I've got a SWR Workingman's 10 that I keep thinking I'll sell but everytime I fire it up for one last time, it sounds so good I decide to keep it. I'll probably throw a Neo speaker into it to lighten it up a little. I hear this works well and also increases it's loudness a tad.
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Roland Micro Cube Bass RX
- Thread starter count_funkula
- Start date
I put a DeltaLite 2510 II from Avatar. Improved the tone and made it 6 lbs lighter. Also the 5th string sounds better but I don't get as much volume.
I have not been able to play the micromark, but am amazed every time I play with the markbass 12combo and lift it up. It weighs just a couple of pounds more than my fender musicmaster combo.
I have a workingman's ten and can you tell me more about the replacement speaker you put in it?
I have a workingman's ten and can you tell me more about the replacement speaker you put in it?
Back on the RX thread:
I put some 2700mah rechargeable Sanyo batteries in my Micro Cube Bass RX, but the battery cover fit is *very* tight. The manual says "alkaline only", and I seem to remember NI-MH batteries being slightly larger in diameter than alkaline.
Has anyone else noticed the battery cover doesn't close on rechargeables without coaxing?
Otherwise, the amp seems fine for what it does. Construction and "feel" seem good. Best not to expect too much out of 5watts. But it can give a good boost to an ABG or Upright. The price, weight, and portable battery power make it worth keeping.
The "small" size duffel from Eagle Creek fits the RX pretty well. The EC duffel is packaged in another small bag, and that one holds my power brick, extra cord, batteries, etc. I threw a piece of foam sleeping pad in for cushion. A microphone & cord also seem worth having along for a little extra boost through the PA, or to serve as a stand-alone, battery-powered, vocal PA at meetings. One of the "modeling" options is for microphone.
I wish the Markbass MicroMark was available. Even at twice the price, the MicroMark looks to be more of what I wanted.
...Lyle
I put some 2700mah rechargeable Sanyo batteries in my Micro Cube Bass RX, but the battery cover fit is *very* tight. The manual says "alkaline only", and I seem to remember NI-MH batteries being slightly larger in diameter than alkaline.
Has anyone else noticed the battery cover doesn't close on rechargeables without coaxing?
Otherwise, the amp seems fine for what it does. Construction and "feel" seem good. Best not to expect too much out of 5watts. But it can give a good boost to an ABG or Upright. The price, weight, and portable battery power make it worth keeping.
The "small" size duffel from Eagle Creek fits the RX pretty well. The EC duffel is packaged in another small bag, and that one holds my power brick, extra cord, batteries, etc. I threw a piece of foam sleeping pad in for cushion. A microphone & cord also seem worth having along for a little extra boost through the PA, or to serve as a stand-alone, battery-powered, vocal PA at meetings. One of the "modeling" options is for microphone.
I wish the Markbass MicroMark was available. Even at twice the price, the MicroMark looks to be more of what I wanted.
...Lyle
- Oct 7, 2000
- 18,619
- 38,939
- Disclosures
- Endorsing artist: Musicman basses
I'm using energizer and radio shack 2500 mah rechargables and haven't had any problem. They last a while too. I too was concerned about the "alkaline only" warning they mention more than twice.
PS. The more I use this amp, the more I'm lovin it. Never got such good and inspiring tones out of a tiny practice amp.
PS. The more I use this amp, the more I'm lovin it. Never got such good and inspiring tones out of a tiny practice amp.
The reason that they recommend alkaline batteries is the way that they discharge. Alkalines stay close to their rated voltage just about to the point that they die..........then they drop off quickly. Most other types of battery discharge in a linear fashion, meaning that they continually drop in voltage until they run out of juice. Manufacturers typically recommend alkalines for performance reasons........not safety reasons.
Someone else feel free to contest this post if you have any information that I don't.
Someone else feel free to contest this post if you have any information that I don't.
