MarkBass small size, huge sound

[coyote1]

Saw a local band last night. The bassist had a MusicMan 5 string and a small Markbass rig.

It sounded huge in that room. Full, thick, amazing. His playing was great, which I’m sure had a lot to do with it…. but it surprised me how effective that one 12” speaker was.

I’ll have to start playing my MM-ish Robelli again.

 

[Artman]

Are you certain he wasn't also running a di to the mains?

 

[BassicJazzy]

They have powerful midrange and a really solid sound, excellent for smaller venues. You can hear them better in those settings than a Rumble100, which also has a 12". Of course, they cost more too.

 

[JazznFunk]

I'll never understand the MarkBass hate that's thrown around by some people. I think a lot of people misuse the EQ and filters. I've been very happy with my MB cabs and heads, for both electric and upright. There is more volume on tap with them than I ever need, and the EQ section has always been very flexible for my needs. But not everyone has the same needs.

 

[coyote1]

Are you certain he wasn't also running a di to the mains?

Small room. The ‘mains’ were a pair of 12” 2-ways up on poles. No subwoofers or anything. The mains were carrying vox and a Hammond emulator, which kinda lacked low end.

No, it was entirely the Markbass cabinet.

 

[BassicJazzy]

I'll never understand the MarkBass hate that's thrown around by some people. I think a lot of people misuse the EQ and filters. I've been very happy with my MB cabs and heads, for both electric and upright. There is more volume on tap with them than I ever need, and the EQ section has always been very flexible for my needs. But not everyone has the same needs.

Things I've heard mostly relate to reliability, difficulty of getting repairs, speakers failing on some models. Never heard anybody hate the sound though.

 

[Gervais Cote]

I'll never understand the MarkBass hate that's thrown around by some people. I think a lot of people misuse the EQ and filters. I've been very happy with my MB cabs and heads, for both electric and upright. There is more volume on tap with them than I ever need, and the EQ section has always been very flexible for my needs. But not everyone has the same needs.

If I may ask, are the drivers in your Markbass 10", 12" or 15" ?

 

[Solipsistik]

I'll never understand the MarkBass hate that's thrown around by some people. I think a lot of people misuse the EQ and filters. I've been very happy with my MB cabs and heads, for both electric and upright. There is more volume on tap with them than I ever need, and the EQ section has always been very flexible for my needs. But not everyone has the same needs.

Same. My Bergantino head sounds better (and has more power), but is also about 3x more expensive. My Little Mark III still sounds great to my ear (and the F1 Limited also, though it is a bit "darker" in tone).

 

[songwriter21]

Saw a local band last night. The bassist had a MusicMan 5 string and a small Markbass rig.

It sounded huge in that room. Full, thick, amazing. His playing was great, which I’m sure had a lot to do with it…. but it surprised me how effective that one 12” speaker was.

I’ll have to start playing my MM-ish Robelli again.

MB cabs are great. Their amps, though? Meh. My magical combo was a GK 1001RB-II through a Traveler 2x10.

 

[mindwell]

Things I've heard mostly relate to reliability, difficulty of getting repairs, speakers failing on some models. Never heard anybody hate the sound though.

I think they sound great when other people are playing them. Me, there's just something about the response I don't care for, like there's an algorithm between me and the note.

 

[coyote1]

I think they sound great when other people are playing them. Me, there's just something about the response I don't care for, like there's an algorithm between me and the note.

Nicely stated! I can see where some gear just doesn’t “do it” for some folks. Doesn’t mean the gear is bad or the player is bad; it only means that it doesn’t work for that particular player.

Might also be the bass being used with the amp. I know of my four current electric basses, my Robelli SWD (identical to the original Joe Dart bass) has the most ‘solid’ sounding output. Might be the room itself; some rooms just work with the output of certain gear.

 

[HueyFreeman]

I gigged a MB Littlemark 58 for a year. Loved that little box.

Had a few jams with one of their 12" cabs. Not my thing. My Barefaced 12" blew it out of the water. Absolutely no comparison.

 

[wyleeboxer]

I’ve had 2 Markbass cmd 12 combos. Great sound and portability but both crapped out after a year or so. Actually had a 3rd used one but it dead on arrival so I returned.

 

[Solipsistik]

I’ve had 2 Markbass cmd 12 combos. Great sound and portability but both crapped out after a year or so. Actually had a 3rd used one but it dead on arrival so I returned.

No experience with the combos, but my LMIII is 14 years old and has been used at gigs + rehearsal (for a long time it was my only amp head). The F1 Limited is 18 years old and still working fine at my rehearsal space for the past year. Both of my 2x10" cabs have survived the same, I keep the 4 ohm one at the rehearsal space and gig the other when the venue is small. Maybe I'm the outlier?

 

[Pings Bass]

I think they sound great when other people are playing them. Me, there's just something about the response I don't care for, like there's an algorithm between me and the note.

I recently sold an amp of a different brand to a well-known pro (toured with the Neville Bros). I was ambivalent about the amp, but when he played through it it sounded amazing! Tone, fingers, yada yada yada

 

[sonic boogaloo]

Maybe I'm the outlier?

certainly seems that way...

 

[ThatLowEnd]

As a recovering Amp Snoboholic , I have found the MB 800 Tube and two MB58R 102 Pure cabs to be a great sounding rig that is loud and amazingly light weight.

 

[ctmullins]

Small room. The ‘mains’ were a pair of 12” 2-ways up on poles. No subwoofers or anything. The mains were carrying vox and a Hammond emulator, which kinda lacked low end.

No, it was entirely the Markbass cabinet.

And the room.

People forget that (unless you’re in a convention center or similar) the room interacts with the bass cab(s), forming an extension of sorts. Put the cab into a corner and you “magically” get more low end and room-filling dispersion. Put the cab six feet from a wall and you get weird frequency cancellations.

Did you notice where in the room that player had his cabinet?

 

[roccobass]

I love the sound of my Minimark 2x6 combo. . It’s the discontinued, sadly. I had a chance to get another one in great shape a few years, but missed the chance. It’s the perfect little rig for when you are in a small gig area, but need a big sound. It really puts out for its size. It’s very reliable. I bought it new in 2011. No problems.

 

[JazznFunk]

Things I've heard mostly relate to reliability, difficulty of getting repairs, speakers failing on some models. Never heard anybody hate the sound though.

I can't speak to that since none of my stuff has ever failed. Unfortunately though, the same could be said of many modern electronic devices... including other brands of Class D amplifiers. A lot depends on how you treat your gear, and just dumb luck. My SWR stuff from back in the day is still going strong, but I did have to have some caps replaced on my Workingman's 12 from 1999, all the way back in 2005 or so. After that, it's still cranking with no other issues, and I literally beat the crap out of that thing. Literally a YMMV thing.