it’s actually better value to buy 2 x 500C’s @ 700W for $1200. as opposed to $1000 for 500W with 500C & Cab
The 800 & a 210 is also great value at $1300 for 800W
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Modern Combo amps
- Thread starter f'nar f'nar
- Start date
it’s actually better value to buy 2 x 500C’s @ 700W for $1200. as opposed to $1000 for 500W with 500C & Cab
The 800 & a 210 is also great value at $1300 for 800W
It's no surprise to me that the CEO is going to defend the company's cost cutting measures to move production to Asia and replace key components like the speakers for less expensive ones, and claim there isn't a difference in sound quality. But I can easily hear it. And there's lots of other people who can as well. It's the reason Markbass has lost so much popularity over the past several years (and why the Italian models are still more highly sought after on the used market). They lost many of their fans when they replaced the very high quality B&C brand speakers with their Yellow Line brand. It certainly didn't help things when they failed to inform their retailers of the change and were still advertising the use of B&Cs for years after they were no longer using them.
Your 2 cabs are different models with variables like internal volumes, like you mentioned. I am comparing apples to apples directly with the same model - old components vs. new, right in front of me. It's not a small difference, my wife was even blown away how different they sound, and how much better the Italian one is. The volume difference at which they begin to distort is undeniable also.
Markbass has every right to cut costs and manufacture their product however they wish. But as consumers, we also have every right to compare the products and call out the differences, especially when they aren't good. Honestly, the new Markbass stuff is still good IMO, just not as good as it used to be.
Have you tried this one:.... The Combo Club If they can't help you no one can...
Trust this guy...he’s as wise as he is hilarious!
It’s quite normal to name amps in this way, whether it’s a combo or a head, and no matter the manufacturer. And again, even GK rates combos like this. Look at this screenshot from the GK website:
Now, the MB 210 puts out 500 watts only with an extension cab at 4 ohms. But look how they write 500 in large black lettering and the almost indecipherable legend «@4O W/ext» in small grey lettering. What you get out of the box is 350 watts. To find that out, you actually have to read the manual.
Any combo that takes a passive extension cab works in this way. And every manufacturer that makes them, AFAIK, rate them at the higher 4 ohm rating (with extension cab), with the actual «out-of-the-box» output hidden in the small print, GK included.
The MB 212 is an exception to this rule because it uses an active extension cab. Only two mainstream manufacturers I know make combos that take active cabs, Blackstar being the other.
Whether or not this way of rating amps is misleading is hard to say. Maybe. But if so, the whole industry is doing it, so at least it’s consistent.
I'm not saying GK don't do it, I'm saying I don't like how any one does it that way. Like I said, i think it's misleading.....and yes, consistency is good (at least that's one thing).
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I don’t dispute that, but I would argue that as long as everyone does it the same way, it’s maybe a little less confusing than it would be otherwise. At any rate, watts alone is not the best indicator of actual SPL.
«Flat» is no problem with the Rumble. it’s just a question of EQ:
Fender Rumble 500 Frequencies | TalkBass.com
Modern and flexi-tone combo amp = Rumble Stage 800 combo. Case close.
To be fair, I've never heard any complaints about Markbass, pre or post Indonesia production, I've just never been a fan of seeing production shipped out to cut labor costs. Especially when it's a case of Indonesians getting just shy of $200.00 a month for most manufacturing jobs. (But It's probably better than them getting nothing.)
I have witnessed other companies that relocated manufacturing and it definitely hurt quality. That plays a small part in my choosing to try and avoid things manufactured in those areas.
Markbass amps are pretty pricey, from what I've seen. And I bet they didn't reduce their retail price by very much when they sent their production overseas.
Sorry to hear that. I've got Indo 121HR and 102P cabinets with an Italian LM3. It all sounds strong to me. I don't have the Italian cabs to compare.
I use a GK Neo 212 for pretty much all my gigs now. With my above mentioned Carvin BX700. I don't have to lug it around though cuz I'm one of those 1 in 100,000 musicians lucky enough to have raodies. And I thank them regularly for giving me those bragging rights.
Yep..... if you earn decent money and have roadies then your options open up exponentially. Tube head and 8x10 fridge, no problems!
