I LOVE MY GEMINI 2! Just got one to use with my Neural DSP Quad Cortex and it is AMAZING - sounds absolutely killer with a definite "amp in the room" feel, has an outstanding feature set and rock-solid build quality. Thanks, Mission Engineering!
Thank you for the helpful and informative video! I'm pretty much sold, but I'm curious about a couple things: I run a software rig out of Ableton where I primarily play guitar but also play some key/synth/organ vsts and trigger drum loops. How do you imagine it reacting to these other sounds? I've only played through PAs and studio monitors/headphones. I typically see these types of amps only marketed towards the guitar modelling crowd. That being said, I'm also curious how feasible the mic'ing capabilities would be for live sound and studio use with how it would all sound in a space.
You can certainly use the Gemini's with other instruments such as keys. Since it is a full range speaker you should have no problems with this or most other instruments. It's similar to playing through a PA. We know plenty of multi-instrumentalists using Geminis. You can mic up a Gemini without too much difficulty. A couple of things to bear in mind. You won't get much stereo separation from a Gemini 2 if you mic the left and right speakers separately, but for mono it will work fine. If you are going to close mic, you should go for the Gemini 1 or Gemini 2 Studio version. The Gemini 2 Live has a cooling fan that might be picked up by the mike at lower volumes.
Thanks so much for your response! Do the passive cabs have a cooling fan? I don't necessarily need the bluetooth and USB connectivity that comes in the studio edition. Are there any draw backs from using a separate power amp?
The passive cabs do not have cooling fans. Only the Gemini 2 Live has fan cooling. with passive cabs you lose the USB interface, wireless, and empower control, plus the amps in the active units were designed to work best with the cabs. However, with a separate power amp you get some more flexibility, don't have to run power to the cabs etc. Some power amps have added features such as limiters, EQ, etc. Both are good solutions, it just depends on what works best for your situation.
Hi James, My mission Gemini 1's power supply has gone bad. Do you know where I can get a new one? Mission engineering's customer service sucks. Thanks.
I've got some hum/noise issue with my Mission Gemini 2 Studio... Even when nothing is connected, besides from the obvious locking power cord... Any ideas or advices?
Hi James is the Gemini 2 220 watts of power or 440 watts? Your website says 220 but Mitch Gallagher from Sweetwater said it was 440. Which one is it? Thanks
James Lebihan Thank you for clarifying that. 220 watts seems a little low compared to the other FRFR monitors out there. I know you said it’s loud. But is it loud enough for an acoustic guitar to play over a large band?
It's more than enough for most applications. Wattage rating can be very misleading. Bear in mind that FRFR systems contain high frequency drivers that rarely handle more than 50W.
If you particularly want to use the internal power amp in the Profiler, then you would use a passive Gemini, but note that that internal amp is mono only. If you require stereo, then you would use an active Gemini 2 connected to the main pre-amp outs on the Profiler, and leave the internal Kemper power amp unused.
You can use a regular 4 string bass with the Gemini at low levels such as at home or for practice, but it is not recommended to use it at live volume levels. Bass at performance levels especially with drop tunings and 5 or more strings, requires special speaker drivers designed for this purpose. They have a much higher excursion to support the lower frequencies, and also typically require to be larger and need more amplifier power. Running a bass at full volume would almost certainly damage the drivers of a Gemini or other guitar cabinet. A single cabinet with low bass drivers as well as mid and HF could be done but it's not common as the unit would have to be quite large, more complex, and would compromise in other areas, for example there are no co-axial drivers with low bass, mid , and high that I know of being manufactured. I've seen some bass cabinets from some company like Accugroove and TecAmp that have mid and high drivers for capturing bass harmonics. I'm not sure that they are what we would call flat response though.
@@JamesLebihan is there anyway to add something to the circuitry aftermarket to eliminate this pop? its pretty loud (especially when turning it off) thanks!
Would you be able to jam with a drummer playing loud death metal? I usually have a 100w tube amp and Cab for jamming however 100w tube power is much louder. Not sure if 220w would cut it.
