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New Carvin Micro bass combo amps!
- Thread starter BassikLee
- Start date
Funny I start looking into this cab & one pops up used for a good price
MB10 for $200. Thinking about jumping on it
I want it mainly for practicing but it could be for quiet rehearsals at church when drumming is very light.
When I do play at mass my Streamliner 900 is at 9 o'clock with a 8ohm GK NEO 115, so I'm barely pushing that. I'm wondering if the MB10 would be enough for that too?
Also I could pair it up with my GK NEO 115 8 ohm at home, just for fun
MB10 for $200. Thinking about jumping on it
I want it mainly for practicing but it could be for quiet rehearsals at church when drumming is very light.
When I do play at mass my Streamliner 900 is at 9 o'clock with a 8ohm GK NEO 115, so I'm barely pushing that. I'm wondering if the MB10 would be enough for that too?
Also I could pair it up with my GK NEO 115 8 ohm at home, just for fun
I broke down and ordered the MB10 2 days ago. Should have it Tuesday. I have been been looking for a good 250-300W, packable, small footprint amp, BUT, also a GOOD DI that is EQ-able. I think I will be happy and find BOTH in the little MB10. 
I also REALLY want to pick up a BR210 Carvin Cab and try out a 3x10" rig for small to medium gigs. I think the Sealed MB10 on top of the Ported BR210 would make a really cool sounding pair.
I also REALLY want to pick up a BR210 Carvin Cab and try out a 3x10" rig for small to medium gigs. I think the Sealed MB10 on top of the Ported BR210 would make a really cool sounding pair.
MMMmmmmm K. Ordered a Carvin BR210 Cab to go along with the MB10 I have showing up tomorrow to make my Super Little Mini Rig. Will be WEIRD being able to carry all my gear in one trip.... Will post more once it is ALL here and knocking stuff of my walls.
I've got the MB15, and I love it. I've been running a 5 string active corvette standard through it and it sounds plenty beefy, and I'm waiting on an active 5 string fretless Carvin bass to try through it. When I play with my guitarist as a duo at his place, I have to turn it WAY down because it bumps so hard...when I played with the full loud band, I brought along my B215D powered PA speaker and went direct, and it was PLENTY powerful. No phase issues than I can sense, it performed like a champ. BUT someone stole my B215D... :-(
At the 50-person-bar-gig, it also performed like a champ. I can't believe how loud it can get on its own.
SO I'm trying to decide about the extension cab...will it deliver as muscular of results as the B215D? I have a B212D (same 550w but with 12" driver instead of 15") that I'll try at the next loud jam but I have a feeling that I'll need another 15" speaker to deliver the low bump. How much of a difference would it make to extend it into a BR115-8 as opposed to the 115MB?
As a side note, I've played my microkorg through it (mostly monophonic synth stuff) and it sounded clear as a bell to my unpicky ears...
At the 50-person-bar-gig, it also performed like a champ. I can't believe how loud it can get on its own.
SO I'm trying to decide about the extension cab...will it deliver as muscular of results as the B215D? I have a B212D (same 550w but with 12" driver instead of 15") that I'll try at the next loud jam but I have a feeling that I'll need another 15" speaker to deliver the low bump. How much of a difference would it make to extend it into a BR115-8 as opposed to the 115MB?
As a side note, I've played my microkorg through it (mostly monophonic synth stuff) and it sounded clear as a bell to my unpicky ears...
So I'm giving serious thought to getting rid of my larger rig (love the sound but hate dragging it down the stairs and to venues) and going with something like these Carvin combos. I was thinking about the MB115 with the 15" extension cabinet. I play mainly blues and some classic rock. The band I'm in now doesn't play very loud and I have PA support if needed. We play small clubs/bars. Do you think the Carvin rig would be enough? Also would you recommend the MB110+115 extension over the MB115+115 extension?
Either combo will be great. If you play a 5 string, I would recommend the 2x15 over the 10/15.
For MB210 owners: what's the tone like? Can it do a nice, old-school tone with a good amount of low mids & fundamental? I'm not a huge fan of a very hi-fi sound, although I don't want all mud either. Thanks!
Past few weeks I've been running an Avatar B212 at singer auditions. Tried various amps:
- WTDI with a power amp
- BDDI with a power amp
- BL600
- BX250
Best of the bunch was the BL600.
The room is a really tough one. Lots of strikes against it:
1. Suspended ceiling (built in bass trap overhead).
2. Adjacent closet (bass trap).
3. Unused '60s Bassman cab nearby (bass trap).
4. 2 small Peavey PA speakers nearby (bass traps).
5. Room is long and narrow. I'm guessing 12'x30'.
So... Yesterday I brought in my MB15 to see what it could do. Didn't bring in the 115MB extension, just the MB15. It was a risk, but what the heck, it was just a practice. I loaded the B212 onto the truck first so it'd be a PITA to go back, i.e. so I'd have to "make it work."
