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Markbass Mini CMD121P combo review

#41
musicman7722 said:
I leave my power and mike cable plugged in in the back of my combo and gently tuck them into the cavity when I'm in transport. Saves me having to reconnect each time. How cool is that. :hyper:

Chris P.
Click to expand...

I'll tell ya how cool..... I bought a 2ft daisy chain cable from
Bayou Cables, that has a head with two sides. One to power
the amp, the other side is a regular a/c. The a/c side is
exposed from the back of the combo. I hook up a high quality
12ft a/c extension cord to the 2ft that stays on the amp,
and shove it all (rolled up) in the port. I have a 14ft power
cable that stays on the combo with a convenience outlet
built in for effects or whatever. THAT'S COOL MY FRIEND!
 
#42
B String said:
I'll tell ya how cool..... I bought a 2ft daisy chain cable from
Bayou Cables, that has a head with two sides. One to power
the amp, the other side is a regular a/c. The a/c side is
exposed from the back of the combo. I hook up a high quality
12ft a/c extension cord to the 2ft that stays on the amp,
and shove it all (rolled up) in the port. I have a 14ft power
cable that stays on the combo with a convenience outlet
built in for effects or whatever. THAT'S COOL MY FRIEND!
Click to expand...

No my friend...if you hid a QP of sweet cheeba in the back of the amp, that would be cool. Daisy chained power cables to feed all your nerdy guitar effects is not cool at all. Sry.
 
#43
Wilbyman said:
No my friend...if you hid a QP of sweet cheeba in the back of the amp, that would be cool. Daisy chained power cables to feed all your nerdy guitar effects is not cool at all. Sry.
Click to expand...

s'cuse me wad boy. If I had a QP of cheeba in the back o the
amp, I wouldn't spend no time here at TB. My lust for gear
transcends simple human pleasures and weaknesess. FOOL!!!
 
#44
B String said:
I'll tell ya how cool..... I bought a 2ft daisy chain cable from
Bayou Cables, that has a head with two sides. One to power
the amp, the other side is a regular a/c. The a/c side is
exposed from the back of the combo. I hook up a high quality
12ft a/c extension cord to the 2ft that stays on the amp,
and shove it all (rolled up) in the port. I have a 14ft power
cable that stays on the combo with a convenience outlet
built in for effects or whatever. THAT'S COOL MY FRIEND!
Click to expand...
That IS cool. Just be careful when you tuck it in because it looks like the potential for a plug to puncture a speaker is there. Not likely, but could happen in a freak accident.
 
#45
JimmyM said:
That IS cool. Just be careful when you tuck it in because it looks like the potential for a plug to puncture a speaker is there. Not likely, but could happen in a freak accident.
Click to expand...

Thanks. Actually, I wrap my power cord with velcro thats
long enough to also stick on the inside of the opening of
the back of the box. This way its stable and not going too
far into the port. Still, a good point.
 
#47
I can't say enough about how this combo makes me want to poop my pants! Tonight, I was at levels of volume that Bowzer never ever lets me play at, and I swear it was like having a seat in the captain's chair at a big studio and hearing the bass. I don't miss having a 4-10 one bit, and I'm having second thoughts about the necessity of an extension cab. I'm getting one anyway, though ;)
 
#48
I was at GC looking for a lightweight combo amp and the sales guy almost fell out of his skin to show me one of these......WOW! A bit out of my price range this second (here tax refund.......here tax refund......) but I really liked it. The fact that I could pick it up with one hand was even better.
Am trying hard to justify spending $900 on a combo... when I already HAVE a head/speaker cabinet.
My question is (I realize this is an older thread), how does the B string sound "down front" at a gig if anyone's used one with a 5er? Standing directly in front/5 feet away of it it sounded fine, but there really isn't a way for me to test it under gigging circumstances at a GC. My band is tuned down 1/2 step so it's even harder for a cabinet to keep up.
 
#50
nsmar4211 said:
I was at GC looking for a lightweight combo amp and the sales guy almost fell out of his skin to show me one of these......WOW! A bit out of my price range this second (here tax refund.......here tax refund......) but I really liked it. The fact that I could pick it up with one hand was even better.
Am trying hard to justify spending $900 on a combo... when I already HAVE a head/speaker cabinet.
My question is (I realize this is an older thread), how does the B string sound "down front" at a gig if anyone's used one with a 5er? Standing directly in front/5 feet away of it it sounded fine, but there really isn't a way for me to test it under gigging circumstances at a GC. My band is tuned down 1/2 step so it's even harder for a cabinet to keep up.
Click to expand...

Remember, the actual size of the speaker box itself is about
the same size as a GK mb. When you consider that, the
volume and lows are amazing. But there are limits to what
that small a box can do. For its size, the 121P handles a
b string very nicely. Put it a foot or two in front of a wall and
amaze your friends.
 
#51
Update - I wasn't jazzed by one of these back in late '07, but have recently re-configured my stuff...maybe my ears have changed, my concept has changed, my primary use of a different bass has changed, they have changed the speaker, or I am a doofus, or all of the above, but I've now had a CMD121P for three months and am really, really happy with it. I keep an Aguiar GS112NT for larger gigs, but rarely need it. Meanwhile, I've been able to sell an LM II, a GK MB150 combo and one Aggie cabinet, so I have less $$$ in my amp stuff, but seem to be covering the stuff I do.

