Two quick questions:
Can this amp properly drive a poweramp?
Is this amp awesome?
Yes & YES
Enjoy the benefits of a premium membership!
Upgrade Account
-
TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
Join free Log in
Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.
Gallien-Krueger MB2-500: Part II
- Thread starter Kelly Lee
- Start date
Yes & YES
I just got my upgrade back from GK today. Total turnaround after sending it in was 7 days.
The serial is a "B" series now instead of the A00 model I shipped back. I hooked it up through my 4x12 stack (2 GKNeoII-2x12 cabs) and it sounds incredible. Thanks GK, I can't wait to use my rig this Friday night!
The serial is a "B" series now instead of the A00 model I shipped back. I hooked it up through my 4x12 stack (2 GKNeoII-2x12 cabs) and it sounds incredible. Thanks GK, I can't wait to use my rig this Friday night!
I've been relying on the GK-500 for about a year and a half now. I have a Roscoe and a MTD that sound like they were meant for this amp and yes I had a couple of replacements during the period of updated revisions. I personally never had anything other than minor issues with any model I owned. Gk treated me like family from day one and I have never regretted purchasing this amp. I am getting close to 2 years of walking up to this tone monster and hitting the power button followed by a sweet blue led light and unbelievable tone. I sympathize with those who had a negative experience, but I have to say that this amp stands alone when comparing features, tone and yes, reliability!!! If anyone from GK reads this I want you to know how much I appreciate you standing by your product and letting me know you were there to immediately address any issues that I encountered. I love this amp and I want Rob, Christine and Bryan to know how much I appreciate their continuous dedication to customer satisfaction and great tone. This is my first GK amp and I know this is sounding like a paid advertisement and I don't care. (BTW I have an A05) Thank you and long live GK.
I thought they were sending out completely different/new units when someone sent in their amp to be up graded. So I imagine the one you have now is labeled MB-500 not MB2-500? And that serial number is part of that new model-name line? I assume?
I've spent some considerable time with this amp. In a quiet room with multiple brand cabs and other amps to compare it to. While the 700rb is a great amp. I own one. It seems to my ear,to have a compressed tone to it. From the start to finish on each note I play it has almost an artificial compressed reproduction to it. Not as open and airy as many amps. The MB-500 is more open and...ah...I guess breaths a lot more is the best way to describe it. imo. That's the main reason I find it sounds so much more like my old 400rb than the more recent "rb" line.
so the MB-500 is the new version of the mb2-500? I just noticed the MB-500 the other day and was intrigued-I was leery of getting an MB2-500 but if they have gotten the problems straight then I may jump on it.
It is a completely new amp, it's an MB-500. There is a limiter switch on top of it that the MB2-500 I sent back didn't have.
So far I am really happy with it. Abundant power and very wide tone shaping capabilites. Eq controls are very sensitive. I generally start with everything flat and go from there. The top end seemed very bright and the low end very deep to start at the flat setting, I found with minimal adjustment I was able to smooth out the dynamic range to my liking. Tonight I will gig with this set up (MB500, 2 2x12 neo cabs). 4x12's may be more than I need with this thing, but I want to try it out and see what happens. I won't have to turn it up very much to get really loud, for sure!
MB500 performed like a champ. I played with 4x12's and kept the volume reasonably low (11-piece horn band ala TOP) Everyone said it sounded great out in the room (no PA support, only miked the kick drum, horns and vocals) I walked out with my wireless and listened a bit and was pleased. The 4x12 set up had a lot of depth without being boomy. As i get to know the amp better, I should be able to do even more with it. I found it easy to get my sound with the same basic settings I tried in my basement. Looking forward to doing more gigs with this setup.
My mute switch crapped out on my mb2-500 it's an A05 version, how do i get gk to fix it, it's only 9 months old, and not used to much? I bought it new from rmc.
Crazy to hear people are still having issues with this amp. I got one of the first A01 amps and have not had any issues with it after many many gigs and rehearsals. Hope the MB500 version has better luck.
never had probs with my gk gear, still have my gk 200mb form 1985 or so, no speaker but the amp still works, and my 2 1001rb2 heads are still up and running knock on wood, after 4yrs.
Call or e-mail GK. Bob is the man and he will hook you up.
or Bryan, or Christine... point is you're in good hands with GK.
Call or e-mail GK. Bob is the man and he will hook you up.
or Bryan, or Christine... point is you're in good hands with GK.
Amp is on it's way to GK
Has anyone sent back an A05 recently to have upgraded? Curious to what exactly the latest revision upgrade to an A05 would be and if it's even worth the shipping cost to and from (I'm on Guam so probably $25 each way). I've gigged the A05 for about a year and although I love it there are a few quirks I wouldn't mind working out (overactive input gain, can't run it without the pad on any of my basses even the passive ones. Also seems to have a very low DI output). But it has been reliable for a year's worth of gigs and sounds great. This is my second one, first was an early version that was picking up radio signals and had an extremely active input gain. I will say the GK folks are great, took care of that one and sent a new unit in exchange. Are they exchanging the A05s or just upgrading to latest revision?
I too have an A05 that had an overactive input gain as well. Sent it in and they corrected it. Fortunately I am only about four hours north of GK. Came back as with the same A05 serial number but has performed flawlessly since.
I would definitely send it in. My amp was distorting even with the input pad engaged. The folks at GK had it fixed up in no time and I haven't had trouble since. I wouldn't worry too much about having whatever the "latest" update is. Just get the issues you are having fixed. I have been much happier with my A05 ever since.
I know my first one that I sent back was replaced with a completely new one, but I'd think they are just going to repair and/or upgrade my current one if I send it back. I'll get the input gain fixed and have them check out the DI send, but if they are going to 'upgrade to the latest revision' I'm curious on what all else they will change. I know someone stated earlier about the eq structure on the latest revisions, etc.
Still on the fence though on sending it in and incurring $50-75 in roundtrip shipping charges as it has served me well and as long as I always have the input pad engaged it doesn't clip or shutdown.
