Acme B2's and MarkBass LMII/III ?

ahc · #1 05-12-2010, 09:28 PM

Anyone tried this combination? I've got a pair of 8 ohm Low B2's and I plugged my MarkBass CMD 102P head (essentially an LMII) to them and it sounded fantastic...in my house. Anyone giging with this setup? The Acme's aren't overly efficient, so I'm wondering if the LMII or III will cut it on a gig. Seemed to rattle the house quite well.
Al

Edit: I usually play in 3 or 4 piece bands... blues, R&B, classic rock, funk, etc. in small to medium clubs usually without FOH support. Rarely have to go against full guitar stacks or super loud drummers.

JimmyM · #2 05-12-2010, 09:52 PM

why wouldn't it? if it rattled the house, it should hang. with double the speakers, i can't imagine even acmes having problems with 500w. but you could always power them with your combo head on a gig just to make sure if you're worried about it.

Jefenator · #3 05-13-2010, 12:42 AM

I'm loving the LMII with an 8 ohm B-1. The pairing seems as deep and punchy as a rig this size could possibly be... and then some.

Running two B-2s at 4 ohms, I expect you'd experience the limiter and/or clipping long before the speakers ever get maxxed out. In the setting you describe, it sounds like the 500 watts *might* cover it. (I used to like 600+ watts with my 4 ohm B-2. That band had a pretty dense mix, though, and my preamp was pretty mid-shy.)

BassmanPaul · #4 05-13-2010, 10:38 AM

My pair of B2s have been more than enough for every gig I've played. I was giving them 700W via a carvin DCM1000. Now they're getting a bit more from a Carvin BX1500.

I would think that a 500W amp should be able to drive a pair adequately.

Paul

mrpackerguy · #5 05-13-2010, 03:55 PM

I used to run a Low B2 with a LMII and it was a great set-up, lightweight and great sounding, plenty loud. However, I wanted more of a smooth tube sound (even though the VPL and the other similar knob on the LMII come close). So now I'm running a Mesa Mpulse 600 with the low BII and it also pushes the Acme Low B4 when I need the larger cab and interchangeably, a Carvin B1500. Waiting to gig with my newly acquired Carvin B2000 and my B2 or B4.

ahc · #6 05-13-2010, 08:39 PM

Thanks for your input, folks. I'm not worried about maxing the speakers out, but was wondering if an LMII/III would be maxxed out and hitting the limiter too hard. Next chance I get I'll try using the combo head with the Acme's on a gig. Anyone know if the combo head is fully enclosed in a box, or is it open and the cab serves as the enclosure? Sounds like "search" time.
Thanks again,
Al

JimmyM · #7 05-14-2010, 12:00 AM

nope, combo head has an exposed top. that's the one thing that sucks about markbass combos. they should have made the heads easy and safe to remove. you could easily build a top for it out of sheet aluminum, but if you drill any holes it voids the warranty.

ahc · #8 05-14-2010, 09:15 AM

Thanks Jimmy. I did a search after I posted and saw your comments along with Peter Murray's and others. And yes, they should have made it easy to remove, but from their economic standpoint I can see why they wouldn't. Now let's see... just how much longer am I under warranty? I may even be out already.

or

Only the electrons know for sure!
Al

Rodger Bryan · #9 05-14-2010, 06:24 PM

I went for a modular Momark setup with a 500w frame to go with my single 4-ohm B2 and have been very pleased with it. Having two 8-ohm cabs paired with a LM III would be a flexible setup. The a/b power amps in the Momark should be the same as the LMIII.

ahc · #10 05-16-2010, 02:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rodger Bryan

Having two 8-ohm cabs paired with a LM III would be a flexible setup.

That's precisely what I want to accomplish. For a lot of the gigs I do one B2 and the LMIII would certainly do the job. For the others, two B2's will do it. My concern is/was will the LMIII be overtaxed for a loud gig with the two Acmes.
Al

ErnieD · #11 05-16-2010, 03:03 AM

(mrpackerguy) "when I need the larger cab and interchangeably, a Carvin B1500. Waiting to gig with my newly acquired Carvin B2000 and my B2 or B4."

Man, Im drooling like a Bassett Hound thinking of that B2000. WOOF!. I too have a few months old, like new B1500 and just can't seem to justify selling it off cheap to turn around and get a B2000.

Its like when I bought my new '03 Toyota Tacoma 4 door truck and they totally changed them up a few months later in '04...CRAP!

Plus the B1500 is mostly a backup to my Neopak/LMII/2xF1's. My B1500 rarely sees daylight. When I do use it, it does kick some booty fer sure.

So am I wrong not to move to the B2000, mrpackerguy? Besides the weight advantage, you digging the B2000 that much more over your B1500?