Oh, and I got it for $720.00, new-in-box.

I can imagine certain improvements, and I'm not in love with the piezo tweeter, but all in all I'm getting a ridiculously effective bundle of virtues.

Viva Mark Bass...
 
#52
I have had my 121P now for about a year. It has never let me down. The output level and clarity are just amazing. If you can back it into a corner to use the walls as a giant horn, the output level is enough for nearly any small to medium gig!

I WILL get the matching New York 12" cab as soon as I can afford it. I met with the founder of MB and asked about the 12" and 15" traveler cabs, and he recommended the New York as the best add-on. Yeah - One small cab in each hand, gig bag on the back - still makes it in one trip!
 
#55
Wow, how times change! Thanks for dredging this thread back up just so I could see how drastically they changed. Turns out I really did miss the bigger stuff. I still think the Mini CMD121P is a fantastic combo, but I sold it a few months back because I prefer a bigger cab with more air movement. Kept my LMII, but I hardly ever use it anymore. I'm back on the vintage Ampeg tubes fulltime again. For a while it was B-15's, and now I either use an old SVT/810 or one of my B-15's. I've always said the LMII is the next best thing to tubes, but they just ain't tubes. And as much as I loved load-ins and outs with the Markbass, I decided the big stuff just makes me happier onstage. No offense to anyone at Markbass intended...it's a fabulous product.
 
#56
As an Ampeg tube guy, I was hoping you'd chime in with your new thoughts on this amp, Jimmy.

Interesting how things change. I looked up a few of my old posts once and was surprised I said such things!
 
#57
My stuff will be humiliating if anyone dredges it up. I knew nothing about audio, and I sound like the people I'm always getting on for being know-it-alls. But at least I learned from it. And at least I never claimed you could blow a cab by underpowering it ;)
 
#58
Hi! Let's revive this post again :p

I'm considering buying this combo, the cmd 121p but i'm thinking that perhaps de 151p with a 15" speaker is better for the bass sounds. I have an ibanez sr705blm bass and I like a lot the B string sound when slapping.

In a shop testing some ampeg stuff the guy told me that with my way of playing I could break a little amp like the 121p, but as you say it supports well the B string, so... some one could explain me a little about it?

Also I am considering using an old trace elliot rig, a head plus a 15" and a 4x10" setup, what do you think about it in comparison using the 121p or 151p?

Thanks in advance!
 
#59
Ahh...it's a slippery slope Jimmy...from tube heads and B-15's...to a 100% class D solid state combo. Prediction Time....now that the mental block has been overcome...I predict a future Genz Benz love affair. As a dude who walked a similar path and did a 2 year tour of duty with a Markbass head, I predict that the next time you play thru a GB Shuttle or Shuttlemax (or the new Streamliner) you will realize that the impossible is actually possible...indeed there may very well be an even better sounding lightweight head out there. Only time will tell....like sand thru an hourglass....or whatever. :)

edit: uh...just noticed that your last post was from May 2009... I am curious if and how your perception has changed?
 
#60
Having used Markbass F1 for almost 2 years now, I really like Markbass amps. My experience with their speakers is not as good (I tried different 10" combinations), but what I compare them to is Bergantino's, so it might not be totally fair.

Anyway, I bought the CMD 121P to use mostly at rehearsals last March, despite my preference for other brands of speakers, but I wanted a very simple system where I would not worry about speaker cables, etc.

I took it to one of my gigs one day, because I was very lazy to carry the F1 and two Bergantino AE112's. I loved the tone and volume of the amp so much that it became "the amp" for my smaller gigs. I still wish the LMIII (the amp in my 121P) was in the box of an AE112, but I know it is a bit too much to ask. Frankly speaking, if I do not listen to both systems side-by-side, I do not think I can tell the difference.

In brief, 121P is highly recommended if you are after a combo. I have never played through the 151P. I have a preference towards 12" drivers and so far the only 15" I enjoyed were by Bag End (I never tried Bergantino's 15" when they were around). But again, can I tell the difference if they are not side-by-side? I do not think so...

Apart from the sound quality, the form factor of 121P is very good as well. It is easy to carry; fits into even smallest trunks; and very easy to dial in a great tone. The only negative I have experienced so far is that there is a weird hiss in the D.I. output. But I use other D.I.s if needed anyway, so it is not among my primary reasons to pick an amp (maybe with the exception of Epifani UL502).

Best,

Alper

Mixu said:
Hi! Let's revive this post again :p

I'm considering buying this combo, the cmd 121p but i'm thinking that perhaps de 151p with a 15" speaker is better for the bass sounds. I have an ibanez sr705blm bass and I like a lot the B string sound when slapping.

In a shop testing some ampeg stuff the guy told me that with my way of playing I could break a little amp like the 121p, but as you say it supports well the B string, so... some one could explain me a little about it?

Also I am considering using an old trace elliot rig, a head plus a 15" and a 4x10" setup, what do you think about it in comparison using the 121p or 151p?

Thanks in advance!
Click to expand...
 

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