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GK RB 700 2 or GK MB500

#21
Its a great bag. The head and cables are light, so it doesn't need to have heavy duty zippers. It's plenty padded enough to protect the amp. It has pretty thick inner padding that does a good job protecting without getting bulky. Each compartment is big enough to hold two amps. I put the 500 and sometimes the 200 on one side, an instrument cable, IEC cable, speaker cable, and power strip on the other side. I put IEMs, transmitter, and 9v batteries in the top little zippered compartment. You will probably really enjoy it. Mine has held up.
Wes
 
#22
DavePlaysBass said:
As I understand the 4 string / 5 string switch on the 700, it is there to emulate the older GK products that had a low bass cut. They did this to save on the high power needed to drive the lowest frequencies back when electronics and speakers were less efficient. This allowed GK to make small products for the day. As technology advanced, they added the 5 string switch to remove the low bass cut yet one could still emulate some of the high bass / low mid emphasis on the older GK amps with the filter engaged (4 string mode). The MB500 does not have this switch as it does not have the low bass cut filtering. The MB500 is like having the 5 string switch engaged.
Click to expand...

That's not 100% true.
Be careful with the 5 string switch - it actually boosts 11db@20Hz!
 
#23
Sinclair said:
That's not 100% true.
Be careful with the 5 string switch - it actually boosts 11db@20Hz!
Click to expand...

Here's a quote from a Bob Gallien interview:

[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]

"One of the biggest keys to making a great bass amp is the manner in which you roll off the low end because you really have to pay attention to the roll off rate and the way it fades. Nowadays, speaker systems can handle really deep bass sounds, but back in the day, they couldn't. At the time, everyone was playing 4-string basses so the demand for producing lots of really deep bass was not there. For example, the 800RB doesn't produce a lot of low end response, but it has just enough to accommodate the frequency range of a 4-string bass. That amplifier is not going to work all that well with the B-string of a 5-string bass due to the bass frequency roll off that begins gradually at around 100 Hz and then really falls off quickly at 40 Hz.

The 5/4 string voicing button is something that has been added to our amps in order to extend the roll off of the bass frequencies produced by 5-string basses. This is not just simply a bass boost button which works like a graphic equalizer, and it isn't a feature that was conceived by a sales department which decided it would be a good idea to add for marketing purposes. Our button doesn't boost anything. It extends the roll off of the low bass frequencies which don't begin falling rapidly until around 30 Hz. If you are playing a 4-string bass and trying to replicate the classic sound of the 800RB, you will want to have this button out because the 800RB doesn't produce a lot of deep bass. If you are playing a 5-string bass, you will want to have that button pushed in. Some 4-string bassists will actually leave the button pushed in at all times because they want as much low end as they can get. This button solves a particular issue regarding the extended frequencies of 5-string basses, and at the same time, it permits us to bring our heritage with us as we move into the new era of amplification."
 
#24
Thanks Wes. I brought the bag home yesterday and it does indeed hold lots of extra goodies or you could put two amps in it if needed. It seems to be decent quality but the biggest frustration is that there is no handle on the bag. You are forced to use the shoulder strap which is a pain if you are just picking up the bag.

Other then that it seems like a good bag for the amp and I really don't want my little MB500 getting banged up so I will likely keep it. I really like that I can fit all the cables and extra stuff in it as opposed to the Markbass or Genz bags that only really hold the amp.

Wes Whitmore said:
Its a great bag. The head and cables are light, so it doesn't need to have heavy duty zippers. It's plenty padded enough to protect the amp. It has pretty thick inner padding that does a good job protecting without getting bulky. Each compartment is big enough to hold two amps. I put the 500 and sometimes the 200 on one side, an instrument cable, IEC cable, speaker cable, and power strip on the other side. I put IEMs, transmitter, and 9v batteries in the top little zippered compartment. You will probably really enjoy it. Mine has held up.
Wes
Click to expand...
 
#29
I have some schematics around here somewhere. If memory serves correct it was an input coupling capacitor change which would be more of a pass band thing than a boost. If I get some time I will look up the circuit.
 
#30
The bag doesn't have a permanent handle, but you can grab ahold of a D ring that thhe strap hooks too, or shorten the strap, pass a clip on the strap through on ring and clip it back on the other ring so both clips are hooked to the same ring. That seems to work pretty well.
Wes
 
#32
ljazz said:
I've tried to like the MB500. I've played it several times now, did some recording with one back over the summer, and even had one here over a long weekend...... but man, it's missing something compared to the 700. The 700 has this "organic" thing happening that just isn't there in the little MB500. Compared to the 700, the MB is missing some heft in it's tone.
Click to expand...

I have both, and I agree the 700RB-II has more "heft" and a more organic tone generally. So, if tone is the primary goal and you don't mind the extra size and weight of the 700, I think it's the way to go. I also think the DI is excellent for recording. IMO it's a truly amazing amp.

But the MB-500 is excellent as well. It sounds great, and will probably become my main gigging amp due to the convenience and footswitch for the "boost" channel.

I should add that I use G-K Neo cabs (I believe ljazz does as well), and their clarity might accentuate the differences between the heads.
 
