According to another owner of both amps, his class AB LM3 does sound sweeter until he needs the extra power of his original version 1000 watt Ninja. That's when the Ninja outperforms the less powerful LM3.
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Markbass LM3
- Thread starter ReeV0
- Start date
As we already know, Markbass authorised repair centres don't repair the older class AB power amps, they swap the module out for the latest class D. It'd be great for an independent tech to repair them at component level but I doubt that would be economically viable.
The below photos show the 500 watt class AB power boards from the SA450, LM2 and LM3. The SA450 and LM2 use exactly the same power amp board whilst the LM3 does show a few component changes.
However, both versions of the power amp board share the same size, fixing points and input/output connections (mains power, fan, speakers and pre amp board).
Based on this I think there's a strong possibility that a failed LM2 (and maybe even an LM3) power amp board can be swapped out for a working SA450 power amp board or one from any of the earlier larger format Markbass heads.
There's a chance that due to the superior thermal management of the SA450 (larger fan with less restricted air flow) its power board may have had an easier life and could still have a fews years service to give. SA450s do come up second hand relatively cheaply now and again.
SA450
LM2
LM3
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Thanks for sharing, Sparky. I did not know that service would not install a new Class A/B power board but rather replace with Class D module. So, I'll not waste time and money on getting my LM3 repaired.
What bites me though is why MarkBass wouldn't continue making a 500 watt Class A/B amp if the public is clamouring for it, even if the cost is higher. I'd be willing to pay a bit more for it. Heck, Aguilar gets $899 for a Class D 500 watt head. MarkBass LM4 are only $599. So, I'd gladly pay $699 for a Class A/B LittleMark.
Markbass is able to keep its prices relatively competitive by benefiting from economies of scale in production. The class D 500 watt power amp board also has significantly fewer components making it cheaper to make in the first place. Even if Markbass was to produce a couple of hundred class AB boards for repairs, the cost of component procurement, reinstating manufacturing processes and stocking them would make them prohibitively expensive. Plus of course, Markbass wants to sell its new amps a lot more than resurrecting 10+ years old ones.
That's the thing, I don't think the public is clamouring for it.
We may make a bit of noise in forums, but we're a very small proportion of the bass playing population.
Nobody is clamouring for it. That's why. A few people on Talkbass who insist they will only play class AB probably doesn't even amount to 0.01%
Whilst you are correct that class D is perfectly acceptable to the majority of players, your figure of only 1 in 10,000 preferring class AB, which includes most tube amps, is way off the mark.
And yet, they seem to be doing well with class-D. Go figure. I’m talking about Markbass LM3 users on talkbass who are pining for class-AB LM3s. I surmise many of them wouldn’t be able to tell the difference.
I've owned both. Both sounded the same to me. Preamp may have been tuned differently but I don't see how the power module has an effect on the sound itself.
Same. I’ve had both. There is definitely a preamp revision between them (if not more than one) but on a couple of the heads that got replacements, I couldn’t detect any difference. They’re really good modules!
I suppose you're correct.That's the thing, I don't think the public is clamouring for it.
We may make a bit of noise in forums, but we're a very small proportion of the bass playing population.
Understood. It just seems that the Class A/B LittleMark II/III have something special going on that some people recognize.
I bought a BIG BANG after my LittleMark3. People declared it to be identical sounding to the LittleMark and I liked it but didn't love it like my LittleMark3. I can't put it into words.
I played the LMT800 and owned the LM800 for several years. They sound quite different.
There ya go. Some hear a difference, some don't. I've seen posts suggesting that the LMtube 800 isn't appreciably different than the LM800 yet I see plenty of LMtube 800s on the job.
I'm sure the difference, if any, was subtle.
I've heard some say the F1 was a "quicker" amp, the LM2 a bit warmer. This could just be talkbass gossip.
The LM800 and LMT800 are both class D so the sound difference is down to the different pre amps.
Definitely not Talkbass gossip; Markbass recognised the subtle tonal differences between its class AB and class D powered amps when it introduced them and described it :-
Whilst all Markbass amps share a common basic tone, a difference is discernible when doing a true side by side comparison.
Maybe if you ran the gain low and the power amp opened up, that's possible, but running them both with the gains hotter, the LMT definitely had more texture. You could even hear the difference through the post-DI out.
Those two amps aren't even voiced the same... Are you now saying that the marketing department at Markbass knew more than the engineering department?
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