Markbass 12" cab, how to choose?

[greencow]

I'm wondering if anyone could compare some markbass cabs for me.

I was thinking of 2 1x12" cabs. I feel that the NY really has nothing to offer to me, as weight and size are nolonger a problem when using any Markbass cabs.

How do the Traveler and Club series cabs compare to eachother. Or the CMD102P. Or the classic 104. If I liked the tone of the calssic cabs more then the combo should I maybe opt for 15" drivers?

Also, I failed to find any information on the connectors on markbass cabs? I assume they have a speak-on input but do they have a speak-on parallel out?

Hit me with your opinions.

Sorry for making a new thread but I failed to find a way to edit the title of my old thread.

[Tractorr]

I was wondering the same thing about the 15"s myself. Anyone with any insight?

[greencow]

Budump.

[greencow]

I alos asked this question from Markbass, using the form on their site.

I got an answer in one day.

Thanks for writing, and thanks for your interest in Markbass! In response to your questions:- Going with two cabinets is indeed a very flexible solution. You can use one cabinet (or the other) or both.
For this to work, both cabs would have to be 8 ohms—together they would make a 4 ohm impedance.
With one cabinet (and the Little Mark III) you’d get 300W, with both cabs, you’d get 500W.- You might also consider using a combo and an extension cabinet—all of our combos include the Little Mark II in them!
So you could get a Mini CMD 121P combo and a New York 121 extension cabinet, for example. This is actually my favourite rig!
Or, if you went with 15s, a Mini CMD 151P (or CMD 151P Jeff Berlin) and a New York 151.
Very practical, portable, and less expensive than buying two cabs and a head.- You can use only speakon cables easily by connecting the speakon output of the head into the speakon jack of the first cab, and then connect the second speakon jack of the cabinet to the second cabinet. This has exactly the same result as connecting both cabs to the head.- The main differences between our 1x12 cabinets are related to the size of the cab and the type of tweeter.
The New York 121 has a piezo tweeter, which gives the high end more of a “woody” tone as opposed to the “glassier” compression driver and custom horn that you find in the Club 121 and the Traveler 121H.
The Traveler 121H is the largest of the 1x12 cabs, so it will have more bottom end and a bit more headroom—but is slightly less portable.
The Club 121 is our lightest cabinet ever, and can also sit back in wedge monitor position, but due to its light weight, it has a bit less bottom end.The 4x10 you tried would have more bottom end than any of these cabs, and be a bit more aggressive in the mids.
All of these 1x12s would be a bit warmer sounding but at the same time a bit rounder.- I think that from your description the 15s might be best! The 15s do tend to offer really nice low mid warmth, and overall a more old school tone.You also get less deep lows with a 1x12 than a 4x10.
If you choose 15s, the same type of cabinet comparisons apply:
The Standard 151HR is the biggest of the options, so it will be least portable but have the most bottom end, biggest sound.
The Traveler 151P is a bit smaller than that, and has a piezo tweeter instead of the horn.
The New York 151 is still a bit smaller, and sized perfectly to stack with the 15” combos... so it’s the best choice if you go the combo route.
The Club 151 is smallest and lightest, so the most portable but has the least bottom end. That should give you some stuff to think about! Please let me know if you have any further questions. Best,
Peter

I am amazed. I am just a potential customer and I get this much personal atention. My trust in Markbass customer service just doubled. Going to try out a 15" combo at the weekend and see how it feels.

[Musicman20]

I also just got a response from Peter which is great, and I asked about the NY122.

Ive no idea why more people don't own the NY122...the specs seem great!

[JxBass]

Lots of good choices. When you audition them I suggest comparing their cabs with piezo and horn tweeters, big difference IMO.

[Son of Bovril]

what was his response regarding the NY122?

[Musicman20]

I hope Peter doesnt mind!

"The New York 122 is a 4 ohm cabinet, so as you seem to understand, it would draw the full power from your head (500W).

The only downside of this is that you would not have the option of using a second cabinet with it (our heads have a 4 ohm minimum, and two 4 ohm cabs together make a 2 ohm impedance. A 4 ohm with an 8 ohm make a 2.67 ohm impedance).



The Club 102 is a very lightweight cabinet (our lightest 2x10) and as a result, it has a bit less low end than the larger, slightly heavier 8 ohm cabs.

And since it’s 8 ohms, it would only draw 300W from your head.



