Get a tech 21 sans amp di. Use the fat tube setting and youbhave the best of both worlds. Light weight, fat warm sound. I have the traveler 210 and 115. I prefer the 115 alone and the 210 and 115 for larger venues.
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Not Happy with My New Markbass Rig
- Thread starter Dbassmon
- Start date
+100 for the VT Bass with the LMIII.
I gig with an LMIII, MB104HF(4 ohm) and a Tech21 VT Bass pedal. I tend to use the VT for more colored rock tones and straight through for pop/funk stuff. This combination will go very loud and do almost any tone, and whilst the LMIII EQ is fairly straightforward, it is still very flexible and playing with the VPF/VLE filters takes some time to get the best out of it. The 104HF is the best MB cab I've played to date, both the 112 and 210 combos I tried lacked enough power for loud rock on their own, but with DI should be fine.
I gig with an LMIII, MB104HF(4 ohm) and a Tech21 VT Bass pedal. I tend to use the VT for more colored rock tones and straight through for pop/funk stuff. This combination will go very loud and do almost any tone, and whilst the LMIII EQ is fairly straightforward, it is still very flexible and playing with the VPF/VLE filters takes some time to get the best out of it. The 104HF is the best MB cab I've played to date, both the 112 and 210 combos I tried lacked enough power for loud rock on their own, but with DI should be fine.
My experience was with the 4x10" standard cabinet, however I just has occasion to play through the new Club 102 cab, and it sounded killer. Really clear and big sounding. STUPID light weight too.
Here is the resolution is to this Markbass dissatisfaction, the LMIII sounds great, tried the LM tube version, a little cloudy, very compressed, sounded very good but I am keeping the LMIII, much more transparent sounding.
I tried a single 15 Standard 150 and the Standard 102HF front ported. They both sounded so much better that the 102P Traveler. To my ears that 102p is not acceptable.The traveler seriously falls off at around 200-250 Hz lots of low mids, no lows...
I decided on the 102HF 4 ohm version, I liked the character of the midrange a little better. Either of these cabinets had real low end to them.
I think I am gonna like this rig.
I only read throught the first page, but the 210 traveller is a really small cabinet. Try out it's bigger brother, 102HF it is called believe. Sounds much bigger.
Personally I do not like Markbass amps much, but I do like the cabinets. I'd get the 102HF, if it weren't so expensive.
EDIT: Ah, you already got there
Personally I do not like Markbass amps much, but I do like the cabinets. I'd get the 102HF, if it weren't so expensive.
EDIT: Ah, you already got there
That will do it. As many have said, that 102P is just too small of a box. That 4ohm 102HF is a very nice sounding 210. Cool! Great rig!
If a dealer near you has them try the LMIII with some Bergatino cabinets. Should be a world of difference from the MB's. I like the HT112ER but it's not as light as a Neo cab. But the lighter Berg cabs are worth trying as well.
I have a MB NY cab, and it definitely has it's own sound. The speakers seem to favor the midrange tones, but it has great projection and doesn't fart out even when driven to the max. I think most cabs have a certain amount of their own personality, and it's a matter of personal taste.
I have a 102P. They perhaps are not the ideal stand alone cab for all circumstances (although I find they sound nice with EUB or a Precision strung with TI flats) they do sound really good with a STD102HF or one of the Markbass 15's.
In a pair however, they really come alive with excellent percussive low end and more "air" to them.
As a stand alone small cab I've just bought a Club 121 which I am really happy with
.
Can't emphasise this enough - lucky I read about this stuff here before I went shopping.
LM Tube, Club102 and Club151 sounds average at home whereas my Ampeg sounded brilliant indoors.
Playing loud with a band the Ampeg disappeared while the MB set flat is right allowing heaps of variance either way.
I've been playing since '66 and I don't overrate Markbass at all.
On the other hand 9/10 YouTube clips I listen too have bean-can pingy bass sounds. Trendy I guess.
I'm really glad I found this thread because I've been unhappy with my Littlemark III and Traveller 151P as well and I would really appreciate some advice from more experienced players, please.
I'm playing an American Standard 'P' with La Bella FS flats through the Littlemark and Traveller 151 P rear ported cab.
