That would be even better
.. still plenty of mid punch, but all that articulation too... cool! I'd like to hear that.
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Markbass Megathread PART 3
- Thread starter Kelly Lee
- Start date
That would be even better
.. still plenty of mid punch, but all that articulation too... cool! I'd like to hear that.Peter Murray has said on this forum that the MB cabs were designed to sound good in the mix and I believe him. I've only tried the 104HR with my rack (F-1X and SVP Pro preamps) and passive J and I liked the midranginess of that box. Haven't tried it a club or anything. If the 4 ohm 104HR were available I'd already own one.
If anyone has experience playing out with the 104HR I'd like to know about it.
I used to own a 104HR, played it for a couple of gigs, but soon replaced it with a 104HF. It´s not a bad cab, it`s just that I play a lot on small club-stages, and I found that I didnt like the sound of that cab when I put it close to the wall. The lows got a bit diffuse, but I love the 104HF. Matter of taste, but you should try them both, they are quite different sounding IMO/IME
Just got back from playing with the SD800 at the local GC. I played it through a Mesa 410. Wow, this amp can get loud, and really pumped out the low end. I don't dig the Mesa tone at all, but comparing the LMII to the SD800 through that cab yielded a suprisingly different tone of each head. I could get the SD800 to sizzle a bit easier compared to the LMII through the Mesa. I was using a Marcus sig bass through all this, with the usual dead strings and poor setup expected at GC. If it wasn't for the Markbass gear, I'd have no reason to go there. The guy working there was just a schmuck, and he said some pretty stupid things. I don't mean to turn this into a GC rant, but I really hate going to that place.
I had a chance to play the R 500 and I really like its tone!
MarkBass continues to impress me with its variety of amp offerings.
MarkBass continues to impress me with its variety of amp offerings.
I'm really sad to say, but I started to hate my Traveler 121H. I use it with an LMK head, which performs almost always great with any cabinet, but the 121H is simply lack of lows. It's throaty, and looses fullness below "A". If it stays on ground, it's ok, but if you have to elevate it, it's really ugly sounding. I think the biggest problem is in its rear ported design. And since the new version is highr (or wider) Markbass, why don't you put some nice bass reflex holes front ported?
I think I'll sell mine to a double bass player, or dunno...
I think I'll sell mine to a double bass player, or dunno...
I'm really sad to say, but I started to hate my Traveler 121H. I use it with an LMK head, which performs almost always great with any cabinet, but the 121H is simply lack of lows. It's throaty, and looses fullness below "A". If it stays on ground, it's ok, but if you have to elevate it, it's really ugly sounding. I think the biggest problem is in its rear ported design. And since the new version is highr (or wider) Markbass, why don't you put some nice bass reflex holes front ported?
I think I'll sell mine to a double bass player, or dunno...
Front or rear port wouldn't impact the tone. It just sounds like it's a small box oriented toward the mids. A wider, deeper voiced small cab like the Epi112UL or the new Berg AE112 (which is also rear ported) will fix your issue with the wonderful LMII IMO!
Yup, I dont care what anyone says. You cant get a good bass tone from a cab that small at band volume. Its just physics.
I'm really sad to say, but I started to hate my Traveler 121H. I use it with an LMK head, which performs almost always great with any cabinet, but the 121H is simply lack of lows. It's throaty, and looses fullness below "A". If it stays on ground, it's ok, but if you have to elevate it, it's really ugly sounding. I think the biggest problem is in its rear ported design. And since the new version is highr (or wider) Markbass, why don't you put some nice bass reflex holes front ported?
I think I'll sell mine to a double bass player, or dunno...
Nice review - very useful info. Sorry it didn't work out for you. I've been waiting to hear comments on this cabinet for a while now, and though it is only a single 12", I don't seem to hear the same complaints about the UL112 regarding lack of low end.
Stopped at local GC to check out MArkbass LMII. I was told that MArkbass is now warranting their equipment themselves. Does that mean that they now have a repair facility in the US? The old "warranty" seemed to be basically an insurance policy that you purchased with the amp. I really like the LMII, but I'm concerned about support for the long-term.
Anyone have knowledge about this change?
Anyone have knowledge about this change?
Yes... according to Peter Murray, the MB rep, now if you have a problem with a piece of Markbass gear, assuming it wasn't something totally stupid like running over it with your car, they will replace the unit with a new one over the entire warranty period.
They had a US repair facility previously under the old warranty, but are now just replacing any units that have a problem with a new one.
I guess the downside is that now that it's a MB warranty, and not the 'GC extended service warranty', you are back to the standard 30 day trial period (still very good) versus the extended 60 day trial with the GC warranty, and the warranty is now not transferable... only good to the original purchaser, which is not uncommon with gear like this.
All in all, the feeling that if anything goes wrong I get a new unit outweights the shortened trial period. I never had any interest in the transferable issue anyway, but some do.
Well, I've had the opportunity to play through an Ampeg Classic 1x12 combo -you can unplug the head, and just use the cab itself. I was really surprised. First, becouse 1% of ampeg stuff sounded good to me, main experience is a big deep mud with clacking ear-aching highs, without definition, or if there is mid in the sound it's annoying.
