- Apr 3, 2003
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New Markbass LMII
- Thread starter BobKos
- Start date
Peter Murray
Commercial User
- Dec 13, 2005
- 627
- 80
- Disclosures
- Marketing and artist relations for Xvive (ex-Markbass, ex-Supro, ex-Pigtronix)
The true secret of Markbass cabs, in my opinion, is CLARITY.
When you are getting a clear sound from the cabinet, you don't need to be as loud to cut through.
Loud mud is just more mud.
That means that yes, many people find they get more out of small Markbass cabs than they might from larger "other" cabs.
You will not understand the clarity factor until you use the cabinets live, and I still read people voicing pretty strong opinions on cabinets they have never used live.
Markbass cabs, like any cabs, are not for everyone. But do yourself a favor and find out what it is, by trying it in the context you are considering buying it for.
The OP of this thread has testified to the importance of trying the amp out of the store--the cabs are the same.
Greetings from smoggy Beijing!
Peter
Peter Murray
Commercial User
- Dec 13, 2005
- 627
- 80
- Disclosures
- Marketing and artist relations for Xvive (ex-Markbass, ex-Supro, ex-Pigtronix)
It's probably my favorite.
I think it's our most "hi-fi" sounding cab--the 10s are more aggressive and cutting in the upper mids, and the 15s have a warmer low-mid emphasis that is great if that's what you like to hear. But the 121H...
I better stop now lest I gush inappropriately.
I own a Lm II with two 121h cabs stacked. I have the old version. The new version is a bit larger to stack with bigger mb cabs. Since mine are both the 121hs they stack perfect.
I love my rig. It's a very versatile stack. As someone said, it will never replace an ampeg fridge, but I believe it wasn't made to do that. On the other hand, it does give a sweet bass tone. It can be very fat without getting boomy. That's what's amazing about this set.That's a big advantage of these cabs stacked. With using only one cab I have a very usable mini-rig that weighs about less than 18kg/39.6lbs. I can honestly say that I have been gas-free since I bought this rig. I can not say this about my basses, though I'm very happy with them...
That's maybe true, but I still wouldn't call it Hi-fi. I would rather call it versatile. I can get Hifi tones out of it, but it can sound very vintage. A real hifi cab to me is more mid-scooped and not able to do tones that are very close to vintage ons.
Happy birthday to my Markbass LMII!
I've had it exactly one year and it's worked perfectly and sounds great. The LMII is so light that I don't mind hauling it around. I've used it for steady weekend gigging, I take it to practice and also use it on sundays for playing in church. I've got an old laptop case that fits it perfectly so it's a breeze to carry it aound. Did I mention it sounds GREAT?!!
I've had it exactly one year and it's worked perfectly and sounds great. The LMII is so light that I don't mind hauling it around. I've used it for steady weekend gigging, I take it to practice and also use it on sundays for playing in church. I've got an old laptop case that fits it perfectly so it's a breeze to carry it aound. Did I mention it sounds GREAT?!!
I think there are VERY few 2x10's out there that would impress me by themselves with ANY bass amp. I'm wondering what your thoughts would have been if you had tried it out at the store through both a Markbass 2x10 and 1x15 cabinet. Hell, even just through a Markbass 1x15 alone...
"Pretty" sounding in the bedroom doesn't always translate to pretty sounding on the gig. I've used Markbass 12's and 15's on the gig and they do an extraordinary job of cutting through the mix. However, with a couple of tweaks, they can also fill the mix with a nice blooming low end. I do think Markbass cabs get a bad rap, but usually from people who have only played them on the floor of GC. Take them out on a gig and you may be surprised.
I have a LMII head and a single 121H traveller cab (again, the older version), and I am more than happy with them both.
I find the cab to be the perfect comprimise between bass heavy 1x15"s and top/mid heavy 10"s without needing a stack to combine them both. Essentially a mini stack tone in a single cab, more or less. Also, much, much easier to transport!
Whilst it's not the most throaty sounding combo (which is a sound I like), it is super versatile and easy to tweak. I don't have to spend ages tweaking a parametric eq to find "that sound", the eq frequencies are pretty much spot on. A lot of the time I don't need to touch them as the cab has a very neutral sound, but a few tweaks are often necessary depending on the room.
On the other subject about 300w being room filling, I played a pub gig at the weekend, in a fairly large venue bar to roughly 200 people. I was told my bass sounded really tight, punchy and clear, without being boomy or muddy. My brother who is a guitarist and was in the audience couldn't believe the sound and volume that came out of such a small rig.
This was along side 2 guitarists (100w amp each), singist and drummer who thinks he's the rightful heir to keith moon
Oh, and my master volume was barely on a third of the way up.
Admittedly it wouldn't compete with an ampeg 8x10 cab, but it's not meant to. But if I do need more volume or projection then I'll make use of the PA. Why should I cart around more gear than necessary when there's a 1500w PA at hand? Besides, it sounds a lot better at big gigs when nearly everything is going through the PA rather than soley backline, it's a lot friendlier on your ears too!
I find the cab to be the perfect comprimise between bass heavy 1x15"s and top/mid heavy 10"s without needing a stack to combine them both. Essentially a mini stack tone in a single cab, more or less. Also, much, much easier to transport!
Whilst it's not the most throaty sounding combo (which is a sound I like), it is super versatile and easy to tweak. I don't have to spend ages tweaking a parametric eq to find "that sound", the eq frequencies are pretty much spot on. A lot of the time I don't need to touch them as the cab has a very neutral sound, but a few tweaks are often necessary depending on the room.
On the other subject about 300w being room filling, I played a pub gig at the weekend, in a fairly large venue bar to roughly 200 people. I was told my bass sounded really tight, punchy and clear, without being boomy or muddy. My brother who is a guitarist and was in the audience couldn't believe the sound and volume that came out of such a small rig.