I bought the little best the other day. What can I say - I am completely satisfied. Volume goes far beyound one would expect from declared 5 watts. It does lack some low end, but volume-wise it more than enough. I expect it to overpower acoustic guitars with master on 10 o'clock. I live in a flat and don't feel comfortable runing it past that because neighbours would kill me. Sound quality isn't the best, but surprisingly good for a box this small! Funny thing about volume... I also have Behringer BXL450A - 45 watts into one 10" aluminium speaker. Something you wouldn''t expect is to both of them set on same level have comparable volume. Behringer does have more headroom and more low end. As someone already noticed, Micro cube has compression/limiter allways on and it is quite noticable with setting the gain/master high, but I didn't really expect for 5W to compete with 45W. Hehe.
But, I have one question: I bought it primary for it's capability of running on batteries. Since I already have rechargable batteries, it seems logical to use them. They are AA size, but what concernes me is, that they are declared 1.2V as opposed to the usuall 1.5V. Is it safe to use them, or I am stuck with using normal alkaline batteries??
Another question is: 4 of rechargables are 2300mAh Hama and two are 2100mAh Varta. Can I mix them? I expect Vartas to run out of juice a little quicker than Hamas, but since it is only 200mAh difference, I think that Hama batteries wouldn't mind to be recharged with a litle juice still left in them..
Goran
But, I have one question: I bought it primary for it's capability of running on batteries. Since I already have rechargable batteries, it seems logical to use them. They are AA size, but what concernes me is, that they are declared 1.2V as opposed to the usuall 1.5V. Is it safe to use them, or I am stuck with using normal alkaline batteries??
Another question is: 4 of rechargables are 2300mAh Hama and two are 2100mAh Varta. Can I mix them? I expect Vartas to run out of juice a little quicker than Hamas, but since it is only 200mAh difference, I think that Hama batteries wouldn't mind to be recharged with a litle juice still left in them..
Goran
Thangfish
...overly qualified for janitorical deployment...
The reason that they recommend alkaline batteries is the way that they discharge. Alkalines stay close to their rated voltage just about to the point that they die..........then they drop off quickly. Most other types of battery discharge in a linear fashion, meaning that they continually drop in voltage until they run out of juice. Manufacturers typically recommend alkalines for performance reasons........not safety reasons.
Someone else feel free to contest this post if you have any information that I don't.
Ok...
It's actually just the opposite.
Alkaline batteries can't maintain their rated 1.5v at all really.
This depends on the current draw, so it is worse under hard usage, not bad at all under light usage.
I don't know what the power draw for the Roland is, but I expect it's pretty heavy for AA batteries. Expect an alkaline to drop to 1.2v or less virtually immediately.
Ni-MH batteries start at a lower "rated" voltage but can maintain a much flatter discharge voltage under heavy use.
This is why that sometimes a device with a battery gauge calibrated for alkalines will give almost no warning before these die.
They also have a lower internal resistance, so they can deliver a higher instantaneous current, too.
Also, they don't care if you only discharge them partly before a recharge. No "memory" effect like Ni-Cd batteries.
It is slightly more difficult to charge them completely (without damage), so a more expensive "smart charger" is worth the money, IMO.
Their main problem is that they have a much higher self-discharge rate, so they will go dead "on the shelf", and this affects their life in low current uses... they can lose a charge almost as fast as they are being used, if the draw is low enough.
If you charge 'em and use 'em right away, they work great for high draw applications... but not so good in a flashlight that lays around for a month before it gets used... use alkalines for that.
Now having said that, there are some newer Ni-MH batteries out that are marketed as pre-charged (ready to use out of the package). These have a much lower capacity (usually around 2000ma) but actually last longer in low draw situations, and can hold a good percentage of their charge for a year!
Emergency stuff (flashlights, radios) use alkalines.
Cold weather stuff (winter, outdoor lights, radios) or stuff where a slight decrease in weight is a concern, use lithiums.
High draw stuff (amps, digital cameras, etc) use Ni-MH.
So is it 100% cool to use rechargeables with the Micro Cube Bass Rx and why does Roland say to just use alkaline? I just want to make sure its ok. I was going to purchase some of the new Rayovac Hybrids which are Ni-MH. Thanks!
Just go to Costco and buy a pack of Duracell AA's. They will last a very long time and you don't have to worry about size or something going wrong.
Battery power lasts +/- 13 hours. Without rechargeables this could become very bad deal... I suppose it depends on how often/seldom you use it on batteries.
