MarkBass small size, huge sound

[JazznFunk]

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

2x10. I use the neo Traveler 2x10 cab(s), paired with a Big Bang or LM Vintage D2. Have owned all of them for over 5 years now, and both heads are sadly already discontinued.

 

[DJ Bebop]

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 didn't care for the sound of them.”

I must admit I didn't give them a good chance at a Guitar Center. With all the hubbub going on, I thought the one I was playing through would cut through the din better than it did.

After fooling with the the controls I couldn't get a satisfactory sound out of it at that time. I found it to be too dark for what it was. Maybe with more time spent with it would have been better, or there was something wrong with the example I was using. It has never taken me that long to get a good tone out of an amp. Oh and yes, I had the VLE off.

I do know and appreciate that other people like and swear by them and get them to sound good. It's like me and Music Man basses. I don't like how I sound playing them, but like when other people play them; go figure

I like what I ended up with…

 

[DJ Bebop]

I can't speak to that. Unfortunately though, the same could be said of many modern electronic devices... including other brands of Class D amplifiers.

Not necessary

 

[matthewbrown]

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?

This. I have a 300 watt Acoustic Image Contra, which I use with an outboard preamp, and it can fill a small theater if it's placed correctly. I used to think I had to prop it up and tilt it for the down-firing 10" speaker to work, but I've learned otherwise now that I understand the infinite baffle idea.

 

[JazznFunk]

“I didn't care for the sound of them.”

I must admit I didn't give them a good chance at a Guitar Center. With all the hubbub going on, I thought the one I was playing through would cut through the din better than it did.

After fooling with the the controls I couldn't get a satisfactory sound out of it at that time. I found it to be too dark for what it was. Maybe with more time spent with it would have been better, or there was something wrong with the example I was using. It has never taken me that long to get a good tone out of an amp. Oh and yes, I had the VLE off.

I've never felt that any amp I've evaluated in a music store represented how it might sound in a real world situation, especially when you're expected to try it out by being super close to it, without the opportunity to get some distance out in front, at least in most 'store' environments that I experienced. Now that I think about it, the only amp I ever bought from a local store specifically was my Workingman's 12, back in 1999, and I had the luxury of trying it out in a separated room away from everything else happening around me at the time.

 

[Pep]

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 for one hate the sound. I’ve played through several of them and they never did it for me. Every one lacked punch and definition. Kinda “ vanilla”. JMHO

 

[JazznFunk]

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?

I've heard bad rooms make great amps sound like crap. Conversely, I've heard great rooms make what some consider 'meh' amps sound better than they are expected to perform. Walls and room shape can do weird things... it's why you have to get way out front and EQ from there.

 

[pbass2]

I got the Mini CMD 121P when they first came out - I was shocked how potent that little sucker was. I played on some fairly good-sized stages with it, and especially with some coupling on a hollow stage it was amazing for the size at that time. I think it was possibly the first combo to really achieve that. The GK MB-112-II (which I had next) gets there as well, though "only" 200 watts. Slightly bigger cab enclosure on that one is part of it I suppose. I moved to strictly heads and cabs after that GK bit the dust, but I'd rock either of those combos again in a heartbeat. I do miss the "my entire rig in one hand" load in....

 

[Bassamatic]

My Italian-made CMD121P is the only piece of gear I would absolutely replace if lost or stolen. Totally amazing, and never ceases to amaze others. The first gig I used it on, a bass player came up to me and asked to see my "stack"! His eyes bugged out when he saw what was making all the sound.

Before they started making the matching NYC cab, I found a Schroeder that has 2 Neo 12s in a cabinet only a little larger. I use it outdoors - three Neo 12s and 500W! It's crazy loud, and I can carry everything in one load!

Many people do not understand the filter controls and mis-use them It is not clear that center is 50%, off is full CCW.

Also - as with any amp, placement makes a HUGE difference. The best thing you can do is place the amp in a corner, about 6-12" from the walls. That makes the room into a giant horn and you gain 12-16dB of efficiency. I have played large theaters that way, never needed to turn up more than 1/2.

The CMD121P is by far the best product in the MarkBass line and got all the other amp makers to step up. I don't know how the newer Indonesia made models compare, as I don't think they have the incredible B&C driver.

 

[Solipsistik]

Many people do not understand the filter controls and mis-use them It is not clear that center is 50%, off is full CCW.

No, they don't. I prefer a modern tone and only use a little bit of the VPF, VLE set to full CCW. VPF is essentially a scoop as far as I can figure, the manual is not very clear and calls it merely a "shape" control. What I know through experimentation is that if I get it too high, the tone doesn't cut through a mix as well, but it does add something to my 2x10" cabs at least.

Which reminds me, I really should try the LMIII through one of my 58R 104 Energy cabs, since I haven't bothered to try. Mostly because both my MB amps are from a generation where they can only provide 300W @ 8 ohms, while the cabs are rated 800W @ 8 ohm.

 

[bass player 53]

I got the Mini CMD 121P when they first came out - I was shocked how potent that little sucker was. I played on some fairly good-sized stages with it, and especially with some coupling on a hollow stage it was amazing for the size at that time. I think it was possibly the first combo to really achieve that. The GK MB-112-II (which I had next) gets there as well, though "only" 200 watts. Slightly bigger cab enclosure on that one is part of it I suppose. I moved to strictly heads and cabs after that GK bit the dust, but I'd rock either of those combos again in a heartbeat. I do miss the "my entire rig in one hand" load in....

