Downside of the Markbass LMII/III? - Page 2

DWBass · #21 05-11-2012, 08:42 AM

I have a LMIII. I like the amp a lot. If there is a downside, I would say it doesn't match well with just any speaker cab/cabs. When I used it with my old Avatars, it killed. Best sound I ever heard. I sold them and bought 2 GK Neo112's and it took me a good minute to tweak and find a pleasing sound. The lack of a mute is another. I think a lot of folks get put off by the 2 filters and dual mid band eq. I'm old school. Just give me an amp with Bass, Mid and Treble and I'm good. So it's taken me a minute to 'learn' the amp. No issues volume wise as it is loud as hell!

BurningSkies · #22 05-11-2012, 08:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DWBass

I have a LMIII. I like the amp a lot. If there is a downside, I would say it doesn't match well with just any speaker cab/cabs. When I used it with my old Avatars, it killed. Best sound I ever heard. I sold them and bought 2 GK Neo112's and it took me a good minute to tweak and find a pleasing sound. The lack of a mute is another. I think a lot of folks get put off by the 2 filters and dual mid band eq. I'm old school. Just give me an amp with Bass, Mid and Treble and I'm good. So it's taken me a minute to 'learn' the amp. No issues volume wise as it is loud as hell!

I busted mine out a couple days ago and paired it with a little Avatar SB112 for a friend who was trying out my basses...set it flat and it sounded really really nice with all of them. I forgot how good it can sound.

electracoyote · #23 05-11-2012, 09:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jasisco

I have used mine solely for the past 3 years and I've used it a lot. At least 3-4 shows a week. Built so strong with a very clean/warm sound and light. There are better sounding rigs out there, but for people who gig as much as me, I've found one thing in common, most of us are using markbass. The tone to weight ratio is the winning deal when going from one gig to the next in a taxi then walking up or downstairs with your bass on your back and your rig in one or two hands. My only complaint is the crappy DI they put in.

+1, but I can't agree about the DI on the LMIII, they have upgraded it with an output knob, all my sound guys love the DI.

I have an LMIII in a CMD151P combo and a stand alone LMIII head to run with other cabs. End of the line for me. No reason to look elsewhere. 2 Ohms? Really? 4 Ohms does the trick for me. And what is the purpose of a mute switch? Aren't there several places along the typical signal chain to mute yourself? I just don't see that as a deal-breaker with any amp. And if you like the tone of your bass and that's what you want to hear, the transparency of the LMIII is for you. If you want an amp to radically color your tone, you need to look elsewhere. But the LMII/LMIII VLE and VPF filters are very useful, so the tone shaping is there as well.

bassman64 · #24 05-11-2012, 11:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by neurotictim

Lol, why double the weight and dirty the sound when I've got Markbass?

I have to agree with Bullhorn...SVT and an 8X10 is the real deal.
If I was playing on stage, thats all I would need or want.

I have a !X15 Jeff Belrin and while is is an awesome amp, well built and no lack of power..I think the Mark bass line caters to a more jazz fusion group

bassman64 · #25 05-11-2012, 11:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DWBass

I have a LMIII. I like the amp a lot. If there is a downside, I would say it doesn't match well with just any speaker cab/cabs. When I used it with my old Avatars, it killed. Best sound I ever heard. I sold them and bought 2 GK Neo112's and it took me a good minute to tweak and find a pleasing sound. The lack of a mute is another. I think a lot of folks get put off by the 2 filters and dual mid band eq. I'm old school. Just give me an amp with Bass, Mid and Treble and I'm good. So it's taken me a minute to 'learn' the amp. No issues volume wise as it is loud as hell!

"there is a downside, I would say it doesn't match well with just any speaker cab/cabs."

thats sort of a problem I am having. my problem is that my Rickenbacker doesnt sound good through it. I have been tweaking the eq for a month and still cant find that sweet spot that I like

Texan · #26 05-11-2012, 11:46 AM

I love my LMII, no issues at all.

BillyB_from_LZ · #27 05-11-2012, 12:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bassman64

I have to agree with Bullhorn...SVT and an 8X10 is the real deal.
If I was playing on stage, thats all I would need or want.

I have a !X15 Jeff Belrin and while is is an awesome amp, well built and no lack of power..I think the Mark bass line caters to a more jazz fusion group

If an SVT is the ideal tone, then I suspect that your Berlin is going to need some help. Have you considered something like a Tech21 VT Bass pedal for tone shaping?