But this little **** had very nice lows, definition, and highs, with flat settings on my amp (LMK). So there are some magics. It felt as if I was playing through a big rig.
And I do state, that front or rear port makes nice difference in lows. Yesterday I played through a Marshall 4x12 rear ported cab, it had very similar character (with more lows, but similar throaty mids) like the trvlr 121H.
But this little **** had very nice lows, definition, and highs, with flat settings on my amp (LMK). So there are some magics. It felt as if I was playing through a big rig.
And I do state, that front or rear port makes nice difference in lows. Yesterday I played through a Marshall 4x12 rear ported cab, it had very similar character (with more lows, but similar throaty mids) like the trvlr 121H.
I'm really sad to say, but I started to hate my Traveler 121H. I use it with an LMK head, which performs almost always great with any cabinet, but the 121H is simply lack of lows. It's throaty, and looses fullness below "A". If it stays on ground, it's ok, but if you have to elevate it, it's really ugly sounding. I think the biggest problem is in its rear ported design. And since the new version is highr (or wider) Markbass, why don't you put some nice bass reflex holes front ported?
I think I'll sell mine to a double bass player, or dunno...
I use the 1X12 Combo (strictly for rehearsals and the "small" job) and have found it to be an outstanding rig for what it does.....I did grab an amp stand (to keep it off the floor - and away from the dachshund!) and found that it does tend to lose quite a bit of response when higher than about 14 inches....but no matter - it stays on the floor when I'm playing it, no biggie.
As I've stated before, it will, in no way, replace my Ampeg rig, but for the ease of portability, it simply can't be beaten!!
And, I have plugged that little bugger into my 6X10HLF and have been amazed at how good it sounds!
I'm just sorry that it took me so damn long to wise up about MarkBass Products!!
Often the small cabs sound great solo, but get them in a lively band mix and they dissapear or at least the good tone is gone.
You can have Light, Loud and Low (Epifani). But you can't have Light, Loud, Low and Small. I've tried.
The other thing is that a small 112 just cant give you that 'wall of sound'.
I had a wizzy for about a year and it sounded great, BUT it sounded much better with two of them stacked.
In my experience a small 112 cant give the band (talking rock band here) the low foundation that enables a band to sound its best.
You can have Light, Loud and Low (Epifani). But you can't have Light, Loud, Low and Small. I've tried.
The other thing is that a small 112 just cant give you that 'wall of sound'.
I had a wizzy for about a year and it sounded great, BUT it sounded much better with two of them stacked.
In my experience a small 112 cant give the band (talking rock band here) the low foundation that enables a band to sound its best.
Don't know the TRUTH , an ddon't want to make ampeg advert (becouse I really don't like the 99% of their products), but that little classic 1x12 did the miracle, and in band situation, not extreme, but high volume (jazzrock quintett, it wasn't quiet).
(These things are strange, for example once I played a fullstack Peavey monster rig, 1x15, 4x10, it was as tall as me, and I stepped 2 meters away, and all I could hear were boomy pillowy lows.)
I have to try epifani PS cabs! Any experience with the 1x15, or 2x10?
, an ddon't want to make ampeg advert (becouse I really don't like the 99% of their products), but that little classic 1x12 did the miracle, and in band situation, not extreme, but high volume (jazzrock quintett, it wasn't quiet). (These things are strange, for example once I played a fullstack Peavey monster rig, 1x15, 4x10, it was as tall as me, and I stepped 2 meters away, and all I could hear were boomy pillowy lows.)
I have to try epifani PS cabs! Any experience with the 1x15, or 2x10?
Just to add to all of the glowing reviews for the LMII...I finally got to play my new LMII with my 6 piece funk band last night. I used it with a Berg HT112 and Bag End S-15D. After adjusting the input gain as MB instructs, I didn't need to adjust the master past 10 o'clock! All other controls flat/ VLE & VFE (sp?) off. It was loud! I was really impressed. (It's replacing my Alembic F2B and Crest CA9 at weekly practices and most likely I'll use it at our upcoming gig, but I might take a back-up with me. It's so small and light, it makes me nervous.
No experience with the PS cabs but i do have a UL115 and its the best sounding Cab ive owned.
Ive done loads of gigs with just that and my SA450 and never really had to go over 12 on the master. And this was with my Lakland 55-01. Played to 200-250 people with it. Its a 8 ohms cabs so i wasn't getting the full 500watts but it was enough. The UL115 is quite full sounding and not a traditional 1x15 IMO. It has a nice mid range punch but of course its still a 1x15.
I cant say how it compares to most other 1x15's but it blew my MB 151P out of the water thats for sure.
If I could get a UL115 into my back seat (easily) I'd get a UL115 stack. That would be awesome.
Use the force. I've found the LMII to have balls to spare in any reasonable gigging situation. And, when I started using mine, I was able to get rid of my 4-space rack, dumb down my gear bag just a little bit, and consolidate both into a single small backpack that weighs less than 20 pounds, including the LMII inside of it.I'll use it at our upcoming gig, but I might take a back-up with me. It's so small and light, it makes me nervous.
Worst case situation - if I end up playing small arenas, I might get a second one and power a second cabinet with it - both LMIIs might still be less expensive and lighter than your CA9 alone!
