EBS Neoline 210

[shizznit]

[b]Technical Specifications [/b][b](from EBS website)[/b]

[u]Frequency Response[/u]
50 - 18k Hz
[u]Sensitivity[/u]
102 dB
[u]Power Rating[/u]
500 W RMS
[u]Impedance[/u]
4 ohms
[u]Volume[/u]
63 liters
[u]Height[/u]
44 cm / 17"
[u]Width[/u]
58 cm / 23"
[u]Depth[/u]
44 cm / 17"
[u]Weight[/u]
19 kg / 42 lbs
[u]Price[/u]
RRP £920


[b][u]Test Bed[/u][/b]

Amp – EBS Reidmar 250
Basses – MTD 535-24 and Lakland 55-02


[b][u]Appearance[/u][/b]

Cabs are generally not much to look at and the Neoline 210 is no exception. The absence of the blue coloured strips at the top and bottom of the face of the cab and the switch from a chrome finished woven grille to a black finish has certainly given the Neoline range a more inconspicuous appearance. It reminds me a lot of certain bass cabs made in the 80’s with chicken wire styled grilles, so not really keeping up with fashion. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, but I actually prefer this unassuming cosmetic look compared to the rather ‘bling’ persona that the Proline cabs adopt. If you like your cabs covered in diamanté gems with laser beams shooting out of the tweeter horn then this may be too bland for you! The dark felt covering is reassuringly thick and tough and will take more than a few knocks, but it will be a hair magnet next to a cat!

[i]Overall Rating: 7/10[/i]


[b][u]Sounds[/u][/b]

I hooked up the Reidmar 250 amp and set the tweeter control at the back of the cab to -0+dB. There is certainly a subtle difference in tone between the Pro and the Neo models. The voicing is a bit more perky and urgent sounding than the Pro. To say it sounds aggressive is probably not accurate, but does have a tiny bit more percussive thump when popping or plucking in a fast staccato rhythm. I wouldn’t like to put this down to the Neodymium speakers entirely as I think the voicing is coming more from the spruce plywood and extra front porting this cab has (Proline – birch plywood). The tone around the Neo cab feels and sounds very different, so acoustically the experience is different and that could come down to the wood construction. EBS applied a spruce construction to cut a bit more weight off I suspect, so the change in acoustic character could be a consequential exchange. I haven’t popped the cab open to see if the bracing inside is different, but I am satisfied with my conclusion otherwise. But, there is very little difference in tone compared to a Proline model and you will have to spend quite a bit of time to notice the subtle tonal variance.

Rolling back the tweeter and turning off the filter control on the Reidmar 250 amp opens up a whole new range of classic tones. I dialled in my ‘Bernard Edwards Tone’ and switched to my Lakland 55-02 in passive mode. Again, the response is very tight and punchy and boosting the mid’s on the amp really makes this cab sing. The tone has an almost keyboard sample type articulation when you apply it in short bursts, but holding on to a note really bellows sweetly which makes me grin every time I do it! Pleasantly controllable and flexible.

Okay, it was only a matter of time before I switched back to the MTD to do some slap! EBS gear is famed as one of the best amps for this style and the Neoline 210 definitely supports that reputation. The tonal focus this cab is incredible right across the fingerboard…even when slapping the low B string. Even when your bass EQ is completely flat the tone is incredibly musical and impressive. Very little work needs to be done on the amp…the cab somehow helps you. It has strength as well as depth and is quite simply amazing. I’ll say it again…amazing!

Volume…oh yes…it has plenty of that! As I am working from home today I had to be a little bit careful about cranking this baby, but I did give it a quick ‘stage volume’ squirt for about 5mins. I couldn’t push the speakers until I could hear a break up in the tone, but I had to back down quickly as soon as the window in my music room began to shake! The Proline 210 that I also own can be pushed to the same volume, but does start to break up a little bit sooner. I was probably close to that with the Neoline 210, but it did give me a bit of confidence that there was still a bit more in reserve. The extra 50w per speaker will help towards, but I am more convinced by the power efficiency of the Neodymium magnets being able offer an extra bit of performance.

