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Head Comparisons

Head Vote

  • Markbass Little Mark II

    Votes: 41 12.1%

  • Markbass Little Mark III

    Votes: 50 14.7%

  • Markbass Little Mark Tube

    Votes: 17 5.0%

  • Hartke LH500

    Votes: 30 8.8%

  • Carvin BX500

    Votes: 36 10.6%

  • Ampeg PF500

    Votes: 42 12.4%

  • GK 700RB-II

    Votes: 80 23.6%

  • Genz Benz Shuttle 6

    Votes: 72 21.2%
  • Total voters
    339
  • Poll closed .
B

bassbrutha

Jan 31, 2010
44
0
#1
Looking for a new head...need your votes, preferrably based on "Head to Head" comparisons...THANKS!!

Markbass Little Mark II
Markbass Little Mark III
Markbass Little Mark Tube
Hartke LH500
Carvin BX500
Ampeg PF500
GK 700RB-II
Genz Benz Shuttle 6
 
#2
LM2 + LM3 = exact same, lm3 more features. Love mine
LMT = Great sound no tube mix, but not crazy about the preamp tube tone. Sounds better on an agressive bass (mellows it a bit), but on a jazz bass, better with lm2-3
GK : Great modern tone, in our face clean & defined, but I prefer the 800rb.
Shuttle. Sounds good, and very versatile, but a bit harsh. Misses the mellowness of markbass.

I tried or owned many many amps & cabs over the years

Ultimate rig : Ampeg SVPCL preamp into Crest CA6 and 2 x Bergantino HS410. I am pretty certain I will never have as amazing a rig as this one, but I sold it all, because my markbass combos, or LM2, does a great job, 95% satisfied with the tone, sound engeneers love the feed from the Markbass DI out, and 5x less weight and equipement. At this point, very good is good enough for me.
 
#3
I haven't played all the amps listed, but I have played my Little Mark II in my 121H combo for three years now, and love it. The tone is more modern than I've been used to over the years, but I have found it to be slpendid in a mix. Also, the controls on any Little Mark are very simple and useful, including the VLE and VPF filters. But, actually, I mostly play with everything set flat, except for a little roll-off of high mids to account for my fingernails clacking. I voted for the Little Mark III due to the extra features it adds to this great amp line.
 
#6
I've owned both the LMIII and the GK 700rb-II and I much, much prefer the 700.

The GK has more grunt to it, and has a much better low-mid presence.

The LM3 could get a nice fat warm bottom, but for my needs I require that low-mid grunt.
 
#7
The Shuttle 6 is a great amp. I've heard people (in this post even) call it harsh but I would never describe it that way. I found it to be warmer than my SWR SM400 which I was using a VT pedal with to help warm the tone but found no need for it with the Shuttle. The Shuttle is super light, built well and has a lot of great features - headphone out, aux in, tuner out, and mute button.
 
#9
bassbrutha said:
For those of you that have voted GK (the winner as of now), I had a GK Backline 600. It sounded kinda boomy and not very well defined. Is the 700RB a totally different animal as far as tone?
Click to expand...

I don't know anything about the Backline 600, but I have been very satisfied with my 700RB - it's plenty of amp.

Your issue sounds more like a problem with the speaker or the room you are playing it in.
 
#10
Stick_Player said:
I don't know anything about the Backline 600, but I have been very satisfied with my 700RB - it's plenty of amp.

Your issue sounds more like a problem with the speaker or the room you are playing it in.
Click to expand...

My backline always had plenty of volume (and more!)...i'm more concerned about the tone (as I said it was kinda boomy).

It occurred to me after I started this poll that the tube may be going out in my WT300, but I am warming up to the idea of a lighter amp such as most of those I listed anyway.
 
#12
The Carvin BX500 just simply rocks! The only other head listed that I have is the GB Shuttle 6.0 and it doesn't even compare, though is several hundred more $$. I think Carvin heads are highly underrated. They are reliable and are your best bang for the buck, at least based on my years of experience.
 
#13
I have a LMIII and some gigs I like it other gigs I can't get the sound...room, stage, ect. Don't get me wrong it is built like a tank, but lacks color(eq) flavor.

May pull the trigger on the Ampeg PF500 soon. You can dial in the sound easier. Just my opinion.
 
#16
I've owned a LMII, GK700RB-II and LH500. I owned the LH500 at the same time as the others and A/B'd it against them through the same cabs. Still have the LH500. Here are my thoughts:

I found the LMII to have good, although not distinctive tone and very good articulation. However, IMO the sound lacked "weight" for lack of a better term. Excellent amp, but I wanted more oomph. Sold it. Of the three, my least fave.

The GK: I've owned two of these. Tons of volume, nice cut and you can get deep bottom. All around great head, and if you like "that" sound it is KILLER. Can be pretty clean or clanky/growly, can get big and deep but does not excel at a fat, cushiony sound IMO. I have a 400RB now, and an MB500, but still miss the 700 sometimes and I may go back for a third time...:rolleyes:

LH500: in a word, awesome. Very loud, good variety of tone, but what I like best is that it is VERY full sounding without being muddy (unless EQ it that way). The EQ takes some fiddling to get right as it is very different than most amps (plenty of threads about it on TB). For a while I was all about Euphonic Audio, but I played them side by side for a week and ended up selling the EA. The LH500 is now my main gigging amp.
 
#20
another arbitrary poll, an amp a bass 12's vs 10's, 8's vs 15's its all subjectional to so many factors its what you like, maybe it depends on how you haul your gear to your shows, i been on talk bass long enough and wasted enough coinage because i thought i was gonna like what someone else swore by. FORGET IT!! its what you like or can afford. its how you want your tone to be, if you'd rather play a squire than a rickenbacker big deal, if you choose SWR over Orange and your happy PERFECT,....
now lets get down to whats really important...Coke or Pepsi? Nike or Adidas...Chevy or Ford......:rollno:
 

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