Little Mark Tube

[JellyKnees]

Hi all,

Just looking for some feedback on the newish Little Mark Tube heads.

I'm currently using a Little Mark 250 with a Barefaced Big One cab. The sound is generally excellent, clear, precise and punchy, but occasionally it lacks that certain sparkle/warmth on particular songs, especially with my handmade KGB fretted bass, which has quite a hard, bright tone. I'm not looking for balls out valve grunt, more a subtle splash of harmonic colour really.

So I've been thinking about upgrading to a LM Tube head, but there aren't many reviews out there at the mo. Some reviews look good, others seem to suggest that the valve is very subtle indeed - although i want subtle, I also want to be able hear some difference for my wonga!

Anyone got one, tried one, loved it, hated it, or merely ambivalent about it?

Cheers,
Neil

[Wil]

After selling all my gear (including a LM II) a few years back, the lack of that certain warmth was the reason I decided not to get another Markbass head when I bought new kit. It was a lovely head but I wanted some Ampeg style grind - I tried a DHA preamp before the Markbass but it didnt quite do the trick for me, it sounded either wooly or harsh to my ears.

In the end I went for a Sansamp and a poweramp - I really like the Sansamp's "colour", so maybe a BDDI or a VT bass in front of your Markbass will do the trick? Probably best to try before you buy though, tone is a subjective thing after all.

Can't say I've tried the LM tube, but the sound samples I've heard reminded me of the DHA somewhat. A bit fizzy.

Edited January 4, 2011 by Wil

[Muzz]

Tried one (twice) in my search for a tubier version of my LMIII, and thought it was indeed very very subtle. Given that I was looking for some warm breakup and even more towards drive, I may have needed more than you did, but it wasn't enough of a difference for me to change from my LMIII. The LM Rocker, by contrast, was just about as subtle as a brick - at about 15% of the tube dial it started to fizz, and stayed fizzy the rest of the way round. I found the RH450 the best tube-sounding head out there, so I bought one.

I'd really, really try to try before you buy, though - your ears are everything. If you're anywhere Bass Direct (Warwick-way, and even if you're not, it's worth a day out), Mark has a great selection of mini-heads, including the MB, Genz and TC ones.

Edit: Just read the above comment, and I did have a Sansamp BDDI in front of my LMIII for a good while, which gave me the Ampeg-y tone I was after. I can get this from the RH450 on its own, so I sold the LMIII and the Sansamp. The Sansamp isn't exactly subtle, though. If you can't get to a shop to try, if I was you I'd consider buying a Behringer BDDI box for £30 or so, because this'll give you a ballpark of what the Sansamp sounds like.

Edited January 4, 2011 by Muzz

[Jean-Luc Pickguard]

[quote name='Muzz' post='1077389' date='Jan 4 2011, 03:06 PM']if I was you I'd consider buying a Behringer BDDI box for £30 or so, because this'll give you a ballpark of what the Sansamp sounds like.[/quote]
I have a BDI21, and also the 'acoustic' version the ADI21. I tend to use the brown ADI21 much more as it is very subtle and is particularly good for sweetening the sound of my tanglewood acoustic bass & NS CR5M electric upright before going into my LMII. This is the second ADI21 I have owned. I had to chuck the first one in with the Dean Pace bass I sold as it made it sound so much better.

[scalpy]

I'm quite fond of my LMT. The tube doesn't give you that much grind but it fattens up the signal nicely well past 12 o clock. The usual LM controls like VLE and the other one make it dead easy to tailor your sound to the room, and the DI out is excellent. Did a session at Rockfield in Monmouth and the engineer was raving about it, plus the mic'd sound as well. No bloody sansamp can opener for me, thank you!

I would like a little more headroom as my ASAT seems to make it clip very early, earlier than seems necessary but I have seen this criticism leveled at other LM heads on this forum.

Only thing is the new Aguilar tonehammer head is looking very tempting...

[JTUK]

I'd swap around the kit and try with other amp/cabs to see what the weakish link is.

[niceguyhomer]

I have one, it's my fifth MB head and IMO, the best of the lot. Despite what some people say, the tube does add a bit of fullness / warmth to the overall tone but I bought it for the extra features mainly - DI control / mute switch / tube if you want it etc which I think are worth the extra over the LMIII.

I'd recommend it to anyone.

[JellyKnees]

Ok, a few useful tips so far...thanks chaps. Decisons, decisions...I may have to travel a bit to check one out, but am tempted I must admit.

[JellyKnees]

After much deliberation, review reading, youtube listening etc etc, I decided to order a sansamp VT bass pedal on spec - it arrived yesterday and I'm a very happy bunny so far. With drive set to about a 1/4 and the character at around 1/3, it really thickens and warms the sound of the KGB very nicely, without sounding too harsh. A very impressive bit of kit indeed - just what I was after and much cheaper than a new head. Also works well with my Tunebass piezo fretless too! Thanks to Wil for his advice...

[Wil]

Hooray! Glad you got it sorted