New Gallien Kreuger MB 210 & MB 115 PART 2:

[Thor]

Continued from Part 1 here.

[butchblack]

bump

[azureblue]

yeah, i definitely think you'll find the upgrade to your liking. you CANNOT run an extension cab with the MB212 so your only option (if looking to pair with your 15" cab) is the MB210


Got that part, and thanks for the input. Now to decide if a 210 + 1-15 would work for me better than a 212. Since the 212 isn't that much bigger, it makes it a hard decision. But I'd like to know anybody else has had a chance to try these two configs out.

[tallboybass]

Originally Posted by azureblue

yeah, i definitely think you'll find the upgrade to your liking. you CANNOT run an extension cab with the MB212 so your only option (if looking to pair with your 15" cab) is the MB210


Got that part, and thanks for the input. Now to decide if a 210 + 1-15 would work for me better than a 212. Since the 212 isn't that much bigger, it makes it a hard decision. But I'd like to know anybody else has had a chance to try these two configs out.

I'll be doing just that when my MB212 gets here today. It'll be an MB212 vs. MB210 (with and without a 15 under it) SHOWDOWN!!

[azureblue]

and please keep us posted. I use mostly a P J type bass with big flats, finger style, but also have a Tobias type JJ with DR rounds on it, both 5 string basses. Hope you can report with a flatwounds tryout.

[Blue Moose]

There's actually a 2x10 at the local Guitar Center. Too dang bad I bough a Les Paul the week before. Gotta wait until I can replenish the cash supply.

[darkhorse9]

I need to chime in here with a question. I'm pretty new at the bassist thing (2 years) and I'm still looking for a band to join. My guess is I will never join a band that plays rooms bigger than 100-150 people. Any possible festivals will likely have so PA help.

Money is a big issue for me right now but I definitely need a new amp, and I've decided on a GK

I can afford a mb115 right now and it might be all I need. If I want a 210 I'll have to wait a while longer.

My fear is twofold. I don't want to buy something I'll need to get rid of to upgrade in a couple of years (mb115)...conversely I don't want to overbuy and get something (210) that I'm paying for features I likely won't use.

Advice?

[rovito]

Get the MB115 now and add a second later. 2x115 combos. 400 watts into 215s.

[DJS]

Response to GroovinOnFunk from part 1:

"Are you suggesting that the 410mbx might not be that big of an upgrade from the 210mbe?"

Sort of - I'm concerned that the amp just might run out of current to run 6 speakers, when it was really only designed for 4. For my hard earned cash, I'd like to try it first.

"How can that be? you have twice as many speakers in the 410 and they both have the same wattage handling..."

You've added two more power hungry speakers to the circuit that was expecting only to drive 4. If we could keep adding speakers, and get 2x the output every time, bass guys would have two monster 8x10s running off a single $300 entry-level head. At some point the amp just doesn't have enough power to make it work, and while you'll have 6 speakers playing, they might not be producing as much as they could. In fact - your overall sound level could be even less than with a properly amplified 4x10 setup.

"Please explain DJS. You seem quite knowledgeable"

Thanks for the props! For the record, I was a C- student for a year in electrical engineering school - then switched to communications. I don't know jack!

" I've been playing out of the same Hartke Kickback 12 for the 10+ years I've been playing bass so I really don't know much about amps and extension cabs."

Sounds like you have a faithful friend in the Hartke. I've played one of those in the store. It was pretty solid. You'll love the 210 right out of the box, I bet.

"Also, would A/Bing it with any 4x10 be ok to serve as a reference? I probably can't try out the 410mbx but I can hook up my MB210 to a peavey 410 in the studio where I sometimes rehearse. Would that give me a good idea of whether or not a 410 will make a big difference?"

Maybe - the Peavey needs to be 8 ohms or higher, though. That's critical - or stuff could burn out. Some say you should match brands, speakers and cabinets for best results. If the speakers are out of phase with each other and there isn't any easy way of knowing that - this won't work at all and the whole rig will sound anemic.

Personally, I'd wait. You're getting a huge upgrade in sound. Play it for a while - see how it sounds with the band as is. Then when GK ships those new cabinets, bring your amp to the store and do a demo, first with the 210 and then with the 410. Or maybe by then someone else will have done the experimentation for you. I have the sneaking suspicion that GK would not have built this amp to drive 6 or 8 speakers. They make bigger stuff for that.

Hope this helps, and that your amp is everything you want it to be.

[JMonta]

Originally Posted by darkhorse9

I need to chime in here with a question. I'm pretty new at the bassist thing (2 years) and I'm still looking for a band to join. My guess is I will never join a band that plays rooms bigger than 100-150 people. Any possible festivals will likely have so PA help.

Money is a big issue for me right now but I definitely need a new amp, and I've decided on a GK

I can afford a mb115 right now and it might be all I need. If I want a 210 I'll have to wait a while longer.

My fear is twofold. I don't want to buy something I'll need to get rid of to upgrade in a couple of years (mb115)...conversely I don't want to overbuy and get something (210) that I'm paying for features I likely won't use.

I whant to buy the mb115 also and im just thinking about the same thing, I am sure the mb 115 will do it for me right now and the near future (I have a 25W amp right now and I have been ok with a loud guitarist in rehearsals, and obviously not with a drummer, but not by much) so i think having a 200W sounds like great. its perfect for small gigs and rehearsals. In future I might think of a cab and a head for LOOOUD stuff, witch I have heard they are always better than combos

Normally in Medium and up size gigs there are always equipment they lend you. (not that you live doing that, but will be ok with that for a few runs )



Advice?

