• TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
    Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
    Join free Log in
    Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.

Markbass R500 - mini review

Spinal Tapper

Spinal Tapper

Nov 15, 2007
6,797
348
Chicago
soundcloud.com
#1
I'm not much of a writer, but haven't found a ton of info on this head here. Mostly good stuff. Here's my mini-review.
Markbass R500
r500big.gif



I got one last week at GC. I tried out the LMII, the Mesa M Pulse 600, and the Epiphani PS 600. The Epifani was out right away becasue it only had one 4 ohm output (***?) The R500 was the most inexpensive of the amps ($490 out the door). I needed something to replace my broken SWR 350x...

So far, I've used it for about 3 rehearsals. It's real mean! I love the power. The tube preamp is pretty warm sounding. It's a little bassy/muddy, but I play a Geddy Jazz w/ Flatwounds (through an Orange 15" & SWR Goliath 2x10), and I've kept the EQ pretty much dry as it gets.
I'm going to try FULL treble tonight and see how that sounds. I'm really looking forward to restringing my bass and seeing if it cuts a little better.

As far as headroom, this thing can't be beat! I rock (too) loud with the band and have no clipping signal or anything.

So, basically, for the price, this head is IT! I would recommend to anyone looking at the Markbass stuff, or something reasonably priced in the 500 watt range.
 
#4
Yeah, especially after last night at rehearsal - I cranked the treble to about 3:00 - everything else around 12:00. Because of my flatwounds and 15" cab, it tends to get a bit muddy, but this did the trick! A perfect balance of power and tone!

Did I mention I'm in love with this head???
 
#5
There you go. I'm glad you sussed it out with some tone/e.q. tweaking. You have made me interested in looking at this head as I tend to lean on the big and round and punchy/warm side of things tonewise. I'm an old school, older bass player thinking about finding a good, solid, yet lighter amp head to haul around these days and I'm not into the sterile hi-fi tone thing at all unless I was asked to do it for recording/ production reasons. Thanks again for your review. You've made me interested.
 
#9
Yes, it was used, but came with a 2 year Guitar Center warranty that they'll replace it if anything happens to it.

It was listed at $440 - but here in good ol' Chicago we have the highest sales tax in the US at a whopping 10.25%, so it was around $496 out the door.

I compared it A/B with the LMII and the R500 certainly had more tubey sounding warmth to it, and fits nicely in my rack case which is a huge plus - the one shown in the pic on the OP is w/out the rack ears attached.
 
#11
santucci218 said:
if i found one for that price ide get it for sure!
Click to expand...

Oh, shoot, I did forget to mention I have a kinda mutual friend who helped me out on the price, but I know the tag listed it used at $479 or something (so it would've been, around $525-550 with Chicago sales tax) but my buddy/salesman said he'd do $440 + tax.

I forgot I had a little hookup there, sorry I didn't mention. But honestly, I'd pay $600+ for this amp any day. It's totally worth it against the other amps in it's class/price range IMO.
 
#12
Hey how does it sound with the gain up? Mostly wonderin bout the tube overdrive... thats the biggest attraction for me (don't want to go full tube, don't want to have to replace 12 tubes if they blow instead of only 6). I'm thinkin bout grabbin a SVT 8x10 if I get this too.
 

Latest posts

Top Bottom
Back