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New Carvin Micro bass combo amps!

#141
Somehow got too much coffee into myself this morning, got curious regarding what the MB's amp section would sound like running only an Avatar B212 (rather than that plus the MB's internal speaker). So I yanked the driver again, disconnected the tweeter, wrapped up the cables and shoved them behind the foam padding, connected the B212 to the external speaker jack, powered up, and...

*BOOM!*

Just kidding. Powered up, passed the pre-flight check (pilot light successfully went from red to blue), started playing, and... WOW. This head all on its own is a sleeper. I couldn't crank the volume too much, but I'll be able to when I'm at rehearsal this afternoon.

I've never heard my B212 sound better. It sounds fast, tight, "immediate," and very clean. Only EQ I'm using is a slight boost at around 80 Hz with the parametric to add in a little "dance kick." No contour (scoop), no bass, no treble.

I'll report back later after I've had a chance to wring out this combination, but so far my gut feeling tells me Carvin's leaving money on the table by not productizing this head as a standalone orderable item. And making a preamp-only version of it, too, as I've already suggested elsewhere.
 
#142
Well, the results were mixed. The little amp was able to get loud, but the problem was we were in a VERY high-ceilinged garage (used for large-truck lettering), with NO sound-absorbent material. Worst room I've ever played in. So no matter how loud I cranked the thing, all I was doing was bouncing bass notes all over the place and creating a muddy "wash" of sound. In other words, it was a poor setting in which to make a judgment call. I was running my "Sick Ric" (bridge pickup wired directly to the output jack, no tone/volume controls in the circuit). On the amp I had the volume all the way up but the drive all the way down. Little bit of boost at about 80, otherwise flat, same as earlier today in my practice room.

The amp ran only warm, but again the 15" was missing from the cab so that probably helped. Stayed running even though at times I was REALLY loud and well into the fart zone (not sure if it was the amp or the twelves giving up). Wish I'd had a better room to play loud in.

Well, there it is. Inconclusive, but one thing's for sure: the amp on its own into a pair of good twelves CAN keep up with two guitarists, a pedal steel, and a moderately loud drummer. I might try it again in two weeks at a party -- 28x30 room with 75-100 people expected. That will be a more-realistic test. Might bring a second B212 to that one so I'm running more cone area AND at four ohms.
 
#143
I was in San Diego and played all 3 Carvin combos. I have also played the GK combos and like them very much also. At 399.00, the Carvin 15" combo and the GK 15" combo are tops-in-class. Basically pro amps at rehearsal amp price. The Carvin can power an 8ohm extension for a nice 250w mini-stack. That's an advantage IMO. The GK is easier to dial in, which to some is an advantage but to others means it's a less versatile eq section. Many people don't realize that cutting certain frequencies, as you boost volume, is the key to obtaining good tone and running the amp efficiently. The sound you like playing alone in many cases will be different than the sound you dial up trying to hear yourself with a full band too.

My new Microbass 10" combo is being covered in blue, I should get it sometime next week.

The Carvin 12" 3-way is a killer little amp by the way.
 
#144
craig.p said:
Well, the results were mixed. The little amp was able to get loud, but the problem was we were in a VERY high-ceilinged garage (used for large-truck lettering), with NO sound-absorbent material. Worst room I've ever played in. So no matter how loud I cranked the thing, all I was doing was bouncing bass notes all over the place and creating a muddy "wash" of sound. In other words, it was a poor setting in which to make a judgment call. I was running my "Sick Ric" (bridge pickup wired directly to the output jack, no tone/volume controls in the circuit). On the amp I had the volume all the way up but the drive all the way down. Little bit of boost at about 80, otherwise flat, same as earlier today in my practice room.

The amp ran only warm, but again the 15" was missing from the cab so that probably helped. Stayed running even though at times I was REALLY loud and well into the fart zone (not sure if it was the amp or the twelves giving up). Wish I'd had a better room to play loud in.

