Markbass Megathread PART 2

[::::BASSIST::::]

Played my first gig with the LMII last night. I had everything flat with the filters off. Remarkably there weren't very many highs at all. Usually at our practice space with settings I used tonight, I would hear tons of highs. However, I did have the schroe 1212R's tweeter off and the room was carpeted. Gain was at noon and the master at about 9:30-10:00. We were not that loud, definitely audible, but nowhere blaring. It was an average sized restaraunt.

I think next time I'll turn my tweeter to 50% and see how that sounds. I dont like alot of highs but I do like some. The stage was a wooden riser maybe about 8 inches off the floor so it did accentuate the lows. Overall, I was impressed with the tone, but these heads aren't THAT loud. Some heads you can barely get it to "one" without blasting too much volume. Not the case here. Also, noteworthy is that my 4 ohm schroe 1212R is a very efficient and loud cab... so that plays into the whole volume thing of the LMII as well.

I'd love to hear other TBers experience with the LMII live at the gig AND what settings they used.

 

[dave_bass5]

Played my first gig with the LMII last night. I had everything flat with the filters off. Remarkably there weren't very many highs at all. Usually at our practice space with settings I used tonight, I would hear tons of highs. However, I did have the schroe 1212R's tweeter off and the room was carpeted. Gain was at noon and the master at about 9:30-10:00. We were not that loud, definitely audible, but nowhere blaring. It was an average sized restaraunt.

I think next time I'll turn my tweeter to 50% and see how that sounds. I dont like alot of highs but I do like some. The stage was a wooden riser maybe about 8 inches off the floor so it did accentuate the lows. Overall, I was impressed with the tone, but these heads aren't THAT loud. Some heads you can barely get it to "one" without blasting too much volume. Not the case here. Also, noteworthy is that my 4 ohm schroe 1212R is a very efficient and loud cab... so that plays into the whole volume thing of the LMII as well.

I'd love to hear other TBers experience with the LMII live at the gig AND what settings they used.

I dont like too many highs either. I tend to have my 1210 tweeter on about 1/3-1/2 and also use the filter on my MB head to tame them but i find as the gig goes on i back the filter off a bit and some gigs i end up with it off completely.
My MB/1210 rig is the only one i have used where i get asked (told) by the band to turn down a bit. But, we dont fill rooms, we just have to get our sound out on to the dance floor most of the time. We play functions, weddings etc so no real big rooms.

We had a gig last week in a marquee. it was quite big and we were told to turn down although we didnt as it was just some old guy who insisted on standing right in front of one of the vocal PA speaker all night trying to chat up the ladies. I had a pretty poor sound and was on about 11 o'clock on the master, lows on about 1 o'clock mids flat and high about 1 o'clock. This is how i normally use my LMII with the 1210 and then make adjustments using the two filters. I put the poor sound down to being outdoors and having the cab sitting on a carpet on the grass but i was most disappointed with the sound that night.
But the volume was there so i dont think i need worry. The 1210 is the cab i dont expect a fantastic tone from but i know ill be ok out front.

 

[::::BASSIST::::]

I had a 1210R a couple years back. Recently I heard a live recording of a former band with me playing that 1210. I thought it sounded fantastic. The bass just sat perfectly in the mix. It wasnt too loud, but was 'perfectly' mixed. After I heard that I decided to go with schroeder again and bought a 1212R (selling my ul310 to fund it). Love the 1212R.

Playing directly on grass is going to be very challenging to get a good tone I think. Maybe two 8-10s for that one!

 

[Vic]

You guys will get a kick out of this. Rehearsal last night with the blues trio for Friday's gig. I was using the LMII through a SINGLE Epifani UL110, and a FIVE string bass, and was playing along with acoustic drums! Stunning. They were amazed and the tone was killer. Of course not huge big lows, but a surprisingly healthy and musical low B, and cut/slice/bite to die for. I plan on gigging with the LMII/UL110/UL112 and having "plenty".

It was just funny to see this tiny little cab and head barking that loud. It looked like a friggin' toy!

 

[dave_bass5]

Vic
Good story. actually you have given me an idea. I wonder how a UL10 and my UL115 will work together with my SA450
Anyone?

 

[::::BASSIST::::]

Ever thought about adding that UL115 to your 1210? THAT would be awesome!

