Genz-Benz Founder Jeff Genzler Launches Genzler Amplification at NAMM 2016
“State of the bass” design and manufacturing techniques meld to produce one the finest bass amps available
I met with Jeff Genzler in his booth on bass player row, shared with boutique bass builder Sebastien Aquilina, at the 2016 Winter NAMM show in Anaheim, California. 
The new Genzler amp and cabs are reminiscent of the high end products that Jeff designed and produced for over 25 years with Genz-Benz. I listened to several amazing bass players trying his systems and I was overall impressed by the clarity, punch and projection.
Only the frills you need
The Magellan 800 is a lighweight, 6.25 pounds, 800 watt at 4 Ohms powerhouse that sports clean lines, an intuitive control set, and all the connectivity features that you could ask for in a professional grade bass amplifier. And most important – the sound is stellar. A great new feature is the auto sensing power supply.
A first of its kind bass cab
The Genzler Bass Array12-3 is engineered to provide a more open, smoother midrange and high frequency response along with deep, punchy bass down to the low 30s. The hallmark of this cab is how it effectively projects sound without beaming – the sound is very uniform 10 feet in front or off to the side. The result is that you hear your playing on stage with greater definition and the audience hears that same high quality sound throughout the venue.
Three of the Bass Array12-3 cabinets where stacked under a Magellan 800 at the booth. This lighweight modular system would be perfect for a large venue. Leave one or two of the cabs at home for a small gig. I played the 3 stack and then played a single cab through the Magellan, 400 watts at 8 Ohms, that would be plenty of sound for the blues jam here in Huntington Beach.
A 2×12 bass cab to rock the house
Also on display connected to a Magellan 800 was a Magellan 212T — 2 Faital® neodymium 12″ with a proprietary tweeter. Playing this setup with the Aquilina Sirius, jazz bass pickup style passive bass, was breathtaking. So much depth, punch and clarity.
Jeff Genzler’s comments about the new company
“My wife Catherine and I, and our dedicated team, built [Genz-Benz] and delivered exceptional products and support, worked closely with inspiring and talented people, and earned a global reputation for innovative designs and superior quality,” Genzler wrote during a Reddit AMA. “Now we’re returning to our roots. I’m building smart, pure, innovative bass amps and cabinets. We’re proud to have our longtime engineer, Scott Andres, as an important part of our team. We have strong relationships with trusted craftspeople, suppliers, and retailers around the world. Catherine and I now live in Brooklyn, close to family. We’re becoming part of our community, giving a percentage of each product sold to local music initiatives.”
Magellan 800 Dual Channel Design Features:
- Clean Channel –
- Pristine and Articulate
- Drive Channel –
- Voiced for a More Driven Tonal Signature and Harmonic Texture
- Dual-Curve Variable Contour Circuitry
- Curve A — Classic to Modern — Mid Scoop Curve
- Curve B — Thicker to Vintage — Low-Mid Bump w/Tapered Top End
- Flat Position — Full Bypass
- Active 3 Band EQ w/Parametric Mid Control
- Signal Mute Switch
- Input Pad Switch
- Thermal Sensing Variable Speed Fan Cooling
- All Brushed, Aircraft Grade Aluminum Chassis with Extruded Aluminum Front Panel
- Output: 400W/8 Ohms, 800W/4 Ohms and 800W/2.67 Ohms
- 2.67 Ohms Min. Total Load
- Dimensions: 11.25”W X 10.5”D X 3”H
- Weight: 6.25 Lbs.
BASS ARRAY12-3
Shipping Data:
- Carton Dimensions: 23″H x 22″W x 20″D
- Shipping Weight: 41 Lbs
Speaker Components:
- One — premium Faital® neodymium 12″ cast frame loudspeaker utilizing a unique dual-wound voice coil design for increased power handling and efficiency.
- Four — premium Faital® neodymium 3″ mid/high cone drivers loaded into a sealed line array stack.
Input Panel/Crossover Network:
- Custom designed 6 dB/octave slopes in balance with the acoustical controls of each enclosure.
- Two — Speakon® NL-2 connector and two – ¼” sealed jacks; to reduce rear cabinet air loss and noise.
Cabinet Finish:
- Heavy-duty textured black vinyl.
- Black metal corners and heavy-duty strap handle.
- Custom, curved grille with a unique center “pleat” to protect the array column.
- Large rubber feet.
MAGELLAN 212T
Shipping Data:
- Carton Dimensions: 35″H x 23″W x 20″D
- Shipping Weight: 61 Lbs
Speaker Components:
- Two — premium Faital® neodymium 12″ cast frame loudspeakers utilizing a unique dual-wound voice coil design for increased power handling and efficiency.
- One — proprietary compact 1″ bullet tweeter with Ferro Fluid infusion in the voice coil gap for higher power rating and smoother high frequency response.
Input Panel/Crossover Network:
- Custom designed 12dB/octave slope with 100W L-Pad level control.
- One — Speakon® NL-2 connector and 2 – ¼” sealed jacks; to reduce rear cabinet air loss and noise.
Cabinet Finish:
- Heavy-duty textured black vinyl.
- Metal chrome corners and recessed black metal bar handles.
- Black and silver woven wire grille cloth with metallic silver piping.
- Large rubber feet.
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