I got the Mini CMD 121P when they first came out - I was shocked how potent that little sucker was. I played on some fairly good-sized stages with it, and especially with some coupling on a hollow stage it was amazing for the size at that time. I think it was possibly the first combo to really achieve that. The GK MB-112-II (which I had next) gets there as well, though "only" 200 watts. Slightly bigger cab enclosure on that one is part of it I suppose. I moved to strictly heads and cabs after that GK bit the dust, but I'd rock either of those combos again in a heartbeat. I do miss the "my entire rig in one hand" load in....

FWIW, you may not be giving Polytone its due. I think it was around earlier.

 

[pbass2]

FWIW, you may not be giving Polytone its due. I think it was around earlier.

I'm sure you're correct! I never encountered one!

 

[SJan3]

No, they don't. I prefer a modern tone and only use a little bit of the VPF, VLE set to full CCW. VPF is essentially a scoop as far as I can figure, the manual is not very clear and calls it merely a "shape" control. What I know through experimentation is that if I get it too high, the tone doesn't cut through a mix as well, but it does add something to my 2x10" cabs at least.

Which reminds me, I really should try the LMIII through one of my 58R 104 Energy cabs, since I haven't bothered to try. Mostly because both my MB amps are from a generation where they can only provide 300W @ 8 ohms, while the cabs are rated 800W @ 8 ohm.

You can certainly put a 300 watt amp into an 800 watt cabinet. And it'll be loud.
Try it, you may like it.

 

[SJan3]

FWIW, you may not be giving Polytone its due. I think it was around earlier.

The Polytone Mini Brute was all the rage back in the day! Always wanted one and saw the jazzers using them if not a B-15.

 

[DJ Bebop]

I've never felt that any amp I've evaluated in a music store represented how it might sound in a real world situation, especially when you're expected to try it out by being super close to it, without the opportunity to get some distance out in front, at least in most 'store' environments that I experienced. Now that I think about it, the only amp I ever bought from a local store specifically was my Workingman's 12, back in 1999, and I had the luxury of trying it out in a separated room away from everything else happening around me at the time.

I can get an idea of how an amp will work on a gig in a music store. For me, the loud environment of a music store is perfect to see if an amp can cut through the cacophony, as it has to on a stage.

In the quiet of an acoustic guitar room at a music store, or the privacy of my own bedroom, tells me nothing about how an amp will work on the bandstand. In fact, a lot of bad decisions on how an amp will sound are made in those environments, at least on proper tone settings.

Remember, there is a difference between a bedroom sound vs live sound. A tone setting that sounds good on stage can sound horrendous at home. And a tone that sounds warm and fuzzy at home may not cut it at the gig.

Again for me, if an amp won't cut through the din of a music store, it probably won't on a gig either, imho. Of course it depends on the music that it needs to play and in what size venue.

In the quiet of a room I can tell the various tone intricacies an amp will have, but unless I play in the same environment for gigs, or have good FOH support, I find a lot of that is lost to the audience. I know we as players notice it and enjoy hearing what we hear, as it can make us play better

But, that's just me

 

[Pep]

“I didn't care for the sound of them.”

View attachment 7534077

I must admit I didn't give them a good chance at a Guitar Center. With all the hubbub going on, I thought the one I was playing through would cut through the din better than it did.

After fooling with the the controls I couldn't get a satisfactory sound out of it at that time. I found it to be too dark for what it was. Maybe with more time spent with it would have been better, or there was something wrong with the example I was using. It has never taken me that long to get a good tone out of an amp. Oh and yes, I had the VLE off.

I do know and appreciate that other people like and swear by them and get them to sound good. It's like me and Music Man basses. I don't like how I sound playing them, but like when other people play them; go figure

I like what I ended up with…

View attachment 7534105
View attachment 7534109

Now that’s a great set-up.

 

[Jazzdogg]

The Polytone brings back so many memories from back in the day, playing double bass through an Underwood or fretless P-bass.

 

[JazznFunk]

In the quiet of an acoustic guitar room at a music store, or the privacy of my own bedroom, tells me nothing about how an amp will work on the bandstand. In fact, a lot of bad decisions on how an amp will sound are made in those environments, at least on proper tone settings.

Again for me, if an amp won't cut through the din of a music store, it probably won't on a gig either, imho. Of course it depends on the music that it needs to play and in what size venue.

In the quiet of a room I can tell the various tone intricacies an amp will have, but unless I play in the same environment for gigs, or have good FOH support, I find a lot of that is lost to the audience. I know we as players notice it and enjoy hearing what we hear, as it can make us play better

I wasn't speaking to dialing in a bedroom tone with my original comments, nor would I expect the tone settings I dial in, in a quiet room, to be the ones I use on the gig. When I evaluate an amp, I want to clearly be able to hear what each control does, so I know what to expect and what to manipulate first when shaping the EQ to the room.

I was speaking to not being able to get far enough in front of an amp in a typical noisy, crowded store environment to truly know how it sounds farther out, where it matters, to hear how the tone shaping and 'throw' of the amp actually sounds - since being on top of the amp while twiddling knobs isn't an accurate picture either. The din of a music store isn't an 'accurate' environment either, but it could indeed be comparable to sound checking in a noisy bar - you're guessing at what is or is not getting masked and you can't accurately hear on a micro-level what tone shaping does what. A quiet room allows you to hear the nuances at least, on a clinical level. I think BOTH settings are valuable though, and you can't rely on just one or the other.

 

[PeaveyPlayer]

My uncle plays reggae through a markbass 410 and a neck through HH stingray

I've never heard him play it though as he lives in Nevada but he raves all about it!

 

[Nebadon2000]

Perplexing how anytime someone here post something nice about Markbass it always becomes just like this thread