Some people have mentioned that this amp is insufficient for busking, which is really the only reason I would consider a battery-powered amp, otherwise just plug into an outlet. Anyway, I have a Voodoo Labs Amp Selector that I use when I play guitar ;-D It's battery-powered (or can be) and in addition to the obvious allows me to run up to 4 amps at once and has a tuner output. I realize that after a point you get diminishing returns on the power/volume vs. portability spectrum, but even carrying two mini-amps seems worthwhile if it means you can be heard and have more fun/relax while playing. Just a thought, YMMV.
For those wondering if the microcube can be used with nimh
batteries, here's my experience.
I bought 12 energizer rechargeables 2450ma + a 15minute
charger specifically for the microcube.
Upon first usage, and having the gain and volume at less
than half, BUT also using the drum machine, they lasted no more
than two hours.
First I thought that there might be something wrong with
the batteries or charger.
I took them out and messured the voltage, 1.2 for all six of
them.They were not empty, in fact pretty strong. Then it hit me.
Roland does not recommend rechargeables for a reason.
The microcube is low current enough that it keeps alkalines
above 1.2 for much longer than r/c need to reach 1.2 which
they do pretty fast, even though the stay there for a lot longer.
So, from now on alkalines it is.
batteries, here's my experience.
I bought 12 energizer rechargeables 2450ma + a 15minute
charger specifically for the microcube.
Upon first usage, and having the gain and volume at less
than half, BUT also using the drum machine, they lasted no more
than two hours.
First I thought that there might be something wrong with
the batteries or charger.
I took them out and messured the voltage, 1.2 for all six of
them.They were not empty, in fact pretty strong. Then it hit me.
Roland does not recommend rechargeables for a reason.
The microcube is low current enough that it keeps alkalines
above 1.2 for much longer than r/c need to reach 1.2 which
they do pretty fast, even though the stay there for a lot longer.
So, from now on alkalines it is.
- Oct 7, 2000
- 18,619
- 38,939
- Disclosures
- Endorsing artist: Musicman basses
Not sure whats up with that, but mine lasted a lot longer. Didn't time it but it went through a pretty loud 3 hour rehearsal (with some drum machine use) and then lasted the rest of the week in my house which had to be at least 4 or 5 or 5 more hours. Possibly even more.
I'm looking into buying a battery powered amp, I've tried the Pignose Hog30 and I was pretty impress.. I play mostly ABG with friends playing acoustic guitars, should I consider the Roland Micro bass? or am I better off with the Pignose..? I couldn't find any of them little Roland around here so I couldn't try it, I know that they're a bit more expensive then the Pignose..
- Oct 7, 2000
- 18,619
- 38,939
- Disclosures
- Endorsing artist: Musicman basses
Pignose is bigger and heavier, and mine was kind of boxy sounding - although I read that they upgraded them with padding or something. The sound on the Roland is much much better than the pignose I had, but I think the pignose put out slightly more volume. The bells and whistles on the Roland are worth the extra bucks to me, I like jamming with the beats, the FX all sound pretty cool, and you can do a lot of tone tweaking. My biggest strike against the pignose was that I couldn't figure out how to recharge the batteries without frying them. Unless they changed something when they upgraded the amp, if you forget to unplug it one time - game's over. The pignose guy was nice enough to send me replacement batteries free of charge (about $40 otherwise), but the replacements burned out in a matter of weeks also. I only got about 6 hours use out of a charge too.
I wanted another battery powered amp and I bought the Roland. I am incredibly happy with my choice.
I wanted another battery powered amp and I bought the Roland. I am incredibly happy with my choice.
Okay, I put in the new style PRECHARGED batteries and they last for hours and sound great, like ten hours or more, with up to a month between charges depending if I am plugging it in or not. The included smart charger will charge by USB, AUTO plug, or AC outlet. I got the batts and charger at Long's Drugs. After about ten hours there may be a hint of distortion to the sound but it still works. It may even be longer than this. I love bringing it into the living room to practice, and it is super quick to hide it from the 9 month old. I rarely plug it in actually.
