Markbass sound from a TC Electronics Head

[Smash]

I used to own a TC Electronics RH450 and a Markbass LMK at the same time, I was originally going to sell the LMK to pay for the TC as I wanted it to match my 3 TC cabs and also the features were amazing, built in tuner / store 3 settings / compressor / para EQ / tubetone. I had all these in various forms on a board in front of me so it saved a huge amount of space as well as lugging around another box. Trouble was the sound from the RH450 was not to my liking, I much preferred the sound of the Markbass as well as the 2 inputs (even though I don't think TC E do such a thing)

Now what I am asking has anyone tried or A/Bd a Markbass to other TC Electronics heads? I miss not having all the pedals in the head.

[BottomE]

No - not tried that at all. Interested to see how this thread develops though like you, I prefer the LM head to the RH and think it sounds wonderful with the TC cabs.

[lapolpora]

RH450 user here. I've never used Markbass but other bass playing friends of mine do.

What is it about the Markbass sound that you like? What is it about the TC sound that you don't like?

I'm using a Markbass Super Booster on my pedalboard. This has the VLE and VPF on it. I don't know how far it approximates the Markbass head - but going into the RH450 which is set flat, it does sound good.

I use the VLE more than the VPF - for a sort of instant vintage.

[Smash]

[quote name='lapolpora' post='1307666' date='Jul 18 2011, 12:03 PM']RH450 user here. I've never used Markbass but other bass playing friends of mine do.

What is it about the Markbass sound that you like? What is it about the TC sound that you don't like?

I'm using a Markbass Super Booster on my pedalboard. This has the VLE and VPF on it. I don't know how far it approximates the Markbass head - but going into the RH450 which is set flat, it does sound good.

I use the VLE more than the VPF - for a sort of instant vintage.[/quote]


Hi when comparing them side by side, they are very different, the Markbass is clearer, plays better with an outboard distortion pedal and is very good with the RS cabs but I found the RH450 a bit muddy, very good if you were playing Reggae or Dub but if I wanted that high glassier sound I couldn't achieve it. Not saying the RH450 is bad far from it just a totally different tone.

[markstuk]

Interesting experience... I'm not sure I would characterise my RH450 as muddy, athough it's not as toppy as the Stac51.. It's certainly brighter than my mates Markbass 210 combo.... Is the RH set flat? and have you played with the input gain?

Cheers


Mark


[quote name='Smash' post='1307673' date='Jul 18 2011, 12:10 PM']Hi when comparing them side by side, they are very different, the Markbass is clearer, plays better with an outboard distortion pedal and is very good with the RS cabs but I found the RH450 a bit muddy, very good if you were playing Reggae or Dub but if I wanted that high glassier sound I couldn't achieve it. Not saying the RH450 is bad far from it just a totally different tone.[/quote]

[Smash]

[quote name='markstuk' post='1307855' date='Jul 18 2011, 02:09 PM']Interesting experience... I'm not sure I would characterise my RH450 as muddy, athough it's not as toppy as the Stac51.. It's certainly brighter than my mates Markbass 210 combo.... Is the RH set flat? and have you played with the input gain?

Cheers


Mark[/quote]

Hi Mark, maybe Muddy is not the word I meant more darkish tone as in less hi-fi than the Markbass. I ran both side by side in different environments with the same cabs for months, the Markbass sounded louder and less compressed even with the compression turned all the way down on the RH450. I really did try to get to like it but hearing them side by side is night and day, my tone was the MB, depends on your music style I suppose, I just like how the TC thinks of everything.

[markstuk]

Darker I would agree with... You might want to try a Stac51 - all the same gizmos as the RH but differently voiced - or try and track down the USB/Midi config utilities for the RH450 to change the voicing that have been circulating on BassTalk...

[Smash]

[quote name='markstuk' post='1307908' date='Jul 18 2011, 02:55 PM']Darker I would agree with... You might want to try a Stac51 - all the same gizmos as the RH but differently voiced - or try and track down the USB/Midi config utilities for the RH450 to change the voicing that have been circulating on BassTalk...[/quote]
I looked at the Stac51 but not sure if it worth paying £300 more than the RH450, I would rather go for the RH750 at the same price, USB/Midi config hmmmm interesting might just have to have a look thanks

[Prime_BASS]

I went from a LMTube to the RH750.
To be simple the only significant difference was the mwoah!!! Bass on the RH and a little extra high end.