The Neoline 210 cab is stereotypically EBS. The low end is punchy and tight and the mid-range very focussed and transparent. This cab sounds very excitable and is very sensitive to the touch. The quick response is really breath taking and I have really bought into it, but as a standalone cab the Neoline 210 may not hold enough girth for some players and I would probably recommend pairing it with a 12” or 15” cab for a more full range experience. It can handle quite a lot of bass boost for a 210…probably the best handling 210 cab I have ever played through, but as the frequency response for this cab is between 50-18k Hz don’t expect miracles at high volumes if you intend to use this cab on its own. I generally have my low end EQ set flat so it’s not a big issue for me, but I would understand if other players that want more in the basement will find the speakers a bit brittle at high volumes. I would say the Neoline 210 draws the line between ample stage volume and acoustic room fill. If you want to fill the venue using your backline volume then I would go for a second cab or larger set up…failing that, seek a solution to put your amp through the FOH. For smaller applications the Neoline 210 performs very well indeed and you will be hard pushed to find another 210 cab that performs this well with such clarity and dynamic response.

This cab really projects and gives a nice gloss to whatever you may throw at it. I am not a jack of all trades when it comes to musical styles, but I have played blues, funk/slap, rock/metal, hip-hop and well known soul lines and tones through the Neoline 210 whilst writing this review and it could cope with all of that very well. The tuning and voicing may not be everyone’s taste and may come across as unforgiving because of its hi-fi, hyperactive character. However, if you can reign in this buck you will reap the rewards!

[i]Overall Rating: 9/10[/i]



[b][u]Reliability/Durability[/u][/b]

As with any cab due care and attention will improve the performance and life. EBS have a reputation for building very solid and tough bass cabs and I can testify to that. I have only owned the Neoline 210 for 10 days so it really hasn’t been pushed or accompanied me to dozens of gigs yet, so I can’t comment on the reliability and durability of this particular cab quite yet. I can vouch for the other EBS cabs that I have owned for the past 8yrs and they sound just as good today than they did on day one. The tweeter horn did fail on my Proline 410, but that was down to my own embarrassing silliness and misuse. A RAT pedal at full tilt with the horn turned up high at brain melting volume will do that, so don’t try it! Apart from a couple of scratches here and there caused through careless transit and slight bobbling of the felt covering I have nothing else to say. I do have a concern about repairing or replacing a speaker if needed. Neodymium speakers will eventually become a thing of the past, so replacing a like-for-like speaker could be an issue in the future.

[i]Overall Rating: 8/10[/i]



[b][u]Ease of use[/u][/b]

You have the option of connecting your amp via speakon or jack, which means you can pretty much hook up any bass amp that can be used at a 4ohm load. You can also series link to another cab if you so wish. The tweeter horn level control at the back is easily accessible and has a clearly marked dial to tune to your perfect horn level to suit your taste. It stacks very nicely on top or below of any of the EBS cabs available, with the exceptions of the 10” and 12” cabs which are a few inches smaller in dimension. I was considering purchasing a 12” cab to place below, but the cabs won’t sit on top of each other snuggly and look a tad out of proportion. Not a huge issue, but not aesthetically pleasing to look at either. As the Classicline cabs don’t have the plastic corner covers that keep the Proline and Neoline cabs tightly in line with each other that might be bothersome too. But, if you can live with it who is going to stop you?

I’m stalling to be fair. The fundamental feature of this cab is the weight. Thanks to the Neodymium speakers and spruce plywood construction it yields at only 19kg (42lbs). To put it into perspective…about the same weight as a healthy medium sized dog! That’s really impressive and if you suffer from back pain (as I do) this weight reduction is very welcome. The Neoline 210 can be carried very easily by one person and the chunky handle grips that are recessed into the side of the cab give a secure feel when whilst walking from the car to the stage. The cab is no less bulky than most 210’s to carry, but your hands and wrists will not fatigue as quickly thus minimising unwanted droppage and doing the ’10 yard sprint’ to the stage when your arms have finally given up on you!

