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GK 1001 v MBFUSION/MB500/MB800

#5
I've owned and gigged the 700rb, 1001rb, and MB 500 for the past 4 years. Didn't keep the 1001 long because the 700 was plenty loud. I play loud rock, blues, and sometimes country through 2 1x15 cabs. IME, the RB series smokes the MB 500 in punch, volume, and tone. I play with a heavy touch, the MB couldn't keep up the way the 700 could, not even close.
 
#8
rodl2005 said:
I've found lots of info, but couldn't find any real comparisons of the 1001 & mb's.
Thanx
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birminghambass said:
I've owned and gigged the 700rb, 1001rb, and MB 500 for the past 4 years. Didn't keep the 1001 long because the 700 was plenty loud. I play loud rock, blues, and sometimes country through 2 1x15 cabs. IME, the RB series smokes the MB 500 in punch, volume, and tone. I play with a heavy touch, the MB couldn't keep up the way the 700 could, not even close.
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birmingham, are you playing a passive or active bass? I'm curious as to if that effects the results here. I use active Spectors.

I have gigged a 700rb, 1001rb and mb500 in the past couple years. I'm a huge GK fan. The 700 was sweet, but I settled for a 1001rb when my 700rb was in the shop. I recently got a mb500.

My mb500 hits harder than my 1001rb, the tone is 98% the same. The MB actually has a fuller lowend to my ear, the RB had a bit nicer mid growl (mb channel 2 can get close). Let's be honest none of us really need 1000watts or more, lol. the 500 watts from the mb500 is more than sufficient pumped through a 412 or 810.

I do prefer that the DI is on the front of the RB series and has a level control for the DI.

My recommendation is this: if you are using a GK cab then get an RB series and use the biamp feature. If you are using another brand cab, go with the MB. I'm liking my MB more than my RB but love them both. My drummer loves the mb500, a bassist friend of mine loves my mb live and said it sounds a little better than the RB (complete personal preference)
 
#10
OK:
1001: grittier and more low fi than any of the MB; and, will biamp the Neo cabs.
The biamp feature is why I have one. I had the neo cabs, and wanted to try it.
It's got more horsies than I'll ever use.

All the MB's are cleaner by nature, with lower lows and higher highs.
The MBF is a little softer.
With the MB500/MBF500, I have, very seldomly, wished for more power.
With the MB800, it's got a lot of horsies too.
 
#11
I didn't have my 1001RB-II to A/B directly to my MB800 but it seems like others experienced the same difference I did - chiefly that the MB800 seemed bigger in the lows and with more present highs and that the 1001RB had a bit more "character" to it's tone, which I thought was in the upper midrange.

I could see how some might like the slight extra tweak to the bottom and top and the overall more "clean" sound of the MB800 but personally I preferred the 1001.

And while the MB800 has more wattage on paper it actually felt to me like the 1001RB had more headroom.

I've never tried the MBFusion and only tried the Fusion 550 at GC with a bass off the wall. Hardly the best environment to form a solid opinion but I liked the amp. GK tone with just a bit more warmth and smoothness.

Just my $0.02
 
#12
I've owned the 700, 1001 and currently use the MB800. My favorite was probably the 700, just sounded right and there was plenty of power. Sounded really great cranked up. The 1001 soounded great too but seemed like overkill to me.

The MB800 sounds very good but a bit cleaner up top and a bit, just a bit tighter down below. I find I tweak knobs a bit more with the MB800, where as the 700 just seemed to sound good. I would have a hard time switching back though as the size, weight and performance of the MB800 are pretty hard to beat. And it's not like I have played a gig with it where I even thought about having a different head. I think the extra (perceived?) clarity works in my favor at a gig anyways.

I have not played a MB500 but would imagine it is plenty loud. Even my beat up crappy Backline 600 seems loud to me.


All that being said if you don't mind the weight and interface on the 1001 I'd say go for it. It is a great amp and rightly gets plenty of love around here. Either way, you will get a loud and great sounding amp. All IMO of course.
 
#14
If you need more power than the 1001 provides I would be shocked. That amp is a beast. Rated conservatively. And like I said before IME GK stuff just sounds loud. Cuts through and still sounds deliciously bassy.
 
#17
Recently purchased the MB Fusion. Have had 400/700/1001 in the Rb Ii line. I go back as far as the 400b with Gk... Yeah, Ok I'm a fan... The Mb Fusion is the best yet for me. I like the smoother high end. Used it with no cab last night for a rock / blues session. Not aure what the tap e sounds like (we actyally use tape...) but over the headphones it sounded really darned good. My tracks last night were done on a Music Man tube head, 2x15 with a Heil PR40 and split to the Mb Fusion. The MM/Pr40 rig has been my goto for a while, last night I monitored just the MBF. I got it pretty close to the Mm rig with just a bit of tweaking.

The MbF is a great head! It has plenty of power. Any room or outdoor venue I play that needs more oomph will have significant FOH support. I know that some folks think they need more power. I certainly don't. At a point, my rig is a monitor. I never felt volume constrained using an MB2-500, pretty sure I won't with the MBFusion either.

When I was running and 1001 RB II I was running it at 8 ohms so about the same power. Neither of the ones I had ever got even warm...

My .02 and worth every cent :D
 
#19
I don't know squat about the fusions. I've heard they're great and I've always wanted to try one.

The 700 is the amp you get when you want the GK grit tone and you don't need to take on more than one halfstack and/or a zealous drummer.
The 1001 is all about the clean headroom. It's perfect for scaring elephants and if you use the woofer and boost settings correctly it can and does growl.
The 2001 is for when there are people up the back of the stadium with opera glasses.
 
#20
4Mal said:
Recently purchased the MB Fusion. Have had 400/700/1001 in the Rb Ii line. I go back as far as the 400b with Gk... Yeah, Ok I'm a fan... The Mb Fusion is the best yet for me. I like the smoother high end. Used it with no cab last night for a rock / blues session. Not aure what the tap e sounds like (we actyally use tape...) but over the headphones it sounded really darned good. My tracks last night were done on a Music Man tube head, 2x15 with a Heil PR40 and split to the Mb Fusion. The MM/Pr40 rig has been my goto for a while, last night I konitored just the MBF. i got it pretty close to the Mm rig with just a bit of tweaking.

The MbF is a great head! It has plenty of power. Any room or outdoor venue I play that needs more oomph will have significant FOH support. I know that some folks think they need more power. I certainly don't. At a point, my rig is a monitor. I never felt volume constrained using an MB2-500, pretty sure I won't with the MBFusion either.
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See... it talk like this that creates GAS for things we don't really need. :help:
 

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