Well, there it is. Inconclusive, but one thing's for sure: the amp on its own into a pair of good twelves CAN keep up with two guitarists, a pedal steel, and a moderately loud drummer. I might try it again in two weeks at a party -- 28x30 room with 75-100 people expected. That will be a more-realistic test. Might bring a second B212 to that one so I'm running more cone area AND at four ohms.
Click to expand...

I plan on running my new MB10 both standalone and on top of my Dr. Bass cab(s). I have a DB 12" sub (no tweeter) which would probably be an ideal pairing with the combo, but I also have a DB 1260 3-way cab which may sound great also. We shall see... :ninja:
 
#145
I was curious whether having to be so aggressive with the tone controls to get a balanced sound was due more to the tiny unvented box or to the amp electronics. So, I connected an ancient 1x15 vented Peavey cab with its original square-magnet driver. YIKES. Sub-terror. I mean, MASSIVE deep bass. So yeah, this amp's leanness is due entirely to the box. But I guess that shouldn't have been a surprise, since this amp's barely large enough to contain its driver.
Click to expand...

Yep! When hooking up my Avatar 1x12 to the MB15 ..... I had to roll some bass off!
 
#146
I was hoping to post a photo of my Carvin MB10 with its new LeCover (www.lecover.com/), but my photo file size is too large. Just got the cover the other day. $27.95 plus shipping. Great cover! I got the non-padded version. My sixth LeCover.

I have now played the MB10 at a couple of sandwich shops, a school gymnasium and a banquet hall.

At the sandwich shops, I play with a friend who does class rock, oldies, eighties, standards....a wide variety of stuff...he plays an acoustic through a Fender Acoustasonic. The first time he heard the MB10, he looked at me and commented on how great it sounded. No, it doesn't sound like a big box or bigger speaker, but it definitely lets you know there's a bass in the house. A pleasure to listen to and great at Potbelly.

At the school gym, I was playing with an acoustic band that does old timey Appalachian music, and was sending my signal into a PA. My amp was plenty loud as a monitor and with the PA, was fine.

At the banquet hall, my rock and roll friend used my MB10 to play background music for the partygoers until he had his PA set up. It was great. Just turned down the bass and turned up the treble.

Again, with PA backup, the amp did its job fine.

As others have reported, using a second cabinet magnifies the sound. The amp has a lot of features for the money.
 
#147
I received my MB10 in blue just the other night. What a great little amp. My Ibanez ATK750K sounds amazing thru this thing, so do my Spector Euro and Ric.
I have yet to hook it my to my Dr. Bass cab(s). I live in a condo though so the combo by itself already shakes the walls.
 
#148
Ever the tinkerer, I swapped the speakers in the Carvin (PS15) and my '70s 1x15 Peavey cab (original square-magnet job). The PS15 in the Peavey cab sounds really peaky in the upper bass, it sounds like the low bass has dropped off, and the midrange has become aggressive. On the other hand, the square-magnet job from the Peavey, installed in the MB15, has tamed this micro's glaring midrange and has added a little bottom end to the sound. It's subtle, but it's definitely there. (Keep in mind that the Peavey speaker is 35 years old and has never been re-coned, so it may not be representative of one that's been recently re-coned.)

Run together this way, the MB and the Peavey cab sound a little more-balanced in terms of tone. You don't get that sense of "only bass from the Peavey cab and only midrange from the MB15" any more.

Would anyone in the audience notice? Nah. I just had a half hour to kill so I tried it.

I'm not en enclosure designer, but I have to wonder what the MB would sound like with a driver that had a really floppy suspension -- like an acoustic-suspension driver. The enclosure seems small enough and tight enough to provide the air spring. But I don't even know if you can get such a driver today. They all seem to be geared toward reflex or IB use.
 
#149
Second try. I had to scan a photo to get the file size small enough. This is what my MB10 looks like with it's new LeCover.

Stylish, yet functional. I'm ready to rock.
 

