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GK Combo Shootout...MB210 vs. MB212

#861
Mesa cab is 8 ohm. I checked the speaker cable with a different 15 cab today,..no distortion. I did find one or two loose wires/strands on the speakon cable, trimmed the entire cable back a bit and will try it with the Mesa cab again tomorrow. The Mesa is still at the club, so couldn't check it today. What I can't understand, is why the combo speakers were distorting as well. Separated the cabs to make sure I was hearing distortion from both and not just one. Strange stuff.

Do you guys think one stray copper strand could cause an all out fuzz fest by creating a short between the two leads?
 
#864
Hey Alan! Yeah,..still not sure if thats the actual problem. It was just the only fly in the ointment I could find. The single copper strand wasn't touching the other lead,..but looked like it might be long enough to bridge the gap. Hopefully I'll find the final answer out tomorrow.
 
#865
So...after getting a bad MB212..I sent it back and got a new one from MF. My first one was definitely a lemon..although I'm still not sold on my current one..but I think it could be user error on my part. The amp seems to 'clip' sometimes and I think I could be overdriving either my bass or the pre or something...I run an Schecter studio 5 (active EMG's)..volume usually all the way up on the bass..that is run into a MXR M-80...tone controls set at 12...and from there into the MB212..gain is at noon..all other levels are at noon with a mid's at 1 0'clock cut through the mix..I'm running into the passive input and volume never goes past 3..the amp is so loud..despite my low volume, at times the MB212 sounds overdriven..too much gain? too much volume from bass? Any help would be appreciated..
 
#866
Well, probably. You're running an active bass into a preamp pedal and then into your GK amp. Chances are if you're hearing clipping or unwanted distortion it's due to sending too hot a signal somewhere in the chain.

First, I run my GK amp with the Master at 3 o'clock, the Gain up as needed (never past noon). I find the EQ is flattest with the bass and treble cut and the mids boosted a bit.

Second, I find I can't run my SansAmp with the Drive at or past noon, lest it start getting a bit farty on the low E. So I run it lower. And I run the output of that pedal at roughly unity gain.

Also, if the MB212 has a limiter, as my MB500 head does, enable it.
 
#869
I put batting in my GK MB210 and MBE115 cab and it did help a tiny bit but the boom is in the EQ IME, turn the bass right down and its much better .
I dont know about the MB212 as mine bit the dust before I had a chance to try it out properly, it went back for a refund, I was not going to risk a replacement that may also go wrong (too many horror stories) at £600 !
 
#870
GRAHAM SG1 said:
I put batting in my GK MB210 and MBE115 cab and it did help a tiny bit but the boom is in the EQ IME, turn the bass right down and its much better .
I dont know about the MB212 as mine bit the dust before I had a chance to try it out properly, it went back for a refund, I was not going to risk a replacement that may also go wrong (too many horror stories) at £600 !
Click to expand...

Hmmm... It's just that if all the EQ knobs are at 12:00 then there is no EQ affecting the sound and yet there's still that boom. It seems to start when I use the E and B strings. I've got some quality acoustic foam I'm going to try. Couldn't hurt and can always remove if I want.

Who would've thought there would be complaints of too much low end from a 2-10 cabinet.
;)
 
#871
johnsonabq said:
Hmmm... It's just that if all the EQ knobs are at 12:00 then there is no EQ affecting the sound and yet there's still that boom. It seems to start when I use the E and B strings. I've got some quality acoustic foam I'm going to try. Couldn't hurt and can always remove if I want.

Who would've thought there would be complaints of too much low end from a 2-10 cabinet.
;)
Click to expand...

This is not true with most any M.I. amp head. Noon on the tone controls is not "neutral" or "flat". ;)
 
#872
johnsonabq said:
if all the EQ knobs are at 12:00 then there is no EQ affecting the sound and yet there's still that boom.
Click to expand...

Yeah, not true. I find this amp (and other GK ones like it) to actually sound flat at settings like this:

Bass: 10 o'clock
Low mid: 1
High mid: 1
High: 10

Or something similar. Especially the 210 combo. Don't be afraid to totally rob the bass knob. It's the only way. Besides, if you don't you'll never get the volume knobs up past bedroom levels.
 
#873
scottfeldstein said:
Yeah, not true. I find this amp (and other GK ones like it) to actually sound flat at settings like this:

Bass: 10 o'clock
Low mid: 1
High mid: 1
High: 10

Or something similar. Especially the 210 combo. Don't be afraid to totally rob the bass knob. It's the only way. Besides, if you don't you'll never get the volume knobs up past bedroom levels.
Click to expand...

Huh? Seriously? Well that doesn't make sense. I'm not saying you're not right, just, why do they do that? On a boost/cut active EQ preamp the standard is noon = flat.
 
#877
B-string said:
It a Music Instrument amp with manufactures voice built in.

Music Instrument.

:)
Click to expand...

Gotcha' thanks... Been used to working with equipment that just lets you EQ your own "voice". I'll lose the misconception and twist the knobs until it sounds good.

I went ahead and installed the acoustic foam in my MB210 anyway. It's been my experience that any speaker cabinet worth it's salt has some sort of acoustic padding in it. Got a gig on Tuesday so we'll see how it does.

For those of you who use the MB210, where do you put the bass knob in order to get the low end under control?
 
#880
For those of you who use the MB210, where do you put the bass knob in order to get the low end under control?
Click to expand...

As low as poss :D
Quite why GK put so much bass in these amps is a mystery to me, I played one gig where I had to turn the bass down to 2, not a very versatile gig amp for anything other than moderate rehearsals or small gigs where volume is not required .
 

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