Instrument: 4001 with just the bridge pickup, no controls, 25K drag resistor. (Neck pickup removed, so essentially a 4000 electrically.) Got my tone dialed in at the amp, and... WOW. That little thing killed. Everybody in the band said it was a huge improvement: loud, lots more definition/sock, but still very full-sounding, they said.
Tone settings -- hang on for this:
1. Contour 1 o'clock.
2. Drive 8.
3. Bass +10.
4. Low para 50 Hz +9.
5. High para 450 Hz -8.
6. Treble -12.
7. Master 10, but I was using an ART Tube MP as a remote volume control 'cause I was on the other side of the room from the amp & didn't feel like walking back & forth, so "who knows."
8. "Active" switch off, i.e. full gain.
We rehearse pretty loud, and this little guy did it. (Drums: old Ludwig kit with a championship weightlifter on the throne. Rhythm: Strat+Twin with D120s. Lead: Mesa 100 W with a 412 slant.)
NB the cab is lined with that Parts Express 2" foam, which does make a big difference in mid clarity and choking off wolf notes. But otherwise stock.
WinISD shows that PS15 can take about 140 in that cab before it hits Xmax (3.7). I'm guessing I was slightly overdriving it because I did hear some volume compression. But it did sound great. Any louder and the other guys would've complained.
Anyway, just another sample of what the MB15 can do all on its own, if you're not afraid to use those tone controls!
- WTDI with a power amp
- BDDI with a power amp
- BL600
- BX250
Best of the bunch was the BL600.
The room is a really tough one. Lots of strikes against it:
1. Suspended ceiling (built in bass trap overhead).
2. Adjacent closet (bass trap).
3. Unused '60s Bassman cab nearby (bass trap).
4. 2 small Peavey PA speakers nearby (bass traps).
5. Room is long and narrow. I'm guessing 12'x30'.
So... Yesterday I brought in my MB15 to see what it could do. Didn't bring in the 115MB extension, just the MB15. It was a risk, but what the heck, it was just a practice. I loaded the B212 onto the truck first so it'd be a PITA to go back, i.e. so I'd have to "make it work."
Instrument: 4001 with just the bridge pickup, no controls, 25K drag resistor. (Neck pickup removed, so essentially a 4000 electrically.) Got my tone dialed in at the amp, and... WOW. That little thing killed. Everybody in the band said it was a huge improvement: loud, lots more definition/sock, but still very full-sounding, they said.
Tone settings -- hang on for this:
1. Contour 1 o'clock.
2. Drive 8.
3. Bass +10.
4. Low para 50 Hz +9.
5. High para 450 Hz -8.
6. Treble -12.
7. Master 10, but I was using an ART Tube MP as a remote volume control 'cause I was on the other side of the room from the amp & didn't feel like walking back & forth, so "who knows."
8. "Active" switch off, i.e. full gain.
We rehearse pretty loud, and this little guy did it. (Drums: old Ludwig kit with a championship weightlifter on the throne. Rhythm: Strat+Twin with D120s. Lead: Mesa 100 W with a 412 slant.)
NB the cab is lined with that Parts Express 2" foam, which does make a big difference in mid clarity and choking off wolf notes. But otherwise stock.
WinISD shows that PS15 can take about 140 in that cab before it hits Xmax (3.7). I'm guessing I was slightly overdriving it because I did hear some volume compression. But it did sound great. Any louder and the other guys would've complained.
Anyway, just another sample of what the MB15 can do all on its own, if you're not afraid to use those tone controls!
Hmm, perhaps I should think about the MB15 too, then...
Competition for the Carvin is a GK MB115.
True dis. And I have a VT Bass to give it a pseudo Ampeg quality, should I so choose. And with my Fenders, I always so choose.
Thanks for sharing. I used this as a starting place on my new MB210, tweaked the bass back a bit, and turned it to active. Sounds great on my jazz bass.
anyone out there looking to unload their MB10 to upgrade to the 12 or 15??? im in search for the 10 but in no luck. lookingto buy outright, just thought i could help out the MB fans looking to upgrade thanks...pm me plaaaase
I just got an MB210 and while it blew away the TC Electronics BG250-208 and the MarkBass 802 I still wasn't dazzled. I toOK someone else's advice and replaced the 4 ohm Carvin PS-10's (made by Eminence I understand) with a pair of 8 ohm Basslite 2010's wired parallel for a 4 ohm load. It sounds *MUCH* better. It may even have enough goomph to gig with as is. If not I have a MarkBass 2x10 and a Carver PM300 I can run off the XLR line out. The neos in the 2010's dropped the weight to 25 pounds! The next step is to convert the external speaker outlet to a 1/8th" aux in.
