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Markbass Tube 800 cab compatibility?

R

RaulDelga

May 26, 2012
11
0
#1
Hey guys. I apologize for making a new thread about this but i cant seem to find straight forward answers. I've been playing the same combo for the last 5 years and recently age has hit its tole and I plan to upgrade. I plan on getting a Little Mark Tube 800 (@ 4ohms, 500W @ 8ohms) on craigslist for a steal. I love the sound of Markbass but i don't really have a need for such high power at the moment but may in the future. Since this will be my first amp/cab setup, I want to know what cabinet can i use? I do prefer a 2x10 or 4x10, and i do play the low B every now and then.

My searches have led me to believe that I should get a cab that has a power handling that exceeds the amp output. However i have seen people say to just don't go crazy with the volume. What should i expect if i run a 400W cab at 500W or a 300W cab at 500W? I have noticed that the more power the cab can handle the pricier it gets so I am considering getting cab's with less than 500W rms handling. Any advice??
 
#2
Good luck finding a 210 that takes more than about 250w real world tops. The 400w rating is the wattage that will cause voice coil to fry, but the cab will fart out quite a bit earlier. If you have enough discipline and common sense to keep from blowing your cabs, it's fine to have an amp that exceeds what the cab can handle, but if you don't have that discipline and common sense, best to stick with an amp that can't put out more than the cab can take.
 
#3
So your advice is get a cab with 400W rms and don't go balls out on the volume? I'm not sure at what your getting at.

Here are just a few of my findings. May someone perhaps point me in the right direction? I apologize for my ignorance but don't be shy on the details.

[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]

[Invalid or Expired Link Removed] (4ohms 400W)

[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]
 
#4
The details are easily found in the stickies at the top of the forum, and it's probably the most discussed topic on here. It's not all easily learned in a brief reply on Talkbass, but it's not brain surgery, either. Short version is you can use any head with any cab if you have common sense and a set of ears. If you have a 2000w head and hook it up to a 200w RMS power handling cab, you can use it if you don't turn it up past the point where the cab starts to distort and sound like it's going to blow up. And likewise, if you get the Tube 800 and run it into a small cab like a 210, all you have to do is listen to it and back off the volume if it sounds like it's too much for the cab (HINT: if it sounds like your cab's going to explode, it will).
 
#6
Don't worry about blowing the speakers... you'll know when enough is too much!

I have the same Tube 800 amp. I bought it use for my little throw-in-the-car-and-play club rig. I picked up an empty Lopo line 15" cab (with a cane grill) and loaded it with a EVX-155 15" speaker. It is really small, really loud and really awesome. The black cab and cane also looks pretty retro-good with the root beer brown Mark Bass amp, and I can walk into a gig with a bass on my shoulder, a bag of cables/head etc. and a speaker cab in the other hand.

Small and REALLY loud.

Go ahead and try blow the speaker(s) btw- it's hard to do. My first foray into this idea was years ago: I had a Sonic 15" cab w a similar rated EV, an old Alembic pre and a Crown Micro Tech 1200 PA amp. I was only using one side and that thing was also great tone and LOUD. In fact I keep thinking about putting it back together; I still have the pre.

That Mark Bass head is really great tho and so light. I just hate their insistence on off-putting yellow for their gear graphics. I digress... it's the scotch. Good luck!
 

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