Little Mark 2 or 3 Users

[Youngspanion]

How are you setting the gain on the amp? HOw about the volume knobs on the bass and the amp?

I am trying to understand my volume level out put all around.

I think I am finding the tone from my gear not too pleasing when I turn up.

I don't know if I'm supposed to turn the bass all the way up or back it off some. I turn the gain down and volume up. Sometimes I turn the gain up to just before clipping and the volume knob to about 12 or 2 O'clock

I have an Epi 112 PS and a TC elecronics 210. I use 'em separately for the most part.

[electracoyote]

LMIII user here.

Starting point: All EQ knobs at 12 o'clock, both filters full off (counter-clockwise).

Gain up to around 11 o'clock. Gradually increase volume until clip light blinks, then back off a bit.

Experiment with less gain, more volume, and vice-versa.

Adjust EQ knobs to taste. I find they are pretty sensitive. Read the user manual for more information about the filters and use them to taste. They are sensitive too; a little goes a long way.

Angle your cab or stand back from it so you can hear what is really coming out.

I play my LMIII through a 1X15, and I can pin my drummer's ears back with clean, pure power. I couldn't be happier.

Good luck.

[wengr]

LMII here. Both filters always off. Gain usually around 10 o'clock. Simply because this produces the most appropriate di level for my situation. Then master to the appropriate stage volume. Concerning the bass level, I've never had a bass that I thought sounded better less than wide open. Sometimes I'll leave it at say 9 or so if I might need a little more and accessing the amp is inconvenient. But basically I try to use the hands as the volume control and just run the basses wide open

[T. Alan Smith]

LMII here.
EQ flat. Filters off.
Because I play in quiet situations, I bump the master to 11 o'clock and adjust gain to taste. If I were playing in a loud, rock-type situation, I would play hard and adjust the gain 'til I saw the clip light blink then back off a notch. Then adjust master to taste.

[Smurf-o-Deth]

You want to set your gain on that amp to be just below clipping on your hardest-hit notes. That will give you maximum available output without hitting the limiter. When the LMII/III clips, it sounds way booty.

[KJung]

NEVER use a gain knob as a volume control on a solid state amp. The gain knob on the LMII/III and similar amps is only there to adjust for different input signals (which result from hard or light technique, and gain level of the preamp or pickups, and any EQ you use with the on-board pre if you have an active bass).

Here's how you do it (basically just a little more detail than the posts above).

1) Turn your master volume down to a low level so you don't blow your ears out. Turn the gain all the way down. Set the EQ on the amp to noon, with both filters off. Set your on-board preamp (if you have one) as you typically do.

2) Play your open E string as hard as you would ever play... really wump it with your right hand (assuming you are right handed!). As you are doing this, with your left hand, slowly bring up the gain knob until the clip light comes on as you are wacking the open E. When it just barely blinks, turn the level back down just a touch so that it NEVER comes on. This will be where your gain control will virtually ALWAYS be set with that given bass. Since we all dig in a little more on the gig, you might eventually have to dial it back just a touch more so the clip light never comes on.

3) Once that is done, and assuming you always use the same bass, you will never touch that knob again!

4) Now, bring up the master to adjust how loud you want to be.

Being familiar with both those cabs and your head, you should need virtually no EQ to get an even, full, fat tone. At most, you might want to dial back just a smidge of upper mids if you want it very smooth and warm. Of course, if you want some grind or distortion, you will need some sort of pedal.

K

[DWBass]

Originally Posted by KJung

NEVER use a gain knob as a volume control on a solid state amp. The gain knob on the LMII/III and similar amps is only there to adjust for different input signals (which result from hard or light technique, and gain level of the preamp or pickups, and any EQ you use with the on-board pre if you have an active bass).

Here's how you do it (basically just a little more detail than the posts above).

1) Turn your master volume down to a low level so you don't blow your ears out. Turn the gain all the way down. Set the EQ on the amp to noon, with both filters off. Set your on-board preamp (if you have one) as you typically do.

2) Play your open E string as hard as you would ever play... really wump it with your right hand (assuming you are right handed!). As you are doing this, with your left hand, slowly bring up the gain knob until the clip light comes on as you are wacking the open E. When it just barely blinks, turn the level back down just a touch so that it NEVER comes on. This will be where your gain control will virtually ALWAYS be set with that given bass. Since we all dig in a little more on the gig, you might eventually have to dial it back just a touch more so the clip light never comes on.

3) Once that is done, and assuming you always use the same bass, you will never touch that knob again!

4) Now, bring up the master to adjust how loud you want to be.