 

[evertalbers]

You guys will get a kick out of this. Rehearsal last night with the blues trio for Friday's gig. I was using the LMII through a SINGLE Epifani UL110, and a FIVE string bass, and was playing along with acoustic drums!

I can confirm this for a Hevos Midget 110. I recently switched from an Eden WT300 to the LMII, and the LMII's extra headroom makes more difference than I expected. My 5-string never sounded better!

But the transparency of this combi has it's drawbacks too: a bass that does not sound like you want it to (I don't like the flats I am currently trying on my maple-boarded jazz) may still sound OK to me through the Eden preamp, but the LM will not make it sound any better than it does.

 

[dave_bass5]

Ever thought about adding that UL115 to your 1210? THAT would be awesome!

No, my 1210 is 4ohms so that has to be used alone.

 

[T. Alan Smith]

I dont like too many highs either. I tend to have my 1210 tweeter on about 1/3-1/2 and also use the filter on my MB head to tame them but i find as the gig goes on i back the filter off a bit and some gigs i end up with it off completely.
My MB/1210 rig is the only one i have used where i get asked (told) by the band to turn down a bit. But, we dont fill rooms, we just have to get our sound out on to the dance floor most of the time. We play functions, weddings etc so no real big rooms.

We had a gig last week in a marquee. it was quite big and we were told to turn down although we didnt as it was just some old guy who insisted on standing right in front of one of the vocal PA speaker all night trying to chat up the ladies. I had a pretty poor sound and was on about 11 o'clock on the master, lows on about 1 o'clock mids flat and high about 1 o'clock. This is how i normally use my LMII with the 1210 and then make adjustments using the two filters. I put the poor sound down to being outdoors and having the cab sitting on a carpet on the grass but i was most disappointed with the sound that night.
But the volume was there so i dont think i need worry. The 1210 is the cab i dont expect a fantastic tone from but i know ill be ok out front.

Played my first gig with the LMII last night. I had everything flat with the filters off. Remarkably there weren't very many highs at all. Usually at our practice space with settings I used tonight, I would hear tons of highs. However, I did have the schroe 1212R's tweeter off and the room was carpeted. Gain was at noon and the master at about 9:30-10:00. We were not that loud, definitely audible, but nowhere blaring. It was an average sized restaraunt.

I think next time I'll turn my tweeter to 50% and see how that sounds. I dont like alot of highs but I do like some. The stage was a wooden riser maybe about 8 inches off the floor so it did accentuate the lows. Overall, I was impressed with the tone, but these heads aren't THAT loud. Some heads you can barely get it to "one" without blasting too much volume. Not the case here. Also, noteworthy is that my 4 ohm schroe 1212R is a very efficient and loud cab... so that plays into the whole volume thing of the LMII as well.

I'd love to hear other TBers experience with the LMII live at the gig AND what settings they used.

I set my high frequency driver to 'flat'. The mix in a live setting eats the nastiness right up.

 

[dave_bass5]

I set my high frequency driver to 'flat'. The mix in a live setting eats the nastiness right up.

Well thats what i find as well. As i said i usually bring the highs back up by the end of the night. I dont like to here them too much but i realise out front is a very different sound to on stage with the 1210.

EDIT: Just to clarify what i just said its the clank i dont like rather than the highs. I guess thats the upper mid control that needs tweaking. I feel the tweeter on the 1210 is a bit harsh in this area and thats why i tend to play with that rather than the EQ on the amp until near the end of the night.

 

[wingnut]

Heading into the studio tomorrow with the LMII and the wizzy 10. I'll fill everyone in when we're done. A great big giant thanks goes out to everyone out there for all your posts and opinions, thanks again

 

[vision]

Overall, I was impressed with the tone, but these heads aren't THAT loud. Some heads you can barely get it to "one" without blasting too much volume. Not the case here.

The impressive volume of the LMII will not be apparent on the low end of the low end of the volume knob. What I've noticed is that many other heads stop getting louder when you turn them up past 1:00 on the master volume. The LMII will continue to get louder past well that point without breaking up. So don't be afraid to use more master volume then you have in the past...

 

[Vic]

Another interesting tidbit I'm learning as I spend more time with this head... seems like it's "explosive attack" is sensitive to what kind of bass you're playing. Man, I SWEAR there's some kind of dynamic circuit in there... HAS to be...

