gillento Posted March 23, 2015 Share Posted March 23, 2015 [color=#141414][font=Georgia,] I joined a band about 6 minths ago and I have been struggling fitting my bass sound into that band.[/font][/color][color=#141414][font=Georgia,] We have a hard hitting drummer, a hammond player and two 4x12" guitar players.[/font][/color] [color=#141414][font=Georgia,] No I have tried:[/font][/color] [color=#141414][font=Georgia,] Ampeg SVT CL w. 810 cab[/font][/color][color=#141414][font=Georgia,] Ashdown ABM500 w. 810 cab, Aguilar db212 and Ashdown CL414H cab.[/font][/color] [color=#141414][font=Georgia,] Now, recently I tried a LittleMark Lm2 with that db212 cab, and voilà, everything sounds great and everyone is happy.[/font][/color] [color=#141414][font=Georgia,] What amp with a conventional power section (aka heavy amp) does that MarkBass sound best?[/font][/color][color=#141414][font=Georgia,] I just want to have another option that can be more easily repaired.[/font][/color] [color=#141414][font=Georgia,] Please, his is NOT a Class-D or switching power supply bashing thread![/font][/color] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chrismuzz Posted March 23, 2015 Share Posted March 23, 2015 Tough one! Perhaps try some old SWR stuff? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevie Posted March 23, 2015 Share Posted March 23, 2015 Before I started using a LMIII, I used a PA amp (1000W Carvin) and a parametric equaliser, on the grounds that I wanted a clear, clean sound that I could eq to my taste. I didn't want any distortion, valve "warmth" or flavour-of-the-month "tone". When I plugged the Markbass in, I found that it sounded similar to my PA amp setup. Clear, clean, flat. I didn't do any in-depth comparisons, but I am fairly confident that the Markbass did not colour the sound of my bass. I can't suggest any brands, but I think that's what you're looking for. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JapanAxe Posted March 23, 2015 Share Posted March 23, 2015 [quote name='chrismuzz' timestamp='1427115078' post='2725863'] Tough one! Perhaps try some old SWR stuff? [/quote] SWR heads come up fairly often at very low prices in the Basschat market place - worth buying cheap to try, sell on if you don't like. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
machinehead Posted March 23, 2015 Share Posted March 23, 2015 Markbass LM I ? I had one and a LM II at the same time. They sounded very similar and I wish I'd kept the LM I. Frank. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
geoffbyrne Posted March 25, 2015 Share Posted March 25, 2015 How about your aforesaid graphic equaliser into a good power amp? G. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fretmeister Posted March 25, 2015 Share Posted March 25, 2015 The Little Marks are not class d. They are class C. The F1 is D. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gillento Posted March 25, 2015 Author Share Posted March 25, 2015 The LM is class AB. As I wrote, I do not intend to bash either class D, AB, D ..... or switching power supplies. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tbonepete Posted March 25, 2015 Share Posted March 25, 2015 [quote name='gillento' timestamp='1427292973' post='2728405'] The LM is class AB. As I wrote, I do not intend to bash either class D, AB, D ..... or switching power supplies. [/quote] Latest lm3 apparently has been changed to class D, but MB didn't exactly make a show of it,..... More of a stealth change Good luck in your search, Cheers Pete Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
6v6 Posted March 26, 2015 Share Posted March 26, 2015 [quote name='tbonepete' timestamp='1427302872' post='2728617'] Latest lm3 apparently has been changed to class D, but MB didn't exactly make a show of it,..... More of a stealth change [/quote] I thought it was still a class AB power section, but they moved from a linear to switch-mode power supply. Certainly my LM3 hasn't got a big transformer in it, but it's light, sounds great and has been reliable, FWIW. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BassBunny Posted March 26, 2015 Share Posted March 26, 2015 I know what you are going through G. I fell in love with MB amps some 8 yrs ago. I tried to find something "similar" as a back-up and must have tried everything on the market and gave up. Decided that only MarkBass amps sound like MarkBass, so I now have 2. An SA450 and LMIII in my CMD121 Combo. Same amp section just a few more controls on th eSA450. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ebenezer Posted March 26, 2015 Share Posted March 26, 2015 I would not part with my littlemark 2...easy to use, good tone variation, plenty loud enough and fits in a laptop bag!..i much prefer it to the genz streamliner 900 i used to own, and i find it just as powerful, if not more so! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tbonepete Posted March 26, 2015 Share Posted March 26, 2015 [quote name='6v6' timestamp='1427370725' post='2729410'] I thought it was still a class AB power section, but they moved from a linear to switch-mode power supply. Certainly my LM3 hasn't got a big transformer in it, but it's light, sounds great and has been reliable, FWIW. [/quote] I was going on the info in a thread about the lm3 redesign started in December last year. Of course I might have misunderstood the thread. Anyway, as the OP is looking for alternatives to the markbass it's a moot point. Cheers Pete Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sparky Mark Posted March 26, 2015 Share Posted March 26, 2015 New LM3s are class D. They have the same power section as the Big Bang head. Buy a second hand SA450 which sounds like a LM but with parametric mids. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gillento Posted March 31, 2015 Author Share Posted March 31, 2015 Eden? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Meypelnek Posted March 31, 2015 Share Posted March 31, 2015 Hi Gillento, Not sure I understand your problem. If you are lucky with the LM2 why not stay with it? I am playing a LM3 and am fairly happy with it, because it does not colour my sound. If I need a little grit I switch on an EBS Valve Drive. The only other amps I could imagine to work that way are German Glockenklang Amps (Blue Sky, Blue Soul). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gillento Posted March 31, 2015 Author Share Posted March 31, 2015 Let's say, I need something with a bit more headroom. As the LM800 does have a different power amp design and sounds different. It is not quite an option. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sparky Mark Posted March 31, 2015 Share Posted March 31, 2015 (edited) When you say 'headroom' do you really mean more volume? If you use two 8 ohm 2x12 cabs the volume would be much more than with a single 2x12. I have a 4ohm 410 and the LM3 drives it to huge volume no problem. Is your cab 4ohm? Edited March 31, 2015 by Sparky Mark Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gillento Posted April 1, 2015 Author Share Posted April 1, 2015 My cab is either a 4 ohms Aguilar db212 or a 4 ohms Ashdown CL414H. Volume is no issue here Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NoLogic69 Posted April 1, 2015 Share Posted April 1, 2015 I've used a LM11 for years and been very happy with it in a loud band. If you like the sound and its not a volume issue, then whats your dilemma? I've just recently bought a MB TTE 500, incredible amp. You should take a look! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
machinehead Posted April 1, 2015 Share Posted April 1, 2015 As posted previously - the perfect answer to your question is the Little Mark 1. Why look further? Frank. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
6v6 Posted April 8, 2015 Share Posted April 8, 2015 [quote name='6v6' timestamp='1427370725' post='2729410'] Certainly my LM3 hasn't got a big transformer in it, but it's light, sounds great and has been reliable, FWIW. [/quote] Ok, that was evidently a *stupid* thing to say - the LM3 blew up last night in an impressive mushroom cloud of acrid smoke. So, chalk me up as another dude desiring a simple reliable amp which sounds like a Mark Bass I guess Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rungles Posted April 9, 2015 Share Posted April 9, 2015 How about the Carvin BX range? I love mine and my last head was a LM2. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JTUK Posted April 9, 2015 Share Posted April 9, 2015 [quote name='gillento' timestamp='1427775141' post='2734071'] Eden? [/quote] I was going to say that I can hear my valve in the pre-amp working on my SWR SM400, but I do drive it very hard. If you could find a SM900, then that would be a good call as that would have the headroom to not push the pre. I assume a big Eden WT amp would do the same. The best amp with the DB212 is the DB750/751...by miles, IMO. I can get close-ish if I run the TH500 with the bass down, but then I'm not sure it would be man enough for that band line-up..?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gillento Posted April 9, 2015 Author Share Posted April 9, 2015 Well, as strange at it sounds, the db750 did not "work" as well as the LM2 in this context..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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