Being familiar with both those cabs and your head, you should need virtually no EQ to get an even, full, fat tone. At most, you might want to dial back just a smidge of upper mids if you want it very smooth and warm. Of course, if you want some grind or distortion, you will need some sort of pedal.

K

+1

Also, I can't even conceive having the volume at 12 noon. I'm barely past 9 o'clock before I'm 'too loud'!

[electracoyote]

Originally Posted by KJung

2) Play your open E string as hard as you would ever play... really wump it with your right hand (assuming you are right handed!). As you are doing this, with your left hand, slowly bring up the gain knob until the clip light comes on as you are wacking the open E. When it just barely blinks, turn the level back down just a touch so that it NEVER comes on. This will be where your gain control will virtually ALWAYS be set with that given bass. Since we all dig in a little more on the gig, you might eventually have to dial it back just a touch more so the clip light never comes on.

Great advice Ken, nice elaboration.

I have a question about the clip light. I have tried step 2 as you described it, but I always find if I continue increasing the volume after setting the gain, it will eventually defeat the gain adjustment and I will see the clip light flash.

Your advice is spot-on for general gain settings. Obviously, if you back the gain off just below clipping, you ensure sending a cleaner signal to the output stage. I just don't understand why the volume then creates a clipping situation?

[bassybill]

Ken's nailed it. I find that my own Markbass amp doesn't clip very easily, even with my J-Retro which has a pretty hot output. So my gain is typically around the one o'clock position with that bass. Master volume can be anywhere between about 8 o'clock on quiet gigs up to about 2 o'clock when I need to be REALLY loud.

[Richard G]

Originally Posted by DWBass

+1

Also, I can't even conceive having the volume at 12 noon. I'm barely past 9 o'clock before I'm 'too loud'!

ME 2!

[electracoyote]

Originally Posted by bassybill

Ken's nailed it. I find that my own Markbass amp doesn't clip very easily, even with my J-Retro which has a pretty hot output. So my gain is typically around the one o'clock position with that bass. Master volume can be anywhere between about 8 o'clock on quiet gigs up to about 2 o'clock when I need to be REALLY loud.

Wow Bill! I find both settings (gain to 1 o'clock and volume to 2) pretty high, I would never get away with that with my LM.

And you say the J-Retro has relatively hot output pickups?

[ia02]

Originally Posted by electracoyote

Great advice Ken, nice elaboration.

I have a question about the clip light. I have tried step 2 as you described it, but I always find if I continue increasing the volume after setting the gain, it will eventually defeat the gain adjustment and I will see the clip light flash.

Your advice is spot-on for general gain settings. Obviously, if you back the gain off just below clipping, you ensure sending a cleaner signal to the output stage. I just don't understand why the volume then creates a clipping situation?

I have been gigging a LM2 for a few years and have never encountered this. I set the gain as Ken described and can play with volume at will. No matter where my volume is set, my clip light never flashes. Maybe you are unknowingly playing harder after you set the gain? Easy answer would be to turn down a bit more than you think you need to.

And like the others I have yet to need to push my volume past 9 o'clock. Even in medium sized venues the sound guy will usually ask me to turn down if I push past 9.

[electracoyote]

Originally Posted by ia02

Maybe you are unknowingly playing harder after you set the gain?

This could be. I'll try it again and be more observant.

[ia02]

One more thing. Sometimes I find that certain notes on a particular instrument resonate a bit better than others. Those notes will make the LM2 clip but others wont. Try and find your loudest note and play it aggressively while setting the gain. Open E is often very loud but on my Mustang some of the high note os my G string are very lord as well.

[wvbass]

Originally Posted by Youngspanion

I don't know if I'm supposed to turn the bass all the way up or back it off some. I turn the gain down and volume up. Sometimes I turn the gain up to just before clipping and the volume knob to about 12 or 2 O'clock

I have an Epi 112 PS and a TC elecronics 210. I use 'em separately for the most part.

I can't speak for the 210, but I use a PS112 or two with my LMII. One PS112 can't handle as much as you are trying to throw at it. It will sound bad right up until you blow the speaker, and then it will sound worse.

[KJung]

Originally Posted by electracoyote

This could be. I'll try it again and be more observant.

+1 That's why I mentioned in my little 'gain tutorial' that often when we get on the gig and really start digging in, your can actually blow through the gain setting that was optimal at home. Just turning the gain down a smidge more and compensating with the master volume should fix your issue.

Of course, eventually, at high volumes, either your drivers will exceed their mechanical limits and start to compress or the amp will exceeds its rated power and start to compress (both things sound quite similar). Typicall, more or a larger cab is the only fix for that!