Enjoy the benefits of a premium membership!
Upgrade Account
-
TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
Join free Log in
Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.
The time has come! Markbass MegaThread!
- Thread starter SundanceChile
- Start date
- Status
Interesting......
I wonder if anyone has been able to A/B these two amps
next to eachother flat. I wish I could get the SA450 in the USA.
I've heard the SA450 and LMII side by side, but I wasn't being that discerning because it was someone else who was putting them through the paces and I just happened to be around. My impression was that there wasn't a lot of difference unless you needed the extra features on the SA450, but like I said, I haven't done the type of comparison I'd do if I was considering both.
Well.... I Got my LMII today, after all the hype and praise etc., I bought it without hearing one because it is supposed to be the next best thing to sliced bread. Well folks..at the risk of gettin' kicked off this site... it aint! Its not an SVT! it can do a good imitation of Trace gear with the VPF and VLE knobs. But i have to be honest, This head is limited! I love the size, power,(it is loud!) and style, but i dont know if im willing to sacrifice tone for weight!! Maybe i like the color of my TE head, i dont know, but i will try the amp in a club setting with some different cabs before i make a final judgement. ill keep you all posted on my experience .... did i mention how damn powerful this little amp is??? ( she can run with the T.E. gear as far as volume goes!!).
- Dec 18, 2000
- 13,201
- 340
- Disclosures
- greenboy designs: fEARful, bassic, dually, crazy88 etc
Maybe you didn't do your research. It sounds like your tonal ideal is different than what the Markbass is usually reported to be like. Doesn't make one or the other bad - just a different vibe altogether.
Hmmm... from what I read in this thread, if you're looking for that big lead sled sound like an SVT, the 800 shoulda' been yer man...
Sounds to me like you enjoy a colored sound, and what the MB stuff is known for is a nice clean SS tone. If you want color, it's there in the EQ and filters, but it really doesn't sound like these are the right amps for you.
Not really... unless you have unrealistic expectations of SVT/lead sled tone from a tiny SS clean machine.
I have used a LMII for one gig and then i got my SA450 so i didnt really get the chance to compare them but heres my thoughts.
The SA450 has a lot more tones in it because of the two sweeping mid controls. I guess if both amps were flat then they may or may not sound the same but i think they are close enough to do the same job. With the SA450 though its a lot easier to fatten the lows up or any other freq in the low/mid range. The LMII may be almost perfect but when it comes to hollow stages or weird shaped room etc i think the SA450 is worth the extra it costs over the LMII. saying that i dont find i use the EQ much but if i do it more the low mids i adjust
IMHO of course but it worked for me.
The SA450 has a lot more tones in it because of the two sweeping mid controls. I guess if both amps were flat then they may or may not sound the same but i think they are close enough to do the same job. With the SA450 though its a lot easier to fatten the lows up or any other freq in the low/mid range. The LMII may be almost perfect but when it comes to hollow stages or weird shaped room etc i think the SA450 is worth the extra it costs over the LMII. saying that i dont find i use the EQ much but if i do it more the low mids i adjust
IMHO of course but it worked for me.
Guys, I just had a concert, big stage, backline is Trace Elliot vintage 8x10 cab, and a GP11 head- which of course I didn't use. I attached my LMK, played with a vintage japanese JB with seymour noisless pickups, nickel strings... first chanel eq flat +VLE 9 o'clock, 2nd chanel eq flat (little low mid +) and VPF 9 o'clock. Master on 9:30.
Whoaw! It was growly with CH1, and slappy with CH2, everybody in the band commented on the great sound (15 piece symphonic prog. band
), and I felt myself in heaven as well. 
(This is the time when I'm surprised, why people think this 500 watts are not enough. But I don't have any hearing loss yet-hope so
)
Thanx to markbass!
Whoaw! It was growly with CH1, and slappy with CH2, everybody in the band commented on the great sound (15 piece symphonic prog. band
), and I felt myself in heaven as well. (This is the time when I'm surprised, why people think this 500 watts are not enough. But I don't have any hearing loss yet-hope so
) Thanx to markbass!
Per the above comment, why would you think a small SS amp described as 'warm but relatively transparant' would in any way sound like an SVT
LMII is all about clean, tight SS tone.The LMII is limited in the same way an SVT is limited... they both do what they do very well.... I guess the amazing thing about the LMII is it does it weighing 6 pounds!
The good news is, you have a no questions asked return period, so hopefully nothing lost
Edit: If you are looking for an SVT type tone in a smaller, lighter package.. the Mesa BB750 is totally killer.. grindy tube-tone bliss in a two space 25 pound package!
For my Bergie cabs, I prefer running my Alembic F2B cascading into my SA450 loop and into those cabs.
For the 410XLT, it doesn't really need it, as The sound on its' own sounds great for my tastes.
I also love the SA450 on its' own with my EX112.....Wicked!
For the 410XLT, it doesn't really need it, as The sound on its' own sounds great for my tastes.
I also love the SA450 on its' own with my EX112.....Wicked!
BurningSkies
CRAZY BALDHEAD
- Feb 20, 2005
- 27,956
- 20,348
- Disclosures
- Endorsing artist: Dingwall Guitars
Per the above comment, why would you think a small SS amp described as 'warm but relatively transparant' would in any way sound like an SVT
The LMII is limited in the same way an SVT is limited... they both do what they do very well.... I guess the amazing thing about the LMII is it does it weighing 6 pounds!
The good news is, you have a no questions asked return period, so hopefully nothing lost
Edit: If you are looking for an SVT type tone in a smaller, lighter package.. the Mesa BB750 is totally killer.. grindy tube-tone bliss in a two space 25 pound package!
Hell, my old Mesa 400+ didn't sound like an SVT either. I've never seen a post on TB that compared LMII tone to an SVT in any way, so I'm not sure how you get from point A to point B on that reasoning.
There have been in-depth reviews ad nauseum of what the LMII does. If you somehow got the idea that it would do SVT, it's a mystery as to why.
Where did you try it?
O.K. I may have jumped the gun on my mini rant on the LMII. I came home from work today and immediately began to play with the little amp. After a little tweaking on the VLE and VPF, I am ASTOUNDED at the sounds i am getting. I expected to be less than satisfied with it , and was blown away at the warm tubey sounds this solid state amp is putting out! I am now WAY SOLD on the Markbass head! Unreal! I just had to slow down and and twist knobs a little less. A little adjustment seems to go a long way on the Markbass. It does a great job of powering my Trace stack, i gotta go now, wanna play with my new toy some more!
john
john
vision
It's all about the groove!
- Feb 25, 2005
- 3,988
- 618
- 47
- Disclosures
- Endorsing Artist: MTD Basses, La Bella Strings, and 64 Audio IEMs
Bryan R. Tyler
TalkBass: Usurping My Practice Time Since 2002
Staff member
Administrator
Gold Supporting Member
Supporting Member
- May 3, 2002
- 28,948
- 20,934
- Disclosures
- Reviewer: Bass Player Magazine
GC will be the only place you can get one here in the US- I'd just like to know exactly when
I'm headed up to Boston on Sunday and I've got a Little Mark II reserved for me there. If I think that an F1 will suit me fine after using the LMII for a while, I'll return it and wait for an F1.
- Status
