replacement Markbass amp opinions

Exemonium · #1 12-20-2012, 08:14 PM

Hey guys, you've helped me before, now I have more questions.

I recently purchased a Markbass LM 800 Tube. The other night it shut down while I was playing after a hard pluck while slapping. At no point was it clipping. I turned it off and on, it worked, I did a hard pluck again, it shut down again. restart was ok etc. the gain was abut 10 o'clock. master at 11. tube slider knob was at 1. Now I'm not typically a slap player anyway, I was just putting in a couple pops to hit certain syncopations harder.

Anyway, I've really enjoyed my rig which is that head with the 2x10 traveler 102p. So my question is do I want to exchange the head for the same OR...

Pick up the CMD 102P front ported, tilt back combo for only $150 more? This would give me the option of running both the combo and my 102p traveler cab as a 4x10 setup if I wanted to. The main difference would be less power than the 800.

Any thoughts or opinions are welcome. I think I could swing either way and be satisfied. But I have to act very quickly as my return period is running out.

**Freddels** · #2 12-20-2012, 08:17 PM

I've gigged that combo quite a bit and it's plenty loud for me. As for the 800, it could be the electrical system where you were playing it and it shut itself down with the protection circuit.

Exemonium · #3 12-20-2012, 08:35 PM

Yea the head with the 2x10 has been plenty for me. I doubt I'll NEED the 4x10 except for outdoor gigs, and in that case I run to our PA anyway. But let's be honest it'd look cool hehe.

**Freddels** · #4 12-20-2012, 09:41 PM

Yeah, I have a 410HF but I've never had a need to run the whole thing together.

murphy · #5 12-20-2012, 10:06 PM

For a $150 more....sure, get the combo, if you like the sound.
Hope it was not a problem with the tweeter causing your shutdown.....that really sucks.
Was the head vented properly?

Exemonium · #6 12-20-2012, 10:18 PM

Well, I have a 2x10 Markbass cab that I run through. So I know the sound is enjoyable. the head was in a medium sized room setting on top of the cabinet as per usual. wasn't hot or anything. I guess I'm trying to justify paying more for less power in a head...BUT I basically basically get another Marbass cab then. And I could just keep my F1 hooked up to the cab for home practice.

JimmyM · #7 12-20-2012, 11:24 PM

There's advantages to having a separate head and advantages to having a combo, especially a combo that's a dead nuts match with your existing cab. Personally, I like the speaker area more than I like extra wattage. And really, how much wattage can you realistically put through a 210 anyway? No way you can use all the wattage you have with the 800w head putting out 500w at 8 ohms anyway. And believe it or not, there was a time when 300w was considered insane and unthinkable wattage. The big Ampeg and Acoustic rigs of yore used to come with warnings about hearing damage, and they topped out at 300w.

In your shoes I'd probably do the combo unless you really really want the separate head.