** ThunderFunk vs. LittleMark II **

[KJung]

On paper the 'enhance' controls are the same, but I hear them differently and prefer the MB. It'll be interesting to find out how you hear it. If I had to pinpoint, I'd say the MB gets "rounder" using its 'enhance' ... or it let's an inherent greater roundness be heard or ... these adjectives might not mean much to anyone but me.

So too with the VLE, I get a slightly different result than by just using my bass' passive tone knob. I'd say the MB isn't as extreme, or maybe where it falls in the signal chain makes its effect vary from a passive bass' tone control.

Using the two together is a lot of fun. I think I'd have no problem with the new tiny MB ("F1" is it?) having no tone controls and only the two filters.

Looking forward to your take on it.

+1 to all the above. It's funny, because the primary reason I'm checking out the LM is all these positive and similar comparisons to the inherent tone of the TF. If I can get there in a smaller, lighter and simple package (even if it is yellow!!!), I'm all over it

K

 

[jmain]

Give us a short review on that, will you?
The TF and the LMII are kind of number one on my gas list.

Hey Ken, you gotta post that out here for all to see.

 

[Bassist30]

In a bare knuckle, winner-take-all grudge match, which of these would win as far as: tone, headroom, overall impact on the gig. I know that the LMKII wins in price and portability. Anyone used them both?

May the best amp win!

What i have read I hope the weight between the two is not an issue. They are both light and one being lighter than the other is kind of going no where when the TF is only 16 pounds.
Personally I love the TF. but thats my opinion and what i think is thick sounding and warm etc may be different than yours. Dave has a return policy so I would try it. As you should try both. I have heard and played the LMK11 and what I hear and like will be different than some others but Trying both is not impossible to do and you will make the best decision.

 

[Aram]

.... the VLE is something totally different from the Timbre... it performs a totally different function, which is very useful, it seems, if you don't have a passive tone control on your bass, and rather redundant, looking at the published frequency curve on the site, if you do.

I think the VLE will only be redundant if the capacitor in your bass's passive tone control mirror's the VLE's freq response. I've never seen a passive onboard tone plotted out like the VLE graph on MB's site, but I do know that they vary from bass to bass depending on the size of the cap, so I'd imagine it would be a coincidence if they do the same thing.

 

[KJung]

I think the VLE will only be redundant if the capacitor in your bass's passive tone control mirror's the VLE's freq response. I've never seen a passive onboard tone plotted out like the VLE graph on MB's site, but I do know that they vary from bass to bass depending on the size of the cap, so I'd imagine it would be a coincidence if they do the same thing.

I'll restate it as 'relatively redundant' then . Don't misinterpret what I'm saying though... I think it's a GREAT idea to have that control on an amp, since many basses (even boutique J's) do not have a passive tone control.

I just am using the 'redundant' verbiage to communicate that the logic of this control is identical to a passive tone control on a bass (like the VTC on the Sadowsky)... to mellow out the treble response without losing all the upper mids by turning down an active treble control. Nice!

To the posts above... I'll post a very brief, very preliminary review tomorrow...which I'm sure will match the other comments above.

K

 

[Aram]

I'll restate it as 'relatively redundant' then . Don't misinterpret what I'm saying though... I think it's a GREAT idea to have that control on an amp, since many basses (even boutique J's) do not have a passive tone control.

I just am using the 'redundant' verbiage to communicate that the logic of this control is identical to a passive tone control on a bass (like the VTC on the Sadowsky)... to mellow out the treble response without losing all the upper mids by turning down an active treble control. Nice!

To the posts above... I'll post a very brief, very preliminary review tomorrow...which I'm sure will match the other comments above.

K

I totally hear you -- I just wanted to point that out. It may well mimic some passive tones, it doesn't seem to on my Nordstrand though. I'm looking forward to your impression of the amp.

-Aram

 

[needmoney]

Hey Ken, you gotta post that out here for all to see.

YES You definitely do. Through the same cab (especially the faithful NL-210) the comparison should be quite fair. If you want to PM me as well with your findings that would be great. Or just post here.

 

[Kael]

Regarding the thunderfunk and the timbre knob's useful range...

Here recently I tried a little experiment where I ran the timbre knob at a tad under 10:00. Maybe 09:50 or so. I then bumped the input gain up a touch more than usual. Don't know where I read this setting idea. Somewhere here on TB in the amps section obviously, but I am not sure where to credit this idea. Wasn't what I would consider "my tone" but it was a good useable tone. A little more old school without getting muddy. Has me rethinking the notion that the timbre knob is only useful from 11:00 to 01:00. Still, extreme settings on that timbre knob can be pretty drastic.

I think that the thunderfunk sounds good enough flat that I haven't played with trying to dial in dramatically different tones using the EQ. Oh, I've played with it. Just haven't tried to gig some of those settings for more than a song or two at a time which is enough time to really get a feel for them.

 

[KJung]

I'm just going to start a new thread on the LMII/TF/iAmp500 initial comparison if anyone is interested in some preliminary 'non gig' direct A/B/C-ing of these heads.

 

[Bryan R. Tyler]

I'd like to read that. With the advent of a new pedal coming out that will eliminate my need for a stereo rig, I'm looking at amps again and those three are at the top of my list (along with a Genz Benz I played through that sounded very nice).

 

[Brad Johnson]

I'm just going to start a new thread on the LMII/TF/iAmp500 initial comparison if anyone is interested in some preliminary 'non gig' direct A/B/C-ing of these heads.

I've A/B/C'd the LMII/TFB420/iAmp350 on gigs.

All very nice.

 

[KJung]

I've A/B/C'd the LMII/TFB420/iAmp350 on gigs.

All very nice.

