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Gallien-Krueger MB2-500: Part II

#161
diechris said:
Ok so I got to use my amp for the first time in a band situation and it sounds great...

However I do not like the fact that the boost pops when i turn it on and off.. I also had some problems with using it with headphones... It seems if I turn the volume up to a decent level something clips and i get this horrible static noise. The only way I've found to get rid of the static is to make it "clip" again and then immediately turn the volume down OR turn it on and off and start with the volume lower.

I shot brian and email...

Anyone else having these problems? The boost(G.I.V.E.) and headphone/line out features were some key features in picking this over some other small amps..
Click to expand...

I beleive I am experiencing a similar thing. Did you happen to hear back from Brian? A new A02 unit was just delivered this afternoon from RMC. Here's what I am experiencing:

I am curious if others have had issues with playing with headphones or direct out with the latest A02 model.

Headphone out or direct out (post EQ):
Playing lightly is fine but when I dig in hard or slap and pop, the sound drops lower with distortion immediately after the note is played and stays that way. This happens with both the normal channel and with the master-B engaged. If I hit the mute switch on and off a couple times sometimes it the level goes back to normal without distortion. Other times it takes turning the unit off. It would seem like the Smart Protection Circuitry is trying to work, but the power light stays blue. My input and master are only at about 8 o’clock with the
-10pad engaged. I am using a pair of Beyer Dynamic’s and Sony Professional’s. It does this with both a MM stringray (brand new Battery) and a Squier P bass with new guitar cables that I know work fine.

So far playing through my Schroeder 1210R does not distort, but I am only able to play very low tonight in my apartment, so I am not sure if I will get distortion until I go to my studio on Friday.

Also, my cables do not ‘snap’ snug against the outside mounting nut of the input, it slides back out about 3-4mm, but the signal does not cut out. Anyone else’s do this?
 
#163
Rshafer said:
I beleive I am experiencing a similar thing. Did you happen to hear back from Brian? A new A02 unit was just delivered this afternoon from RMC. Here's what I am experiencing:

I am curious if others have had issues with playing with headphones or direct out with the latest A02 model.

Headphone out or direct out (post EQ):
Playing lightly is fine but when I dig in hard or slap and pop, the sound drops lower with distortion immediately after the note is played and stays that way. This happens with both the normal channel and with the master-B engaged. If I hit the mute switch on and off a couple times sometimes it the level goes back to normal without distortion. Other times it takes turning the unit off. It would seem like the Smart Protection Circuitry is trying to work, but the power light stays blue. My input and master are only at about 8 o’clock with the
-10pad engaged. I am using a pair of Beyer Dynamic’s and Sony Professional’s. It does this with both a MM stringray (brand new Battery) and a Squier P bass with new guitar cables that I know work fine.

So far playing through my Schroeder 1210R does not distort, but I am only able to play very low tonight in my apartment, so I am not sure if I will get distortion until I go to my studio on Friday.

Also, my cables do not ‘snap’ snug against the outside mounting nut of the input, it slides back out about 3-4mm, but the signal does not cut out. Anyone else’s do this?
Click to expand...

My model is an A02 also and that sounds exactly what is happening with mines. Brian is sending me a new one and I'm sending this one back.
 
#164
I recently noticed mine doing the same thing from the headphone output. I have it set for headphone operation (i.e. not line out) and the headphones will have a light distortion througout and will inevitabely "pop" and then only work out of the left side of the headphones and will be very quiet. I assumed the head was toast, but when I went and hooked it up to my Schroeder 410R it sounded just as great as always.

This is an A02 model that I recently got back from Brian. I rarely use the headphone out, so I'm not sure that I want to even bother sending it back unless this is a small symptom of a larger problem.

Any thoughts?
 
#165
So it does seem like another issue people are having with these. Like Diechris, I really want to use the headphone and DI feature for home use. Like I mentioned before, even with the volume quite low, all it takes is digging in and the distortion starts. I don't get any clip light happening either while it does it. I'll contact RMC and Brian and go from there.
 
#166
a quick question about the headphones... do they need to be a certain ohms? i'm using a cheap, over the whole ear, set from wal-mart. i think the research i did online said they were either 16 or 32 ohms.

also, what would one use the lineout for?

so far, i'm still really happy with it. i just wish it had a way i could plug my ipod into it to practice along with it through the headphones (already covered earlier) and i wish the foot switch had a switch for the GIVE and mute. those are the only two downsides to me so far.... not counting the issue of not being able to turn up the headphones very loud.
 
