GK sent me their well-equipped Fusion 210 (two 10” drivers plus a tweeter, 38 lbs., $1,349 USD) to check out, and it went a little something like this… First Impressions Using a switch-mode power supply and featuring universal voltage selection for operation from 100 to 240 volts, they’re light and portable enough to be toured with – even internationally. No longer relegated only to bedroom or practice space use – more a convenience than a choice, and something expected to be grown out of – GK’s Fusion line of combos pack 800 watts in configurations ranging from a teaching space-ready 1×12, all the way to concert-ready 4×10 and 2×12 formats. quite frankly, I don't think you'd be disappointed with the BL 210.Gallien-Krueger has done something unexpected in recent years they’ve brought the humble combo amp back into consideration for the semi-pro and professional tiers of players. The BL 210 does have that built-in overdrive channel, though, while the 400RB/210 has better speakers, a higher-wattage output, etc. Personally, I'd go for a separate head/cab setup for more flexibility, but if you don't need a huge rig or excessive power, either one will be fine. the BL 210 isn't bad-sounding at all (I loved my BL 112 when I had one), and it's much more affordable. The GK 400RB/210 has more features, MUCH better speakers, and takes up the same amount of space and weight.ĭon't get me wrong. There you go - a spec-by-spec comparison of the two. WOOFER: 2xGK-Paragon 15b175-8A, 15", 175W, 8ohm High presence Voice CoilĬONSTRUCTION: MDF Cabinet, Black Carpet, 16 Gauge Steel Grill, Rear-Ported, Tilt-Back Design HIGH GAIN (B): "B" LED, Gain and Level ControlsĮQUALIZER: Bass Specific Series Four Band Active INPUT SECTION: 1/4 jack, Clip LED, 10dB Pad, Mute Switch and Mute LED WOOFER: 2xGK-Paragon 10B100-16, 10", 100W, 16ohm High Presence Voice CoilĬONSTRUCTION: 11-Ply Poplar, Black Carpet, 16 Gauge Steel Grill, Custom Interlocking Corners, Front Ported VOICING FILTER: 5/4 String Voicing, Adjustable Contour and PresenceĭIRECT OUT: XLR, Ground Lift and Pre/Post Switches POWER 90dB, Clip LED, -14dB Pad, Volume and Tuning Mute So, I agree with using my ears to tell the difference in a side-by-side audition, but I'd like to know what I'm listening for! So, is one made in China while the other is made in the US like, say, Eden Nemesis vs. Does this make any kind of real world difference? The Backline seems like it's got some sort of dual channel setup with three voicing filters AND a dedicated OD circuit on one of these channels while the RB is single channel with one voicing filter and its legenday gain circuitry. A look at the block diagrams in the manual suggests a more complex (more flexible/powerful?) circuitry in the cheaper amp. in the Backline combo is MDF while the RB series is 11-ply poplar.Īs far as circuitry goes, does anyone have any other things to note between the Backline and RB series? The feature list suggests at least nominal differences between the two. I'm taking it that internal speaker impedance is 8 ohms?Īlso, I noticed that the speaker models are different and the cab. From the GK Product Manual for the BL 210:ģ00W power output. It's the same thing if you try to find out from Fender, or from forum reports, if a MIM is of the same quality as a MIA.Īuditioning speakers is too difficult for my brain, so I built my own.Ĭlick to expand.10-4 on that. They have to create the impression that the high end product is better, without coming out and saying that the low end product is worse. GK is in the same pickle as anybody else who wants to have two levels in their product line. I am not saying a flat voicing is the magic bean, but I think it is always the best starting point for exploring the tone of an amp. In my opinion, at the very least you should dial in the flat voicing on the BL210 combo before auditioning it. At the bottom, if it sounds weak with the amount of bass boost that the amp is putting out, then there must be a speaker issue. That would account for the harsh top end. The BL600 head, which also resides inside the BL210 combo, has a "scooped" voicing if you leave the EQ knobs alone. In that case, it's probably a combination of preamp voicing and the speakers.
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