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MB Fusion 800, Shuttle 9.2m Little Mark 800

Best Lightweight Tube Tone Amp: MB Fusion, Shuttle 9.2 or Little Mark 800 Tube?

  • MB Fusion

    Votes: 21 36.8%

  • Shuttle 9.2

    Votes: 21 36.8%

  • Little Mark 800 Tube

    Votes: 6 10.5%

  • Carrots

    Votes: 9 15.8%
  • Total voters
    57
  • Poll closed .
mikecd1

mikecd1

Mar 3, 2009
2,704
2,683
New England
#1
Hi All,
I thought I'd get some input from users who have tried these amps I am considering. I've tried the Markbass Little Mark 800 and 800 tube and the regular MB 800 which I liked, but haven't tried the Fusion. Although I like the power, the tone shaping on Little mark came up short IME, and I liked the Mb 800 tone more than that. I have a sansamp BDDI which I like so I feel like if I needed to, I can just go in through the effects return on any of these though I am very curious if the Shuttle or the MB Fusion have nice tube-like tone on their own. The Shuttle has a parametric EQ and the Fusion says it has a three tube preamp section. Any hands-on insights appreciated.
 
#2
Never dug the 800 Series Markbass heads (and I'm a big Markbass fan). Something not right to my ear in the midrange of those particular models, and I could never EQ it out.

For maximum EQ power (massive EQ power) and features, the Shuttle Max 9.2 is amazing. Tight and punchy, plenty of top end extension and a lot of sculpting capabity with the massive EQ. Nice modern warmth when you push the Tube channel, and nice burpy punch capability with the FET channel. The lo boost/hi pass filter widens the low end nicely, but it always stays quite punchy and tight (for better or worse, depending on where your ears are at!).

I finally was able to try the GKMBFusion800. It is a massive, wumping hammer of an amp. That being said, I never, ever had a gig that the Shuttle Max 9.2 and a 4ohm 410 or 212 couldn't handle. But if maximum, open low end wump is very important to you, and/or you are gigging a big rig (2 x 410 or whatever), the MBFusion800 is scary. The EQ is similar to the Markbass800 series, but the low mid is centered lower (this is a good thing), and you can smooth it out pretty nicely with the four bands of EQ.

IMO and a lot of IME on the Markbass800 series and the Shuttle Max 9.2., and just a bit of a listen to the MBFusion800.

So, not going to vote... Max 9.2 and MBF800 are two flavors of excellent.
 
#4
i voted for GK, really don't know anything about shuttle, but I know much about Markbass since I have one, I fint it to clean and sterile sounding, fusion has more effective eq system, is a bit warmer sounding, it colours your sound a bit, but still... I'm happy with my markbass now as long as it fulfills my needs, it sounds huge with a passive P bass, eq on flat
 
#5
I own a Invalid Link Removed it is the most flexible amp I've played tone wise and has more headroom than I'll ever use. If you tried the LMT 800 and couldn't get the mids you wanted out of it try adjusting the tube/solid state mix, makes a big difference in the midrange. I cut through 3 very loud guitars with my LMT800 and the mids are a big part of that.
 
#6
Just noticed that you were considering a Shuttle 9.2, not a Shuttle Max 9.2. I was never a big fan of the Shuttle 9.2, although I love the Max. So, given that, it is the GK by a WIDE margin, since all three of these heads are at least somewhat in the same tone universe.. bright, clean, powerful.
 
#8
KJung said:
Just noticed that you were considering a Shuttle 9.2, not a Shuttle Max 9.2. I was never a big fan of the Shuttle 9.2, although I love the Max. So, given that, it is the GK by a WIDE margin, since all three of these heads are at least somewhat in the same tone universe.. bright, clean, powerful.
Click to expand...

All great info and thanks for all the input guys! I was warming up to the Shuttle 9.2 till I saw your note - any big reason (or features or lack of) you don't like about the Shuttle 9.2 or is it just that there is so much more shaping on the Max model???
 