[i]Overall Rating: 9/10[/i]



[b][u]Customer Support[/u][/b]

I have spoken to Ralph @ EBS on a couple of occasions and I am glad to say that the level of after sales care has been 1[sup]st[/sup] class. When I blew my tweeter horn on my 410 he immediately sent a replacement diaphragm free of charge even though I admitted that I grossly misused it and eventually broke it! When you speak to Ralph you can tell that he reflects the passion and commitment that EBS have for their products and their customers. Can’t fault him…very good guy to deal with.

[i]Overall Rating: 10/10[/i]



[b][u]Value for money[/u][/b]

This level of professional quality, high performance and portability does come at a price though. Ummm…there is no way easy way of saying this…the RRP for this 210 cab is £920! Not a very competitive price in the Neo speaker loaded cab market and will be out of reach for many players. But, EBS cabs are notoriously tough and reliable. Could the Neoline 210 be a cab for life? IMHO…yes, but I would expect rather than hope that this kind of investment will pay off in dividends over many years of use.

[i]Overall Rating: 6/10[/i]



[b][u]Summary[/u][/b]

You could argue that £920 can buy a high end 410 with more power handling on tap and I would agree to that. I have already received some very confused looks from friends as to why I ploughed so much money into a small cab, even though I bought mine at a discounted price. When mobile phones get smaller, when computers get smaller or any other every day item becomes more user friendly, compact and efficient you will see the value of that item go up in price. It’s the cruel world of consumerism and yes…I am a whore to it, but the extra investment I have dedicated will be beneficial to me in other ways. My health for one example. Getting heavy bass kit from the car to the stage is one thing, but carrying it up and down 4 flights of stairs to my apartment without the luxury of a lift is something else when you have a whiplash injury.

As a standalone cab the power on tap will satisfy most demands of the small to medium size indoor venue musician, but it is only a 210 at the end of the day I would tread carefully if you want to fill the room from your backline if this is your inclination. Because the frequency response range is between 50 - 18k Hz the Neoline 210 is not a full range package.

I bought an EBS Reidmar 250 amp just before Xmas as a light weight and portable solution for my backline requirements for smaller gigs or in situations where space is a luxury. It was my intention to couple the Reidmar with the Neoline 210 to complete what I was hoping to be a compact and easy to transport mini rig and I am glad to say that I have. The tone and power is unmistakably EBS and my close fascination and admiration of this brand has been unchanged. The Neoline 210 is a gem in what I consider to be the golden age of lightweight digital bass amplification technology. Sadly, these cabs may not be around for much longer due to the tightening of the exportation of Neodymium material to the rest of the globe and we could see production of these light weight and efficient speakers come to extinction in a matter of months rather than years. Some other manufacturers have already taken steps to discontinue their Neo range of speaker cabinets to seek other alternatives or take a step back to ceramic magnets and I would imagine our Swedish friends may take the same unfortunate decision very soon too. But, for now I am pleased that I now have a memento from what could be the short lived era of speaker technology that set a new bench mark for bass amplification over the past 10 years.

[i]Overall Review Rating: 8/10[/i]



[b][u]Positives:[/u][/b]
[b]Very lightweight and portable[/b]
[b]Powerful[/b]
[b]Clear and defined tone[/b]

[b][u]Negatives:[/u][/b]
[b]Very expensive for a 210 cab[/b]
[b]Speaker repairs/replacements could be difficult in the future[/b]

[u]Also check out:[/u]
Vanderkley MNT210
Mark Bass 102HF
Genz Benz NEOX 210T
PJB 8B
Bergantino AE210 (discontinued)
EA NL210-III

[Lozz196]

Never used EBS gear - aside from my Multicomp pedal - so can`t comment on it, but what a quality review that was.

[Linus27]

Great review, thanks for that. can you post some piccies of it set up with the Reidmar please.

[isteen]

I have the Reidmar set up with a Neoline 110" with a Neoline 112" on top. Weird, I know, but I like it that way. The sound is amazing.

I also have  EBS Classic 450 top connected with a 4x12" Proline, when I need to break down a wall or two. Huge massive sound