This amp sounds awesome (really) with electric bass, double bass and ABG in the "super flat" setting. I have a Walter Woods with an Accugroove Tri-112L, and a Phil Jones Super Flightcase and I do not hesitate to bring this to tiny gigs and rehearsals, it is that good. I do mean TINY gigs though. I do a regular double bass/piano duo and I just bring this little amp. It is critical to set the gain and master volumes correctly for each instrument. If either one is up to high (poor gain structure) it will sound unpleasant/distorted. Most of my electrics I have the gain ALL THE WAY DOWN, with the upright it is about 1/8 up. (Underwood pickup) My highest gain electrics require the compresser so as not to distort. It sounds very big even when up on a table or the bed; I actually prefer it raised up a bit and it still retains the bottom end while sounding much louder to your ears. This is the ONLY small amp that I like the way it sounds on a raised platform.
The Tuner works great--hold it in for a second and it's auto-chromatic.
HOWEVER, if you are using effects, set the GAIN HALFWAY, and USE THE COMPRESSOR. It makes a huge difference to the sound. As soon as you engage effects, the volume drops big time unless you turn the gain up a lot. So I go from no gain to half gain and compressor as soon as I turn on any effects. With both of these scenarios the MASTER is at about half or slightly more.
I generally use SUPER FLAT setting, but SESSION has a nice zing and scoop to it for slapping, and BASS360 has a really fat bottom that is nice and round. The SUPER FLAT setting extends the lows so if your bass is boosted in the low frequencies you will quickly overdrive the amp. In this case I turn the lows down on the bass or use a different amp model.
EFFECTS:
Love the true stereo chorus, and flanger and auto wah are very fun. Delay and reverb sound great. Again, make sure the GAIN is HALFWAY and COMPRESSOR ENGAGED to get the most out of the effects. I wish I could get the delayed sound to be a little louder, but it is still very fun and useable. It would probably overdrive the amp if it had much more volume and feedback.
The MIC setting works great! Voice with the compressor and reverb sound GREAT through this little amp! My wife loves it! We may buy another just so she can have her own. (MINE)
The three band EQ onboard is nice; the midrange control is actually usable in cut and boost--it's not honky sounding at all. To cut through a room with the upright on SUPER FLAT setting I may boost a little MID and HIGH.
I love the little tap tempo drum machine! This little thing is just great for students. I may actually consider mobile teaching since it is so easy to have all the resources you need for lessons--tempo, tuner, and you can even plug in another bass in the AUX input.
My wife and I can play together through it--she runs through the MIC model with reverb and my active bass puts out enough volume through the AUX input to be heard, and the REVERB is only applied to the voice. Brilliant. The controls on the top will only affect what's plugged into the MAIN input.
I am still exploring the possibilities of the different models. SUPER FLAT, SESSION, MIC, and BASS360 are all great.
I don't care for the FLIPTOP setting at all. Very nasal sounding.
I would buy another one of these in a heartbeat.
TWO WORDS FOR THIS AMP:
FUN
INSPIRING
WHAT MORE COULD YOU ASK FOR???
This amp sounds awesome (really) with electric bass, double bass and ABG in the "super flat" setting. I have a Walter Woods with an Accugroove Tri-112L, and a Phil Jones Super Flightcase and I do not hesitate to bring this to tiny gigs and rehearsals, it is that good. I do mean TINY gigs though. I do a regular double bass/piano duo and I just bring this little amp. It is critical to set the gain and master volumes correctly for each instrument. If either one is up to high (poor gain structure) it will sound unpleasant/distorted. Most of my electrics I have the gain ALL THE WAY DOWN, with the upright it is about 1/8 up. (Underwood pickup) My highest gain electrics require the compresser so as not to distort. It sounds very big even when up on a table or the bed; I actually prefer it raised up a bit and it still retains the bottom end while sounding much louder to your ears. This is the ONLY small amp that I like the way it sounds on a raised platform.
The Tuner works great--hold it in for a second and it's auto-chromatic.
