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GK mb200 ultra light head?

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#382
I just got back from my first gig with the MB200 and Ampeg SVT210AV. It sounded great! Ended up leaving the EQ flat and the volume at noon and used the 3 band EQ on the bass. I went post EQ so I could use the GK preamp. It was all that I needed. The band seemed happy and I got some complements from a couple of musicians in the audience. I have $450 in this whole bass rig. I think most people will be pretty happy with it.
Wes
 
#383
Mike M. said:
I have a few questions about the MB200 head.

I may have to get an amp very soon to use for church. (Long story...our church is going thru some changes....new temporary location as well).

I need something where I can be able to hear myself on stage in a high school auditorium. Pretty good sized stage and I'm guessing the room seats about 800. I'd be sharing the stage with 3 vocalist's, a drummer, a lead guitarist (playing thru an amp mic'd to the PA), keyboard player (direct to PA) and an acoustic guitar player (also direct to the PA). Onstage monitors for all....nothing huge, enough to be heard but of what I've been told they're not enough to accomidate the bass.

Taking into consideration that I'd be going direct in one way or another to the PA (but not in the monitors), would the MB200 head thru a 2X12 cabinet be enough to hear myself onstage with all involved? (For what it's worth I'd be using my Ibanez SR505 thru the amp).

I've been putting off buying an amp for years because I really didn't need one but it's coming down to where I may HAVE to buy one. I don't want to over-buy, but I don't want to under-buy either.
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Is the 212 8 or 4 ohms? Either way, it should work well since it's only your bass monitor. Tilt it back so it's aimed at you. If not, you guys may need to reduce your stage volume. Do you have any of the bass in the monitors or does the band need to hear your amp too?

I play in church using an 8 ohm 112 with the MB200 as my bass monitor on a tilt-back stand. I use the DI out of the MB200 to the PA. No problem with 3 or 4 vocals, 2 electric guitars, 1 acoustic, 1 keyboard, and drums (e-drums). And that's with gain set between 9:00 and 10:00. It easily provides all of the onstage bass.

MX
 
#384
MX21 said:
Is the 212 8 or 4 ohms? Either way, it should work well since it's only your bass monitor. Tilt it back so it's aimed at you. If not, you guys may need to reduce your stage volume. Do you have any of the bass in the monitors or does the band need to hear your amp too?

I play in church using an 8 ohm 112 with the MB200 as my bass monitor on a tilt-back stand. I use the DI out of the MB200 to the PA. No problem with 3 or 4 vocals, 2 electric guitars, 1 acoustic, 1 keyboard, and drums (e-drums). And that's with gain set between 9:00 and 10:00. It easily provides all of the onstage bass.

MX
Click to expand...

"Do you have any of the bass in the monitors?"

The thing is, this is a new situation and I really don't know what all is involved yet. At the old church we used in ear monitors and my bass went direct. (Used no amp at all). I'm trying to gather as much info as I can about the new place and as far as I can tell it sounds like I may need to get an amp. Again, of what I gather the monitors can handle the vocals fine but they may not be able to handle a lot of bass.

I know I'm not giving YOU much to go by and I apologize. Just trying to find out what I can about the MB200's capabilities and whether or not it will be enough.

Maybe I should just go ahead and get the MB212 500 watt combo.
 
#385
Playing in a church is like playing in a bar with permenent PA. If you have subs in your church, then you only need a personal monitor/stage monitor.
I don't really like passive DI for bass. It's pretty clean and I'm limited to the EQ on my bass. Some people like it and if it's your thing, great. I like a preamp and I like to have the EQ control if I need it. You could use the MB200 as a preamp/DI into IEMs without a cab if you wanted to, or hook it up to whatever cab you need for the situation.
Wes
 
#386
Ok...need some direction. Thinking about grabbing one of these. It has 200 watts of power. I want to pair it to a 410 cabinet. Some I am looking at are 350 and 400 watt cabs. Is it ok to pair a 200 watt amp with a 400 watt cab or would it be better to find a cab that is also 200 watts? Does pairing the 200w amp with the 400w cab mean that cab will be underpowered and thus sound sluggish or will having the extra room in the cab not affect the sound but leave me room for expanding my amp later if I want to? Also I saw a Behringer cab that was 1 1200 watt cab. could the little 200 watt Mb200 even get that thing going? How does all this work? Help!
 
