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Considering a Markbass 210 combo ... Thoughts?

Fletz

Fletz

Jan 16, 2009
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New Jersey
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#1
Am seriously considering a markbass 210 combo - the one that sells for $1150 - as my main bar rig. Currently I am using an Ampeg Pf500 and a 410 hlf. The sound is great but I love the portability of the markbass. Do you use one in a bar band setting? Amy pro and con feedback is appreciated. Also if you know of anyone selling one used, would love to hear about it. :)
 
#2
I have a freind that gigs a 210 MB combo. Wasn't too long before he added a 210 ext cab. All depends on how much stage volume you need. The combo alone, on an amp stand, should cover most anything, but stacked on another 210, and you're back level where you are now with the 410.
 
#3
I love mine! Loud, great sounding piece of real quality gear. Had it for six years now and cannot fault it in any way. If it was stolen I'd replace it the same day. I just haven't ever tried anything else that works as well for me, whether in terms of design or performance. It's the closest thing to perfect that I have in my arsenal.

One of the things I liked most when I got it was being able to do without a stand, after always lugging one around before when I was using a different 210 cab. The tilt back option with the Markbass makes a stand unnecesary in my own situation. I do use it with an extension cab (MB Traveller 115) for some gigs.
 
#4
A further comment - I don't often use it at home (I'm lucky enough to have a separate rig set up for practice), but when I do, I sometimes find myself thinking "Hmmm - I wonder if there's something else out there that I might prefer?" Then when I take it out on a gig and hear it in a band context, I stop thinking about that and just stand there playing with a dumb grin on my face. In other words, although it sounds good on its own, you really need to use it on a gig to appreciate just what an amazing bit of kit it actually is.

The pre is excellent with really well chosen EQ bands (which usually only need very, very minor tweaking), the DI out to the FOH gives the desk guy just what he wants and the on stage sound is such that every note is clear and can be heard by the whole band without having to blast their ear drums out. I've also used it for lots of smaller bar type gigs without going through the PA. No problem at all - as long as you're realistic about just how much you can expect out of a 210, of course. I wouldn't use it with a really loud band in a big room and expect it to cope on its own. No 210 could do that (well, duh).

Sorry if this sounds over-effusive, but it's just so unusual for me to love a piece of gear even more after 6 years than I did the day that I bought it.
 
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#6
I love my Markbass gear just as much, although I don't have the 210 version (I'm mostly using a Little Mark III head and separate Traveler 151P cab). I'd be curious to know which sounds deeper, my 151P or the box that the 210 combo has (or, that is, the Standard 102, front-ported cab).

Say, bassybill, how does your Traveler 151P cab sound with your 102 combo? I'm getting ready to purchase an extension cab.
 
#7
The two work together great for me. I find that when I use the 151 with the combo, I usually need to roll the lows off just a touch as otherwise the bottom end becomes really overpowering on stage. There's a huge difference in stage volume when I use the extension cab, and it means that in situations where the combo on its own might be working quite hard, the rig with the 151 is not even breaking a sweat. I like to have plenty of headroom and don't like to push things anywhere near to the limit - clean and clear with balls is the sound I'm after and this does it just great for me.
 
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#8
bassybill said:
The two work together great for me. I find that when I use the 151 with the combo, I usually need to roll the lows off just a touch as otherwise the bottom end becomes really overpowering on stage. There's a huge difference in stage volume when I use the extension cab, and it means that in situations where the combo on its own might be working quite hard, the rig with the 151 is not even breaking a sweat. I like to have plenty of headroom and don't like to push things anywhere near to the limit - clean and clear with balls is the sound I'm after and this does it just great for me.
Click to expand...

Thanks, Bill.
 
#12
I wouldn't recommend that option if that's the case. The overall load would be somewhere below three ohms and the head in the combo is only rated down to four.

If it's an eight ohm cab, then it would work, although you'd have unequal power distribution between the six drivers. That would only be a problem if you were trying to push the 410 to the limit, though - if you did, the drivers in the 210 would be way over taxed as each of them would be getting twice the power of each driver in the 410 cab.
 
#18
I tried one while subbing with a rock band, loved the way it cut through the mix in rehearsal, and I thought it sounded great on the gig. So, I went out and bought one a week later. I did a few blues gigs with it, and each time I liked it a little less. These were not very loud gigs, but the amp was really straining, and I couldn't get any real low end out of it. Boosting the lows just made it sound hollow. A week later, I took it to rehearsal with a reggae band, and that is where it completely fell apart. No low end, not even close. I had my little Eden rig at the jam spot, (traveller 550 with a 2x10 xlt cab) so I A/B'd them... The Eden absolutely crushed the markbass combo, as far as low end. It wasn't even close. The other musicians well laughing, it was so bad! Needless to say, I took it back the very next day. But...there were things I really liked about that little guy...it just had no lows! So, I have a littlemark III head now, and a pair of Standard 102HF cabs on the way. I really hope I can get the lows with this setup, cause I'm tired of lugging the Eden gear around. The Eden 2x10 weighs 68lbs, and I live up 3 flights of stairs, no elevator. I think you might this little guy lacking for your main amp for bar gigs, I certainly did.
 
#19
lance_randy said:
I tried one while subbing with a rock band, loved the way it cut through the mix in rehearsal, and I thought it sounded great on the gig. So, I went out and bought one a week later. I did a few blues gigs with it, and each time I liked it a little less. These were not very loud gigs, but the amp was really straining, and I couldn't get any real low end out of it. Boosting the lows just made it sound hollow. A week later, I took it to rehearsal with a reggae band, and that is where it completely fell apart. No low end, not even close. I had my little Eden rig at the jam spot, (traveller 550 with a 2x10 xlt cab) so I A/B'd them... The Eden absolutely crushed the markbass combo, as far as low end. It wasn't even close. The other musicians well laughing, it was so bad! Needless to say, I took it back the very next day. But...there were things I really liked about that little guy...it just had no lows! So, I have a littlemark III head now, and a pair of Standard 102HF cabs on the way. I really hope I can get the lows with this setup, cause I'm tired of lugging the Eden gear around. The Eden 2x10 weighs 68lbs, and I live up 3 flights of stairs, no elevator. I think you might this little guy lacking for your main amp for bar gigs, I certainly did.
Click to expand...

The CMD102 combo is the same as the LMKIII and the 102HF cab. You could have just added another 102HF and you'd have the same thing that you just ordered.
 

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