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GK MB150 or GKMB212 or?

R

Rooibos99

Apr 25, 2019
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46
#1
Hey All, this is my first post here and I want to say thanks to all the folks here who've helped me while I've been lurking for the past year or so. I've searched all over this forum and a few other places and can't seem to find a straighforward answer to this question:

Will a GKMB150 with the ext cab be loud enough for small-medium gigs with a drummer? I have had a chance to play a Mb150 and gotta say I fell in love with it, but I'm worried that even with the extension cab it won't be loud enough. What does talkbass think, and are there any other amps I should be looking at in the $1000 range?

A little background on this thread. I have a solo show coming up in may, go figure the same week I agreed to the show my old modded yorkville block 100k decided it was done with my abuse. I run a drum machine and a loop pedal into this keyboard amp and I need an amp thats going to be loud enough for both of those applications. I played with that keyboard amp for years in bands and it was severely underpowered. The MB150 + ext cab might be a huge increase in volume to my ears but I just want to get some more opinions before I drop the cash.

Cheers!
 
#2
IME/IMO the MB150 is a better choice for URB players and often usable/workable (but rarely optimal) for electric bass. I would go the 212 route and feel very comfortable that I was well covered.

I have no experience with running a drum machine and possibly keys through a bass amp/cab, and suggest you lay out all your requirements going forward and see what folks suggest. For instance, if a drum machine is part of your requirement set, I'm even less convinced the MB150 route would be your best bet.

You might even want to considered a powered speaker (like one of QSC's models) and use a tone shaping box (e.g. Tech 21 BDDI, PDDI, VT Bass, etc.) as your preamp. That set-up should do well for anything you feed it. While perhaps not the ultimate bass cab solution, it seems it might fit what you're looking for.
 
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#3
Al Kraft said:
IME/IMO the MB150 is a better choice for URB players and often usable/workable (but rarely optimal) for electric bass. I would go the 212 route and feel very comfortable that I was well covered.

I have no experience with running a drum machine and possibly keys through a bass amp/cab, and suggest you lay out all your requirements going forward and see what folks suggest. For instance, if a drum machine is part of your requirement set, I'm even less convinced the MB150 route would be your best bet.

You might even want to considered a powered speaker (like one of QSC's models) and use a tone shaping box (e.g. Tech 21 BDDI, PDDI, VT Bass, etc.) as your preamp. That set-up should do well for anything you feed it. While perhaps not the ultimate bass cab solution, it seems it might fit what you're looking for.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the response! I can lay out more info here:

I use a BOSS RC-300 to layer bass loops on top of one another with an akai MPC1000 as my drum machine. This pairs with my Rivera M60 for guitar and I am working on teaching a friend drums right now even though I've primarily used a drum machine up until this point. I've always used keyboard amps because they have multiple inputs usually, however I figured since I am using primarily bass loops in my music I might do well to get a dedicated bass amp. I used to have a set of two powered PAs and fed everything into a mixer but for some reason I always enjoyed working out of keyboard amps more than PAs. I have also been looking at the Roland KC series (the 600 and the 990) as they may also fit the bill.

I only had the opportunity to play the MB150 in a small room so I don't know how well it would handle a room full of 25-50 people who've had a few and then some brews. The MB212 I've got no way of playing before I buy so I am going on hearsay and youtube videos and those only go so far.

If I could lay out critical points. I need a set up that is:

-Loud enough to compete with a noob drummer and loud enough to handle a room of 50-100 people with a guitar amp (I play moderate volume on guitar, certainly not painful)
-Clean sound, I don't need much tonal characteristic from the amp
-Good bass response, bass "tone" is completely irrelevant because I've never played on a real bass amp and I've been doing just fine getting my tone from EQ controls (might not know what I'm missing)
-Can handle a drum machine using sampled acoustic drums when need be.
-under $1000 preferably

I play a MIM Jazz Bass with Lindy Fralin pups and flatwounds. I hope thats good information, definitely appreciate the help as I have never looked into dedicated bass amps and have always just plugged in to whats available more or less.

EDIT: I also have been playing out of keyboard amp rated at I believe 80w for the past 4 years so just about anything I get will be a huge upgrade, just trying to make sure its the only upgrade I need for a while.
 
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#6
Rooibos99 said:
I have but given the price range is the in the same ballpark as the MB212 I'm not sure what the advantage of using one over the other would be?
Click to expand...

Versatility and portability would be gained. With the MB212, you are always stuck with that size of combo, regardless of how small or large your gig is. With the 112 + 112 idea, you can just take the MB112 for small gigs and add in the 112MBP for larger gigs. If all of your gigs are medium to large, then you probably would not need this functionality and a MB212 would work fine. If, however, you play any smaller gigs, then you will appreciate only having to carry around a lightweight 112 that takes up almost no room.

Edit: For what it's worth, I recently picked up an MB112 (with no 112MBP). I used it at a full band rehearsal last night with great results. My drummer is quite loud, but we could all hear the bass just fine. That 200 watts goes pretty far!
 
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#7
Warpeg said:
Versatility and portability would be gained. With the MB212, you are always stuck with that size of combo, regardless of how small or large your gig is. With the 112 + 112 idea, you can just take the MB112 for small gigs and add in the 112MBP for larger gigs. If all of your gigs are medium to large, then you probably would not need this functionality and a MB212 would work fine. If, however, you play any smaller gigs, then you will appreciate only having to carry around a lightweight 112 that takes up almost no room.
Click to expand...

