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Buying Markbass - a few pre-purchase questions

M

Madlister

Dec 14, 2007
17
0
Nashville, TN
#1
So I'm looking at getting a Little Mark II along with the 102HF by/before this weekend.

I'm new to playing bass (originally a drummer by trade, love affair with bass forever, finally acting on it) - so this will be my first real head/cabinet purchase.

I've played through several combos, amp/cab combos and such around Nashville, and I think the LMII / 102HF sounds pretty close to what I want with my P-bass. That coupled with the portability and the price range all seem to fit.

All that said - I'm hoping to clear up a couple of things before laying down the cash, looking to the long term. I expect to be playing some mid-size venues by summer (smaller in spring) and might want to add a 1x15 to this setup later for some more low end.

Will that head allow me to expand to, say, a 151HR along with keeping the 102HF? Will there be any impedence issues? The cabs say they are rated for 8 or 4 ohm, and the Markbass site says the minimum impedence for the amp is 4 ohm.

I think I should be set on the right track, but I'm still not experienced enough in this area to feel completely assured.

Anyone intimately familiar with these products have some sagelike advice to toss in on that?



Thanks.
 
#2
Addendum - I realize I need a stereo amp to tack on the second cab (the 151HF) later, but I can't tell from the specs on the site if the Little Mark II is a stereo amp.

I'm still trying to adjust to the terminology that doesn't involve 7-ply maple shells and the like.
 
#3
Madlister said:
So I'm looking at getting a Little Mark II along with the 102HF by/before this weekend.

I'm new to playing bass (originally a drummer by trade, love affair with bass forever, finally acting on it) - so this will be my first real head/cabinet purchase.

I've played through several combos, amp/cab combos and such around Nashville, and I think the LMII / 102HF sounds pretty close to what I want with my P-bass. That coupled with the portability and the price range all seem to fit.

All that said - I'm hoping to clear up a couple of things before laying down the cash, looking to the long term. I expect to be playing some mid-size venues by summer (smaller in spring) and might want to add a 1x15 to this setup later for some more low end.

Will that head allow me to expand to, say, a 151HR along with keeping the 102HF? Will there be any impedence issues? The cabs say they are rated for 8 or 4 ohm, and the Markbass site says the minimum impedence for the amp is 4 ohm.

I think I should be set on the right track, but I'm still not experienced enough in this area to feel completely assured.

Anyone intimately familiar with these products have some sagelike advice to toss in on that?



Thanks.
Click to expand...


You want to make sure you get the 8ohm version of the 210. The 115 only comes in 8ohms.

The 300 watts that the LMII puts out into 8ohms should be plenty to drive the 8ohm 210 to full power, and that will give you the option eventually to add the 115 (or any other 8ohm cab), which will result in the LMII running at full power into the total nominal 4ohm impedance of the two 8ohm cabs.
 
#4
Madlister said:
Addendum - I realize I need a stereo amp to tack on the second cab (the 151HF) later, but I can't tell from the specs on the site if the Little Mark II is a stereo amp.

I'm still trying to adjust to the terminology that doesn't involve 7-ply maple shells and the like.
Click to expand...

'Stereo' in not needed. You just need to make sure the total impedance does not drop below 4ohms with a solid state monoblock head rated to operate safely at 4ohms or above.
 
#5
Thanks a ton for clearing that up.

It won't break the bank, but it's still a hefty purchase in working man dollars, and I just want to make 100% sure I'm picking up things well informed.

Not that I think the sales associates wouldn't be well versed (or want to just sell whatever and move on) - but I just believe in knowing what I'm getting into.

Much appreciated.
 
#6
You don't need a stereo cab...just enough outputs for the cabs you want. While the LMII has one Speakon output and one 1/4" output, I would think that the cabs have dual input/output for running a second cab in parallel (someone else verify?)

If the LMII goes down to 4 ohms and you partner it with 2 8 ohm cabs running in parallel then you'll be running at 4 ohms overall.

So, given the above is true, if you pick up an 8 ohm 102 and get the 151 at 8 ohms later, then you'll be golden.


EDIT...dang...a little late.
 
#7
Madlister said:
Thanks a ton for clearing that up.

It won't break the bank, but it's still a hefty purchase in working man dollars, and I just want to make 100% sure I'm picking up things well informed.

Not that I think the sales associates wouldn't be well versed (or want to just sell whatever and move on) - but I just believe in knowing what I'm getting into.

Much appreciated.
Click to expand...