With these two factors together, it’s not really a fair comparison, because the 2x12 will be significantly louder and fuller sounding.

Personally I would only recommend the Club 102 if you really need the most portable option, and only playing in circumstances where you don’t need a lot of volume or low end. Of course this would change if you used two Club cabinets—at that point you would be running at 4 ohms and you’d have a bigger rig overall, which would increase your low end and headroom significantly. That would be a more fair comparison to the Club 122.



Generally I would add that the 10s have more mid presence/aggressiveness than the 12s (if you compare a 2x10 to a 1x12) but the 12s are better rounded, maybe more “hi-fi” and open sounding. If you only used one cabinet, the 10s would cut better. The 10s may be a better choice if your main application is rock. But two 12s would cut great and have a nice, full, warm, versatile, true-to-the-source sound.

I also use Music Man basses, and although they sound great through all Markbass gear, my personal preference (for what it’s worth) is the 12s!"

[Son of Bovril]

Thanx

[rodl2005]

Can't offer you much but my personal experience with the HR151 cabs. I've got 2 of them & they make a lovely, light but rich sounding 2x15"rig.
I bypassed the x-over & horn out of one & as I've always liked 15"s I like the cab this way too.
I still like the cab with the horn in it also & the 2 together are great.
Altho I've used their 410 cabs,& they seem great too, I haven't used one enuff to offer a valid review.
If I was to get a combo, the Berlin 15 would be high on my list.

[Russell L]

I recommend the 151P cab. Deeper than the 121H, and will handle the lows, especially a spike, better without clanking (the 12 in my combo will clank easily with too much bottom). I run one with my 121H combo, but actually I can get about the same volume with the 151P alone as I do with the 12 and 15 together (I know they're not a pefect match to start with, but I'm on my way to getting two 15s). The 151P is also more easily transported than the 151HR.

If you stay with 12s the 121H cab is much deeper than the NY.

[greencow]

I am curios. I understand that the cabs come with a level control for the tweeter.

So what is the purpous for bypassing a tweeter?

Also regarding the DI on the head: How will it react to phantom power?

[greencow]

Bump.

The tweeter bypassing seems a bit strange to me.

[kasbrey]

I have 2 Club 121's and they have an enormous amount of bottom end !
It actually took me months to get used to having to cut the bass on my LM11 when I was only using 1!
There is less bottom end in kickback mode.
Now I'm used to them I can certainly recommend them although I greatly prefer the sound of 2 together.

[BillyB_from_LZ]

Originally Posted by greencow

I am curios. I understand that the cabs come with a level control for the tweeter.

So what is the purpous for bypassing a tweeter?
...

Not everyone likes tweeters...note that the Jeff Berlin combo doesn't have one at all.

I find that a little twist of the VLE knob deals with overly aggressive tweeters (my CMD 121P and NY 121 have piezos). I didn't even try the bigger cabinets as I was going for small and light while still sounding great.

[rodl2005]

+1 I wanted a single 15"cab without a tweeter, so I opened up the cab & found it was very easy for me to wire the driver direct to the input, thereby bypassing the x-over & horn, I wouldn't've done it if I couldn't get the x-over out of the equation.
Now, I have one HR151 with a tweeter & one without.
I've A/B'd them & there's not a lot of difference(especially with the tweeter turned down low) but I definately can notice a diff. with the cab with the tweeter out, as compared to the one WITH the tweeter on flat-or 12 o'clock.
The highs are smoother darker & obviously LESS 'sparkle', but I really like it. & BOTH together are nice too.

Obviously, WITH a Mark Bass amp, like my LMII, turning up the VLE gives a similar vibe,
but I find,I like the 15"speaker getting ALL the freq of the bass & then it reproducing what it can as the 15"spkr it is.
Also, I use my LMII only occasionally, so no VLE to play with on my other amps

[BillyB_from_LZ]

Originally Posted by rodl2005

+1 I wanted a single 15"cab without a tweeter, so I opened up the cab & found it was very easy for me to wire the driver direct to the input, thereby bypassing the x-over & horn, ...

Also, I use my LMII only occasionally, so no VLE to play with on my other amps

Cool! On the subject of having the VLE feature on another amp, I tried one of the MarkBass Booster pedals (with clean boost, VPF and VLE) with my Walkabout (hoping to add some MarkBass flavor) and it just wasn't the same.