Markbass Megathread PART 3

[JimmyM]

Pfft...GK's used to completely seize up when they got hot. Nobody's above an amp failure.

BTW, Brad, I know that was your intention. I was talking to GCool.

 

[GCool]

ok you all win MB is the BEST AMPS/CABS OUT THERE.

 

[GCool]

I gig a lot too and that still doesn't make sense unless you know why it failed. Maybe it was pulled off the top of a double stack by a boisterous customer. Maybe it was cranked with less than the minimum load. And so on.

Back to my question... if a GK was dead on the floor of GC, then what?

What does that really prove other than the product CAN fail? It certainly doesn't prove it WILL.

That makes sense.


S


I went into a store once and played a bass with dead strings. As a result I'll never buy that model bass. That really is about how much sense this makes but by all means if it does makes sense for you, roll with it.

Strings can be changed for less than $50 bucks.....a amp head well a lill more!
the F1 head was bolted to the 610 mb cab with a lil 3 foot cable to the cab..... If im right that is only a 6 ohm cab right?
the head is stable to 4 ohms right?




like I said Im NOT a mb hater.....



Now the MB head I did test was the lill mark2.... the head was NICE... it had a GREAT contour. I could get ANY tone I wanted out of that head… but lacking a lill on the power side.

 

[maconbass]

I did test was the lill mark2....but lacking a lill on the power side.

The power is huge on those things. We play LOUD and I never go above 25-30% volume.

 

[KJung]

Remember that the volume of an amp has at least as much or more to do with cab size and SPL as wattage. You can get very different impressions of not only the tone, but also the performance of an amp from different cabs. My LMII literally SCREAMS through my very efficient 4ohm Epi cab without even getting close to 'max pre clip volume'. However, through my relatively inefficient Berg HT 's' stack, it takes everything that amp has to get up to 'full gig volume' (although it does it nicely!)

 

[greenboy]

FYI, SICA makes our compression drivers and horns. And Le Son makes our piezo tweeters. Neither of these companies make any speakers for us.

Marco De Virgiliis was the first person ever to use neodymium speakers in bass enclosures! He is one of the pioneers of this technology and has been working closely with B&C for many years to refine the design of our speakers. The speakers that B&C makes for Markbass cannot be used by other companies.

Just as another FYI, the neodymium speakers in our Classic cabinets are NOT the same as our standard yellow speakers. They are also made by B&C, they are black, and they are voiced differently to compensate for the lack of bass ports in the Classic cabinets.

Our engineers decided to include a 1" compression driver and horn in these Classic cabinets, but with an on/off switch, so you can decide whether to go for a more vintage closed-cabinet sound (with a frequency response that goes up to 5 kHz) with the horn off... or a more modern, hi-fi sound with crisper highs with the horn on (raising your frequency response to 20 kHz). The choice is yours with the flick of a switch.

Thanks for setting me straight on what companies are doing what, Peter. Italy really has it going on in loudspeakers these days (18sound and Ciare area also there) - and the MarkBass phenom is incredible. I'm glad it made it across the ocean in a real way.

 

[lbwdog]

I've played two gigs now with my LM II, ( I'm a long time G-K user) both times through a Goliath III at pretty healthy volume.

I found the volume and tone to be very adequate and on par with my 700RB II. I really like the filters but of course find them to be hard to access during a song because of the closeness.
One thing I have noticed is when I pop or snap the G string, it sounds like a limiting effect is taking place. I'm assuming it's driving the power amp into clipping. It's not so bad that the note disappears, but is not reproduced with the same authority as the 700RB.
I bought the amp specifically for the compact form factor and am happy with it other than the aforementioned issue.

Has anyone else experienced this?

 

[KJung]

I've played two gigs now with my LM II, ( I'm a long time G-K user) both times through a Goliath III at pretty healthy volume.

I found the volume and tone to be very adequate and on par with my 700RB II. I really like the filters but of course find them to be hard to access during a song because of the closeness.
One thing I have noticed is when I pop or snap the G string, it sounds like a limiting effect is taking place. I'm assuming it's driving the power amp into clipping. It's not so bad that the note disappears, but is not reproduced with the same authority as the 700RB.
I bought the amp specifically for the compact form factor and am happy with it other than the aforementioned issue.

Has anyone else experienced this?

Is your GIII 4ohm or 8ohm? I have not experienced any compression from the LMII when I slap at all, but I am playing through a large, efficient 4ohm cab. I have heard others mention this when running the LMII into an 8ohm cab. My guess is, it's not so much an LMII thing versus a 300 watt amp running out of headroom.

Also, anything more than a very slight engagement of the VPF filter (which sounds great at very low levels) can really cause some ugliness in the tone IMO (as most of the 'enhance' knobs of this type across different amp lines).

 

[lbwdog]

Is your GIII 4ohm or 8ohm? I have not experienced any compression from the LMII when I slap at all, but I am playing through a large, efficient 4ohm cab. I have heard others mention this when running the LMII into an 8ohm cab. My guess is, it's not so much an LMII thing versus a 300 watt amp running out of headroom.

