If you had a choice of a Gallien-Krueger*MB210 2x10 500W Ultralight Bass Combo Amp or Markbass*CMD 102P 300/500W 2x10 Tilt-Back Bass Combo Amp which would you choose price having no bearing. Which do you think sounds better to YOU?
Enjoy the benefits of a premium membership!
Upgrade Account
-
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.
Markbass CMD102P vs GK MB210 combo
- Thread starter HMZ
- Start date
In my opinion there is no real choice here. If price were really no option the MarkBass wins hands down. IMHO
I just bought a MB CMD102P about a week ago and did my first gig with it yesterday. I wasn't totally blown away with it. The gig was and outdoor type thing so I guess the real test will be in a bar gig type environment. I do like Markbass stuff. I have been using a Markbass LM II head for about four years now.
I haven't touched anything mark bass in a few years but i used to own an LMII and the traveler 102p cab. I currently own the GK MB210 combo (as a smaller light amp for when my Ampeg svt 7 pro and 410hlf is too big). The two heads are pretty different. The GK has a more aggressive sound with no real "flat" setting. It does the modern sound really well with a lot of top end sizzle and pretty big but clear sounding lows (I boost the mids and basically try to eq in a more old school sound). The tweeter can be either on or off. I keep it off, personally I think it is way too harsh. The markbass stuff has a much "flatter" sound or should I say un-colored. I think it gets a more authentic old school sound but in my opinion the markbass stuff sounds a little sterile. For me, my sound is ampeg. If you can check out the pf 500 and maybe the pf 210 cab you might like that. You should really check out both the amps you mention if you can. I have the GK but given the option to trade it for my old markbass rig (which was sold to fund my ampeg purchase) i would take the markbass.
I have the Markbass combo already and I do have a GK MB112
I use for real small gigs/practice.
I just went to GC to check out the MB210. Its nice but I think the Markbass combo is warmer...
I use for real small gigs/practice.
I just went to GC to check out the MB210. Its nice but I think the Markbass combo is warmer...
Good synopsis / summary. I haven't used much GK stuff recently. When I bought my 102P combo I compared it to some of the GK stuff available at the time and I preferred the "flatness" of the MB stuff. I can really hear the personality of my basses through the MB combo. My one complaint is the the tweeter. I wish I could adjust it without using the tone or tone shaping controls (VLE) on my MB. Only complaint I have.
Your ears will tell you what is right for you. FYI, if I were shopping for a new rig right now, I would also have a serious audition with the Ampeg PF line. Good luck with your decision.
I had the MB210, but returned it because it couldn't get very low. The speakers farted out with the volume at noon and the bass at 1:00.
I know knobs mean nothing. I believe the cabs are just voiced without depth. Many would call this blasphemy, but I really do think you sacrifice some of the lower register with these new ultra lightweight cabs.
Markbass has never had this issue, that I know of.
I know knobs mean nothing. I believe the cabs are just voiced without depth. Many would call this blasphemy, but I really do think you sacrifice some of the lower register with these new ultra lightweight cabs.
Markbass has never had this issue, that I know of.
Id probably lean towards the Markbass as well. I have been very impressed by the GK MB combos though. The MB112 is a pretty slick little unit! The Markbass gear is terrific though. Clean, clear, loud, and light weight. What more could you want?
^^^
Thats the only way to really tell. We could all tell you what we prefer but you'll have to decide. What ever you decide you can't really go wrong with either.
Interestingly enough, I find that the Markbass LMII/III sounds more like my SVT than the new Ampeg PF heads.
I have the GK MB210 and I love it. I liked the sound much better than the Mark Bass, it has a nice growl when you dig in. I also liked that it was so much more affordable. My only complaint is that I like the tilt back feature of the Mark Bass.
Markbass CMD102P hands down. In regard to the guy who mentioned playing it outside on his 1st gig, remember it's just a 2X10 cab being pushed by 300 WTS, it's not an 8X10 cab being pushed by 1000 WTS, so your sound will be lost outside! ;-) And to the guy who used the MB traveler 2X10 cab, it's not the same animal. The traveler cab has a tiny speaker box that is rear ported and doesn't develope any bottom and they fart out easy. (I tried one in a store and thought they stunk) The CMD102P has a fairly deep cabinet box and is front ported so the sound is very different even though it uses the same speakers as the Traveler cab. I have no issue using the MB CMD102P live in a rock band in a bar, I use it as my stage fill and run into the front end sound system. Often the sound man asks me to TURN DOWN so he can push more of my sound through the house system. I'm blown away by the little CMD102P!
BTW I wouldn't use ANY 2X10 combo amp if I were gigging outside or if I had to fill the room with bass without going through a front end system. Small 2X10 combos (ANY small 2X10 combo) IMO are for practice, VERY small bars and stage fill use only. To fill a decent sized room IMO you need minimum 4X10s and more wattage than we're taking about here or you need to run into the sound system, or both. (I always run into the sound system so I can get away with the CMD102P regardless of gig)
BTW I wouldn't use ANY 2X10 combo amp if I were gigging outside or if I had to fill the room with bass without going through a front end system. Small 2X10 combos (ANY small 2X10 combo) IMO are for practice, VERY small bars and stage fill use only. To fill a decent sized room IMO you need minimum 4X10s and more wattage than we're taking about here or you need to run into the sound system, or both. (I always run into the sound system so I can get away with the CMD102P regardless of gig)
I went to my Guitar Center in Toledo a few weeks ago to try out some higher powered combos that I could actually move around by myself. I tried a few models, but the one that really stood out was the GK MB210. The sound was very aggressive and I loved it. I thought it sounded much better than the mark bass stuff. It had plenty of lows. I actually had to dial back the lows. the tweeter sounded great but I had to dial down the treble so it wouldn't puncture my eardrums. I bought it last week. It did well on it's own at 350 watts, but you can only get so much out of two 10's. Yesterday I added the 115MBE to it and now its is a completely different animal. It can handle any gig without any problems and it's total weight is under 70 pounds. I am very happy with the GK combo. Way better than the markbass stuff in my opinion and it costs much less too! I don't buy anything on someones word, so I don't expect you to either. At least give the Mb210 a test drive.
We may disagree on which amp is best but I totally agree with you that anyone in the market should use their own ears and make their decision based mainly on that!
I do not have anything against MarkBass at all. To be honest, they were a heavy contender in my decision making process. The one thing that made me ultimately decide to go with the Gallien-Krueger over the Markbass was that the MarkBass sounded "solid-statey" I was able to dial in all sorts of sounds with the GK and most of it sounded "tubey" Also, I think it is great to mention for other readers that I had a lot of farting out with my B string while I demoed the MarkBass. I thought that the tone of the GK trumped that of the MarkBass. The simple fact that I can carry my MB210 anywhere by myself with no help from my band mates was a major plus. The GK MB210 paired with the GK 115MBE is just an amazing machine. This is all just my opinion and expect it to be read as such. Go to your local music store and start playing. You may find that both of these amps are not what you are looking for. That happened to me. I went to my Guitar Center to try out an Ampeg BA500 and buy one, but I left with the GK.
I love Markbass amps but I find there speakers fart out very easily. That was the case when i bought the CMD102P. I used it it at two different gigs and back it went to the store. I do have a Markbass little mark II that i have had since 2007 and love it.