#167
dean owens said:
a quick question about the headphones... do they need to be a certain ohms? i'm using a cheap, over the whole ear, set from wal-mart. i think the research i did online said they were either 16 or 32 ohms.

also, what would one use the lineout for?

so far, i'm still really happy with it. i just wish it had a way i could plug my ipod into it to practice along with it through the headphones (already covered earlier) and i wish the foot switch had a switch for the GIVE and mute. those are the only two downsides to me so far.... not counting the issue of not being able to turn up the headphones very loud.
Click to expand...

Being about to swap between two contour setting via the footswitch would be cool too!
 
#168
I have no issues with my A00 unit. I A-B'd it against my Shuttle 6.0 and it performed flawlessly. Basically I used all EQ settings in comparison and then poured on the power and play each head for a hour to hour and a half each. There was no boominess or RFI issues and the DI was crystal clear to the board at low and high volume. When I tweaked it up I got the same tone as my 1001RB II that I currently own.

+1 on the foot swith for GIVE and mute function.

Top notch build quality and tone. Good Job G-K!!:hyper:
 
#169
I'm a newbie to the forum and a recently impassioned fretless player. I heard mention of this light but toneful bass head and wound up spending 3 hours reading this long thread. Very cool, and nice to have such comaraderie and interaction, including from Mr. Gallien.

Needless to say, I have a MB2 on its way from RMC. (I did have them check the SN to be sure it was the newer revision). Thanks to all of you for your candid observations. I am looking forward to hearing in through my Acme B4 and a cabinet with a pair of JBL Neo 15's from a sound reinforcement buddy.
 
#171
I just posted this pic in the Epifani forum, but I thought it would be appreciated here as well. These two PS112 cabs sound killer with the GK head!

:bassist::bassist::bassist::bassist:
:hyper::eyebrow:
Nov2008014.jpg
 
#173
diechris said:
how do those epifani's sound with it? I've only heard a 410 by them
Click to expand...

I'm very happy with the sound. I'm getting rid of my Ashdown 4x10 and going with 1 or two of the PS112's for my gigs depending on the size of the room. I haven't used two together at a gig yet since I just got the other one this week. I'm playing tonight. I could probably get away with one tonight, but I'm bringing two! :D
 
#174
I posted a little earlier in the thread that I was having distortion out of the headphone and DI out. I took it to practice last night and at band volume there is total distortion with amp out into my speaker cab as well. As my post above, I elemented all other variables, cables, basses, etc. It seems I am one that still got a dud even with the A02 version. But I kind of went into it knowing this might happen from following this thread. I really want to like this amp, so I will contact GK for a replacement and go from there. I really hope the second one is good to go.
 
#175
Rshafer said:
I posted a little earlier in the thread that I was having distortion out of the headphone and DI out. I took it to practice last night and at band volume there is total distortion with amp out into my speaker cab as well. As my post above, I elemented all other variables, cables, basses, etc. It seems I am one that still got a dud even with the A02 version. But I kind of went into it knowing this might happen from following this thread. I really want to like this amp, so I will contact GK for a replacement and go from there. I really hope the second one is good to go.
Click to expand...

I spend HOURS troubleshooting the GK for the same thing. Went through cables, cabinets, passive basses, active basses, batteries...and it was the GK. The unit went back to GK and waiting for a replacement.
 
#177
NOLA Bass said:
Man, I really want one of these but I'm a bit leery due to all the problems everyone is having.
Click to expand...

FWIW, mine kicks total ass, and GK couldn't be better to deal with. They sent me a new one, and didn't even wait to get it back to have the new one on its way to me. I will be upset if they pull a peavey vb2 and blow them out next month though. Too good of a setup to give up on.
 
#178
Tim Cole said:
FWIW, mine kicks total ass, and GK couldn't be better to deal with. They sent me a new one, and didn't even wait to get it back to have the new one on its way to me. I will be upset if they pull a peavey vb2 and blow them out next month though. Too good of a setup to give up on.
Click to expand...

I/ve been playing GK for almost 20 years now, so no worries there. I don't need the amp right away, so I may give it another month or two for some of the kinks to get worked out.
 
#179
Tim Cole said:
FWIW, mine kicks total ass, and GK couldn't be better to deal with. They sent me a new one, and didn't even wait to get it back to have the new one on its way to me. I will be upset if they pull a peavey vb2 and blow them out next month though. Too good of a setup to give up on.
Click to expand...

Same deal for me. I called them this morning, in a couple hours had a packing slip to ship it back and was told a new one would be shipped tomorrow morning.
 

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