#9
B-string said:
Can't vote as the only one I have had experience with is the MarkBass LM 800 tube, which I can honestly say I despise to it's fullest degree. Even after asking and implementing EQ suggestions it is just not there.
Click to expand...

Yeah, it is strange. I again LOVE the LMII/III and the F1 and especially the F500, but just could NOT get the 800 series (I owned an LMTube800 for one afternoon:D, and an SD800 for about a year) dialed in. Strange low end... bloomy and flubby to my ear, and a really spikey upper midrange response. This was very clear when comparing the SD800 to other amps in many GTG's.

If you don't need massive power, the LMII/III is still an 'industry changer' (really the first 'affordable' high powered SMPS amp), and sounds warm and even and beautiful. The 800 Series, to my ear, not so much. Must be very different hi passing and I don't know what, since the F1/F500 is also class D, and sounds even, warm, full, and punchy. Can't quite understand what the deal is.

Of course, others dig the 800 series, so pure IMO there.
 
#10
mikecd1 said:
All great info and thanks for all the input guys! I was warming up to the Shuttle 9.2 till I saw your note - any big reason (or features or lack of) you don't like about the Shuttle 9.2 or is it just that there is so much more shaping on the Max model???
Click to expand...

Yeah, maybe a bit too harsh. Let me rephrase that I REALLY like the Max 9.2 because it adds an additional semi-parametric midrange and variable voicing filters (versus the Shuttle 'all or nothing' filters. The Shuttle 9.2 is a fine amp, but I greatly prefer the Max 9.2. If money were not an issue, the GKMBF800 and Max 9.2 would be a 'tie', with the Shuttle 9.2 a somewhat distant second.

Pure IMO. Yes, the Max 9.2 is quite a lot bigger, but only 8 pounds or so!

However, if size was key, the Shuttle 9.2 would handle most any gig you could throw at it.
 
#11
No disrespect to the other candidates (which I've only tried and never owned) but I love the GK MB Fusion. I don't have the 800, I have the 500, but I expect they sound tonally similar. It has the GK signature sound at its heart (most folks either like that sound or not), and it adds to that a great tubey warmth like I've never heard from a GK before (I still need to tame its potentially stilletto-like highs, but that's how you know it's a GK :)).

The boost (B) channel can be set loud like a typical GK boost channel, but by cranking the gain relative to the main (A) channel, the B-channel can also add a really nice footswitchable grind. This not so subtle overdrive that has allowed me to retire my outboard OD pedal for now. Extreme sounds will still require a pedal board.

I've never even gotten near the 500's max volume & punch, but I'm sure the headroom of the 800 is a nice feature. It has a few nice hi-tech refinements as well. ...an easy vote for me.
 
#12
I use a Genz Benz Streamliner 900. Love it w/head room to spare. Tone for years. Great mids, highs, and more DEEP lows than anything on this list (plus a low filter/high-pass filter for the deepest stuff to preserve both amp and speaker and give a tad more headroom). Anyway I still have to roll off some lows almost always.
 
#17
B-string said:
Can't vote as the only one I have had experience with is the MarkBass LM 800 tube, which I can honestly say I despise to it's fullest degree. Even after asking and implementing EQ suggestions it is just not there.
Click to expand...

Well I have to say I agree with B-string. (not to be confused with B String)
Just like Kjung I've also been a Markbass fan. I even have two F500's as my main amps, but the LMT800 was just not right....no, it sucked big time. That, plus the fact that you can't bypass the preamp using your Sansamp. Everything goes through the preamp.
For tone shaping it would certainly be the GK or the Genz. Both very good heads.
 
#18
B String said:
Well I have to say I agree with B-string. (not to be confused with B String)
Just like Kjung I've also been a Markbass fan. I even have two F500's as my main amps, but the LMT800 was just not right....no, it sucked big time. That, plus the fact that you can't bypass the preamp using your Sansamp. Everything goes through the preamp.
For tone shaping it would certainly be the GK or the Genz. Both very good heads.
Click to expand...

Thanks B String, B-String :D
 

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