#33
I have done fairly extensive A Bing with both amps. For me the 700RB amp has the more classic GK tone and can has that classic grind if you want it. The MB 500 seems to have a more pronounce low end but by cutting the bass eq you can get the two to sound pretty similar but not exactly the same.

After about an hour ABing the two amps I decided that I marginally prefered the 700RB yet I still purchased the MB 500. This is because the MB 500, although different to the 700RB, is still one heck of an amp. It is also cheaper and really light and I needed an amp I could travel with.

Either way you cannot go wrong. Both are great amps.
 
#34
Great replies, the RB700 does seem to be slightly better than the MB500 in terms of tone from the comments, I will buy the MBE410 cab as its lightweight and compact size is a plus for me, I could apply the same logic to the MB500 and save a fair amount of money in the process .
I mainly play rock/blues based music with my SG bass so no need for the Bi-amp feature on the 700, I am not an advanced player (only been on bass just under a year) so probably would not have the tuned ear for tone that some of the guys on here have got .
I think the MB500 with the MBE410 will give me a much better set up than my present MB210 combo so I am favouring that purchase, availability seems a problem on the MB500 at the moment but the cab is available .
I cant believe that the MBE410 is only 100mm wider than my MB210 .
 
#36
Sinclair said:
Check the manuals last page - it clearly states that it DOES boost!

Voicing Filters:
String Bass Button +11db@20Hz
Contour +2db@50Hz /
-10db@500Hz /
+3db@7kHz
Presence +9db@10kHz
Click to expand...

gallien explained it differently. now that i see the specs you listed, it makes sense to me. the button does, in fact, boost. but its purpose is to counteract the cut that is already inherent in the voicing---
bass frequency roll off that begins gradually at around 100 Hz and then really falls off quickly at 40 Hz
Click to expand...
i suspect if you scoped the response of the 800RB, you would find it down 11db @ 20Hz, maybe more.
 
#37
I scoped my 700RB II yesterday direct out -> post EQ

4 string mode: -11dB @20Hz
5 string mode: ~0dB @20Hz, slight increase between 20-100Hz @1-2dB

-> it does not boost :rollno:

Strange:
My 700 puts out a linear signal with the following settings:

Treble:
12​
High-Mid:
2​
Low-Mid:
3​
Bass:
12​

4 string mode, Contour and Presence off
 
#38
I'm posting this as a reply to this thread because of the references to "heft" in tone of the 700RB vs MB500. I apologize ahead of time for also diverging into discussion of other brands-

Short background- Used to use and love a 1001RB -1 w/ upgraded board/ blue LED. This was my main gigging amp until I gassed for something lighter and replaced w an LMII.
After about 4 years, the LMII failed, and has yet to be sent off for repairs. Because I loved the 1001RB, I went back to GK to try the MB500.

After a few weeks of rehearsal and recording use, I'm not sure I've a: figured out the eq/ pre, and b: feel like I miss a certain 'heft' or thickness of tone that I had with both the 1001RB and the LMII.

On point a: eq/pre. I used to run the 1001RB with the -10db engaged, and the Woofer control at no more than Noon, and the Pre Gain at less than noon. I would EQ to the room after that. Boost was no more than Noon ever. I realize this is counter to what the manual says about Woofer at 3pm, and Gain to control overall volume. Using the above settings with the 1001RB into a Bag End S15D, I never ran out of volume and always felt like I had a ton of excess headroom.

However, with the MB500, I can't seem to find a combination of settings that puts me in that same comfort zone. I've played around with the recommended "flat" eq (not all knobs at noon), and the manual recommended Master's at 3pm, Volume for level control, and Boost all over the place- experimenting. It does not seem to respond like the older GK did, and I'm hesitant to run the Master lower because I've read that it strains the power section to do so.

Now, I realize that I'm sacrificing 10db on the front end, but I do that because I use high output basses, and because I feel like I have more useful dynamic control / responsiveness with the -10db engaged than when it is off. Yes, it's louder when off, but less controllable/ responsive when I dig in. I can make up for the Gain boost by settings on the Volume and Master knobs for the most part.

On the LMII, found that I could run the Input gain at about 2pm-3pm and never have to push the Master past 10 o'clock to have enough volume for every situation. (at 8 ohms even) And I found I had to cut the lows to 9 oclock which I hoped was making things more efficient. On the MB500, Cutting the lows seems to take something away from the overall volume in a way it didn't on the LMII. Back when I was using the 1001RB, I believe I left the Bass control at Noon w/ 5 string button engaged.

So, now I'm a bit frustrated because I feel the need to use 2 Bag End 15s for gigs that I used to be able to get away with only one. That surmises the difference in a nutshell, but I feel like it relates to the issue of 'heft' that's seems to be missing for me on the MB500.

Any suggestions?

-Jeff
 
#40
The 700RbII has a well-deserved reputation as a reliable workhorse amp also. Mine was a rock, and I would feel safer going without a backup head with the 700rbII than I would with the MB500.

I also appreciated the bi-amp features on the 700rbII. Overall the amp sounded great and had well laid out EQ section.
 

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