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Carvin Mb 210 combo

#21
Yeah, I have no doubt that, although the cabinet is a compromise design that's a bit choked, a second 210 making for a modest 4x10 would be perfectly fine for a lot of my gigs, especially the ones where my SVT-3 head and 410HLF cab are overkill. Hell, this combo weighs less than my SVT-3 head! I would especially like to try vertically stacking the 2x10s, or getting a decent length speaker cable, a pair of old-school fender bassman legs for the extension cab, and have it sit out in front of me, or slightly to the side, tilted back (I sing, so am often not right next to my amp). I hate that the rep admitted that "yeah, I guess there would be really nothing to making that cab, and just not cutting out the hole for the amplifier head, but we just can't do a custom build like that".:rollno::spit:
 
#23
The MB210 would fit perfectly on top of an Avatar B112 cabinet and give you the low end better than another 210 cab IMHO. The way I see Carvin pricing their ext. cabs. would probably have a MB210E at about $300, just looking at the way the MB15E costs $249. Where you could pick up a BR210-8C on eBay from Carvin for $199. Ok, it wouldn't be an exact fit in that the MB210 is a bit longer laid sideways, but I use an older R210 with the MB250 head and it is an awesome combination. I'd add my Avatar B112 and I have a mini-stack that can keep up with a good size guitar stack, but can't because of the ohm issue. For that I'd use my B800 head.

I have a MB12 and am not really impressed with it as a standalone. I like my cabinets ported. My first impression was that it sounded like it had a head cold when played flat, but it can get a moderately good tone when the bass eq is tweaked. I still think my old PB150 has more bottom, can get much louder by itself and is very portable. Just my opinion, your mileage may very.
 
#24
To follow up on the above posts speculating about a 2x10 extension cabinet for the MB210 combo, Carvin has heard and delivered.

[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]


Also, there is a parallel thread on the Carvin message board with a lot of the same posters and postings as here:

Invalid Link Removed
 
#26
MichaelVee said:
I am considering the MB210 Combo, and would like to hear from people who've bought and played the amp this year. Post your experiences!
Click to expand...

What would you like to know? How do you plan on using it?

I play all 5 strings and I have an MB210. It was easily the biggest and fullest sounding of all the single-unit Carvin micros that I played through.

I use it whenever I can for rehearsals and lower volume situations when my bigger rig isn't needed. It's awesome in that role. It sounds great, clear and lets the tone of each bass come through without sounding like it's being overloaded or pushed.

My main rig is an Ampeg SVT7-Pro into a 10.4Neo. Obviously there is a huge difference there in both size and tone. I had thought about adding the 210 extension cab but at the end of the day, I was concerned about only having 250W at my disposal. The extension cab on its own wouldn't handle the watts to be used as a standalone with the Ampeg, so I went with the bigger cab.

Know what would have been be great? An 8ohm 10.2 cab (Neo or not). Then I could have had the best of all worlds and had a 210 extension for the MB210, as well as a smaller ~500W rig with a single 210 and then 2 of those 210's would give me a big rig at 4ohms and all the volume I'd ever need....

But as long as you're not trying to match volume with loud guitars and play over a gorill drummer, it's a great sounding amp, IMHO.
 
#27
Grateful said:
Know what would have been be great? An 8ohm 10.2 cab (Neo or not). Then I could have had the best of all worlds and had a 210 extension for the MB210, as well as a smaller ~500W rig with a single 210 and then 2 of those 210's would give me a big rig at 4ohms and all the volume I'd ever need....
Click to expand...

On the specs page from the link above -( [Invalid or Expired Link Removed] ) it says the cab is rated at 8ohms. And, after looking around, they mention 250watts at 4ohms for the cabinet, but I think they meant coupled to the combo amp, even they they don't say that. I'll bet if you call Carvin, they'll tell you it's an 8ohm cabinet. It doesn't make sense to make an extension cabinet for combo, then make it incompatible with it. Methinks the webmaster got the info mixed up....
 
#28
sixway said:
On the specs page from the link above -( [Invalid or Expired Link Removed] ) it says the cab is rated at 8ohms. And, after looking around, they mention 250watts at 4ohms for the cabinet, but I think they meant coupled to the combo amp, even they they don't say that. I'll bet if you call Carvin, they'll tell you it's an 8ohm cabinet. It doesn't make sense to make an extension cabinet for combo, then make it incompatible with it. Methinks the webmaster got the info mixed up....
Click to expand...

I'm talking about a BRX10.2 Neo, not the MB210 extension. My bass head would likely shoot the MB210 speakers across the room....
 
#31
Well I joined my church band, they had no bass. It's a small church, and a small stage, so I showed up with a Sansamp bass di last week. Turns out the pa is small too, my Spector and the Sansamp was straining it. They have a well setup system, it's just too little for a rich sounding bass. I only have one amp, a Eden Wt800, and an Eden 410 cab, not only unuseable in the church, but it would leave me with nowhere to play, lol. So after reading here I ordered a Carvin MB210, and it came today. It's really light weight, it sounds really clean, and it has nothing below about 60hz.
... It's perfect for the church band! I'm glad I came here, and read about it. I very much like the preamp, in dialing it in, in my living room I was able to get the sound I wanted, but more importantly it sounded good in most of the settings I stopped at to check. Although it doesn't have deep bottom, (no cab that size could), what they did get right is the low mids are clear, and .. hey!, it fits in the passenger seat of my Honda!:)
 
#32
Growlmonkee said:
Well I joined my church band, they had no bass. It's a small church, and a small stage, so I showed up with a Sansamp bass di last week. Turns out the pa is small too, my Spector and the Sansamp was straining it. They have a well setup system, it's just too little for a rich sounding bass. I only have one amp, a Eden Wt800, and an Eden 410 cab, not only unuseable in the church, but it would leave me with nowhere to play, lol. So after reading here I ordered a Carvin MB210, and it came today. It's really light weight, it sounds really clean, and it has nothing below about 60hz.
... It's perfect for the church band! I'm glad I came here, and read about it. I very much like the preamp, in dialing it in, in my living room I was able to get the sound I wanted, but more importantly it sounded good in most of the settings I stopped at to check. Although it doesn't have deep bottom, (no cab that size could), what they did get right is the low mids are clear, and .. hey!, it fits in the passenger seat of my Honda!:)
Click to expand...

'Changed out the stock speakers on mine with 8 ohm Emi Neo Basslites (4 ohm total for the full 250W). 'Not as fan of the stockers. The Emi's REALLY open the combo up. Better lows, no farting, no need for an extension cab, and make it EVEN LIGHTER!
 
#33
I know it's been a while, but I was thinking about doing the same thing as the guy above me, replacing the speakers to achieve the full 250W. I don't know much about moding amps/speakers, is that really how it works? Like, does the amp not send the full 250W to the main stock speakers because it knows they can't handle it? Or does it only send the 200W to the speakers, requiring the extension cab for the full 250W?

Additionally, if replacing the speakers does allow the single unit to achieve 250W, do I need BOTH speakers to be rated at least 250W? I know they need to be 8 ohms each to hit the 4 ohm total for the amp.

Any help would be appreciated! Thanks.
 

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