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#150
Carvin.B4 said:
I can't show up at a low volume (and mainly acoustic) event with my Carvin PB 100 15. The Carvin MB 10 may be an answer to the problem.
Click to expand...

Try swapping out the PB100 head for a BX500 head. It fits exactly. I have two older Carvin combos. One is the PB100-10 and the other is a PB100-15. The BX500 sounds very nice in both, and has a lot more power for those combo gigs that need a bit more than 100 watts.
 
#151
MichaelVee said:
Try swapping out the PB100 head for a BX500 head. It fits exactly. I have two older Carvin combos. One is the PB100-10 and the other is a PB100-15. The BX500 sounds very nice in both, and has a lot more power for those combo gigs that need a bit more than 100 watts.
Click to expand...

I pulled out the old PB100-15 today because a friend wants to buy it and I have too many amps and basses. I cleaned it up and plugged in the Godin Freeway with a fresh set of Carvin nickel strings. DANG!! Sounds good, I forgot what a solid combo it was. Oh yeah, the Carvin strings are made by LaBella, very nice strings.
 
#152
So these micro amps intrigued me enough to sell my $600 Fender 250 combo (for $300) and give em a go. Was on the fence for a while w either these or the GKs. Went with GK because of the added wattage and ability to neatly stack a 2X10 on top of a 15. Used them at one rehearsal, immediately regretted selling the Fender, returned the amp and cab the next day.

Still want one of these though but have to get settled with the fact that it's going to be for a practice amp only, and the occasional acoustic gig. Why am I posting this? Not sure. Trying to talk myself either into it, or out of it. :) A little part of me is dreaming that I'll be able to take it to a small club and have it hold it's own with a loud drummer and a marshall, but I know I'm kidding myself. I'm pretty convinced that the only way I'm ever going to get sound I like is with a cabinet that has some heft to it. Been through my share of neos... but these things are so damn cute.... and I love my bx500... and money in my pocket is always on fire.... sheeesh....

gonna hold off a little longer. just venting to cool the cash a bit. pay me no mind.

anyone do a gig/volume comparison of these with the GKs yet?
 
#155
Joe Nerve said:
So these micro amps intrigued me enough to sell my $600 Fender 250 combo (for $300) and give em a go. Was on the fence for a while w either these or the GKs. Went with GK because of the added wattage and ability to neatly stack a 2X10 on top of a 15. Used them at one rehearsal, immediately regretted selling the Fender, returned the amp and cab the next day.

Still want one of these though but have to get settled with the fact that it's going to be for a practice amp only, and the occasional acoustic gig. Why am I posting this? Not sure. Trying to talk myself either into it, or out of it. :) A little part of me is dreaming that I'll be able to take it to a small club and have it hold it's own with a loud drummer and a marshall, but I know I'm kidding myself. I'm pretty convinced that the only way I'm ever going to get sound I like is with a cabinet that has some heft to it. Been through my share of neos... but these things are so damn cute.... and I love my bx500... and money in my pocket is always on fire.... sheeesh....

gonna hold off a little longer. just venting to cool the cash a bit. pay me no mind.

anyone do a gig/volume comparison of these with the GKs yet?
Click to expand...

In my opinion you would be able to hear yourself quite well with the MB12 and MB15 when jamming with a loud drummer and guitars. I'm even going to try jamming with the MB10 all by itself to see how it does. By using a combination of the EQ (boosting low mids, lowering the bass) and the compressor I don't see a problem hearing the amp because it gets LOUD without breaking up. It won't have the girth of my PB100-15 (of course) but it has more power and gets LOUD.
The MB15 is a very transparent 15" combo because it's powerful and doesn't color the tone with big ports and cab size. The MB12 has the advantage of the midrange driver plus the 12" speaker is angled down, which gives it more girth in some situations but not in others. A 3-way, 15" combo would be nice, especially with tilt-back casters and wheels. Maybe someday.
 

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