I liked the tube side more than the standard SS preamp, which I believe is the same as in the LittleMark line, however I used to use it with half and half (rotatary knob on the front of the head) I found te SS side to be rather nasal when set flat and would boost the bass a smudge along with a bit of treble.

My main worry was the TC head not having those tube harmonic dynamics and end up being nasal and a little lifeless like te markbass was.
I'm so impressed with the head I don't know what I wa worried about.

The sound is incredibly similar to markbass, very clean and transparent, I just want to get the sound of the bass through.

You might find the RH750 more to your liking due to the added high end.

[Muzz]

I went from a LMIII to the RH450, and haven't looked back. The LM was a great amp, but not for me - warm and clean, but I was after a more tubey, old-school sound (I'm using a 1515L, no tweeters for me), so I found I was using my Sansamp all the time with the LM to get the sound I was after. Bought the RH450, sold the LM and the Sansamp, job done. I'd say it was possible to get a very clean, warm LM sound from the RH, though, it's just I never wanted to, so I never tried. Was the OP's RH second-hand? Did you clear any EQ tweaks that a previous user might have set?

[Smash]

[quote name='Muzz' post='1308197' date='Jul 18 2011, 06:24 PM']I went from a LMIII to the RH450, and haven't looked back. The LM was a great amp, but not for me - warm and clean, but I was after a more tubey, old-school sound (I'm using a 1515L, no tweeters for me), so I found I was using my Sansamp all the time with the LM to get the sound I was after. Bought the RH450, sold the LM and the Sansamp, job done. I'd say it was possible to get a very clean, warm LM sound from the RH, though, it's just I never wanted to, so I never tried. Was the OP's RH second-hand? Did you clear any EQ tweaks that a previous user might have set?[/quote]
I know what you mean, I quite like the non coloured sound more of the MB then normally I would add a Pre amp pedal on my board to thicken areas up, but this sounded bad with the RH450, it's more of use what is in the head which is fine but sometimes I liked to add distortion pedals. As I am now in my non playing days I would love to have it all built in so when you play the odd gig you have most of it with you in the head, especially the tuner, that was great. I did clear the EQ and tweaked it again and again but there was just something not right in my ears compared to the MB. Ah well maybe soon I might get to try a RH750

[Gunsfreddy2003]

I would agree with the term muddy here. I A/B'd my LMIII with the RH450 at Bass Direct through Bergantino and TC Electronic cabs and the RH450 was certainly a less defined tone and more of the old school motown or reggae type tone. To be fair Mark at BD was pretty sweet on the tone that I was looking for and did state that he thought that the LMIII was more on the money for me than the RH450 just because of the more open tone.



[quote name='Smash' post='1307673' date='Jul 18 2011, 12:10 PM']Hi when comparing them side by side, they are very different, the Markbass is clearer, plays better with an outboard distortion pedal and is very good with the RS cabs but I found the RH450 a bit muddy, very good if you were playing Reggae or Dub but if I wanted that high glassier sound I couldn't achieve it. Not saying the RH450 is bad far from it just a totally different tone.[/quote]

[Dood]

I too have ran an MB F1 and RH450 in the same rig together. At the time I was using sealed cabs and found that the RH didnt work well wit those cabs. I'd liked to have tried the RH and definitely the Staccato now I'm back using big fat stinking ported cabs again to see if that would have been a better configuration. I sold the RH and still have my F1 as a back up/ practice amp. To my ears, I preferred the F1 as I found that i couldn't do what I wanted with the Eq. The bass centre frequency was just to high and I found the top end roll off on the RH to be annoying too. In the mix is wasn't really a problem, but you know when something bugs you, you just can't seem to shake it? Again, I would have liked to have given the Staccato a whirl at the time, but when it comes to great tone and brute force to be reckoned with, my Hartke LH is a beast.

As for trying to get the two to sound the same, well yeah I had to Eq them both to flat and tweak to get in a similar ball park, but the differences in Eq config (built in curve on the RH) made it difficult to get them exactly the same. I agree that the RH has a darker less pristine tone and really like the F1's Eq centres, 40hz for bottom and 10khz for tops.