For 95% of my playing my little Schertler B10 combo is perfect. Plenty of volume and tone in my studio and plenty of volume, with a great sounding built-in DI for FOH, for most gigs. But I really do like the rare occasions that I can let the MB212 rip!
I’ve seen a number of posts praising the MB amps for trouble free reliability and I am not discounting those endorsements. I will say, I have not had the same experiences and they turned me off from the brand. Again, I generally like what I’ve heard when others use them and they obviously stick with them for good reason but, not all of their products are created equally.
This one is on my shortlist of amps to try, does anyone else have any experience with this one? I come from a time when digital effects were pretty garbage so I am hesitant to trust them, but my understanding is that they have come a long way. I guess my issue is whether or not this amp is capable of producing a good, clean, basic bass tone. All the effects and whatnot are useful but can it excel where it matters?
That's the nub of the problem isn't it. Watts are not a measure of volume, and however many watts into a minimum of moderate price speakers is not going to deliver much spl for the watt. So the choice is either to have no extension cab which loses a hell of a lot of flexibility, or 4 ohms into 8 internal, and accept the power reduction. External powered cabs strikes me as an expensive complication, and disabling the internal cab a waste of stuff carried round on anything but the smallest.
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NOT Mesa
The Mesa Engineering WD800 has been a perfect tool paired with two Hartke HD210’s
Markbass Tube 800 was a problem for me. Was a shame because, I really liked the tone of that head.
When I tested out the GK MB212 I took along my A/B/Y pedal so I could properly A/B test the amps I had on my short list which were the GK, the Rumble 500 and the Rumble 800. I simply played while switching back and forth, played around with settings trying to get the sound I wanted with each amp.
I quickly ruled out the Rumble 500. No matter how I played with settings it always sounded like there was a blanket over it compared to the GK.
With the Rumble 800 I was able to get a lot closer to the sound I wanted however it took a lot of playing around in the menus to come across a setting I was happy with. The problem with that, and with every piece of gear I've ever used like that with a million options and the ability to save them to presets, is that at nearly every gig you set up and find that the settings you like don't translate to the stage and the room and you then have to play around in menu's trying to find the sound you want. I rarely use any effects or distortion/overdrive (occasionally a little chorus with my fretless) so all of that was just added complexity that I didn't need.
You may be very different to me and it may suit you very well but for me, the GK was easy to get the sound I like with just some EQ tweaking and that has continued to be the case no matter where I've used it..... with one exception...... I really can't get it to sound the way I like at low practice volumes in my studio, so I continue to use my trusty little Schertler B10 for all practice and rehearsals.
I have one and am happy with several of the tones the models provide. It’s a neat piece of kit, pretty much a board full of “pedals” and several “amp heads (tones)” (Bassman, Super Bassman, Rumble V3, Fender TV front, Dual Showman, Ampeg SVT & B-15NF, Hi-Watt DR103, Marshall Super Bass, vintage Orange, GK 800RB, SWR Redhead) in one easily portable combo. The Fender Tone app enables you to manage amp heads, pre- & post- effects via a tablet (or phone) and works well.
BUT, you need to COMMIT to it (and I haven’t gotten there yet). You’ll need to not just read, but really understand, the 60+ page manual. Each amp model is setup with modifiable “virtual” EQ settings to include Gains & Volumes that vary for each individual model. All are user modifiable, but getting to the point of setting them up for “your” tone is a heavy lift on the front end. Once you do that, adding pedal effects is pretty straightforward.
If you are willing to spend the time on the front end to get comfortable with the tech, I believe that one would be able to work out 4-10 amp models that would work well for your setup, then load pedal effects as desired onto each of those. But, getting there is going to take a significant investment in time. I expect to “use” maybe 3 models (one per guitar) and then switch between these with the included foot pedal as I switch instruments? We’ll see.
I bought mine as a way of being able to sample different “types” of amps (tube, clean, vintage, etc) in a much more cost effective way than cycling through heads and cabs . It has been effective for that and in the end I’m pretty sure I’ll have a few sets of combinations that would work in a gigging environment (if I get that far).
If you are looking for a “plug & play” option, the 500c would be a better fit than the Stage 800, IMO.
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