I assume Taphappy's post took care of this. The Tfunk is just a touch larger than the larger Markbass heads (SD800 and the 450, etc., and about 10 pounds heavier).
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Markbass F1 First Impressions
- Thread starter KJung
- Start date
I assume Taphappy's post took care of this. The Tfunk is just a touch larger than the larger Markbass heads (SD800 and the 450, etc., and about 10 pounds heavier).
I tried out a F1, LMII and SA450 today.
The LMII is a bit warmer but the F1 has more of a bite IMO. The SA450 was just too big compared to the other two.
I ALMOST walked out of the store with the LMII but the ability to throw the F1 in my gig bag was too much to pass up.
I went for "bleeding edge" and am now a proud owner of an F1.
First impression (and only after 15 minutes of playing around with the dials on this thing) is this.... holy crap how does something just over 3lbs and the size of a hardcover book soung so friggin' loud and so good?It is amazing.
I have it on top of my 6U backbreaker (50lbs+) and I noticed in my comparison that the F1 sounds about as good as my Ampeg head through a BBE Sonic Maximizer and a SansAmp RBI!
Note: I have yet to rehearse or gig with this thing but in the 15 minutes I used it in my basement at relatively low volume, I am floored how good this thing sounds.
I bought this head as a backup to my heavy rig and I was planning to use it just for rehearsal. I seriously think my Ampeg might be in danger of becoming an eBay casualty IF it gigs as good as it sounds at lower volumes.
I will post more detailed impressions next week after I have a chance to put it throught the ringer.
Very cool. I took the F1 to my gig Saturday night, but unfortunately never got around to swapping it with the SD800 I was using. I will take it with me next weekend and really give it a go.
Quick question... does yours have that rather unusual short 'whoop' when you shut it off? It's surely no big deal, but want to make sure that is 'normal' for this head.
Thanks.
KJung.... my F1 makes a sound almost like a click about 2 seconds after I turn off the power.
More "first" impressions...
I played this for a good hour at louder volume today and I am really impressed with the F1.
Negatives:
- I HATE that this amp doesn't have a mute button. That really bugs me.
- The only other thing that will take a while getting used to is not having standard BASS, TREBLE and MID controls. It will take me a while to get comfortable playing with most knobs on the head set at flat which is recommended by MarkBass. Not necessarily a negative once I have time to really play around with the controls.
Positives:
- Amazing tone and power that sounds great right out of the box.
- Very little adjustment likely required once the used if familiar with the controls (including VLE and VPF which does help substantially in shaping the sound).
- Light as hell! 4.5 pounds or so. Fits in all of my gig bags and almost in my Fender hardshell case.
I compared it to my Ampeg B2RE with and without a BBE Sonic Maximizer and SansAmp RBI attached to the Ampeg. The F1 sounds noticeably better when compared amp to amp (The B2RE is 27lbs and 450W but about $250 cheaper new than the F1). The only way my old rig sounds better than the F1 is if the BBE and RBI are running. The RBI adds some grit and tube-yness that I haven't yet found with the F1. BUT... I haven't got around to running the F1 with the SansAmp, so you never know (although that would defeat the purpose of having a 4lb amp!).
I will post my impressions after I gig later this week, but unless it sounds like crap at gig volume, I am using the F1 full time.
Unless you absolutely have to have an all tube head, I really can't see a reason to lug around 20-30lb solid state heads when heads like the F1, LMII, NeoPak 3.5 and other small ones from people like EA are available.
Nice update. While I don't ever use a mute button, I can understand why some do. It seems like the mute button, a better DI, and eventually 2ohm 'safe' operation should be on Markbass's list of 'updates' for 2009.
You will LOVE the two additional filters once you get used to them IMO! As many have posted, a little bit goes a LONG way with both the VLE and VPS filter. I find between 'off' and 9 o'clock resulting in the best range that does wonders to voice that head for different basses and cabs and still maintain a nice punchy and musical tone.
Enjoy!
Thanks for the info on the turnoff... seems mine acts a little differently.... I have a PM into Peter Murray and also sent an request for info on the MB site. Again, as long as it's 'normal'... no problem.
A friend of mine who has gigged with an LMII called this evening to tell me he just got an F1... said he thought it sounded more similar than different. Also said it was a keeper.