It's great stuff. Make sure that they don't mistakenly add the 2 year warranty charge onto your purchase. I'm not sure about what the cabs cost, but the final, complete cost of the LMII should be $599, plus tax, INCLUDING the 2 year warranty. If you are dealing with a Guitar Center that is just getting the MB line, or dealing with a salesperson who has not sold MB products before, they can get confused and forget to discount the gear to account for the warranty.

Also, you have a full 60 days to return the MB stuff, no question asked, if you don't dig it. So, keep that sales receipt, and give the rig a very good try out for a couple or few weeks to make sure it's what you want.
 
#8
thesteve said:
You don't need a stereo cab...just enough outputs for the cabs you want. While the LMII has one Speakon output and one 1/4" output, I would think that the cabs have dual input/output for running a second cab in parallel (someone else verify?)

If the LMII goes down to 4 ohms and you partner it with 2 8 ohm cabs running in parallel then you'll be running at 4 ohms overall.

So, given the above is true, if you pick up an 8 ohm 102 and get the 151 at 8 ohms later, then you'll be golden.


EDIT...dang...a little late.
Click to expand...


More data points is always a good thing!

Good point on the single dual use Speakon and 1/4" on the MB. I assume, like you, that the cabs have double speakon input/outputs, so you would take the speakon out from the LMII, and then do a 'speakon to speakon' link of the two cabs. That way, you can use speakon speaker cables for (eventually) both cabs.
 
#10
Hey, Madlister,

Welcome to the bass, from a fellow Nashvegas guy. :)

I've played some Markbass stuff there at the GC in Nashville. The sales staff is hit or miss ... a few of them seem to know the bass pretty well, while some of them ... well, not so much.

If you need any help, or local opinions, let me know. I'd be happy to meet you over there during a lunch break or something if you need help (evenings I'm busy, sorry).

Regardless of that ... welcome, and best of luck to you!

Cheers
 
#11
KJung said:
More data points is always a good thing!

Good point on the single dual use Speakon and 1/4" on the MB. I assume, like you, that the cabs have double speakon input/outputs, so you would take the speakon out from the LMII, and then do a 'speakon to speakon' link of the two cabs. That way, you can use speakon speaker cables for (eventually) both cabs.
Click to expand...
The LMII at least has one speakon that can also act as 1/4" AND another strictly 1/4" speaker out.

Also the tuner out and line out for effects can both be used to power another amp BUT the are pre and not post. Chris
 
#12
musicman7722 said:
The LMII at least has one speakon that can also act as 1/4" AND another strictly 1/4" speaker out.

Also the tuner out and line out for effects can both be used to power another amp BUT the are pre and not post. Chris
Click to expand...

+1... 'dual use Speakon' plus 1/4" output :smug: I just prefer Speakons, and use the speakon output of the amp and then the dual speakons of the cabs when using more than one cab with the LMII. You are correct though that you could just as easily use the two 1/4" power outputs!

Kind of a dumb design that I assume will eventually be 'upgraded' to two dual action Speakons like in the F1. I'm hoping the next version of the LMII will have a 'pre/post' DI switch also, and a true 'preamp out'!

Also, +1 on the fact that the LMII is not set up to really be used as a preamp to drive a power amp.
 
#13
Alright, after a good deal of research, playing/testing different gear, and monitoring TB day in and day out for a good while, I finally made my purchase last night.

The sales guy at GC Nashville was pretty knowledgeable, very friendly and accomodating. He knew about the service plan being included in the price beforehand.

They were out of speak-on cables of any length shorter than 15', but he took down my info and said he'd call me when more arrived (they were already on order - I think I want a 3', to keep the distance the signal has to travel as short as possible, and the head is going to be sitting on top of the cabinet anyway.)

Got the rig home and it sounds better in my apartment than it did even on the sales floor. The EQ on it does everything I need it to, and cooperates nicely with my six year old P-bass.

I did do one thing differently than I'd intended though. Originally I wanted the 4x10 (104HR) cabinet, but talked myself out of, back into, and back out of it again. I was okay with going in to buy the 2x10 (102HF), but I know inside I really wanted the 104.

I guess it was meant to be, as they were out of the 102HF and only had the traveller (102P), which wasn't really what I wanted.

So I went with the 4x10. Wow I'm glad I did. That rig sounds nice.

And it's 8 ohm, so I can tack on a 151HR later on at 8 ohm and still play nice w/ the 4 ohm capable amp.

Thanks again everyone for the data and the reassurances.


MyMark.jpg
 
#18
The 104HR will not be available in 4 ohm until this Summer sometime. I bought one in 8 ohm and the salesguy thought we'd be able to order the 4 ohm and swap out. Alas, it was not to be so the 8ohm box goes back. Too bad; it's a great sounding cabinet but I was looking for a one cab solution.
 

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