MB LM II - Direct Out...

geremia · #1 02-09-2011, 10:11 PM

Hey guys, simple question (I think)...I want to use my lm IIs' direct out in the studio. Is it safe for the amp to do this without cabs hooked up to the speaker out or should i pick up a dI box? i don't need any stage volume, ill be wearing headphones from the board...
thanks

GrowlerBox · #2 02-09-2011, 11:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by geremia

Hey guys, simple question (I think)...I want to use my lm IIs' direct out in the studio. Is it safe for the amp to do this without cabs hooked up to the speaker out or should i pick up a dI box? i don't need any stage volume, ill be wearing headphones from the board...
thanks

I don't believe this a problem with most solid state amps. Is certainly OK with my F1.

figuredbass · #3 02-10-2011, 12:21 AM

What GrowlerBox said. Just keep speaker cables unplugged from the LMII and keep the Master volume turned down all the way, just to be on the safe side.

**JxBass** · #4 02-10-2011, 05:12 AM

No problem. In fact it says you can do it on the Markbass site, FAQ section.

Wes Whitmore · #5 02-10-2011, 05:31 AM

I don't know of a single solid stage amp (even thouse with tube preamps) that you have to have some sort of speaker load connected to use it. This is only for tube amp stages. You can turn up the volume (in fact, you might HAVE to turn up the volume on that amp if you set the DI to post EQ to get any volume out of it). Pre-EQ setting will work regardless because it's usually just paralleled off of the input jack, which is before the volume knob and EQ stages. That is how many amps work anyhow. Not positive on the DI out of the Markbass stuff, but don't worry about not having speakers.
Wes

geremia · #6 02-10-2011, 07:04 AM

thanks all...this is my first solid state amp in the studio...hooray for low maintenance

JimmyM · #7 02-10-2011, 08:58 AM

honestly, geremia, i am not very enthused about the lmii's di. i once did a shootout with it against di's i had at the time, and the countryman and ebs microbass ii i used to have were a lot better. it'll work fine, but i think you could do better for a di.

PhatBasstard · #8 02-10-2011, 10:54 AM

No speakers needed.
LMII D.I. is Post EQ only (unless switched internally).
The master volume will have no affect on the D.I. output.
Only the input gain (and EQ/filters) will affect the D.I. output.

However, I agree with Jimmy. Unless the LMII's EQ section is just something you gotta' have, a regular D.I. is a better option for recording.

From the FWIW dept.:
For those of you that have moved from a LMII to a LMIII (or have both) and are wondering about what setting on the variable LMIII D.I. will match your trusty old fixed LMII D.I. output. It's the second dot up from "off" (about 10 o'clock). That's where it matched my LMII's output on my LMIII. I assume they will all be the same.

Anyone check/match this on the Tube or 800 series heads?