• TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
    Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
    Join free Log in
    Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.

Just opened up my 210MBE...

#181
Been a pro bass player for 40 years and have owned many good amps Fender/Trace Elliot etc. I loved the MB210 when it first arrived after 2 months on back order but as the speakers loosened up the cabinet developed rattles and buzzes, I had a look and realized it had no dampening or bracing and even gaps in the glue, it had no corner cleats or rubber feet, my tuner would vibrate off the amp and the sound was wooly and muddy ,I have been following this forum closely and decided that as the mb210 was unusable at louder stage volumes I would bracing and dampen my cabinet even if lose my warranty,Well I can tell you that it makes 100% difference and turns this little amp a VERY good sounding rig ,with out this modification I don't think the combo would hold up to normal bar gigging , Mr gallien says its the design but I don't believe that, it was interesting to watch a Gallien Krueger vid on utube demonstrating the importance of bracing and dampening.
For little more cost a little more weight Gallien Krueger could have made a great combo
For $200 dollars of your time and materials you can have just about the best sounding combo ever made.
 
#182
OK, I have an MB210 without warranty (used deal from MF). I feel it is muddy at points when played loud in my square 18x18 living room or garage practices. I might give it a try. I've got enough wood shop stuff in the garage. I've also had it open already to pull the little fan wires out of the fan blades (used to click once it started spinning). I was going to check the phase wiring of the two speakers too.

I got the amp to downgrade from a Peavey 410TX and Harkte 3500 head that just weigh too much for me to haul to practice (cab is 95lb!!). Plus fan is noisy on the 3500. However I have been unable to get the same tone out of the MB210 so far. I even got a Markbass Compressore to put in front of it but still can't dial it in.

I was going to buy the MBE210 extension to bring me back to a portable/splittable 4x10 system in case I needed more volume but I am holding off this right now. I have not tried using the Peavey 4x10 as the extension as its 8ohms not 4. Prolly no harm tryin'.

I do need help finding the best batting material though. Reading this thread it went back 'n' forth and what to use and where to get.

Another question, I have some good mics and a Roland Firewire recording box (and Cubase etc.). Is there anyway I could measure the FR? Any free/cheap software to allow me to do this objectively? [In the interest of reporting back to y'all]

Thanks,
Mike.
 
#184
Cool! Thanks. No WalMart around me (counties/cities here blocked them) so trying to figure out which ones are not latex online (as most call themselves memory foam). Got a Sears close-ish so might go peruse...

About the convoluted profile - I am thinking this is not so necessary because its not like there's any refection off the face of the foam within our FR? So constant thickness means more foam to absorb reflection of cab wall. Or am I off base here?

BTW Went to a Victor Wooten & Anthony Wellington clinic last night. Fantastic!!! Very inspiring and insightful. His Hartke rig sounds great.

Thanks again,
Mike.
 
#186
greenboy said:
http://www.talkbass.com/wiki/index.php/Various#Internal_DAMPING

I've lined many tens of cabs and not once has it not improved the character and performance of the enclosure.
Click to expand...

I totally agree - I know it's kinda non-pro gear, but I relined the inside of my Acoustic B-450 and it got rid of the mud and confused sounds I got out of it at higher volume.

It seemed to me that with the factory poorly applied deadener, it was just like the bass was climbing all over itself inside the cab and had a hard time getting out. After I replaced it with K-Mart bed top foam (K-Mart IS Sears, or vice versa), it got very clear and precise and each note was clearer and less obfuscated.

I used staples, although I just know that the heads of the staples might be reflecting sound back too. ( lol )

What I also noticed was that the original cab-to-cab coupling problem I had when I stacked this 210 on top of a 410 or a 115, ceased. It's all good.
 
#188
No, that's pretty much it. I'd be careful of pulling the drivers on the Acoustic cabs...I believe they could be made of MDF, which might require you installing T-nuts or similar to put the screws back in. Sometimes MDF holes get all nasty when you pull screws. Really depends though.
 