BullHorn · #28 05-11-2012, 12:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by neurotictim

Lol, why double the weight and dirty the sound when I've got Markbass?

For a while there I thought 'I need a clean uncolored tone so that I can dial in whatever tone I want!' but then I figured that the tone I want is the same tone we've been hearing since the middle of the previous century - Ampegy goodness.

BurningSkies · #29 05-11-2012, 12:22 PM

Ampeg and Markbass are two different design philosophies and tonal profiles. Neither is inherently better or worse than the other. They're different.

Let's talk about the Markbass one here...in this MarkBass thread.

neurotictim · #30 05-11-2012, 12:24 PM

I'm definitely not against the Ampeg sound - it really works in just about any setting - it's definitely not "my" sound.

My setup now is the sound I have in my head - Warwick $$ 5 -> various pedals -> LMT800 -> Avatar B410 neo. The first note struck with that setup and I was like:

THORRR · #31 05-11-2012, 12:26 PM

I love everything about my LM III 800w.

2 years and lots of gigs later it still kills through
my Avatar B410 neos. Tons of tone, tons of headroom,
tons of punch.

Love it.

onosson · #32 05-11-2012, 12:33 PM

The downsides of the Little Mark amps are:

- if you like a different tone profile
- if you like semi-parametric eq
- if you like a high-gain, driven sound
- if you like an effects loop that's not in parallel
- if you want switchable channels

That's why there are different heads available.

If you want more power, they have the LM800 now. If you want two inputs with separate gains (important for me, others may not care), the Little Mark Tube series has that (with an 800watt version).

I guess there might be more, but that's what I see as the major factors when it comes to choosing a bass head.

electracoyote · #33 05-11-2012, 12:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bassman64

I have a !X15 Jeff Belrin and while is is an awesome amp, well built and no lack of power..I think the Mark bass line caters to a more jazz fusion group

Ha! I play classic rock and country through mine, it's a match made in heaven. And an extension cab let's me rattle the stage of even the big theaters here in the Denver area.

Matt Dean · #34 05-11-2012, 02:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BillyB_from_LZ

Downsides might be:
Remember, this is TalkBass where we're constantly searching for the next new shiny thing... Just because they're regularly for sale doesn't make them bad.

This.

**WoodyG3** · #35 05-11-2012, 03:51 PM

I think a few LM IIs are sold off by people who have gotten the LM III for the better XLR line out with level control. I also think that there are so many sold, that it is only natural that there will be more in the classifieds. I love my LM III, and I tried a bunch of stuff lately and couldn't find anything I liked better. I use a Sansamp BDDI in from of mine to get a warmer tone when I want it.

I will say that I don't like the fact that they are only sold through GC, and I've heard some people have had problems with customer service. I'd way rather buy from my local music store.

chadhargis · #36 05-11-2012, 03:56 PM

I bought a 102p combo which had the LMIII in it (branded as Combo Head II). I've since replaced the combo head with a LMT800 and I have my LMIII as a spare. Both are fantastic heads.

ksandvik · #37 05-11-2012, 04:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BurningSkies

Ampeg and Markbass are two different design philosophies and tonal profiles. Neither is inherently better or worse than the other. They're different.

Let's talk about the Markbass one here...in this MarkBass thread.

Totally agree, this is really comparing apples with oranges and vice versa. BTW I used MarkBass for a long time but I switch out my rig every four years or so, so I don't get complacent with the sound.

chuck3 · #38 05-11-2012, 04:09 PM

I'm a big Genz Benz fan as is evident from my info here. However, I picked up an LM II used and I really like it for certain purposes, and have no intention of selling it. What "certain purposes"? What I call retro gigs - blues, oldies, that kind of thing. Generally somewhat lower volume stuff. Paired with a Genz Benz Shuttle 12" extn cab, that's a very nice small rig.

Biggbass · #39 05-11-2012, 04:16 PM

No downside that I have found. For those who complain about no mute switch just get a Planet Waves Circuit Breaker cable.
I love my LM3...it's a keeper.

Jim C · #40 05-11-2012, 05:57 PM

I must be in the minority here as I just didn't like it that much.
Bought one 2 years back based on the great reviews, had it for 6-8 months; tried to love the clean warm sound as mentioned above. It just was flat sounding to my ear with linited depth. Great little amp; super reliable; just not my cup of tea.