A Gemini 2 will be quite enough for most monitoring applications. There are several well known touring acts that play huge outdoor stadium shows and use a Gemini 2 as an onstage monitor.
Can confirm... I'm playing my Gemini 2 against a loud drummer, another guitarist with a mesa triple rec & 4x12 cab, and a bassist with a 6x10 and 500w amp. I usually play with less than 50% volume and can actually hear myself better than with my Dual Rec/Mesa 4x12 cab because the sound isn't as directional as a regular guitar cab.
Two questions: I never see actual frequency response curves of ANY of the so called FRFR cabs, why is that? Or am I just not looking hard enough? Never really knew until now what the speaker looked like. Don't the high frequencies get blocked by the center cone cover? I'm looking to replace my Peavey 6505+112. Trying to figure out do I go traditional tube and cab or kemper/ax. Almost starting to lean digital.Bluetooth capability is freaking great idea!
A frequency response graph is not really all that useful for a guitar speaker. For speakers used in PA's, theaters, studios, home systems etc where you have multiple speakers covering different ranges and you are building your own crossovers and filters, response details are helpful, but with a single speaker working only with guitar frequencies it doesn't really have much use. Frequency response curves are normally measured at a specific distance, with a specific type of mic, and in an anechoic chamber. This doesn't represent how the speaker will sound to you with a guitar on stage, so I guess most manufacturers don't bother to publish them as it can be misleading. The dust cap on the LF driver has no audible impact on the transmission of the high frequencies. The material is specifically designed for the purpose, and there are many more factors impacting HF transmission that far override any tiny difference that a dust cap might have.
Why no power attenuator for those of us who want to plug in a tube amp? There is a huge missed opportunity for these companies. A well designed powered cabinet with effects loop, eq, and an attenuator that would accept 4, 8 and 16 ohms would be a revolution. You could have complete control over your sound... maybe even include some speaker simulator technology and all you would need to do is plug in your tube head and have a "done" sound no matter where you went. You can place effects AFTER the power section of your amp and be able to eq your head the way that it's done in a recording studio. I have been asking for this for years and do not understand why no one makes this. The technology exists and this is an opportunity to bring in the tube amp lovers to this amazing technology.
Can you explain what you mean by a power attenuator? A power amp is required to drive the speakers. A guitar tube amp has a power amp, and the active Geminis that I am describing here also have internal power amps. You cannot connect two guitar amps together in series even if you reduce the output level. If you have a Guitar tube amp with a pre-amp or line level out, that bypasses the internal power amp you could connect that to an active Gemini, but you would really need a cabinet simulator in between.
okay.. wrong terminology on my part... I am talking about a "load"... 4, 8, and 16 Ohm... companies like Two Notes and Suhr... and many more have been making gear that utilizes this technology for years. For instance I could take a device like a the Two Notes Torpedo Studio and run that into a power amp or powered mixer etc... and then into a passive cabinet. But what would be much easier would be to have some type of power guitar cabinet that would eliminate the need for the load box, speaker simulator power amp etc... make sense? It just seems like a no brainer. You could run your tube amp as hot as you like and control the actual stage volume with the powered cabinet. You could place your effects after the power in your amp (if said powered cabinet had an effects loop) and tweak your sound post power amp stage to achieve a much more consistent sound no matter what room you are playing in. I don't mean to sound like I am bitching. LOL! Maybe most guitar players don't care but I hear how amazing amps can sound in the studio with good micing and eq and I would love to be able to easily have that sound live. :)
It's an interesting idea but very specialized. The market is either still all tube live, or already switched to all digital via Axe-Fx, Profiler, Helix etc. Having a tube front end and digital back end in a live rig seems to be a niche requirement. And as you point out, if you really want to do it you can already with existing components. Could we make such a thing? Sure. Would it be cool? Yep. Would we sell 10K units and recover the investment of an expensive and complex product? Probably not.
