![]() There aren’t an abundance of US speaker cabinet or amplifier manufacturers that engineer, let alone manufacture, their own drivers – and even fewer that do so completely in-country. The result is a dependable, long-lasting, noise-free connection that should require no maintenance at all. The gold connectors will never corrode, and the multilayer circuit board provides “complete shielding from outside interference,” says the manufacturer. The Fusion series uses an innovative interconnection system between the top control panel and bottom connectivity portion of the amps, which is best described as a “solid bridge of multilayer circuit boards with gold connection terminals,” rather than having more traditionally connected elements with individual wires using tin solder that can fail over the years, due to excessive vibration or heat. Internally, there’s some cool engineering going on, too. For greater distances, I’d be likely to two-hand it or put it on a dolly to make life just a little easier. At 38 pounds and being somewhat diminutive without being a micro cab (24.60” x 19.12” x 14.70”), I found the Fusion 210 to be relatively easy to carry short distances via the top-mounted handle. The unique carry handle instills confidence and reinforces the overall high quality of the fit-and-finish all around. The grille and updated GK emblem that emblazons it are immaculate, and in a touch I really enjoyed, bolt to the cabinet via screws set into the sides of the cab, rather than going directly through the front of the grille into the baffle. The type of exterior finish used on these – very hard, black, and lightly textured – is gorgeous and classy. Removed from its foam shipping exoskeleton, the 210 combo is immediately visually striking. ![]() The packaging is customized to the cabinet’s dimensions and included accessories (which in this case comprised a power cord and single button footswitch to toggle the preamp channel), and gives an air of gravitas to the product, itself. The presentation of the Fusion 210 upon arrival was second to none. ![]() I found the LED to be a little brighter and more distracting than I’d like, but there will certainly be no question as to whether or not power is being supplied (without requiring the amp to be turned on and tested in a potentially noise-sensitive environment). In a departure from current bass amp norms, Fusion combos even tell you when they’re receiving power while in a switched-off state, via a very bright white LED. In no particular order of importance, the Fusion series combos provide two preamp channels – one clean, one overdriven (via 6 real tube stages from three 12AX7s) – both with their own separate voicing filters a 4-band active EQ double push-to-engage functions for nearly every knob on the panel, plenty of I/O on the back, along with tweeter control and impedance switches that optimize for usage running loads from 2 to 8 Ohms and even more. The primary quality I took away after just briefly examining the top-mounted control panel and owner’s manual is that this is one surprisingly adjustable and versatile amp. 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. 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.
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