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GK mb200 ultra light head?

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#441
Been using my MB200 with a Schroeder 1212L: nice match! I'm loving the tone and the volume is pretty good. The Schroeder is very mid-rich and I'm guessing the MB200 has a bit of a scooped sound, even without the countour button on.

I've been using the 1212L with a Markbass LMII, and even though it has more volume overall, I've found that the MB200 get almost all the usable volume out of the cab. In other words, is not like the LMII is substantially louder, at least not with this cab.

And I'm guessing the EQ frequencies on the MB200 makes this cab sound deeper and more balanced. Go G-K!
 
#442
jnewmark said:
Does anyone know if the headphone/line out, when switched to line out, is post EQ, and is it strong enough to drive a power amp ? I'm thinking this might be a good candidate for a backup preamp.
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Definitely strong enough to drive a power amp. Just tried it into an RMX1450 with a short patch cable (phone plug to phone plug).

I agree with Wes. This thing sounds so nice driving a power amp that I'm considering canceling my BBE BMAX back order.
 
#443
jnewmark said:
I think alot of headphone outs on bass amps have a buffer on them that knocks the signal down significantly. Maybe when the switch is engaged to line out, it negates this buffer? BTW, who has the best deal on these heads ?
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Yeah, I would think that would be the exact purpose of that switch, because as far as I know, line out levels are an actual specification.
 
#445
Wes Whitmore said:
This amp doesn't sound like any of my GKs I have ever had (I have shuffled through 7 GK amps in 11 years). It sounds better. This thing puts out punchy, full bodied, rich tone. It doesn't get thin on the high notes, and it doesn't get muddy on the low notes. Honestly, it's flat sound is what I have been trying to find for a long time. It has some grind/growl coloration that just sounds so good, and I don't need to blast it to get it there. The MB200 sounds so good to me that I would use it as a preamp if the stock 200 (160 watts in my case) wasn't enough. So far, it's been more than enough. Sure I had to send my first one back because it had noise and hum. The replacement one is absolutely quiet. I turn it on, and it is dead silent, even when the volume is pegged. No hiss. The quietest amp I have ever had. For $200-$250? It's the deal of the year if you ask me. This amp is not just a trainer tool. It's absolutely giggable.
Wes
Click to expand...

Hi Wes - I'm about to buy a new GK head - 700 RBII. May I ask why you've gone through 7 GK amps in 11 years?
 
#446
Sure. It's a boring story. My first amp was a Gk 1001RB combo and RBH115 cab, circa 2000. The amp smoked after I left it in the car overnight on a single digit temps day. Turned it on and out came the smoke. Replaced it with a 1001RBII about the time they originally came out. While I owned that, I purchased a Backline 112 for size/portability reasons. Kept it for a little while but it didn't compare well to my 2x10 combo, so I sold it. Played with the 1001RBII for years. 2 Years ago I searched for another combo to run when I was playing some bigger outdoor shows and thought I needed a backup amp/cabinet when I stood in for another bassist on some really high paying gigs. Another combo made sense at the time. I just stacked them and used them both. It happened to be a 700RB combo. The pramp failed on the second show, so I sent it off to get a new preamp board. Those shows ended so I took the oppertunity to try something new, so I got rid of both combos and started working with separates. I picked up a used MB500/2 that worked well for a little while, then started to act up on me after a couple of months. Still trying to get an RMA on that one. While it was working, I purchased a 400RBIII used locally in what I thought was good working condition just to have a backup amp. Turned out to have a bad fan and it overheated after a couple of songs at the first practice. Threw another $100 in it getting the fan circuit fixed (I found out about the known issue on these amps after I got it fixed.) I was waiting for the MB200 as I heard about it, and grabbed one of the first shipments as soon as they came out for $200 shipped. First one was noisy so I sent it back to GK for replacement, and have been happy since.

So I have been using GKs for a long time...most of them have held up pretty well. I really like their punch compared to the Ampegs that my firends use. It seemed that the smaller GK amp I got, the better it sounded to me. Lots of posts on TB about having to crank the amps to get them to sound really good, especially the RB amps.

All of the amps behave differently. The 1001RBs would clip the input if I didn't press in the pad. It always seemed the most sterile to me. I couldn't EQ in what I wanted. The 700RB clipped less but still clipped without the pad. Sounded warmer though. The 400RBIII won't clip at all. I can also crank the preamp volume and it wont audibly distort. The 500 will clip and it's noisy too, but the MB200 doesn't clip and it is absolutely silent, doesn't require EQ, and sounds great on flat. They aren't all the same, thats for sure. I think I like how simple the controls are the best on the MB200. There is little chance of setting something up wrong with this amp. You either like how it sounds when you turn it on, or you dont.

I would probably audition the MB500 and the 700RBII and see which one you like better. Both get crazy loud, but sound different to me.