This was along side 2 guitarists (100w amp each), singist and drummer who thinks he's the rightful heir to keith moon
Oh, and my master volume was barely on a third of the way up.Admittedly it wouldn't compete with an ampeg 8x10 cab, but it's not meant to. But if I do need more volume or projection then I'll make use of the PA. Why should I cart around more gear than necessary when there's a 1500w PA at hand? Besides, it sounds a lot better at big gigs when nearly everything is going through the PA rather than soley backline, it's a lot friendlier on your ears too!
I use the mb cmd 121p combo (LM II head is in it) with a 121h traveler cab underneath...very full sound with electric and upright. The 121h cab is is round and warm without losing clarity. I like em...
I have (2) 121Hs and a CMD 121H. The prettiness that everybody is talking about is actually "holes" in the frequency spectrum. 1.2k doesn't sound good, but if you want to faithfully reproduce an instrument you need it, not to mention those dips in cabinets affect nearby frequencies too. If you want to hear yourself clearly on stage, you need a cabinet like markbass; however, there are other cabs on the market that do it too. If your EQ is flat, and your cab sounds pretty, look elsewhere if you plan on hearing yourself.
I did a similar tryout Sunday at GC also with the LMII. I liked the MB 610 cab, nice and full and rounded, but I didn't care for their 410 or 210. It's been like the third time I've tryed this rig out in the store. I plugged into a GK 410 NEO and it sounded good with that.
I have a question though for you guys, was it just my ears or does the F1 have a different tone than the LMII? The LMII seems to have a little more mids edginess to it, the F1 being more even and rounded. I used both with those two filters, VLE or whatever, in the off position.
Any thoughts on that?
I have a question though for you guys, was it just my ears or does the F1 have a different tone than the LMII? The LMII seems to have a little more mids edginess to it, the F1 being more even and rounded. I used both with those two filters, VLE or whatever, in the off position.
Any thoughts on that?
The 121H is probably my favourite too.
I've been tempted to chop in my 102P and 102hf for a pair of the 12" cabs although the 10s do sound perfect combined (especially in the mix).
The 102P can be a little harsh sounding by itself until the band chimes in and then the quality of the tone shines through. I've also tried this cab with the new Traveller 151P and they go together really well too.
If I'm just using one cab now I tend to use the 102hf which I find less spiky than the 102P and is loud enough to fill a room of 200 people with chest thumping lows with the volume on about 3.
I've stood out front listening to friends play using both of my cabs and master on the LM11 about 2 1/2 - 3 with an excruciatingly loud guitarist and a miked up drum kit and felt the bass at the back of the venue deep and punchy.
I do have the slightly older double ported 102hf.
I've been tempted to chop in my 102P and 102hf for a pair of the 12" cabs although the 10s do sound perfect combined (especially in the mix).
The 102P can be a little harsh sounding by itself until the band chimes in and then the quality of the tone shines through. I've also tried this cab with the new Traveller 151P and they go together really well too.
If I'm just using one cab now I tend to use the 102hf which I find less spiky than the 102P and is loud enough to fill a room of 200 people with chest thumping lows with the volume on about 3.
I've stood out front listening to friends play using both of my cabs and master on the LM11 about 2 1/2 - 3 with an excruciatingly loud guitarist and a miked up drum kit and felt the bass at the back of the venue deep and punchy.
I do have the slightly older double ported 102hf.
I paired my LMII with two 121H cabs. With one it was ok. With the second it really opened things up and rocks hard!
I have a LMII head and a single 121H traveller cab (again, the older version), and I am more than happy with them both.
I find the cab to be the perfect comprimise between bass heavy 1x15"s and top/mid heavy 10"s without needing a stack to combine them both. Essentially a mini stack tone in a single cab, more or less. Also, much, much easier to transport!
Whilst it's not the most throaty sounding combo (which is a sound I like), it is super versatile and easy to tweak. I don't have to spend ages tweaking a parametric eq to find "that sound", the eq frequencies are pretty much spot on. A lot of the time I don't need to touch them as the cab has a very neutral sound, but a few tweaks are often necessary depending on the room.
On the other subject about 300w being room filling, I played a pub gig at the weekend, in a fairly large venue bar to roughly 200 people. I was told my bass sounded really tight, punchy and clear, without being boomy or muddy. My brother who is a guitarist and was in the audience couldn't believe the sound and volume that came out of such a small rig.
This was along side 2 guitarists (100w amp each), singist and drummer who thinks he's the rightful heir to keith moon
Admittedly it wouldn't compete with an ampeg 8x10 cab, but it's not meant to. But if I do need more volume or projection then I'll make use of the PA. Why should I cart around more gear than necessary when there's a 1500w PA at hand? Besides, it sounds a lot better at big gigs when nearly everything is going through the PA rather than soley backline, it's a lot friendlier on your ears too!
Add a second 121H like I did and you will have a full stack tone in a 75lb total package. My LMII and two 121H cabs keep up with my Ashdown MK500 and two 4x10 cabs in headroom and fullness. but the Ashdown rig weighs in at 200+ lbs.
Im taking both my MB heads back. No way can i get chest thumping bass with my 4 ohms 1210 or UL212 and master on 6, let alone in to a 8 ohms cab at less than 3. Especially if my drummer is going through the PA and im not.
There has to be something wrong with both of them
There has to be something wrong with both of them
yeah, something sounds wrong to me. Mine thumps hard.Im taking both my MB heads back. No way can i get chest thumping bass with my 4 ohms 1210 or UL212 and master on 6, let alone in to a 8 ohms cab at less than 3. Especially if my drummer is going through the PA and im not.
There has to be something wrong with both of them