I'm really struggling to get the sound I want: the full, warm, deep, well-rounded 60's/70's Country Music thing you hear on the likes of Kris Kristofferson/Glen Campbell/Charlie Pride, etc.
The rear-ported 15" Traveller is very punchy and very clear, but not really close to what I want.
My question is 2-fold really.
I've got the chance to buy the now discontinued Markbass Standard Front Ported 151 HF or, alternatively, buy an altogether different make of 15" cab to go with my Littlemark.
Can anybody tell me whether there will be any great difference between the sound of my Traveler and the Standard 151 HF and whether it will be worth the investment?
The 2nd part of my question is really whether I would be better off getting a completely different cab (either 1x15" or 2x15") from someone like Mesa or Ampeg or Aguilar, etc? If so, what would serve me best for this warm, full, rounded, deep Country 'old-school', vintage sound I want?
Seidler (and a few others I've seen) talk about this Tech 21 Sansamp Bass Driver DI. I'd never heard of this until today, but I gather it's some kind of vintage amp emulator?? Could anyone please explain this to me and how I would use it?
Also, do Markbass (and all) cabs need to be 'broken-in', before they sound their best?
Thanks everyone and apologies if this in any way deflects from the original post.
I'm playing an American Standard 'P' with La Bella FS flats through the Littlemark and Traveller 151 P rear ported cab.
I'm really struggling to get the sound I want: the full, warm, deep, well-rounded 60's/70's Country Music thing you hear on the likes of Kris Kristofferson/Glen Campbell/Charlie Pride, etc.
The rear-ported 15" Traveller is very punchy and very clear, but not really close to what I want.
My question is 2-fold really.
I've got the chance to buy the now discontinued Markbass Standard Front Ported 151 HF or, alternatively, buy an altogether different make of 15" cab to go with my Littlemark.
Can anybody tell me whether there will be any great difference between the sound of my Traveler and the Standard 151 HF and whether it will be worth the investment?
The 2nd part of my question is really whether I would be better off getting a completely different cab (either 1x15" or 2x15") from someone like Mesa or Ampeg or Aguilar, etc? If so, what would serve me best for this warm, full, rounded, deep Country 'old-school', vintage sound I want?
Seidler (and a few others I've seen) talk about this Tech 21 Sansamp Bass Driver DI. I'd never heard of this until today, but I gather it's some kind of vintage amp emulator?? Could anyone please explain this to me and how I would use it?
Also, do Markbass (and all) cabs need to be 'broken-in', before they sound their best?
Thanks everyone and apologies if this in any way deflects from the original post.
I'll be trying the F500/GS212 combo this weekend on two gigs with a 9 piece funk/R&B group. With my AG500 I'm always bumping the mids/treble and things tend to get muddy, a little better with the LMII, so I'm hoping the F500 with the fancy mid control will do the trick. A little weary about the GS212 mid-scoop, but we'll see what happens...
it'll go deeper with the low end, but it's still going to have typical markbass characteristics. better? yes. will it be your thing? maybe.
better off is subjective. really, only you can answer that. you can eq a cab to make it sound pretty much like whatever you want, but some do make it easier than others.
plug it in between your bass and amp, and turn knobs to taste. it's a vintage amp emulator with clean and overdrive, somewhat favoring the ampeg side of things. personally i like the sansamp vt much better because it does a really good ampeg imitation, but with an lm3, if all you work with is a clean sound, i might not bother with it, since i've always found the little marks to sound pretty darn ampeg tubey on their own.
all cabs need to be broken in before they sound their best.
I just traded in my SWR 4x10, SWR Big Ben 18 and Hartke bi-amp head for Markbass gear. Like many people wanted less weight and small gear, but still a big sound. I picked up the Markbass CMD-102p and the standard 151HR. I play a Schecter with active emg's p/j pickups. My lows are clean and the highs are also right there. I run all the eq at 12. I must say to guys looking into getting markbass gear that the guitar I use or used makes a difference. My schecter and fender p-bass(passive) sound great with this set up. I was in GC a month after I had this gear to kill some time and was playing around with the CDM-102p. I used a new schecter with p/j pickups and it sound really bad. I picked up a new fender p-bass and it sound great. So maybe the guitar makes a difference also. Take your bass guitar in and try that with the Markbass gear.
