Sold my big rig! The time to decide has come...

[Alvaro Martín Gómez A.]

...and I'm extremely undecided! I've received lots of great advice and I know it's a matter of opinion, but unfortunately I can't test the amps before buying (For those of you who don't know what I'm talking about, please check this thread out). So, I hope this poll will help me decide. What I'm looking for is a bass head that meets the following requirements:

- Lightweight. Not necessarily "ultra small", but something I can carry without major effort.

- The "best" match for the cab I'm planning to use it with, both in terms of voicing and power. The cab is a 4-Ohm Schroeder 1210R, rated 850W.

- Single channel.

- Parametric (or semi-parametric) mids. I really like that feature. I think that middle frequencies are crucial in the overall bass tone, so the more control over them, the better.

I really appreciate your vote. If you have any experience with the amps in the poll and/or have any other suggestion(s), please don't refrain from voting. Thank you in advance!

[michricker]

I prefer the lmiii over the marks you have listed. I've had all three

[TheDialog]

Aguilar AG500SC

[Alvaro Martín Gómez A.]

Originally Posted by michricker

I prefer the lmiii over the marks you have listed.

Appears as "discontinued" on the MB website.

Originally Posted by TheDialog

Aguilar AG500SC

No doubt it's a great amp, but it's not precisely lightweight. (18 lb.)

[Smurf-o-Deth]

The Little Mark II is discontinued, but the III is not.

[sleepytime]

Originally Posted by Alvaro Martín Gómez A.

- Lightweight. Not necessarily "ultra small", but something I can carry without major effort.

Originally Posted by Alvaro Martín Gómez A.

No doubt it's a great amp, but it's not precisely lightweight. (18 lb.)

ETA: Here in America, we actually have a game where we take a ball that weighs about as much as that amp, and hurl it 63 feet (20m!) down a lane to demolish a set of pins. That's right. We bad.

[Alvaro Martín Gómez A.]

Originally Posted by sleepytime

Well, after years of carrying a 31 lb. head inside a wood case along with at least two basses and/or an EUB, my back is begging for something that makes a "dramatic" difference.

[insain]

i traded the big rig on GB 9.0 and a GB 2x10 4ohm cab and i think it sounds great for live playing and the size and weight are remarkable

[39-Bassist]

If it were me I would choose a Carvin BX500...great tones and very light and good cost...
eitherwise G K...

[gus1894]

GK MB2-500.
3.75lbs. - 500W @ 4Ohms, 350W @ 8Ohms

I know it's a little different from what you've listed, but I prefer it over the Markbass stuff any day. Can't comment on the Genz Benz b/c I've never played them.

Good luck!

[Plstrns]

I was gonna ask if that was an axe bass in your avatar. Then I saw your profile, and it is!

MB F500 from the options. Check out the SVT 7pro also, there's been a lot of failures reported but I really like mine.

[Alvaro Martín Gómez A.]

Originally Posted by gus1894

GK MB2-500.
3.75lbs. - 500W @ 4Ohms, 350W @ 8Ohms

I know it's a little different from what you've listed, but I prefer it over the Markbass stuff any day. Can't comment on the Genz Benz b/c I've never played them.

Good luck!

That's another option I've considered, but the GK fusion doesn't have parametric mids. How are the fixed frequencies on that? Also, is it reliable? I've heard many horror histories about GKs (I even was a victim of an MB112 years ago).

[Alvaro Martín Gómez A.]

Originally Posted by zycro77

Do you own the 1210R already? If not, are you famaliar with its tone? Its very uniquely voiced. Some hate it, some like it. Just sayin'.

Yes, I own it from three years ago. I love its tone. Lots of definition without losing "oomph".

[jasonbraatz]

Wait a little while and you could grab the Aguilar Tone Hammer 500?

[sleepytime]

Mesa WalkAbout has a semi-parametric EQ. It's "only" 300W, though, and heavy. 13 lbs. Just razzin' ya, man. My back isn't getting any younger, either.

[sleepytime]

EA Pro. 1200W. 4 band semi-parametric EQ, with switchable Q on the mids, 9 lbs.

[genstormbringer]

According to a few people on here the Genz Benz overall rating as far as output is not quite what it seems to be. They have a different way of rating their power output on their amp as far as wattage . Check the forums here you'll see posts stating that . Thee SD800 is the real deal go read and do some research you will thank yourself later.

[Alvaro Martín Gómez A.]

Originally Posted by genstormbringer

Thee SD800 is the real deal go read and do some research you will thank yourself later.

If it were because of the specs alone, I'd choose the SD 800 without thinking it twice. The thing is, its voice doesn't seem to be very popular here (and the poll results so far seem to confirm it).

[Alvaro Martín Gómez A.]

Originally Posted by sleepytime

EA Pro. 1200W. 4 band semi-parametric EQ, with switchable Q on the mids, 9 lbs.

Do you have any experience with this one? Many people (including a very reliable source through a PM) have accused Euphonic Audio of "inflated wattage". That's why I discarded the EA Micro, but maybe the Pro has a decent amount of "real" power?

[gus1894]

I have the GK MB2-500 - not the Fusion. I've had no issues with the head whatsover. I play it w.my eq flat almost exclusively with a slight bass boost (very slight).