Also, anything more than a very slight engagement of the VPF filter (which sounds great at very low levels) can really cause some ugliness in the tone IMO (as most of the 'enhance' knobs of this type across different amp lines).

It's 8ohm and, yes, I suspect that's the case, but the GK is rated at 275w and doesn't run out of gas there. It's no huge deal as I don't pop a lot. I use the VPF very sparingly, and at this stage still experimenting.

Also, I've only used it with my new Duck Dunn with Fralin P pickups. Haven't tried with my Jazz yet. Might be totally different.

 

[KJung]

It's 8ohm and, yes, I suspect that's the case, but the GK is rated at 275w and doesn't run out of gas there. It's no huge deal as I don't pop a lot. I use the VPF very sparingly, and at this stage still experimenting.

There have been enough posts from people I know that have good ears concerning the 8ohm operation of the LMII not being optimal, that there does seem to be something going on there. However, into a large 4ohm cab, it really is a thing of beauty. I dig the GIII a lot. If you like the LMII a lot, maybe you could swap the GIII 8ohm for a newer 4ohm model. It would probably make both the GK and especially the LMII sound significantly better... not so much louder, but cleaner, deeper, crisper and quicker due to the headroom.

K

 

[Tony G]

There have been enough posts from people I know that have good ears concerning the 8ohm operation of the LMII not being optimal, that there does seem to be something going on there. However, into a large 4ohm cab, it really is a thing of beauty. I dig the GIII a lot. If you like the LMII a lot, maybe you could swap the GIII 8ohm for a newer 4ohm model. It would probably make both the GK and especially the LMII sound significantly better... not so much louder, but cleaner, deeper, crisper and quicker due to the headroom.

K

Well, I wouldn't go too far with this. I regularly play my LMII through my 8 ohm UL112 for rehearsals and small jams, and it is amazing how much sound that little setup can put out. Maybe it is because I am only pushing one 12" speaker in an optimally tuned box, but I haven't been anything but impressed.

 

[vision]

Maybe it is because I am only pushing one 12" speaker in an optimally tuned box, but I haven't been anything but impressed.

Yeah, you probably aren't having any issues because its a relatively small cab you're using it with. But if you were trying to push an 8 ohm 410 with the LMII it may be a different story...

 

[Tony G]

Yeah, you probably aren't having any issues because its a relatively small cab you're using it with. But if you were trying to push an 8 ohm 410 with the LMII it may be a different story...

Yup, that would be my guess as well.

 

[KJung]

Well, I wouldn't go too far with this. I regularly play my LMII through my 8 ohm UL112 for rehearsals and small jams, and it is amazing how much sound that little setup can put out. Maybe it is because I am only pushing one 12" speaker in an optimally tuned box, but I haven't been anything but impressed.

+1, and to Vision's comment also.

 

[lbwdog]

There have been enough posts from people I know that have good ears concerning the 8ohm operation of the LMII not being optimal, that there does seem to be something going on there. However, into a large 4ohm cab, it really is a thing of beauty. I dig the GIII a lot. If you like the LMII a lot, maybe you could swap the GIII 8ohm for a newer 4ohm model. It would probably make both the GK and especially the LMII sound significantly better... not so much louder, but cleaner, deeper, crisper and quicker due to the headroom.

K

I should be semi-retiring the 90lb. GIII soon as I have a Dr Bass 1580 and 1260 en route. I like using 8ohm cabs for the purpose of combining two cabs for large venues, so we'll see how it works out with the new cabs.
If neccesary, I can use the 700RB with the 1580 on medium to large venues and the LM II +1260 for compact, smaller gigs.

 

[KJung]

I should be semi-retiring the 90lb. GIII soon as I have a Dr Bass 1580 and 1260 en route. I like using 8ohm cabs for the purpose of combining two cabs for large venues, so we'll see how it works out with the new cabs.
If neccesary, I can use the 700RB with the 1580 on medium to large venues and the LM II +1260 for compact, smaller gigs.

That should be awesome, and the amp sees two 8ohm cabs identically as it does one 4ohm, so you should be good to go with either head in that situation. Nice!

 

[Vic]

I have a Dr Bass 1580 and 1260 en route. I like using 8ohm cabs for the purpose of combining two cabs for large venues...

That should be a GREAT sounding and VERY flexible setup!! Nice.

 

[maconbass]

I've been using my LMII with 2 Goliath Jr. III's for most gig's (even very large gig's) and sometimes just a single Jr. for smaller stuff. I'm a heavy slapper and have not had any issues.

 

[lbwdog]

That should be awesome, and the amp sees two 8ohm cabs identically as it does one 4ohm, so you should be good to go with either head in that situation. Nice!

That should be a GREAT sounding and VERY flexible setup!! Nice.

Thanks, guys. I'm really looking forward to the new rig, especially after the hard times I've been through with the Carvin LS1503.
Not to derail this MB thread but I want to share the pic Dr Bass just sent.

 

[Tony G]

Thanks, guys. I'm really looking forward to the new rig, especially after the hard times I've been through with the Carvin LS1503.
Not to derail this MB thread but I want to share the pic Dr Bass just sent.

Wow! That is very cool!