HOWEVER, if you are using effects, set the GAIN HALFWAY, and USE THE COMPRESSOR. It makes a huge difference to the sound. As soon as you engage effects, the volume drops big time unless you turn the gain up a lot. So I go from no gain to half gain and compressor as soon as I turn on any effects. With both of these scenarios the MASTER is at about half or slightly more.
I generally use SUPER FLAT setting, but SESSION has a nice zing and scoop to it for slapping, and BASS360 has a really fat bottom that is nice and round. The SUPER FLAT setting extends the lows so if your bass is boosted in the low frequencies you will quickly overdrive the amp. In this case I turn the lows down on the bass or use a different amp model.
EFFECTS:
Love the true stereo chorus, and flanger and auto wah are very fun. Delay and reverb sound great. Again, make sure the GAIN is HALFWAY and COMPRESSOR ENGAGED to get the most out of the effects. I wish I could get the delayed sound to be a little louder, but it is still very fun and useable. It would probably overdrive the amp if it had much more volume and feedback.
The MIC setting works great! Voice with the compressor and reverb sound GREAT through this little amp! My wife loves it! We may buy another just so she can have her own. (MINE)
The three band EQ onboard is nice; the midrange control is actually usable in cut and boost--it's not honky sounding at all. To cut through a room with the upright on SUPER FLAT setting I may boost a little MID and HIGH.
I love the little tap tempo drum machine! This little thing is just great for students. I may actually consider mobile teaching since it is so easy to have all the resources you need for lessons--tempo, tuner, and you can even plug in another bass in the AUX input.My wife and I can play together through it--she runs through the MIC model with reverb and my active bass puts out enough volume through the AUX input to be heard, and the REVERB is only applied to the voice. Brilliant. The controls on the top will only affect what's plugged into the MAIN input.
I am still exploring the possibilities of the different models. SUPER FLAT, SESSION, MIC, and BASS360 are all great.
I don't care for the FLIPTOP setting at all. Very nasal sounding.
I would buy another one of these in a heartbeat.
TWO WORDS FOR THIS AMP:
FUN
INSPIRING
WHAT MORE COULD YOU ASK FOR???
I am still a noob player, and I'm not playing any real gigs. The only live people I get to play with is at family gatherings when my brother and nephew break out their acoustic guitars and sing. My Markbass 102P combo, even turned way down, is typically way too much amp in an acoustic setting. Even though it's light, it's big and bulky and a pain to haul around, find an outlet, plug it in, etc.
I picked up the Roland Micro Cube, and while it isn't going to impress anyone who thinks you have to be loud to sound good, it does just fine for what it is. The effects are a nice bonus and I got a kick out of playing with them. Especailly the "T-Wah" which makes me want a big white top hat and some star sunglasses so I can do a Bootsy impression.
For practice, or for small acoustic jam sessions, it's perfect.
The real surprise came when I decided to take the aux output and run it into my Markbass combo. Holy cow!! It's a killer little pre-amp. Dial up the effects, hit the drum machine, select an amp model, and the little sucker rocks. I couldn't stop jacking around with it. It sounded remarkably good. Of course, the AUX output is also the headphone output, so it mutes the tiny 4" speakers on the cube and the volume control effects your output, so TURN IT DOWN before you turn on your big rig. I nearled jumped out of my skin when I hit the first note before turning it down...WAY down. The output is pretty hot.
My other purpose for buying the little amp is for travel. If I go out of town, I can toss the little amp and my bass in the car and practice in the hotel room without disturbing the other guests.
It comes with a carry strap, but it uses the same type strap buttons as a guitar/bass, so you can get a bigger strap and wear the Cube on your shoulder and be completely mobile.
For kids, this thing could really save a parents sanity. It's quiet enough not to rattle the house, but loud enough to be heard. It's not a giggable rig for sure, but that's not it's purpose.
It would also be good for warming up or practicing backstage at a gig.
I think Roland could sell just the effects, tuner, compressor, and beat machine as a standalone product for less than a couple hundred dollars and have a winner on their hands. Just put it in your chain and dial up tons of tone.
Gear snobs and folks who think a "practice" rig is a 1000W amp and an 8x10 cab won't be impressed. But for it's size, wattage, and the fact that it runs on batteries, it's very impressive.