Two Notes Torpedo Live does this. You can plug your tube head into the Two Notes, and pick various different cabs and mic setups. You can then run the Two Notes into FOH, or a powered cab, etc...
Cost to build product + small margin to cover our business costs + small margin for distributors/dealers to cover their business costs = sale price. If you have experience in the US consumer electronics manufacturing business and have practical information on how we can reduce costs please let us know in the comments. We are always looking for new ideas.
@@JamesLebihan I wouldn't know. Maybe you should ask Line6, Laney, Friedman? They obviously know something you don't as their prices are less than half yours.
Friedman ASM 12 - $899 Line 6 Powercab plus - $800 Mission Gemini MW - $999 That's not less than half. That's a small premium for an all made in the USA product. Sure we have more expensive versions, but that is because they have additional features such as USB and wireless audio interfaces and full stereo, which the others don't have. You'd need two of the other units to get stereo, and you can get a Gemini 2 for $1500 and that includes a studio quality USB audio interface! This all makes it a bit of a bargain and maybe why it's our best selling model. Maybe we know what we are doing after all.
@@JamesLebihan hey I'm wondering if there's a way to send/receive a "direct feed" to/from front of house(this would both allow me to NOT have to mic the gemini up and more importantly would allow me to get a "full band mix" in to the gemini from front of house?
This is great, I wish more companies would divulge in depth information like this rather than rely on marketing hype.
I LOVE MY GEMINI 2! Just got one to use with my Neural DSP Quad Cortex and it is AMAZING - sounds absolutely killer with a definite "amp in the room" feel, has an outstanding feature set and rock-solid build quality. Thanks, Mission Engineering!
this is for me
Thank you for the helpful and informative video! I'm pretty much sold, but I'm curious about a couple things:
I run a software rig out of Ableton where I primarily play guitar but also play some key/synth/organ vsts and trigger drum loops. How do you imagine it reacting to these other sounds? I've only played through PAs and studio monitors/headphones. I typically see these types of amps only marketed towards the guitar modelling crowd.
That being said, I'm also curious how feasible the mic'ing capabilities would be for live sound and studio use with how it would all sound in a space.
You can certainly use the Gemini's with other instruments such as keys. Since it is a full range speaker you should have no problems with this or most other instruments. It's similar to playing through a PA. We know plenty of multi-instrumentalists using Geminis.
You can mic up a Gemini without too much difficulty. A couple of things to bear in mind. You won't get much stereo separation from a Gemini 2 if you mic the left and right speakers separately, but for mono it will work fine. If you are going to close mic, you should go for the Gemini 1 or Gemini 2 Studio version. The Gemini 2 Live has a cooling fan that might be picked up by the mike at lower volumes.
Thanks so much for your response! Do the passive cabs have a cooling fan? I don't necessarily need the bluetooth and USB connectivity that comes in the studio edition. Are there any draw backs from using a separate power amp?
The passive cabs do not have cooling fans. Only the Gemini 2 Live has fan cooling. with passive cabs you lose the USB interface, wireless, and empower control, plus the amps in the active units were designed to work best with the cabs. However, with a separate power amp you get some more flexibility, don't have to run power to the cabs etc. Some power amps have added features such as limiters, EQ, etc. Both are good solutions, it just depends on what works best for your situation.
Hi James,
My mission Gemini 1's power supply has gone bad. Do you know where I can get a new one?
Mission engineering's customer service sucks. Thanks.
I've got some hum/noise issue with my Mission Gemini 2 Studio... Even when nothing is connected, besides from the obvious locking power cord...
Any ideas or advices?
where do i get a t-shirt ?
Hi James is the Gemini 2 220 watts of power or 440 watts? Your website says 220 but Mitch Gallagher from Sweetwater said it was 440. Which one is it? Thanks
A Gemini 2 is 220W. Each Gemini power amp module is 110W and the Gemini 2 has two of them.
James Lebihan Thank you for clarifying that. 220 watts seems a little low compared to the other FRFR monitors out there. I know you said it’s loud. But is it loud enough for an acoustic guitar to play over a large band?
