. The Acme shot it out like a cannonball. simply massive. felt like the floorboards in my prewar apartment were gonna rattle into the basement.

my friend came over with his EA CXL110, and tho, its almost like apples/oranges, it was an interesting comparison given their "flat" natures.

Right off the bat, the EA had alot more airy highs. a little peaky vs. the B-2. but the B-2 almost seemed muted and soft in comparison. course, it'd be hard to judge the low end, and even the midrange cause of the speaker size differences. if only i could compare it to a CXL210. even a pair of EA's would be cool. (Brad, wanna take a quick jaunt to NYC? )

i got the 4 ohm version, cause i thought i was gonna use this to replace my Aguilar in the small gigging combo, which it prolly will. but i now want a pair of 8 ohm B-2's that i could run in series. WOW, that'd be a nice setup. btw, i love how its sooo light. HUGE sound, and light weight are always +.

Reliability : No Opinion
dunno yet, but so far after 4 weeks, its still going strong with no probs yet. (knock on wood... ;))

Customer Support : 8
nothing's happened yet, but Andy is always quick to help on the phone. nice guy too. and the 2 week trial is very cool.

Overall Rating : 8
great value for anyone who needs a small lightweight cab for jazz, funk or acoustic settings. i've heard varying reports of its low volume. some say its not enough agaisnt a loud metal band. another guy says its just fine against a single half stack. you're mileage will vary, but with a 2 week trial, doesnt hurt to try.

given its incredibly hifi tone, light weight, great customer support, and relatively low price for something handmade, is a great overall value.

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