Regardingthe tech 21 sans amp. Yesl it is a tube emulator ofnsorts. Actually it has the ability to emulate not only tube amps but actual rigs. Ie svt and 810' etc. S they say. A i. Know is that i use what tech 21 calls the fat tube setting and i completely changes the sound of he mark bass heads to wha i call the perfect bass rig sound. My favorite sound, no talking jus volume here, bu actual bass sound. Warm, with some grit, lots of head room, etc is teh svt classic or fender/sunn 300 watt pro all tube heads with a 215 cabinet. I am not a fan of 10" speakers. Again i know 410 or 810 can sound nice, but a 215 just is what i call bass. With the lmiii or lmiii or even my genz benz 900 you just do not get that sound. I do no care what setting or cabinet you use. Get a sans amp tech 21 and wahoo. Your search for the holy grail is over. I read about i and got one just on a hope it was true. (i would say more pros list in there bio than any other single piece of equip other than a p bass). I am to old to carry a bigtube rig around and in most club situations that is just stupid. I am not sure jow they do it because i have never heard or heard of any ss amp havin this kind of sound. What some enterprising amp manufacturer (is mb listening) does not lliscense the sans amp circui is beyond me. I you have never heard or played through one do not comment until you do. Now i is basically a di box with knobs. I do not even pla with them. I use (they have about 20 or so suggested settings) just one, the fat tube setting. You plug your bass to the input and the 1/4" output to your amp. Or you can bypass your preamp as you can with the lm3 using the bypass on the back panel and therefore using the sans amp as a preamp. Leave your amp settings flat. Vle and vlf off. If you go through the normal bass input on your amp keep your gain pretty low as the sans amp is pretty hot. Then you can also take the xlr out on the sans amp direct to a pa. What is really really cool is you can not take an amp at all and go bass to sans amp to pa as long as your pa has good subs and get the same great sound. I know that sans amp makes a head and have never played or heard one, but how they got it down this good under the average players radar is beyond me. I guess retailers like selling us expensive suff rather than a 200.00 sans amp. Do not take my word for it go out and try one. I am telling you, you will smile. And so moves on the lighter rig brigade. Also with no expensive heavy unreliable tube stuff lug around how can you not be smiling.
And NO i do not, never have, worked for, known anyone who works for, etc. Sans amp. This is a real world working bassist endorsement. I have 2 of them by the way. The std mode and the one that has the ability to save 3 presets of settings. Save your money get the std one. I printed a sticker and stuck it in the bottom with the fat tube knob settings that i douboe check before a gig. I also use a power supply rather than worry about batteries.
Sincerely, Crabfat Slim
Sincerely, Crabfat Slim
I just added the MB 115 Traveler to my MB Taverler 210 with my LMII head and it sounds deep and smooth. It's a personal preference. For portabilaty and sound this little rig kicks.
- Mar 29, 2010
- 135
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- Disclosures
- Designer and founder of "The Board" https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Board/716552605119644?ref=br_tf
Im going to go and get the VTBass pedal today aswell for my Markbass rig.
As i described in my thread - MB stuff can sound tremendous just would like to get that "Tubey" sound and im giving Sansamp a chance here cause otherwise MB sounded better than anything else I could buy from my local store.
That said there is a Mesa 400+ on the way (not to replace my MB Little rocker head but to come in as a toy I can play "Big Tubes" with.
Im really hoping that the VTBass will make the difference. As far as loudness goes my rig can tear down walls and shatter eyeballs also i like the fact that it can produce "Cliff Burton" sound all by itself and stays articulate just need that 5-15% of tubyness at my fingertips also probably would get the deluxe model cause It would be cool to incorporate few different settings into my sound.
Thats what im using:
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As i described in my thread - MB stuff can sound tremendous just would like to get that "Tubey" sound and im giving Sansamp a chance here cause otherwise MB sounded better than anything else I could buy from my local store.
That said there is a Mesa 400+ on the way (not to replace my MB Little rocker head but to come in as a toy I can play "Big Tubes" with.
Im really hoping that the VTBass will make the difference. As far as loudness goes my rig can tear down walls and shatter eyeballs also i like the fact that it can produce "Cliff Burton" sound all by itself and stays articulate just need that 5-15% of tubyness at my fingertips also probably would get the deluxe model cause It would be cool to incorporate few different settings into my sound.
Thats what im using:
[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]