It's more than enough for most applications. Wattage rating can be very misleading. Bear in mind that FRFR systems contain high frequency drivers that rarely handle more than 50W.
When there will be more info and a demo video of the new Mission lo ? I'm looking to buy one but want more info about it
We have one in the works ;-)
James Lebihan can't wait to see and hear it
any idea when?
You state your Gemini are made with Baltic Birch, but are they 1/2" or 3/4" plywood?
Both. 3/4" shell and 1/2" baffle.
With the powered kemper head, should i buy a gemini 2 Passive or active?
If you particularly want to use the internal power amp in the Profiler, then you would use a passive Gemini, but note that that internal amp is mono only. If you require stereo, then you would use an active Gemini 2 connected to the main pre-amp outs on the Profiler, and leave the internal Kemper power amp unused.
@@JamesLebihan thanks man!
Can mission cabinets handle bass cab IRs? If not, do you anticipate speaker companies designing FRFRs for bassists in the near future?
You can use a regular 4 string bass with the Gemini at low levels such as at home or for practice, but it is not recommended to use it at live volume levels. Bass at performance levels especially with drop tunings and 5 or more strings, requires special speaker drivers designed for this purpose. They have a much higher excursion to support the lower frequencies, and also typically require to be larger and need more amplifier power. Running a bass at full volume would almost certainly damage the drivers of a Gemini or other guitar cabinet. A single cabinet with low bass drivers as well as mid and HF could be done but it's not common as the unit would have to be quite large, more complex, and would compromise in other areas, for example there are no co-axial drivers with low bass, mid , and high that I know of being manufactured. I've seen some bass cabinets from some company like Accugroove and TecAmp that have mid and high drivers for capturing bass harmonics. I'm not sure that they are what we would call flat response though.
Very informative.. thank you!
Why does it make a loud pop every time you turn it on or off, even if nothing is plugged in? (I have a Gemini 1.)
This is normal. It's just the speaker drivers moving when they first come under control of the amp when powered up.
@@JamesLebihan is there anyway to add something to the circuitry aftermarket to eliminate this pop? its pretty loud (especially when turning it off) thanks!
Would you be able to jam with a drummer playing loud death metal? I usually have a 100w tube amp and Cab for jamming however 100w tube power is much louder. Not sure if 220w would cut it.
A Gemini 2 will be quite enough for most monitoring applications. There are several well known touring acts that play huge outdoor stadium shows and use a Gemini 2 as an onstage monitor.
Can confirm... I'm playing my Gemini 2 against a loud drummer, another guitarist with a mesa triple rec & 4x12 cab, and a bassist with a 6x10 and 500w amp. I usually play with less than 50% volume and can actually hear myself better than with my Dual Rec/Mesa 4x12 cab because the sound isn't as directional as a regular guitar cab.
Two questions: I never see actual frequency response curves of ANY of the so called FRFR cabs, why is that? Or am I just not looking hard enough? Never really knew until now what the speaker looked like. Don't the high frequencies get blocked by the center cone cover? I'm looking to replace my Peavey 6505+112. Trying to figure out do I go traditional tube and cab or kemper/ax. Almost starting to lean digital.Bluetooth capability is freaking great idea!
A frequency response graph is not really all that useful for a guitar speaker. For speakers used in PA's, theaters, studios, home systems etc where you have multiple speakers covering different ranges and you are building your own crossovers and filters, response details are helpful, but with a single speaker working only with guitar frequencies it doesn't really have much use. Frequency response curves are normally measured at a specific distance, with a specific type of mic, and in an anechoic chamber. This doesn't represent how the speaker will sound to you with a guitar on stage, so I guess most manufacturers don't bother to publish them as it can be misleading.
The dust cap on the LF driver has no audible impact on the transmission of the high frequencies. The material is specifically designed for the purpose, and there are many more factors impacting HF transmission that far override any tiny difference that a dust cap might have.
