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MarkBass small size, huge sound
- Thread starter coyote1
- Start date
So yep, one cuts mid/hi-mid to high tones and the other scoops, which is what I thought. Using both of them together makes very little sense to me, but I guess if you wanted to cut highs, VLE's going to work against the VPF scoop from what, 200hz up? The dark line would seem to be the original signal in the VLE chart, acting a lot like a LPF...
I just checked my original PDF manual for the LMIII, those signal charts are not in it. Is there a priority between the two, the manual sure doesn't say? It only says this about them:
VLE (Vintage Loudspeaker Emulator) max cut range: 250 Hz – 20 kHz
VPF (Variable Pre-shape Filter) center frequency 380 Hz (cut)
However, the LMII and F1 Limited manual does include those charts and this writeup:
I just checked my original PDF manual for the LMIII, those signal charts are not in it. Is there a priority between the two, the manual sure doesn't say? It only says this about them:
VLE (Vintage Loudspeaker Emulator) max cut range: 250 Hz – 20 kHz
VPF (Variable Pre-shape Filter) center frequency 380 Hz (cut)
However, the LMII and F1 Limited manual does include those charts and this writeup:
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Using two together does make sense. Let's say you use the VPF to boost the bottom end and scoop the mids a bit, (say, set to around 11:00-noon) but don't want the highs boosted. This is where the VLE comes in handy to bring the highs back down to where you want them to be by turning it up a little. Those graphs only show the filters at their extreme setting.
I suppose this is true, but I imagine the 4-band EQ could address that more subtly. But again, we're presuming that VLE takes priority over VPF in this case, since VPF could cut or boost many of the same frequencies with odd results. Like, boosting 7db+ over 2000hz and then cutting it by 20db (or is it the other way around in the signal path?) just seems like a strange way forward... but yeah, this basically is a LPF, as I said.
Yeah, yeah, I know this is a criticism that people launch at LP/HP filters all the time.
Have used MB II (500 watts) for over 12 yrs and now have a MB IV (500 watts). Sweet, simple, reliable and at the very least 80% to 90% of all the bass tones with it's active Eq.
Class D. Light weight. Powerful. High quality amplifiers.
But, "to each his/her own".
Class D. Light weight. Powerful. High quality amplifiers.
But, "to each his/her own".
I’ve used an Italian CMD-121P as my main amp for about ten years now. It did crap out on me a couple of years ago, which I wrote about in another thread, but has been working fine since it was repaired. For me, it’s got a sweet, well defined sound that works great for the kinds of music I play (straight ahead jazz and roots music) on both upright and electric. And the convenience of a lightweight, small combo amp is undeniable!
It's actually a quick way to adjust tone.
I see the 4 band EQ as fine tuning, if even necessary. I can get a good tone by using just a bit of both filters, around 8 or 9 o'clock setting on both in my CMD121p Combo ll amp which has the same head as the LittleMark lll.
It's the way I've used the VPF setting, for sure. I don't really have any obvious need for VLE on my rigs. The Bergantino head is another story, it's very sensitive to high frequencies, where the Mark Bass heads are not nearly so.
So all this banter drove me to drive out to GC and play a little. Looked only at combos, as they had some and that would be my preference. My findings among the ones I sampled:
The CMB 121 and 151 “Black Line” combo amps have the best sound, amazing really, until you get to about low A flat. Then they start farting out with a MusicMan bass. Unfortunate because they are inexpensive. Understandable because the 150 watt amp clearly lacks a bit of headroom, and the speaker is not as capable. Also unfortunate is that they are heavy. IF I get a new amp, I want it to be light.
From there, the MINI CMD 121P V (Little Mark 58R) was the other that I would consider from a price and size perspective. After a bit of adjustment, it came close to what I was getting on the CMB121. Very good overall sound. A slight compromise, but one I could live with. Because a) it does not fart out, b) it gets VERY loud without distorting, and c) it’s small and lightweight. The 300 watts provide great headroom, and that single 12” speaker delivers it well.
I could live with that.
The CMB 121 and 151 “Black Line” combo amps have the best sound, amazing really, until you get to about low A flat. Then they start farting out with a MusicMan bass. Unfortunate because they are inexpensive. Understandable because the 150 watt amp clearly lacks a bit of headroom, and the speaker is not as capable. Also unfortunate is that they are heavy. IF I get a new amp, I want it to be light.
From there, the MINI CMD 121P V (Little Mark 58R) was the other that I would consider from a price and size perspective. After a bit of adjustment, it came close to what I was getting on the CMB121. Very good overall sound. A slight compromise, but one I could live with. Because a) it does not fart out, b) it gets VERY loud without distorting, and c) it’s small and lightweight. The 300 watts provide great headroom, and that single 12” speaker delivers it well.
I could live with that.
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If anybody has any doubts about whether or not Mark Bass can deliver, check this out.
Fantastic bassist, fantastic group.
Fantastic bassist, fantastic group.
I used a mb cmd121p combo and a 1-12 traveller cab for years playing gigs in all sorts of environments.
Never a problem, and it was always more than enough. (I think the 2nd cab was even superfluous in some rooms.)
At one point I swapped out the lmii combo head unit for an 800d tube head, and thought that combination was fantastic.
(more power, blendable tube and SS channels).
Nowadays, I only play at home and have a micromark 8 combo, which sounds great for such a tiny box.
Never a problem, and it was always more than enough. (I think the 2nd cab was even superfluous in some rooms.)
At one point I swapped out the lmii combo head unit for an 800d tube head, and thought that combination was fantastic.
(more power, blendable tube and SS channels).
Nowadays, I only play at home and have a micromark 8 combo, which sounds great for such a tiny box.
My F1 Limited from 2009 is still going strong, and is still my primary amp. A pair of NY121s, also faultless. Ich bin outlier
.
I had an F1 (not the Limited version) for a few years. Nice amp.
My favourite small, lightweight and huge sounding rig includes two NY121P cabs.
I ran into this with my friends' Rumble 100 this weekend. My Maruszczyk simply serves up a low end thump that the 100 can't handle. It was struggling hard, so I had to dial back the bass, flip to single neck / parallel bridge pickup configuration and add a bit of mids and treble at the bass. By contrast, my 58R 104 cabs and Bergantino Ultra head sound bright with that configuration and I'd be missing the big bottom end that the bass provides. But their $100 Fender P-Bass (great short scale guitar, honestly) sounds fine through it. This is why power and cabinet choice matters, some amps just can't recreate the sound that a killer bass guitar can dish out.
This is their newer design and the newer heads + cabs definitely have more range and sensitivity. I still like my old 102HF cabs and the LMIII & F1L heads but those were also a pretty big step up from the combos in terms of power. My limited playing through a 58R head also tells me that the newer gear is a bit more 'accurate' in terms of tracking for VLE/VPF controls, if you use those.
300W + 12" or 15" speaker will do almost any stage, though you will be pushing it at some venues. I am typically running from 300W to 400W through my cabinets at most gigs in terms of output from the head. Bearing in mind that the upper end of that range is for the 4x10" cabinets, which need more power.
I don’t hate MB, I’m actually thinking that I might want to get a 58R…
I used a LittleMark lll for over a decade with both 1x12 and 2x10 MarkBass cabinets. Always satisfied my needs.
Now I have a Mini CMD121P for an easy grab n go. It over performs for its diminutive size.