#387
bassclef216 said:
Ok...need some direction. Thinking about grabbing one of these. It has 200 watts of power. I want to pair it to a 410 cabinet. Some I am looking at are 350 and 400 watt cabs. Is it ok to pair a 200 watt amp with a 400 watt cab or would it be better to find a cab that is also 200 watts? Does pairing the 200w amp with the 400w cab mean that cab will be underpowered and thus sound sluggish or will having the extra room in the cab not affect the sound but leave me room for expanding my amp later if I want to? Also I saw a Behringer cab that was 1 1200 watt cab. could the little 200 watt Mb200 even get that thing going? How does all this work? Help!
Click to expand...
COMMON misconception. The only way to "underpower" a cab is if it's got really inefficient drivers... sometimes that can happen in cabs that have crazy insane power handling, but that's not gonna' be a problem for you. Those ratings are for "max power handling". Ignore them as long as they're at least 200W or more, and be happy. Buy what you want.
 
#388
Thanks, that's what I was hoping for. Wasn't sure if it would be like trying to hit the gas pedal on a car at 45 miles an hour in 2nd gear. I knew you you didn't want to drive a 200 watt cab with a 500 watt head (like running a car at 55mph in 2nd gear) but wans't sure if it was bad the other way too. I guess that just leaves me with a bit of headroom.
 
#390
Wes Whitmore said:
Its perfectly fine to underpower a cab. It just won't play as loud as it possibly can. The good side of that is it will probably last longer.
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It's not actually "underpowered" unless you're beneath the cab/drivers acceptable efficiency range. Simply staying within the cab's max ratings is not underpowering.
 
#392
bassclef216 said:
Where do you look to find a cabs "efficiency range"?
Click to expand...
You don't. You'd probably have to ask the manufacturer if there even is one to speak of. Honestly, I'd think it'd be VERY rare for a cab to have one... I've heard some cabs like the Acme's can actually require more power to sound right, but I consider that to be very much a rarity. Basically, what you'd need to know is the "minimum" power rating for acceptable performance/operation.

In short, genuinely underpowering a cab should be an extreme rarity (if it even really exists, honestly). The reason I challenged your post is because that word actually indicates and carries connotations of a "problem" condition, and the poster we're both replying to simply won't have any such problem with the vast majority of cabs out there... maybe any of them... I honestly can't think of any myself, but of course I don't know them all. :)
 
#394
BigOldHarry said:
Class D speakers :confused:

Nah, I think speakers is where physics conspires to make this very hard... That said, the premium speakers made today are SO much better than anything made 20-30 years ago... I fill up so much space with bass just using two 2x10s today - - and I *know* those huge old rigs we used to use (2x15 or 4x12) not only weren't as loud, but didn't sound as good. We *are* living in the golden age of bass gear, right now - particularly amps and speakers. :D
Click to expand...

DITTO! Harry.:hyper:
 
#396
Mike M. said:
"Do you have any of the bass in the monitors?"

The thing is, this is a new situation and I really don't know what all is involved yet. At the old church we used in ear monitors and my bass went direct. (Used no amp at all). I'm trying to gather as much info as I can about the new place and as far as I can tell it sounds like I may need to get an amp. Again, of what I gather the monitors can handle the vocals fine but they may not be able to handle a lot of bass.

I know I'm not giving YOU much to go by and I apologize. Just trying to find out what I can about the MB200's capabilities and whether or not it will be enough.

Maybe I should just go ahead and get the MB212 500 watt combo.
Click to expand...
I've use mine at a couple of loud rock rehersals it did a fine job.
 
#397
StereoPlayer said:
I have always run my guitar cable thru a speaker cabinet handle to the head....keeps the cablel off to the side too.
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+1 -- I do the same even with heavy amps -- I saw a bass player pull an Ashdown head off a cabinet. I would have thought the jack would have just come out but it caught it 'just right' from an angle and pulled it off and onto the stage floor face-first.
 
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