#190
Well, one thing that would probably work is the same thing I've used when working with poplar...wedge some toothpicks and Pl premium in the holes, then put the screws back in after it dries.

Just be careful when you're removing the screws; turn each screw a little bit at a time, etc. And be sure to lay the cab on its back of course.
 
#191
My name is Mudd said:
How'd you get inside the cab? After reading thru this thread awhile ago, I've thought about lining my B-20 since I already have the materials on hand, but the only way I can see doing it is by pulling the driver out...am I missing something?
Click to expand...

rpsands said:
No, that's pretty much it. I'd be careful of pulling the drivers on the Acoustic cabs...I believe they could be made of MDF, which might require you installing T-nuts or similar to put the screws back in. Sometimes MDF holes get all nasty when you pull screws. Really depends though.
Click to expand...

Don't worry about the screws - that's just yellow journalism.

There are nutserts in it already - so don't let that bother you. Seems some people can't like anything Acoustic.

100_6032.png


100_6031.png


100_6029.png


This is self-explanatory - but you can only get into the cab through the speaker holes.

100_6025.png
 
#193
I don't have anything against Acoustic aside from thinking making cabinets made out of MDF are stupid, I was just providing a caution to be sure you know what you're working with before you open a cabinet made of MDF. If there are inserts already then that's great and you're all set :)

Yay!
 
#194
Would love to see some actual photos of how the material is fastened. Even with two spaekers removed, it seem like alot of manuvering with stuffing and tool in a small area. How do you know if it's even lining up correctly ?
 
#197
jnewmark said:
Would love to see some actual photos of how the material is fastened. Even with two spaekers removed, it seem like alot of manuvering with stuffing and tool in a small area. How do you know if it's even lining up correctly ?
Click to expand...

One big reason I like quilt batting is that it goes around corners easily and is simple to maneuver...and if it bunches up, no biggie. Spray adhesive rules, for similar reasons.

It can be worth it to pull the jack plate out if you're worried about getting adhesive on the components, which seems a valid concern to me.
 
#199
rpsands said:
One big reason I like quilt batting is that it goes around corners easily and is simple to maneuver...and if it bunches up, no biggie. Spray adhesive rules, for similar reasons.

It can be worth it to pull the jack plate out if you're worried about getting adhesive on the components, which seems a valid concern to me.
Click to expand...

Fortunately the Acoustic combo-cabs all have dedicated wiring coming in from the amp and sealed somewhere in the top of the driver cab and they don't have any output jack plates inside the cab itself. See pix::

100_6144.png


The B-200 and the B-450 are that way for sure, although I do not have any of the smaller cabs, it should follow suit there too.

The way Acoustic gets extension jack-outs is on the back of the amp itself and that's totally divided away from the driver cab.

The design is most like a head unit and not like an extension cab. Now - the B-115, B-410 and my B-810 DO have jack plates in the back of them, so that's a good point. Some masking tape or whatever will protect that though I feel.

I used staples for the very reason that I don't like to have spray glue holding foam, and although it may be alright in the long run - it's all out of sight for knowing if it really held or is still holding the foam up where it belongs or not.

Staples don't usually fail or fall off wood either.

I don't think accuracy is terribly important with adding foam - but I made very sure that the whole back wall was well covered right to the corners.

Working through two speaker holes isn't as bad as it seems - but a single 10" hole may be another situation. Either way - I don't see much trouble holding and firing a spring-type staple gun is that hard in small spaces anyway.

I've also seen old R12 or whatever pink fiberglass just shatter, crumble and lie on the floor of a few cabs. Not my idea of a good product to use. It's also itchy.

While you're inside ANY Acoustic gear - check the spade lugs and connex on the wires at the drivers to make sure they are tight and clean!

This is a big bone of contention with me and I had some loose spades create a lot of grief for me until I soldered pigtails on the ends and just used auto-quality spades on the pigtails themselves.
 

Latest posts

Top Bottom
Back