I recently got an SR5, probably the best one I've ever played/eval'd. Sounds awesome and plays great. Thru my "toy" rig, (UL110/LMII) it sounds mostly the same as thru other amps, but with a bit more bite thru the mids. I'd expect this from the LMII... that bass tone cutting enhancement is one of its main things.

HOWEVER, I then plugged my Zon and my Skjold into the same rig. OMFGOSH what a difference. I don't mean just between the SR5 and the other basses, I ALSO mean those same basses with other rigs. There's something about the cutting punch of those basses that somehow multiplies with the bite of the LMII. I mean it's REALLY noticeable. Same for my Sadowsky 24-Fret 5. Any bass that cuts particularly well in a certain frequency range seems to really react with the LMII.

Now, don't get me wrong, it's not one of those things that's going to send you running to your amp to tame down for fear of honking or speaker damage. It's a really sweet dynamic thing that'll really float yer boat.

Bottom line is, the LMII seems to really react (again) in more of a "dynamic" way to (IMHO) bring out the best in any bass... at least that I've tried... and it's not just a generic linear thing. This really dumbfounds me. I've never heard an amp do this before.

I know I tend to spout about this amp, so take it for what it is, just MHO, but those like-minded LMII lovers out there, experiment a bit and let me know if you notice the same thing. I'm REALLY curious about this one.

 

[smakbass]

I got my Bergie HT112 yesterday and man it sounds great with my LMK.......its also a nice match for the Markbass STD112h cab which is a little bit of a deeper sounding cab.....

 

[smakbass]

Actually I kind of noticed that myself the difference between my Carvin BB5 (w/nordstrands/audere) and my main player a Moon Climb is striking...

 

[CElton]

I recently got an SR5, probably the best one I've ever played/eval'd. Sounds awesome and plays great. Thru my "toy" rig, (UL110/LMII) it sounds mostly the same as thru other amps, but with a bit more bite thru the mids. I'd expect this from the LMII... that bass tone cutting enhancement is one of its main things.

HOWEVER, I then plugged my Zon and my Skjold into the same rig. OMFGOSH what a difference. I don't mean just between the SR5 and the other basses, I ALSO mean those same basses with other rigs. There's something about the cutting punch of those basses that somehow multiplies with the bite of the LMII. I mean it's REALLY noticeable. Same for my Sadowsky 24-Fret 5. Any bass that cuts particularly well in a certain frequency range seems to really react with the LMII.

Vic, it sounds like you are slightly displeased with your SR5. Can I have it?

It is one of the most beautiful SR5's I have ever seen.

OK, back to our regularly scheduled programming. Sorry.

 

[dave_bass5]

I didnt hear my HW1 Jazz sounding like a proper Jazz until i got my SA450.

 

[Vic]

Vic, it sounds like you are slightly displeased with your SR5. Can I have it?
It is one of the most beautiful SR5's I have ever seen.

Not at all, and NO WAY, and thanks! I literally had them pull all (I think 6) SR5's matching my specs out of stock to hand select for light weight (it's a feather for an SR5 at 9.3 pounds) and minimal dead spots (REALLY minor on this one!). If I ever sell it, it'd be to completely get out of SR5's. No other SR5 I've played works as well for me. It also had a high fret when I got it, but EB also took care of that for free, and it's dead-a$$ perfect now.

However, back on-topic, a couple things...

On the SR5 (I know yer just kiddin', but) I was mainly saying that, while the SR5 DID benefit from the LMII's lovin', it wasn't as significant as with the other basses, which was really notable.

Also, as long as I'm being a complete LMII nerd, I need to also see if it's dependent on the Epifani cabs. I'm also kind of in "gush mode" on those right now, but I do know that it is definitely related to the LMII. I just don't know if it's the only thing in the formula, but I suspect that I'd get the same results with any great cabs. I think I do recall the same thing thru my EA NL-210's as well (tho I no longer have those to test with).

 

[::::BASSIST::::]

Why did you sell your NL-210s? Not happy with them?

 

[Vic]

Why did you sell your NL-210s? Not happy with them?

Actually, I loved their sound. Problem is, I'm diggin' the Epifani stuff even more these days, so they were just sitting there, and as great as those EA's sound, that was just plain wrong. Some other folks are actually USING them now, which is the way it otter be.

To put things in perspective, I had a pair of EA NL-210's and was very happy with their sound. However, I now have a UL110, UL112, S1 UL310, and S2 UL310, and will likely have an S2 UL410 at some point.