Originally Posted by rovito

Get the MB115 now and add a second later. 2x115 combos. 400 watts into 215s.

How can you run that? splitting the signal?

[tallboybass]

Originally Posted by azureblue

and please keep us posted. I use mostly a P J type bass with big flats, finger style, but also have a Tobias type JJ with DR rounds on it, both 5 string basses. Hope you can report with a flatwounds tryout.

Here's the new comparison thread: GK Combo Shootout...MB210 vs. MB212

There's a lot more to do, I'll try to get a bass with flats hooked up soon.

[rovito]

Originally Posted by JMonta

How can you run that? splitting the signal?

Stereo pedal or splitter. Any pedal with a stereo head phone send( Zoom, Line 6 ) will work.

[KPJ]

Two MB115s would rock!

[GroovinOnFunk]

I got it! I just got home a few hours ago with my new MB210.

It's not like I'm sitting here singing "oh my god, this is the greatest thing since sliced bread" because it really isn't. But, that being said, this little bad boy is awesome. Very nice sound, can move a lot of air. Horn is really noisy but in a band setting (which is the only time I'd need it) it wouldn't be a big deal.

It's not as loud as I was hoping for but the sound is great. All I have to do now is get an extension cab for it and it'll solve the volume issues.

I give it a thumbs up but would definitely not recommend buying this amp before trying it out. I feel it's pretty particular.

[fretwear]

Originally Posted by GroovinOnFunk

I got it! I just got home a few hours ago with my new MB210.

It's not like I'm sitting here singing "oh my god, this is the greatest thing since sliced bread" because it really isn't. But, that being said, this little bad boy is awesome. Very nice sound, can move a lot of air. Horn is really noisy but in a band setting (which is the only time I'd need it) it wouldn't be a big deal.

It's not as loud as I was hoping for but the sound is great. All I have to do now is get an extension cab for it and it'll solve the volume issues.

I give it a thumbs up but would definitely not recommend buying this amp before trying it out. I feel it's pretty particular.

"Noisy Horn", I couldn't tell if mine was doing anything, I can here a little hiss when engaging the horn button and turning up the vol, so I know I've got one, just not much power seems to be going there? Yours is noisy? Mine sounds good also, tommorrow I have a GK 112 neo coming via UPS, 4 ohm's, we shall see how that kicks it.

[philter25]

I just got my MB212 in the mail and was playing with it today. Very happy. My only complaint is that the horn is a little noisy and there is no control of the horn.

My past amp was an ampeg BA115hpt and I really liked the horn control on the back.

But anyways I have an Ibanez SR700 bass.

Its an active bass and I keep the EQ all at 12, the pickup selector at 12, and my volume knob is on 9 out of 10, so almost all the way up.

This is my first GK so Im semi-unfamiliar with their amps. Is it ok to run my bass though the "passive" jack instead of the "active" jack? I run my bass direct into the amp for most shows, although Im debating getting a Sansamp because I loved the tube clean, slap, and distortion sounds I got from it.

Would running through the "passive" jack with my active bass give the amp too hot of a signal? Or can the GK amps handle it?

When I played through it, I ran my bass through the "active" jack just to be safe. I had the master at 3:00, the boost at 12, my EQ's all between 2 and 3:00, and the gain at 12 and it sounded a little light for a 500 watt amp. There was definately more room, but I figured it would be a little stronger sounding at those settings.

[GroovinOnFunk]

Originally Posted by fretwear

"Noisy Horn", I couldn't tell if mine was doing anything, I can here a little hiss when engaging the horn button and turning up the vol, so I know I've got one, just not much power seems to be going there? Yours is noisy? Mine sounds good also, tommorrow I have a GK 112 neo coming via UPS, 4 ohm's, we shall see how that kicks it.

I hope you don't mean that the GK 112 neo is 4 ohms... that's a no-no with this combo.

The horn is noisy but I don't feel like it's unreasonable. The louder you turn the volume, the louder the "hiss" coming out of the horn is. But that's only an issue in complete silence really if you're playing live.

I can DEFINITELY tell the difference when the horn is on and when it isn't just by listening to it. I haven't played in a band setting yet but I imagine I'll find the horn useful at that point.

When playing by myself the horn is just annoying.

[faulkner1953]

When I played through it, I ran my bass through the "active" jack just to be safe. I had the master at 3:00, the boost at 12, my EQ's all between 2 and 3:00, and the gain at 12 and it sounded a little light for a 500 watt amp. There was definately more room, but I figured it would be a little stronger sounding at those settings.


Yeah, I think it's kind of weak also, for the power rating it has.

[philter25]

Originally Posted by faulkner1953

When I played through it, I ran my bass through the "active" jack just to be safe. I had the master at 3:00, the boost at 12, my EQ's all between 2 and 3:00, and the gain at 12 and it sounded a little light for a 500 watt amp. There was definately more room, but I figured it would be a little stronger sounding at those settings.


Yeah, I think it's kind of weak also, for the power rating it has.

What I meant was relative comparing to my old amp, where I was plugging the active bass into the passive input so I didnt get the -15 db drop before the preamp stage.

I know I can always turn it up to get to the stage volume I need, and it will be more than capable of that. But I was curious if it would be better for the amp to run my bass through the passive jack and keep the settings a little less aggressive than plugging the bass in the active jack and turning up the gain, master, and boost.

[tallboybass]

As long as you don't over-drive the input I think you'll be much happier with the volume and tone going in the passive side.