The F1 and LMII are actually quite different sounding, per my review. Both good, but different enough that there are going to be many (including me) who greatly prefer one to the other. I think this is a good thing, since for most the size difference would not justify MB putting out a 'second, somewhat smaller but otherwise identical (or very similar anyway) LMII'. You can really hear the 'class D' versus 'class A/B' amp voicing (for lack of a better term) between these two amps (and also between the SD800 and the other class A/B models).
So, actually, Markbass has really done a wonderful job with the product portfolio, with the LMII being a smaller, less featured but similarly powered version of the larger models like the 450 and 501, etc., and the F1 being a smaller, lower powered and less featured version of the SD800. Nice!!!
IMO and IME.
Hey Kjung,
What other amp could you compare the F1 to? Is it comparable to SWR, Eden or Musicman HD500?
I know you are a fan of fast & clean amps. So am I (although I am enjoying Ashdown ABM right now).
What about the so called "low mid oomph" missing from "digital amps" (as some people claim)?
What other amp could you compare the F1 to? Is it comparable to SWR, Eden or Musicman HD500?
I know you are a fan of fast & clean amps. So am I (although I am enjoying Ashdown ABM right now).
What about the so called "low mid oomph" missing from "digital amps" (as some people claim)?
Hard to compare it to another amp. I guess the closest thing to my ear would be the EA iAmp, but to my ear the F1 and SD800 sound much better in that the mid response is more present and the bass is less wide and tighter, resulting in more volume on the gig, and more punch. However, as with anything, some would like the wider tone of the iAmp better. VERY different from Eden, SWR. I have never heard the MB designed MM amp, but my guess is that will be closer in tone to the LMII, since I believe the front end is similar to the LMII (class A/B). I believe the MM has a traditional power supply, which explains the larger size and weight.
The 'punch' issue that some (including me) mention from time to time (the low mid ooomph) had to do IMO and IME with a couple of early switching power supply bass head executions like the Walter Woods. All of the Markbass heads (except the big tube head) have switching power supplies, as does the Bergantino IP line, and there is NO lack of punch and oomph in these executions at all. I again don't have enough EE knowledge to know if this is a result of an improvement in the switching power supply technology, or if the executions of the designs are just better.
I actually find the LMII the perfect combination of quick, clean and light (the light part due to the switching power supply), but also a surprising amount of warmth and character from the power amp. The F1 is very impressive, but similar to the SD800 (and the iAmp for that matter) some will describe the tone as a little on the 'clinical' side... super quick, super clean, super tight, and a treble response that many would describe as 'hi fi' versus 'sweet and warm'. My impressions pretty much mirror the description of the F1 tone on the MB website.
Both are great voicings, but given the LMII is almost as small as the F1, the same power, and $250 less, I will continue to recommend that over the F1 to all but those who are looking for the most extreme, pure, clean SS tone. IMO as always.
The larger MB executions except the big tube amp and the R500 (450, 501, 800, etc.) all have two bands of sweepable mids. I can see where this would benefit a DB player who really has to crank the volume.
My Rob Allen sounds WONDERFUL through the SD800 (and F1 for that matter), which makes me think this would be a pretty good DB amp for those looking for transparent and relatively flat amplification for their DB.
I am also surprised that both the F1 and SD800 have fans. My SD800 stays ice cold even when cranked, so the fans seem kind of overkill. My guess on the SD800 is that it allowed them to use the same identical box for the entire larger line of amps (i.e., adding the fan even though not needed was cheaper than having a 'custom' box made for the SD800). However, that wouldn't seem to hold for the totally different box of the F1, so who knows. The fans are whisper quiet, so I guess it's a 'better safe than sorry' sort of thing regarding cooling.
Edit: Now that I think of it regarding other class D bass heads, the Walter Woods has a pretty substantial heatsink that can really warm up, and my Focus could get quite warm. The iAmp500/800 don't have any fans, and stay very cool, but they are quite large and have lot's of cooling slots and lots of space in the case for natural cooling. So, regarding the F1, things are probably SO close in that tiny little box that they put the fan in to assure cool operation. Just guessing. On the SD800, I think my above hypothesis is probably correct.