Thats a great point actually I hadn't thought of that. I'm a little disappointed that the MB150 doesn't seem like it will suit my purposes as a whole, what I got to experience of it at the shop I played it in was awesome.
 
#8
Al Kraft said:
IME/IMO the MB150 is a better choice for URB players and often usable/workable (but rarely optimal) for electric bass. I would go the 212 route and feel very comfortable that I was well covered.

I have no experience with running a drum machine and possibly keys through a bass amp/cab, and suggest you lay out all your requirements going forward and see what folks suggest. For instance, if a drum machine is part of your requirement set, I'm even less convinced the MB150 route would be your best bet.

You might even want to considered a powered speaker (like one of QSC's models) and use a tone shaping box (e.g. Tech 21 BDDI, PDDI, VT Bass, etc.) as your preamp. That set-up should do well for anything you feed it. While perhaps not the ultimate bass cab solution, it seems it might fit what you're looking for.
Click to expand...

Your powered speaker idea seemed great so I'm looking into it, seems a lot of people have trouble with hitting the volume levels they need with this setup. Do you have any personal experience with this?
 
#12
With the Mb212, it is a pure 500 watts.. most other combos that have a 500 watt rating, require an extension cab to reach it (they run 300-350 watts on their own)..
And with the 2x12" speakers, it moves just as much as in my opinion as a 4x10 cab. But I'm not sure if that's true -- it feels like it though.. (and sounds like it ):)
 
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#13
Canuck Dave said:
With the Mb212, it is a pure 500 watts.. most other combos that have a 500 watt rating, require an extension cab to reach it (they run 300-350 watts on their own)..
And with the 2x12" speakers, it moves just as much as in my opinion as a 4x10 cab. But I'm not sure if that's true -- it feels like it though.. (and sounds like it ):)
Click to expand...

Thats awesome, I guess my only concern is if it can handle my drum machine. I get that its a BASS amp but finding a pa setup that'll handle bass and drums is tough bill to fit under $1000.
 
#15
Canuck Dave said:
I would go for a Keyboard amp more than a bass amp for a drum machine... That's what a lot of Electric Drum players use for their amplification, so it would handle a drum machine much much better
Click to expand...

True but its very hard to find accurate representation of real world volume for a keyboard amp, even more so than bass amps imo. Looking at the Roland KC-600 it seems like an awesome keyboard amp.. But can it humble my drummer when he's playing whack a mole on the snare and falling out of time?
 
#16
Rooibos99 said:
Your powered speaker idea seemed great so I'm looking into it, seems a lot of people have trouble with hitting the volume levels they need with this setup. Do you have any personal experience with this?
Click to expand...
I think the newer version QSC K12.2 would be worth a look. For a more credible voice on QSC products I would contact TB member Bob Lee (QSC)...IME he's a straight shooter and knows the QSC line better than anyone I know. As a minimum he will be able to guide you on where to look and what to look at as you comparison shop.

He may even have some informed ideas on full-up bass or keyboard rigs that could fill the bill. Agedhorse would also be a credible voice for general advice on a powered speaker/combo/amp and cab/etc. that he's run across or is aware of that could do what you're looking for. He has many years of designing gear for and running pro-sound, as well as designing bass gear.

It's not that I don't want to be helpful, it's just that my best help is to direct you towards folks with more experience and knowledge. IMO the perfect bass rig answer you may get from many folks might be far from the best approach to accomplishing what you want to do.
 
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#17
Al Kraft said:
I think the newer version QSC K12.2 would be worth a look. For a more credible voice on QSC products I would contact TB member Bob Lee (QSC)...IME he's a straight shooter and knows the QSC line better than anyone I know. As a minimum he will be able to guide you on where to look and what to look at as you comparison shop.

He may even have some informed ideas on full-up bass or keyboard rigs that could fill the bill. Agedhorse would also be a credible voice for general advice on a powered speaker/combo/amp and cab/etc. that he's run across or is aware of that could do what you;re looking for. He has many years of designing gear for and running pro-sound, as well as designing bass gear.

It's not that I don't want to be helpful, it's just that my best help is to direct you towards folks with more experience and knowledge. IMO the perfect bass rig answer you may get from many folks might be far from the best approach to accomplishing what you want to do.
Click to expand...

Thank mate I appreciate it, I'll shoot them a message and see if they're willing to hand off some advice.
 
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#18
Rooibos99 said:
Thank mate I appreciate it, I'll shoot them a message and see if they're willing to hand off some advice.
Click to expand...
Both are highly respected designers and you can take their advice to the bank. Even though they work for big name, high end companies, they'll tell you if you should look somewhere else to meet your specific needs. Cheers!
 
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#19
Better to have "a bit more" than not enough.
GK MB212.
Bang.
Done.
I've have and have gigged the MB212 with ZERO issues.
Add the MBP212 extension and it's over. No, not just for volume either, the 500W self-contained is IMO one of, if not the sole, best sounding versatile amp out there.
MB212, well worth the $850 (USD) tag.
...and you can always turn her down if-if-you feel like it :)
 
#20
I have been running a GKMB115 with matching extension cab as my main rig for 5 years now. It is a hard hitting,loud and light weight rig. I have no issues with any size room indoors or out. I barely turn it up and it roars. Best amp combo I have ever owned.
 
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