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Got my GK MB Fusion today!!!!
- Thread starter 77jazz
- Start date
MB Fusion is the only amp right now that's making me consider selling my rack. Do you guys know if the MBFusion(500) will come down in price due to the 800s? Or what the MBfusion800 is gonna cost?? Man I don't want to sell my rack and then still have to add money to buy a lil bass amp.
- Apr 3, 2003
- 35,516
- 19,953
- Disclosures
- Editor-in-Chief, Bass Gear Magazine
I doubt that the price of the 500's will come down. In fact, Bob indicated that there will be a minor price increase across the board coming (which we really cannot complain about - IME/IMHO, GK gear performs at a much higher level than we should expect based upon their price).
Man I love that little sucker. My old band had it's first rehearsal in a year. Guitar , keys, heavy drums and me. I just had the MB fusion going through my TC RS212 with the gain at 11:00 and the A channel at 10:00. It was huge! We all had to turn down down so the vocals could be heard. I've had it for over a year now and I'm still blown away by it. Never a single problem either.
Gotta say I've had no amp gas since I got one of the first out, but the 800 might just get me going.
So I got my MB Fusion on Thursday night.....played it through the headphones all through the evening and early morning (neighbours were in downstairs so could not play it through the cabs)......love being able to use the headphones but wish there was a line in too.....
Then I played it through the cabs this afternoon (at low volume) two 112 Tots (no tweeter)
I have to say that I really like it.....Channel A is nice and clean and I managed to get rid of most of the clank from picks and fingernoise by lowering the treble....Channel B is nice to fatten up the tone but I don't really like the grit when you turn the gain past 2-3 pm....I'd rather use my pedal.....but both channels are great. Yeah, I know, not too good at describing sound......
I A/B'd against my LMii
LMii - flat (noon), no filters
GK - Treble at 10....hi mid at 11.....low mid at 1....bass at 11, with limiter on only
Gain A at 8....master A at 11
Gain B at 2....master B at 1 (yes it was low volume - can't wait to try at a gig) the tone probably changes once you turn it up maybe.....and of course, I've yet to try tweaking the knobs to get more variety yet, it's my first day with it afterall......
At these settings the GK and MB had pretty much the same tone but the LMii was definitely warmer and the GK sounded like the blanket had been taken off the LMii, more articulate and airy......I really liked it and it sounded great with both my passive basses, one with flats the other tapes....didn't try my active yet though...
BUT
That darn fan came on and kept coming on and off continuously and it was really loud....I could hear it even through the headphones.....now at a gig it would probably be a moot point (unless it comes on between songs) but at a low volume gig or in my den this is a deal breaker......really bums me out cause I love everything else about this little amp so if I keep it I'll have to keep the LMii for low volume gigs or I take it back in 30 days and keep looking (GB Max perhaps).....
Now I thought I heard that the fan problem had been taken care of in the new MB800 so I might try the MB800 Fusion though I really don't need all that power but they do have some improvements (where's the line in?).
Another thing that bugs me about this amp is the price I paid for it....it's $750 + tax of $90 = $840 but I see that my American friends are getting theirs at $600 and since the Canadian dollar is at par that's really not fair......
So I'm torn......I really like the tone and versatility, lightweight and size but that fan is blowing it....dig it?
How many other TBers came out with the same results? Does the fan come on continuously for you too? I haven't finished reading the thread so I don't know what your results were....
edit: just plugged in (with headphones) my active (ash/maple and ebony board with pressurewounds)...it's rather bright...well, I just got floored....I take back my statement about not using the B channel for grit...I put a little boost on my preamp, turned down the tone knob, turned the treble down completely and got this slammin' dirt....this is a whole new bass altogether....I'm sold....just hope that fan noise disappears tomorrow night at the jam
Then I played it through the cabs this afternoon (at low volume) two 112 Tots (no tweeter)
I have to say that I really like it.....Channel A is nice and clean and I managed to get rid of most of the clank from picks and fingernoise by lowering the treble....Channel B is nice to fatten up the tone but I don't really like the grit when you turn the gain past 2-3 pm....I'd rather use my pedal.....but both channels are great. Yeah, I know, not too good at describing sound......