Excellent review, Ken. You're always spot on. The way things are going, it's only a matter of time before they come out with an "implantable" 500W head...I can see it now- "New from MarkBass- the Micron! Available to fit most basses! 500W amp IN YOUR CONTROL CAVITY! No more dragging a heavy 6-lb. head to the gig, with our new Micron, it fits inside your bass. One gig bag, one cabinet, one trip! Weighs only 5oz.! Jazz control plate sold separately." 
- Apr 3, 2003
- 35,516
- 19,953
- Disclosures
- Editor-in-Chief, Bass Gear Magazine
Yesterday's field trip: F1, LM2, R500, SD800, TA-501
Sorry, no Tfunk
How did you like the R500?
Excellent review, Ken. You're always spot on. The way things are going, it's only a matter of time before they come out with an "implantable" 500W head...I can see it now- "New from MarkBass- the Micron! Available to fit most basses! 500W amp IN YOUR CONTROL CAVITY! No more dragging a heavy 6-lb. head to the gig, with our new Micron, it fits inside your bass. One gig bag, one cabinet, one trip! Weighs only 5oz.! Jazz control plate sold separately."
I'll be holding out for the cream version... just rub the amp into your strap.
Loved. The 500. Really sweet. Over the LM2/F1/SD800.
Loved the TA-501 more
wow.Just threw up a review if you want details, rather than reposting it all in here:
http://www.talkbass.com/forum/showthread.php?t=372020
-tap
I've been pounding on the F1 some more this morning. It's really growing on me. While similar sounding to the SD800, it has a slightly tighter low end, and a little more grit in the mids (still different than the LMII, but cool in its own way) that allows it to growl and grunt a little more with my J's than the uber clean and wide SD800 (this could be due to some low end compression as the F1 runs out of headroom at high volumes versus the SD800.. whatever it is, I dig it!). It looks SO cool sitting on top of the 410UL (at least to me). This is a pretty killer combination!
Nice!!
Hey Ken, would you say that the F1 is "punchier" in the mids than the LMII or vice versa? I would expect that the tighter low end (and Class D structure) give a bit more punch. I'm just trying to guesstimate where it falls between the LMII and Focus...
Hey Ken, would you say that the F1 is "punchier" in the mids than the LMII or vice versa? I would expect that the tighter low end (and Class D structure) give a bit more punch. I'm just trying to guesstimate where it falls between the LMII and Focus...
My LMII is unfortunately living in St. Louis now, so I have not been able to directly A/B... all my comparisons have been with the SD800 (which I've directly compared to the LMII many times and on similar gigs also). From indirect comparison, the F1 low end is more compressed than the LMII... tighter, and the mids are less warm but maybe a little more punchy if that makes sense, due to a little more upper mid voicing and perceived quickness. The whole voicing of the head seems to be moved up just a touch from the LMII, in the lows, mids and treble.
Nothing sounds quite as good to me as the treble response of the LMII... the F1 and SD800 have that 'clinical' sort of treble response... super quick and clean, but not 'sweet' for lack of a better term.
However, the F1 if REALLY far away from the Focus voicing... MUCH, much punchier than the focus in the mid mids... MUCH more 'force' in the low end, and massively more treble/brightness... more of a 'Walter Woods with balls' sort of thing to my ear versus the Focus, which is low mid fat, but polite up top and a little loose to my ear in the deep low end. So, the voicing would be MUCH close to the LMII than the Focus IME and IMO.
Just IMO and based on indirect comparisons.
This has been a great thread! I had a chance to pick up an F1, or an LMII. After reading this thread, and weighing the options, the LMII won out. Finally, a thread on talkbass that actually SAVED me some money! 
Usually, I wind up buying stuff I didn't know about ...and wind up keeping it!
Usually, I wind up buying stuff I didn't know about ...and wind up keeping it!To follow-up on your question, after spending quite a bit of time with my Walter Woods Ultra and F1 today, they are quite close. The Walter is a little more airy on the top end, and the F1 has more oomph down low, but they are in the general same tone area... transparent but a little bit of upper mid spike and a very present treble response. Nothing is quite as open and airy sounding as the Walter, but that's not necessarily a good thing for some electric bass tones. Volume seems about the same between the two into 4ohms.