Why no power attenuator for those of us who want to plug in a tube amp? There is a huge missed opportunity for these companies. A well designed powered cabinet with effects loop, eq, and an attenuator that would accept 4, 8 and 16 ohms would be a revolution. You could have complete control over your sound... maybe even include some speaker simulator technology and all you would need to do is plug in your tube head and have a "done" sound no matter where you went. You can place effects AFTER the power section of your amp and be able to eq your head the way that it's done in a recording studio. I have been asking for this for years and do not understand why no one makes this. The technology exists and this is an opportunity to bring in the tube amp lovers to this amazing technology.
Can you explain what you mean by a power attenuator? A power amp is required to drive the speakers. A guitar tube amp has a power amp, and the active Geminis that I am describing here also have internal power amps. You cannot connect two guitar amps together in series even if you reduce the output level. If you have a Guitar tube amp with a pre-amp or line level out, that bypasses the internal power amp you could connect that to an active Gemini, but you would really need a cabinet simulator in between.
okay.. wrong terminology on my part... I am talking about a "load"... 4, 8, and 16 Ohm... companies like Two Notes and Suhr... and many more have been making gear that utilizes this technology for years. For instance I could take a device like a the Two Notes Torpedo Studio and run that into a power amp or powered mixer etc... and then into a passive cabinet. But what would be much easier would be to have some type of power guitar cabinet that would eliminate the need for the load box, speaker simulator power amp etc... make sense? It just seems like a no brainer. You could run your tube amp as hot as you like and control the actual stage volume with the powered cabinet. You could place your effects after the power in your amp (if said powered cabinet had an effects loop) and tweak your sound post power amp stage to achieve a much more consistent sound no matter what room you are playing in. I don't mean to sound like I am bitching. LOL! Maybe most guitar players don't care but I hear how amazing amps can sound in the studio with good micing and eq and I would love to be able to easily have that sound live. :)
It's an interesting idea but very specialized. The market is either still all tube live, or already switched to all digital via Axe-Fx, Profiler, Helix etc. Having a tube front end and digital back end in a live rig seems to be a niche requirement. And as you point out, if you really want to do it you can already with existing components. Could we make such a thing? Sure. Would it be cool? Yep. Would we sell 10K units and recover the investment of an expensive and complex product? Probably not.
Two Notes Torpedo Live does this. You can plug your tube head into the Two Notes, and pick various different cabs and mic setups. You can then run the Two Notes into FOH, or a powered cab, etc...
Question 11. How much does it weight? 62lbs! Too heavy to gig.
The Gemini 1 is 46 lbs, about the same as a Fender Deluxe as used by tens of thousands of of gigging musicians for fifty years :-)
Lol I have a question! How do you justify the ludicrous price tag?
Cost to build product +
small margin to cover our business costs +
small margin for distributors/dealers to cover their business costs = sale price.
If you have experience in the US consumer electronics manufacturing business and have practical information on how we can reduce costs please let us know in the comments. We are always looking for new ideas.
@@JamesLebihan I wouldn't know. Maybe you should ask Line6, Laney, Friedman? They obviously know something you don't as their prices are less than half yours.
Friedman ASM 12 - $899
Line 6 Powercab plus - $800
Mission Gemini MW - $999
That's not less than half. That's a small premium for an all made in the USA product. Sure we have more expensive versions, but that is because they have additional features such as USB and wireless audio interfaces and full stereo, which the others don't have. You'd need two of the other units to get stereo, and you can get a Gemini 2 for $1500 and that includes a studio quality USB audio interface! This all makes it a bit of a bargain and maybe why it's our best selling model. Maybe we know what we are doing after all.
@@JamesLebihan mission gemini 2 £1,949 andertons.
www.andertons.co.uk/guitar-dept/electric-guitar-amps/guitar-cabs/2x12-guitar-cabs/mission-engineering-gemini-2-guitar-cab
@@JamesLebihan hey I'm wondering if there's a way to send/receive a "direct feed" to/from front of house(this would both allow me to NOT have to mic the gemini up and more importantly would allow me to get a "full band mix" in to the gemini from front of house?