I A/B'd against my LMii
LMii - flat (noon), no filters
GK - Treble at 10....hi mid at 11.....low mid at 1....bass at 11, with limiter on only
Gain A at 8....master A at 11
Gain B at 2....master B at 1 (yes it was low volume - can't wait to try at a gig) the tone probably changes once you turn it up maybe.....and of course, I've yet to try tweaking the knobs to get more variety yet, it's my first day with it afterall......
At these settings the GK and MB had pretty much the same tone but the LMii was definitely warmer and the GK sounded like the blanket had been taken off the LMii, more articulate and airy......I really liked it and it sounded great with both my passive basses, one with flats the other tapes....didn't try my active yet though...
BUT
That darn fan came on and kept coming on and off continuously and it was really loud....I could hear it even through the headphones.....now at a gig it would probably be a moot point (unless it comes on between songs) but at a low volume gig or in my den this is a deal breaker......really bums me out cause I love everything else about this little amp so if I keep it I'll have to keep the LMii for low volume gigs or I take it back in 30 days and keep looking (GB Max perhaps).....
Now I thought I heard that the fan problem had been taken care of in the new MB800 so I might try the MB800 Fusion though I really don't need all that power but they do have some improvements (where's the line in?).
Another thing that bugs me about this amp is the price I paid for it....it's $750 + tax of $90 = $840 but I see that my American friends are getting theirs at $600 and since the Canadian dollar is at par that's really not fair......
So I'm torn......I really like the tone and versatility, lightweight and size but that fan is blowing it....dig it?
How many other TBers came out with the same results? Does the fan come on continuously for you too? I haven't finished reading the thread so I don't know what your results were....
edit: just plugged in (with headphones) my active (ash/maple and ebony board with pressurewounds)...it's rather bright...well, I just got floored....I take back my statement about not using the B channel for grit...I put a little boost on my preamp, turned down the tone knob, turned the treble down completely and got this slammin' dirt....this is a whole new bass altogether....I'm sold....just hope that fan noise disappears tomorrow night at the jam
Is it really that big of a problem? I admit I use my MB200 for practice and my MB Fusion pretty much only for gigs, but I've never ever noticed it at a gig.
I'll dig mine out and use it for practice for a while, tho, and see if I can gauge what you're talking about a bit. It's pretty quiet here in my basement where I practice.
Chef
In Memoriam
Yessir, I can hear the fan on the MBF at home.
I've never heard it over latent room noise in clubland.
I don't remember hearing the twin-fans on the MB800, so, that must have been better.
Or, maybe the MBF tubes generate more heat, and the fan ran more.
I've never heard it over latent room noise in clubland.
I don't remember hearing the twin-fans on the MB800, so, that must have been better.
Or, maybe the MBF tubes generate more heat, and the fan ran more.
I'll check the MB800 out too, but two fans running slower might be quieter than one running faster, and those tubes will definitely generate more heat, because they're running them at the proper high voltages, which means the internals are warming up properly and giving optimal tube tone.
Chef
In Memoriam
If you really want to be irritated by an amp's fan at home I recommend nearly any Mesa product, but, most specifically, the Walkabout.
Those big Sunon fans make no bones about moving a lot of air noisily.
It never really bothered me, but I know it irks the daylights out of some guys/gals
Those big Sunon fans make no bones about moving a lot of air noisily.
It never really bothered me, but I know it irks the daylights out of some guys/gals
So long as the sounds I make sound better than the fan.......it doesn't matter to me personally. 
I was supposed to do a jam tonight but it got cancelled....I was hoping to try the Fusion in a club atmosphere to guage the fan's sound......but I'm sold on the little guy and it's a keeper nonetheless.....trying to buy a used one because I'm taking the one I have now back to the store cause it's way too expensive ($840) and it's a demo no less...you guys are getting much better pricing and considering the Cdn $$ is at par, this really irks me......but at least it made me finally decide on a new micro head.....
I don't have a problem with the fan. Only time I notice it is when practicing at low volumes. Never notice it during a gig.
Chef
In Memoriam
Chef
In Memoriam
