Not true! From a European website:
"Marco has just revealed that they no longer use B&C drivers. He said that they're custom Markbass speakers that he designed personally, to the same specification.".
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Not true! From a European website:
"Marco has just revealed that they no longer use B&C drivers. He said that they're custom Markbass speakers that he designed personally, to the same specification.".
I think the complaints about the amp not sounding as warm as before has few to do with the country they are made in. The LMII and the first LMIIIs had an analogue power amp. Markbass switched to a class-d amp during the first years of production without mentioning it.
I don't have a problem in general with gear made in china or indonesia as long as the workers are treated and paid decent.
But I was disappointed, too, that Markbass gear is no longer made exclusively in Italy. Even some espresso-cup makers have moved production. Only the real espresso-machines are still made in Italy in some garages.
When I bought my first Markbass I was kind of enthusiastic about what they were doing. I never associated Italy with high-tech gear, never bought something gear-related of Italian origin before (I'm a complete car-ignorant I have to admit). And from one day to the next the coolest amp - a real innovation - was made in Italy.
And moving production but keeping the prices, hmmm...
When the robots are ready, production will move back to the US and Europe and unemployment and low wage jobs will rise everywhere, even in China...
I don't have a problem in general with gear made in china or indonesia as long as the workers are treated and paid decent.
But I was disappointed, too, that Markbass gear is no longer made exclusively in Italy. Even some espresso-cup makers have moved production. Only the real espresso-machines are still made in Italy in some garages.
When I bought my first Markbass I was kind of enthusiastic about what they were doing. I never associated Italy with high-tech gear, never bought something gear-related of Italian origin before (I'm a complete car-ignorant I have to admit). And from one day to the next the coolest amp - a real innovation - was made in Italy.
And moving production but keeping the prices, hmmm...
When the robots are ready, production will move back to the US and Europe and unemployment and low wage jobs will rise everywhere, even in China...
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I guess my old Markbass cab was built in Italy then...
I never really paid attention.
I never really paid attention.
Did a sound comparison and my tech took a look at the components used between the Italian and indo version. The switched to class d also killing the lmiii making it a different amp basically. The components used in the new indo made were found to be of lower quality in some cases. Markbass has really gone down hill from its early days. Very sad as it was a innovative high quality company at one point
The LM3 now uses the same same output power amp assembly as the Big Bang head. The LM3 is physically larger and does without a couple of the Big Bang's facilities (headphone output for one) but does have an XLR input on the front which I use when I am coming out of my DI box.
I have never heard anything bad about the Big Bang but it is considerably more expensive than the LM3 which would be my choice.
In my experience all markbass heads have a very similar mid punchy tone when everything is at noon (VLE & VPF off) and if you like one then you will probably like them all. The good thing about the new class d LM3 is that it stays considerably cooler on gigs than the earlier class AB ones.
I have never heard anything bad about the Big Bang but it is considerably more expensive than the LM3 which would be my choice.
In my experience all markbass heads have a very similar mid punchy tone when everything is at noon (VLE & VPF off) and if you like one then you will probably like them all. The good thing about the new class d LM3 is that it stays considerably cooler on gigs than the earlier class AB ones.
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As I mentioned before, I think the switch to a class-d amp in the LMIII has nothing to do with outsourcing the production. I think it happened earlier when they were still made in Italy.
This is correct. I compared an Italian LMIII Class D to a Indonesian Class D. The Italian one sounded better to me.
So you used both amps with the same bass, the exactly same settings in the same room with the same speakers and came to that conclusion?
Only company I can recall that lowered prices when moving production was Ashdown when they went to China in 2005-2006?? Of course those prices increased eventually.
What about Fender when they started the Squier JV Series in Japan? But you're right in general. Same with AKG when they started to outsource their professional headphones to China etc.
I have owned an Italian and now an Indonesian 121p. I cannot attest to how the Indo model would fare in a side-by-side comparison. However I will say that the Indo 121p sounds phenomenal! To me, it has all the punch and brilliance that I remember with the Italian version.
I really missed having this combo after I sold the first one. I can honestly say that I do not feel short changed one bit with the new version. I guess the litmus test will be if it proves to be as reliable.
I really missed having this combo after I sold the first one. I can honestly say that I do not feel short changed one bit with the new version. I guess the litmus test will be if it proves to be as reliable.
Being an engineer, I find these "ad hoc" redesigns and change of production site very annoying, when they are just introduced randomly during the product life, and especially without addressing it through external labelling or model name updates.
Or in other words; if I buy product "A" in March, I expect to get an identical product "A", not an "A-ish" if I buy another one in September!
I see this "random" product "development" quite often in bass amplification; much more so than in for example pro audio or home audio. To me it signals lack of organisational structure and lack of systematic engineering - two mindsets that I consider vital to any develompent and production organisation.
That said, I still own the "made in Italy" LMII I bought soon after its release, and it still works fine. However, after the erratic corporate behaviour from MarkBass, I am very reluctant to buy any other product from them.
Or in other words; if I buy product "A" in March, I expect to get an identical product "A", not an "A-ish" if I buy another one in September!
I see this "random" product "development" quite often in bass amplification; much more so than in for example pro audio or home audio. To me it signals lack of organisational structure and lack of systematic engineering - two mindsets that I consider vital to any develompent and production organisation.
That said, I still own the "made in Italy" LMII I bought soon after its release, and it still works fine. However, after the erratic corporate behaviour from MarkBass, I am very reluctant to buy any other product from them.
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Markbass' corporate behaviour has been pretty much in line with a large proportion of electronic OEM in so much as it moved or outsourced its manufacturing to Asia (probably where 99% of its electronic components came from anyway). That much is perfectly reasonable.
The fact that the LM3 modification from class ab to class d topology was not publicised perhaps as well (or at all) as we may have liked is regrettable but not a hanging offence. The current LM3 can be purchased for approximately £380 in the UK whereas the class ab Italian units where around £500. This lower price must be down to the simpler class d construction, Asian labour rates and more local component sourcing. And the new LM3 still sounds great which is due to the pre amp assembly which has remained the same.
The fact that the LM3 modification from class ab to class d topology was not publicised perhaps as well (or at all) as we may have liked is regrettable but not a hanging offence. The current LM3 can be purchased for approximately £380 in the UK whereas the class ab Italian units where around £500. This lower price must be down to the simpler class d construction, Asian labour rates and more local component sourcing. And the new LM3 still sounds great which is due to the pre amp assembly which has remained the same.
Not adressing it and leaving the customers uninformed isn't o.k. I agree. But I don't agree with your second point: They exactly did change the architecture of the LMIII because they don't lack organisational structure and systematic engineering. They kind of streamlined their production using the same power-amp in all of their different 500-Watt amps.
In Germany the LMII and later the LMIII were about 580,- Euros. The price never changed and is the same today.