I picked up the Roland Micro Cube, and while it isn't going to impress anyone who thinks you have to be loud to sound good, it does just fine for what it is. The effects are a nice bonus and I got a kick out of playing with them. Especailly the "T-Wah" which makes me want a big white top hat and some star sunglasses so I can do a Bootsy impression.
For practice, or for small acoustic jam sessions, it's perfect.
The real surprise came when I decided to take the aux output and run it into my Markbass combo. Holy cow!! It's a killer little pre-amp. Dial up the effects, hit the drum machine, select an amp model, and the little sucker rocks. I couldn't stop jacking around with it. It sounded remarkably good. Of course, the AUX output is also the headphone output, so it mutes the tiny 4" speakers on the cube and the volume control effects your output, so TURN IT DOWN before you turn on your big rig. I nearled jumped out of my skin when I hit the first note before turning it down...WAY down. The output is pretty hot.
My other purpose for buying the little amp is for travel. If I go out of town, I can toss the little amp and my bass in the car and practice in the hotel room without disturbing the other guests.
It comes with a carry strap, but it uses the same type strap buttons as a guitar/bass, so you can get a bigger strap and wear the Cube on your shoulder and be completely mobile.
For kids, this thing could really save a parents sanity. It's quiet enough not to rattle the house, but loud enough to be heard. It's not a giggable rig for sure, but that's not it's purpose.
It would also be good for warming up or practicing backstage at a gig.
I think Roland could sell just the effects, tuner, compressor, and beat machine as a standalone product for less than a couple hundred dollars and have a winner on their hands. Just put it in your chain and dial up tons of tone.
Gear snobs and folks who think a "practice" rig is a 1000W amp and an 8x10 cab won't be impressed. But for it's size, wattage, and the fact that it runs on batteries, it's very impressive.
Did my first ever busking last Friday and used a borrowed Micro BX outdoors on Brighton seafront.
We put fresh batteries in it and I used my Fender Precision Deluxe (Full vol/tone on Split P pickup).
I didn't mess with the tones or amp settings but the effects and COSM have been covered elsewhere here. Bass was set to max, Mid to 12 o'clock and treble at 1 o'clock. No effects, no rhythm, no chorus, Bass amp model (don't remember but I think that it was around the 3A tuning indicator). Gain and Volume at 12 o'clock.
Our setup was bass, 2 singing, 1 acoustic guitar and occasional third singer with tambourine. The music style ranged from quite 'Stonsey' to more harmonic folky with deep dancy bass lines.
It was loud enough and carried very well. Tonally I was impressed given that I spent no time setting it up. I did at one stage wonder if I had the compressor on as it felt like the attack was not as solid as I would expect. That said, it was outdoors on a boardwalk about 25m facing the arches/wall restaurants so the echo (from the wall) could have had an impact. Perhaps this may have been a 'feature' given that the batteries are tiny!
Given that my usual small venue amp is a Gallien Krueger - I was very impressed with the Micro RX and will probably invest in one as it is even lighter and may be useful in small venues as well.
We put fresh batteries in it and I used my Fender Precision Deluxe (Full vol/tone on Split P pickup).
I didn't mess with the tones or amp settings but the effects and COSM have been covered elsewhere here. Bass was set to max, Mid to 12 o'clock and treble at 1 o'clock. No effects, no rhythm, no chorus, Bass amp model (don't remember but I think that it was around the 3A tuning indicator). Gain and Volume at 12 o'clock.
Our setup was bass, 2 singing, 1 acoustic guitar and occasional third singer with tambourine. The music style ranged from quite 'Stonsey' to more harmonic folky with deep dancy bass lines.
It was loud enough and carried very well. Tonally I was impressed given that I spent no time setting it up. I did at one stage wonder if I had the compressor on as it felt like the attack was not as solid as I would expect. That said, it was outdoors on a boardwalk about 25m facing the arches/wall restaurants so the echo (from the wall) could have had an impact. Perhaps this may have been a 'feature' given that the batteries are tiny!
Given that my usual small venue amp is a Gallien Krueger - I was very impressed with the Micro RX and will probably invest in one as it is even lighter and may be useful in small venues as well.
