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GK MB200 Hiss
- Thread starter drpepper
- Start date
I've had my used MB200 head a week now. While it seemed to hiss a bit when I tried it at the seller's house with his cab, when I got it home and tried it with my cab it was dead silent. Not a hint of hiss. Not a sound comes out of it unless I play a note. And it's been like that all week.
My cab is somewhat beat up Hartke 2200 2X12 with a tweeter. The speakon input on my cab is shot, so I run the MB200 into it with a speakon to 1/4" cable. At the seller's house I used his cable and cab, which was speakon to speakon. Not sure if that made any difference, but it's always a possibility.
In any case, I am very happy with the tone and volume that comes from this little bass head.
Man!! I was just about to pull the trigger on one of these (MB200) today from MF, then decided to do one more internet search. Think I'll wait until the US models hit the stores. Thanks to drpepper for sharing!
A couple of weeks ago, I picked up one of the made-in-China ones (with green "combo" speaker jack); it hasn't hissed once. I've used both Speakon and 1/4", with no issues. 
(Also, I used it all night at a bar gig on Saturday; we played for 3 1/2 hours straight, no breaks (we're a bit silly that way) and, at the end, the amp was lukewarm to the touch. I don't think the fan turned on once. It was plenty loud, too.)
I just wanted to give my testimonial, to try to prevent a mass stampede away from these great amps. Hopefully, GK will soon offer some info about why some of them have the hissing problem.
(Also, I used it all night at a bar gig on Saturday; we played for 3 1/2 hours straight, no breaks (we're a bit silly that way) and, at the end, the amp was lukewarm to the touch. I don't think the fan turned on once. It was plenty loud, too.)
I just wanted to give my testimonial, to try to prevent a mass stampede away from these great amps. Hopefully, GK will soon offer some info about why some of them have the hissing problem.
Mine had a little. Not really enough to make me crazy live. The di was silent at home into Logic Pro. However, I got hiss through the PA on my gigs. I sent it back b/c I just don't wanna deal with issues.
A couple of weeks ago, I picked up one of the made-in-China ones (with green "combo" speaker jack); it hasn't hissed once. I've used both Speakon and 1/4", with no issues.
(Also, I used it all night at a bar gig on Saturday; we played for 3 1/2 hours straight, no breaks (we're a bit silly that way) and, at the end, the amp was lukewarm to the touch. I don't think the fan turned on once. It was plenty loud, too.)
I just wanted to give my testimonial, to try to prevent a mass stampede away from these great amps. Hopefully, GK will soon offer some info about why some of them have the hissing problem.
I don't think that there's any stampede or danger of a stampede.
I had said all along that I had hoped for a good result, because, aside from the unacceptable hiss level I experienced in two separate units, I thought the amp had a lot to offer. That said, I don't really see how it can be given the blanket endorsement of "these great amps."
Unless you know something that I don't, your hope that GK will "soon offer some info" about the hiss problem would have to be based on nothing but vapor. From my experience, it seems doubtful that GK will even acknowledge that a problem exists. I made two direct requests. The first response from GK, while polite, wasn't particularly helpful and didn't acknowledge a problem. The only thing that was acknowledged was that they understood that I wasn't satisfied. The follow-up contact I made wasn't even given a reply.
I did not prejudge potential responses or demand any particular action. They may have been able to give me a satisfactory answer that my expectations were the problem. Not responding at all leaves me chapped.
So, "these great amps"...um, no
GK has great customer service...um, no again
To be fair, these were NOT everyone's experiences. While I'm definitely sad things worked out the way they did for you, and I don't hold you at any fault (honestly!), I don't think it's fair to make these blanket statements, either. Just sayin'....I don't really see how it can be given the blanket endorsement of "these great amps."...
...So, "these great amps"...um, no
GK has great customer service...um, no again
I hate to nit pick...okay, not really...I actually enjoy picking a good nit every now and then...
Seriously though, I think that your seeing my objections to the blanket statements "the MB200 is a great amp" and "GK has great customer service" as unfair and as being blanket themselves is simply wrong. The statements I objected to are the kind where, in the context of a thread like this, I think people would do best to stick to their own experiences..."my MB200 is great" or "I've had great experience with customer service from GK."
