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Do I need a bigger amp? Markbass question
- Thread starter Jasonbass32
- Start date
I did a little comparison of the two preamps on the Tube 800 on this thread: http://www.talkbass.com/forum/f15/m...state-tube-preamp-frequency-responses-880262/
Cabinet placement is everything. As has been suggested get them off the floor to decouple, make sure they are aligned completely correctly for correct phase response. Also multiple drivers in separate cabinets doesn't always work well since they both respond a bit differently. Separate cabinets work better when they are doing a different job i.e sub and mid bass. When doing the same job all sorts of anomalies can occur with a subtle mismatch.
I had the exact same rig. I preferred the 2x10's in traditional 4x 10 mode. There seemed to be more low end punch. I realise that this is not the current fashion on TB 
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The gain setting described seems a little low unless the bass has a higher output than my basses (including my G&L L1000!)
To get the best out of this amp you have to run the gain right up to "just before clipping". All IMO of course.
.The gain setting described seems a little low unless the bass has a higher output than my basses (including my G&L L1000!)
To get the best out of this amp you have to run the gain right up to "just before clipping". All IMO of course.
I had the exact same rig. I preferred the 2x10's in traditional 4x 10 mode. There seemed to be more low end punch. I realise that this is not the current fashion on TB
The gain setting described seems a little low unless the bass has a higher output than my basses (including my G&L L1000!)
To get the best out of this amp you have to run the gain right up to "just before clipping". All IMO of course.
What amp did you powere the 2 x 210's with. I put my cabinets in that configuration earlier today and I think I may set them up that way Saturday night. I think the sound is, like you say, more like a traditional 4 x 10 sounds.
I had the exact same rig. I preferred the 2x10's in traditional 4x 10 mode. There seemed to be more low end punch. I realise that this is not the current fashion on TB
That's because you were concentrating all your mids into a narrow beam. All you could hear was the more omnidirectional lower frequencies. You couldn't hear the mids hitting the backs of your legs and blasting the couple sitting at the table 15 feet in front of you.
I used an LM11
If this was the case at least I can comfort myself by knowing that it sounded better (even out front).
You are experiencing what happens when you move from a larger, more efficient cab, to a smaller (or two very small) cabs.
More wattage will not help (much). You can only get so much volume out of those very small 210's.
Per JimmyM's comment, no issue in turning up the knobs more if it still sounds good... it just takes more juice to get the same volume from a smaller rig. As long as it sounds good to you, you should be fine.
It sounds like you already had new car fever for the 800 before you even asked the question on the board since the consensus was you still had plenty of headroom on the LMIII but your cabinet configuration needed to be changed or rearranged. I can tell you that I use GK Neo cabs (4x10 and/or 1x15) with my LMIII and I similarly have both the gain and master at noon. That doesn't mean I need more wattage. Anyways, enjoy the 800, but I suspect you'll be changing your cabs soon too.
Turn the gain up to the point where you see the clip light come on and then slowly back it down until you don't see the light come on anymore. Then use your volume as you wish. I've had my MB LMIII volume at noon but typically I'm between 9-10 o'clock. Markbass amps can get real loud!
With my LMIII head and dual 151P cabs my gain is optimally set at 2:00 (with all eq at noon, no filters), and master ends up around 10:00, noon at the very most for when we get way too loud. So, maybe you could still get some more from yours with the gain up to 2:00.
I just want to test out the 800 to see if it makes a difference, if it does not I will simply send it back. But I am not opposed to having both the 800 and LMII as a backup. I play about 70 paying shows a year.
You could be right about the cabs. Maybe keep 1 of the 210's for small shows and get a 2 x 12, possibly the new york 122 or the club 2 x 12 for the bigger stuff. The 2 x 12 cabs are out of stock until September.
If you're doing 70 paid shows per year, why not do it right and get the MB Standard 104HF 4x10 - 4 ohm version? It's a one cabinet solution, you get the full power from your amp and you have the front ports for the lows and the 10s for mids and highs.
Having owned 2 102P's as well as the dual ported 102HF (which I used with one 102P) and a Eden 410XLT previously (as well as having gigged a Markbass 104HLF) the 2x 102P rig is as loud.
2 of those cabs together (arranged in 410 mode) combine to be more than you'd expect from listening to 1 of the cabs. Just turn the gain knob up to just before the clip light comes on and it will be plenty loud.
I considered this and probably would have purchased 1 of the 2 x 12 cabs if they were available. However, I really wanted the rig to be modular (2 small cabs instead of 1 for several reasons). The past year we have transitioned into more lower volume gigs (casinos, privates, restaurant gigs, and corporate stuff). For the majority of these gigs we do not bring our band trailer, production is usually provided, and it's basically plug and play. I cannot fit a 4X10 cab in my vehicle with 2 bass guitars, a Roland Fantom X, Keyboard stand, etc ect. To make that 2 X 12 Hartke fit was a major PIA. I can fit the 102P on the passenger seat, no problem. I can use both cabs on the bigger, louder volume gigs. Also, we use fairly substantial PA support for almost all gigs; at least 4 JBL subs so I don't need to carry the room from my rig, just hear myself, but sometimes we get too loud unfortunately.
