DB Bass Elbee 10 Series II, Embee 12 and Embee 1210 Series II Cabinets £395, £595, £795

Why compromise on cabs, say London-based DB Bass. Mike Brooks gets the lowdown on the low end

Unboxing clever? Brooks plugs into these uncompromising cabs

With an eye on portability, an ear on sonic performance and a finger on knuckle damage, DB Bass have looked at the light, portable speakers currently on the market and brought their own improvements to the design. All three configurations here are constructed from high-grade birch plywood, using a self-bracing design that reduces resonance while enhancing tight low-end tones. Each cabinet is covered with hand-applied, tough-textured paint, and has recessed carrying handles. These, we’re told, require less twist and offer player-friendly carrying angles for the wrist, arm and hand. The design is completed with a rigid steel grille and steel corners for cabinet protection, so they’re certainly built with the aim of lasting a good few years on the road.

Using an Aguilar TH700 amp and a mix of active and passive basses, the cabinets are put through their respective paces. The Elbee 10 is deceptively loud and punchy and even with an active five-string bass, it seems able to cover a lot of sonic ground, with a powerful low-end response coupled with a tight midrange. It also manages very well when pushed by the amp, particularly when I add a significant amount of drive to the signal. How it will manage on its own as a single cab in a band context will depend on the demands placed on it, but for home practice or acousticbased performance, it will perform well.

The Embee 12 has the most distinctive top-end response of all three cabs, due in no small part to its piezo tweeter. The low end is solid and effective, but the overall tone is rather fizzy, which will only suit players looking for such a sound. Slappers and tappers will no doubt gravitate towards this cab, the high end making their dusty-end of the neck travels stand out. Coupled with the Elbee 10, it provides good coverage across a wide frequency range – and the benefit of improved portability, due to spreading the load across two enclosures, is no bad thing.

The Embee 1210 is a real head-turner – powerful and full-sounding with plenty of finesse and detail. This cab offers a punchy midrange: the 10” driver provides a clear top-end response without becoming too glassy. In addition, stand in front of the cabinet and you’ll reap the benefits of the Max-Flo system with which the angled driver improves clarity and low-end delivery for the player.

If you’re in the market for new cabs and feel uninspired by the standard units from other companies, you should certainly audition these DB Bass enclosures – you may well be converted...