What can an mb200 really do

poomwah · #1 01-04-2012, 07:20 PM

I'm trying to figure out if I'm having trouble with my amp, or if I'm just expecting too much out of the little thing.
It's driving an ampeg svt210av cabinet. I have a mid to low end logitech 5.1 system hooked to my computer.
If I run a bass straight into the amp (active or passive) I have to pretty much beat on the bass to keep up with the tunes on my puter. I can get it pretty loud if I put my vt bass deluxe or my gt6B inline and crank the gain, but then I get more distortion than I want.
I have hooked up a second cab (8 ohm 110) and haven't noticed much difference in volume. I don't have another amp to try :[
It should be able to easily out perform a loud stereo right? I can't imagine this thing being useful in any band situation except maybe acoustic :\
My old hartke 3500 into the same 110 was LOUD and would hold up to a drummer and a guitarist. I know thats a lot more amp but not sure if it would be enough to make THAT much difference. If I remember right, the mb200 is 150 watts at 8 ohms, the hartke 3500 is 240 at 8 ohms. Obviously a lot more, but enough to make that much difference?

jelwood · #2 01-04-2012, 07:33 PM

Interesting. Most people say the MB200 is one of the loudest amps for it's rating they've ever heard. I say try a different room.

Gintaras · #3 01-04-2012, 07:37 PM

my mb200 is not that loud with either a 8 ohm Schroeder Mini 10 or a Bergantino HT110. I was expecting more volume with the 8 ohm cabinets thou the tone is wonderful with any of the them.. But with my 4 ohm Schroeder 15L it is quite loud and aggressive. I've used this in a rehearsal environment with drummer and 2 guitarists and it had all the volume I needed.

poomwah · #4 01-04-2012, 07:45 PM

I tried different rooms, different locations within rooms, tried the cabinets in different positions (on their sides, upright, stacked, etc)
most recently tried the living room, and the home theater system drowns me out :[

will33 · #5 01-04-2012, 07:48 PM

Ya, assuming the amp isn't defective, you're doing something wrong if you can't keep up with a stereo.

Input gain too low or padded. Dead battery in active bass. Bad cord. Speaker plugged into the lineout or something.

N.F.A. · #6 01-04-2012, 07:50 PM

Yes, you should have no problem keeping up with a stereo. Good advice from will33 about checking other more mundane equipment also.

jnewmark · #7 01-04-2012, 08:01 PM

I use my MB200 as a headphone amp, with my computer patched in to learn new songs. The MB 200 is way louder than I would ever need it for that purpose. Played out of my LDS 212/horn cab ( 4 ohm ), it gets everything rattling in my music room. Definitely not a loud, big room gig head, but, that little sucker does have some thump. Something is'nt right with it if you can't keep up with a home stereo.

Russell L · #8 01-04-2012, 08:49 PM

Could it be speaker sensitivity? Some are louder than others. Check the specs, if you have them.

Eric Moesle · #9 01-04-2012, 09:00 PM

I have done a few pickup gigs with my MB200 thru an 8x10 cab. 6 piece band, guitars and keys mic'ed thru the PA. I ran just stage volume and filled the room just fine. The amp didn't have any headroom left - I was just under its threshold, but with all that speaker area it was full, deep and loud.

i wouldn't ever attempt it with a 1x12 ....

jeff7bass · #10 01-05-2012, 11:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by will33

Ya, assuming the amp isn't defective, you're doing something wrong if you can't keep up with a stereo.

Input gain too low or padded. Dead battery in active bass. Bad cord. Speaker plugged into the lineout or something.

I agree, something is wrong because it should be fairly loud with that cab. I played an Ampeg VR thru that cab and it was plenty loud. Both are the same wattage (thru a single 8 ohm cab), if I’m not mistaken.

I had a 30w Behringer that kept up with my 50w x 4 stereo so..

will33 · #11 01-05-2012, 11:48 AM

Assuming you've elimlnated a few of these simple things to check...check the driver polarity in your 210 with a battery, make sure they're both moving in and out together. That shouldn't be a problem in a new factory build but who knows?....maybe yours was built on a monday.

poomwah · #12 01-05-2012, 12:43 PM

Thanks everybody, I tried everything you guys suggested. New batteries in my active basses, tried 3 different passive ones as well, different instrument cables, different speaker cables. checked driver polarity. checked and rechecked connections and input pad. I'm betting on it being a bad amp since I've tried different cabs and accessories with the same result. To shake things in my bedroom (no room for a music room lol), with the tone controls at 12 o clock, I have to have the gain on at least 3 or 4 oclock, and still play very aggressively. And even then , its more making certain things on my desk lightly rattle, nothing actually shakes.
I wish the mb200 had an effects loop so I could test whether its the pre-amp or power amp.
I guess it needs to get sent in :[ Thanks guys.

Anarchyok · #13 01-06-2012, 05:35 AM

Definitely a fault with the amp - i play mine with a 4ohm 1x12, or a 8 ohm 212 at church with no pa support with the amp on only about 9 - 10 o'clock on volume, and eq fairly centred. That carries a large auditorium. At home, its barely turned up to 8 o'clock, and shakes the walls.

Needs to be sent in. I am constantly floored with how loud this amp is, and my other rig for comparison is a GK Fusion 550.