Wes
 
#447
Well, after reading most of this thread, I pulled the trigger on one of these today. Can't beat the price for what you get. Hope I dig it as much as you guys do, although I'm mainly getting this as a backup and emergency preamp should my old Ashly SC-40 die on the gig. I'm thinking I could use it as a pre through my QSC PLx 1202 and have a 1200 watt MB200 !
 
#448
jnewmark said:
Well, after reading most of this thread, I pulled the trigger on one of these today. Can't beat the price for what you get. Hope I dig it as much as you guys do, although I'm mainly getting this as a backup and emergency preamp should my old Ashly SC-40 die on the gig. I'm thinking I could use it as a pre through my QSC PLx 1202 and have a 1200 watt MB200 !
Click to expand...

Let us know how that works!
Wes
 
#449
I'm considering the "combo" versions, 112 and 115. But can't figure out what are the differences (apart from the woofer). The 15 has more controls but can't read what they are. Are these speakers 4Ohm?
 
#450
Triad said:
I'm considering the "combo" versions, 112 and 115. But can't figure out what are the differences (apart from the woofer). The 15 has more controls but can't read what they are. Are these speakers 4Ohm?
Click to expand...
The 115 is the MB500 internally, and the 112 is the MB200 internally, hence the different control set. Both are 4 ohm, and have no external speaker support. Only the MB210 has external speaker support (which must be at least 8 ohms of course).
 
#451
Uh... thought only the 2x10" and 2x12" had the 500 internally...
If it's like this maybe I should go for the 15" - the price difference is €70 or so.

EDIT: don't know if they're reporting wrong specs... but on the site they say the 115 is 200w.

[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]
 
#452
Triad said:
Uh... thought only the 2x10" and 2x12" had the 500 internally...
Click to expand...
GAH! You are correct sir!

Sorry about that. I just looked at the controls and made a bad assumption.

That's interesting, because it looks like this is kind of a special config of an MB500-ish front end and the MB200 power section. Hmmm...
 
#453
The difference of volume shouldn't be huge... the weight and dimensions aren't neither. I went for the 112 (but it's not available, they should carry it in 3-5 days). I could probably put a bit of padding into the cab and maybe replace the tweeter (never liked piezos). Then I'm set. :p
 
#456
Triad said:
I'd prefer to have gain and master... but don't know if they really make a difference on this amp. Anybody A/Bed the 112 and 115 and can tell the difference?
Click to expand...

I played the MB112 and MB115 back to back at Summer NAMM. While it's a ways back in time, as I recall, I definitely preferred the MB115. In addition to sounding "bigger," it was also more open sounding. The MB112, as I recall, was a bit more mid-focused. I can definitely see plenty of folks preferring the tone of the MB112 over the MB115, but for my personal preferences, it was the MB115, all the way.

FWIW, the MB200 driving a Neo112-II sounds a good bit different (and better, to my ear) than the MB112. Of course, there is a price difference, but there's also a good bit more flexibility, as you can use the MB200 with other cabs and the Neo112-II with other heads (or add a second Neo112-II later). :cool:
 
#457
tombowlus said:
I played the MB112 and MB115 back to back at Summer NAMM. While it's a ways back in time, as I recall, I definitely preferred the MB115. In addition to sounding "bigger," it was also more open sounding. The MB112, as I recall, was a bit more mid-focused. I can definitely see plenty of folks preferring the tone of the MB112 over the MB115, but for my personal preferences, it was the MB115, all the way.

FWIW, the MB200 driving a Neo112-II sounds a good bit different (and better, to my ear) than the MB112. Of course, there is a price difference, but there's also a good bit more flexibility, as you can use the MB200 with other cabs and the Neo112-II with other heads (or add a second Neo112-II later). :cool:
Click to expand...
I would attribute a lot of this to the lack of a horn in the MB112.
 
#459
jnewmark said:
Does anyone know if the headphone/line out, when switched to line out, is post EQ, and is it strong enough to drive a power amp ? I'm thinking this might be a good candidate for a backup preamp.
Click to expand...

That's mainly how I use it these days:

5232580249_71232bda05.jpg


I keep the QSC and two random cabs at the space, and shuttle my GK etc. back and forth. Signal is pretty hot. Definitely usable. I'm still getting to know the QSC, but I think the pre part of that rig is set.

--Bomb :bassist:
 
#460
Uhm. If I dismounted the head from the combo it would be ok or it lacks the sides (like old Littlemark heads mounted on combos)?
The 112 has a piezo and the 115 has the same. I'm sure that a simple Eminence APT80 ($25) would make it much better. ;)

Oh, forgot to say that the price difference between head and combo is very small: €250-260 for the Mb200, €295 for the MB112 (so you end up paying €35 for the cab!) and €368 for the MB115.
 
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