If you make the blanket statement that "the MB200 is a great amp." I say there are unresolved issues with certain units. In light of this, it's not somehow unfair of me to point out that an unqualified and universal endorsement of the MB200 as "great" is wrong. That would require all units deemed satisfactory by GK to be "great." They're not. As the buyer of two problem units, I have the right to dispute.
If you make the blanket statement "GK has great customer service." I say that I was ignored. Not replying is a pretty bad offense in my view. Again, it's not somehow unfair of me to point out that an unqualified and universal endorsement of GKs customer service as "great" is wrong. That would require all customer service provided by GK to be "great." It's not.
If I made the blanket statement "the MB200 is a horrible amp," or "GK has bad customer service," it would be fair and not an opposing blanket statement for you to point out that those were wrong statements.
It wouldn't be a web forum if you didn't.
Ok, I took you to be making an inverse blanket statement, not simply objecting to the ones made. Fair enough. Happy to have misread you.
Drpepper,
Fair enough-- what I should have said was that I hope GK straightens things out so that everyone can have the good experience that I'm having with my personal MB200 specimen. I agree that if so many people are having problems with them, they can't be considered "great" amps. They are potentially great amps.
Also, I'm sorry that you've had these problems. I've been using the same GK400RB since I bought it new in 1985, and it's never had issues (except for an input jack that finally wore out a couple of years ago and needed to be replaced-- totally understandable). I've also had a 1001RBII and 800RB that were 100% reliable.
So, my perception of GK, based on my experience, is that they are a fine company who makes fine products. I have some fondness for them, and loyalty, and I would like to see them avoid a major PR problem because of the hissing MB200s. I guess that's why I was hoping that a "stampede" could be avoided. But, yes, your experience was completely different, and I understand your frustration. GK absolutely should correct the problem.
Fair enough-- what I should have said was that I hope GK straightens things out so that everyone can have the good experience that I'm having with my personal MB200 specimen. I agree that if so many people are having problems with them, they can't be considered "great" amps. They are potentially great amps.
Also, I'm sorry that you've had these problems. I've been using the same GK400RB since I bought it new in 1985, and it's never had issues (except for an input jack that finally wore out a couple of years ago and needed to be replaced-- totally understandable). I've also had a 1001RBII and 800RB that were 100% reliable.
So, my perception of GK, based on my experience, is that they are a fine company who makes fine products. I have some fondness for them, and loyalty, and I would like to see them avoid a major PR problem because of the hissing MB200s. I guess that's why I was hoping that a "stampede" could be avoided. But, yes, your experience was completely different, and I understand your frustration. GK absolutely should correct the problem.
I bought one when it first came out. Had a bit of hiss. Called GK and talked to Brian Clark. He said "send it in". I did. They fixed it and returned it in about 12 days or so. No hiss. No more problems...had it for a couple of years now.
No worries. All understandable, and again, I'm sure nobody has anything to to worry about PR or stampede-wise. MB200's are apparently selling like hotcakes.
Yes. Brian Clark is the same person I dealt with, and this is one of the things that added to the confusion and disappointment with my experience; seeing posts like yours (which there are a number of), it is crystal friggin' clear that GK is aware of this problem...they're aware of it, and they know how to fix it.
It is extremely frustrating to contact a company while knowing this, not just suspecting it, knowing it and have them essentially act like it's the first they've ever heard of it.
FWIW my 200 was an American assembled one. Like I said, it hissed a bit, but not enough to really annoy people, but thru the DI in the PA, it was not good. I have used GK products for years. I like them, but I couldn't keep this head
Excessive hiss through the DI? This is the first I've heard of this... or are you just saying you didn't like the DI tone?
Assuming this means it's bad in headphones (the ones I had were), but not through speaker, I have to wonder, does your cabinet have a tweeter?
I had primary intentions of using the MB200 for headphone/play-along practice and as a carry-along backup. I loved that line-in went to the speaker out. I did try it both at band practice and on a bar gig. I used the DI, and that was fine. The din of other noise is both of those settings was enough to cover. If that's all I was using it for, I'm sure I would have been able to accept the hiss. But as you say, it's terrible for headphone practice.