+1... as I am the first to say.. that's really all that matters. However, it's fun to get comparisons of this stuff by different players with different rigs, different tone goals, different techniques, etc. I look forward to getting the LMII out on a few gigs to see what it can do

 

[Brad Johnson]

+1... as I am the first to say.. that's really all that matters. However, it's fun to get comparisons of this stuff by different players with different rigs, different tone goals, different techniques, etc. I look forward to getting the LMII out on a few gigs to see what it can do

That for me was the real test. I can make all sorts of stuff sound good at home but really taking a space in the mix is my most important requirement. One thing I did notice with the LMII is that it seems to overpower cabs (especially single cabs) much more easily than anything I've owned, including running preamp/power amp setups. For example, what it did to an Eden D410XLT was pretty eyeopening. It appeared to be more than capable of blowing up one of those if pushed enough... and still not pushed hard.

 

[KJung]

That for me was the real test. I can make all sorts of stuff sound good at home but really taking a space in the mix is my most important requirement. One thing I did notice with the LMII is that it seems to overpower cabs (especially single cabs) much more easily than anything I've owned, including running preamp/power amp setups. For example, what it did to an Eden D410XLT was pretty eyeopening. It appeared to be more than capable of blowing up one of those if pushed enough... and still not pushed hard.

You know... it's amazing how what many of us hear kind of cross-references with these different playing situations. I actually heard that with the LMII, and attribute it to the very deep and powerful bass control and generally deep bass voicing of that amp. I was actually quite surprised at the deep low end extension of that amp, even with the bass control 'flat' (it just doesn't seem like all that big low end should be coming from that little yellow box ).

That kind of wide low end (the newer iAmps have that voicing in a big way IMO) tends to make speakers work quite hard, and for my tone, seems to get in the way in a pop type mix. I much prefer the tighter, in some ways more compressed, low end of the TF for this reason.

I had some luck dialing this in with the LMII by cutting the bass and punching up the low mids a little....but... close but no cigar versus the TF at this point.

I

 

[Brad Johnson]

You know... it's amazing how what many of us hear kind of cross-references with these different playing situations. I actually heard that with the LMII, and attribute it to the very deep and powerful bass control and generally deep bass voicing of that amp. I was actually quite surprised at the deep low end extension of that amp, even with the bass control 'flat' (it just doesn't seem like all that big low end should be coming from that little yellow box ).

That kind of wide low end (the newer iAmps have that voicing in a big way IMO) tends to make speakers work quite hard, and for my tone, seems to get in the way in a pop type mix. I much prefer the tighter, in some ways more compressed, low end of the TF for this reason.

I had some luck dialing this in with the LMII by cutting the bass and punching up the low mids a little....but... close but no cigar versus the TF at this point.

I

OTOH I like it because I can leave the amp flat and rarely have to bump the bass control on any of my basses anymore. I end up with very tight low end but the overall sound did change when I used my Triad cab, then, while I still had tight extreme lows, I got a classic scooped sound with everything flat. That is not my preference.

Again cabs, instrument and the player all come to bear on the final result.

 

[tallboybass]

Hi guys, I just got back from my second gig using the LMKII and Epi 410UL. This was a three-piece rockabilly/roots band, so I couldn't have all that zingy, modern high-end slicing all over the place. Last time, I played a blues gig and doused the tweeter completely. This time, I followed the advice of Brad Johnson (thanks) and turned the tweet back on but rolled up the VLE to kill the super highs, while boosting the upper mids and highs. Bass was boosted just a hair and low mids were flat. The sound man took a DI out of the amp and said he ran it FLAT and it sounded GREAT! This has to be the least likely rig to get a vintage tone out of, but it really sounded nice. There's something about the quality of the lows that I'm liking a lot, and the VLE makes for an amp that can cover MANY sounds. I play in a wide variety of bands from Beatles to blues to jazz to.....and this thing could conceivably cover them all!

 

[B String]

Hi guys, I just got back from my second gig using the LMKII and Epi 410UL. This was a three-piece rockabilly/roots band, so I couldn't have all that zingy, modern high-end slicing all over the place. Last time, I played a blues gig and doused the tweeter completely. This time, I followed the advice of Brad Johnson (thanks) and turned the tweet back on but rolled up the VLE to kill the super highs, while boosting the upper mids and highs. Bass was boosted just a hair and low mids were flat. The sound man took a DI out of the amp and said he ran it FLAT and it sounded GREAT! This has to be the least likely rig to get a vintage tone out of, but it really sounded nice. There's something about the quality of the lows that I'm liking a lot, and the VLE makes for an amp that can cover MANY sounds. I play in a wide variety of bands from Beatles to blues to jazz to.....and this thing could conceivably cover them all!

I liked using the LM II the most with my Epi UL310 box. The
MB semms to like the UL310 and UL410. Using the VLE just
a little took off enough sheen to get a nice R&B sound.

 

[Alistair R]

The Little Mark really does seem to have a very POWERFUL 500 watts....T-Funk not as loud?

 

[dave_bass5]

This has to be the least likely rig to get a vintage tone out of

That's the job of the Vintage loudspeaker Emulator.

I normally turn it up when we do the Motown stuff. makes my Lakeland 55-01 sound a bit more like a P-bass as well.

 

[tallboybass]

That's the job of the Vintage loudspeaker Emulator.

I normally turn it up when we do the Motown stuff. makes my Lakeland 55-01 sound a bit more like a P-bass as well.

That's what amazes me about it. The fact that I can cover every gig I've got with the one amp is a bonus that I didn't expect. We'll see how it does with the Beatles project I'm involved in. I'm still thinking the WalkAbout with some sweet tubes in it, will do a better job there.