The Dark Lord Posted July 3, 2012 Share Posted July 3, 2012 [quote name='Opticaleye' timestamp='1341316066' post='1716784'] Tried one of those - bought a Markbass Minimark instead. Bass Guitar Magazine did a head to head as I recall as well. The Minimark came out well if I remember correctly. Having said that I prefer the minimark with my DHA VT1 tube pedal before it to lessen the hi-fi ness [/quote] Minimark is a lot cheaper is see. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dark Lord Posted July 3, 2012 Share Posted July 3, 2012 [quote name='Opticaleye' timestamp='1341316066' post='1716784'] ........ Bass Guitar Magazine did a head to head as I recall as well. The Minimark came out well if I remember correctly....... [/quote] Yeah. Good review this. Never saw it before: [url="http://www.markbass.it/upload_area/files/fname/86_allegato_1.pdf"]http://www.markbass.it/upload_area/files/fname/86_allegato_1.pdf[/url] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VTypeV4 Posted July 3, 2012 Share Posted July 3, 2012 [quote name='chrismuzz' timestamp='1341272569' post='1716359'] I always have between one and four types of compression in my signal chain before it even gets to the amp [/quote] If one of those is the Trace Elliot dual band compressor, then fair enough! In fact give me a Trace DI all day, everyday as they're great as long as input gain has been set correctly.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leroydiamond Posted July 4, 2012 Share Posted July 4, 2012 using a markbass f500 amp with 2 traveller cabs and I love the sound. Have had the rig for several years and totally reliable. IMO there are so many available possible combinations of markbass amps and cabs that they have lots to offer regardless of the style of music being played Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
heminder Posted July 19, 2012 Share Posted July 19, 2012 one thing that i don't understand about the VPF is that the scoop frequency is centred at 380Hz, which is more or less the frequency of the "Low Mid" control (360Hz). markbass owners: does cranking the VPF knob produce a dramatically different result than cutting the Low Mid and boosting the bass and high controls? i can't help but think that a parametric EQ would be much more useful like in the EQ42S Momark module. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
martin8708 Posted July 20, 2012 Share Posted July 20, 2012 Owned four Markbass amps and numerous MB cabs, personally I think the amps are great , everything pretty much flat on the EQ and filters turned to zero. The cabs are a bit woolly or muddy , but hook up a MB amp to a Berg or Vanderkley cab , and the sound is very clear and detailed ( will show up all the bum notes ) , providing you have a decent bass to start with . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LukeFRC Posted July 20, 2012 Share Posted July 20, 2012 [quote name='essexbasscat' timestamp='1340958837' post='1711938'] Tried the Markbass thing, bought one and sold it, tried them at bashes. Eventually came to the conclusion I just can't get on with them, not my sound at all. Now an Eden WT400.. [/quote] one of them up in the sale section now.... [quote name='discreet' timestamp='1341274199' post='1716367'] OK, once more - if you don't know how to use the VLE and VPF filters, then you are wasting your time with a Markbass amp. [/quote] My tecamp amp has a similar filter knob (similar idea anyway) vintage one way, modern the other- and it sounds best.... centred and off. A good amp always sounds good more or less flat IMO I've always been bemused by markbass stuff, I think the small combos are a nice idea... but not loved the tone on anything I've tried- but.... I always got a feeling that was down to the cab rather than the amp end of the package. When I got my amp I went for Tecamp as among the class D amps it has the most rounded natural bigger bottom Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
discreet Posted July 20, 2012 Share Posted July 20, 2012 You said 'rounded natural bigger bottom'. Snort! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SlapbassSteve Posted July 21, 2012 Share Posted July 21, 2012 Used Ashdowns for a few years before weight became an issue and I invested in a CMD121P and Traveller 121H. I'd agree that the eq on MB stuff doesn't seem to do a massive amount at all, I tend to leave it flat and dial in a tiny amount of the filters(not sure the mid scoop one scoops out the 'right' mids for me though..?). They do seem quite flat sounding, but I'm used to the ridiculously over middy Ashdown mess of an amp tone so it's like going from one extreme to the other. Tonewise I try to aim for that mythical Geddy Lee J-bass DI sound, and to my ear with a cheeky bit of compression I get pretty close, especially out front. Nice to be heard and not just felt for a change! Having said all that though, after reading this an Aguiler cab is looking pretty tempting, or I'll always be wondering what it [i]could [/i]have sounded like... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chrismuzz Posted July 24, 2012 Share Posted July 24, 2012 [quote name='heminder' timestamp='1342733858' post='1740323'] one thing that i don't understand about the VPF is that the scoop frequency is centred at 380Hz, which is more or less the frequency of the "Low Mid" control (360Hz). markbass owners: does cranking the VPF knob produce a dramatically different result than cutting the Low Mid and boosting the bass and high controls? i can't help but think that a parametric EQ would be much more useful like in the EQ42S Momark module. [/quote] With the filters, the more you turn them up the wider the range of effected frequencies will be. I think the VPF boosts bass and treble a bit too but don't quote me on that Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dave_bass5 Posted July 24, 2012 Share Posted July 24, 2012 Actually no, the VLE just cuts the freq from about 250hz and above. its designed to emulate the old muffled speaker cabs. They should have called it.......The Ashdown knob Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dave_bass5 Posted July 24, 2012 Share Posted July 24, 2012 Sorry, Chris, I mis read the post, you are of course correct, and yes, it makes a big difference. For those of us that only have the 4 tone knobs using the VPF does alter freq's we cant adjust otherwise without outboard units. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
51m0n Posted July 24, 2012 Share Posted July 24, 2012 Actually, the VLE is a -20dB shelf where the knob controls the frequency of the cut point. The more you roll it on the lower the cutoff frequency is. When its 'off' (all the way counterclockwise) the cutoff frequency is 20KHz, when its all the way on (fully clockwise) the cutoff is 250Hz Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dave_bass5 Posted July 24, 2012 Share Posted July 24, 2012 Yeah, i looked at the graph but wasnt going to elaborate too much on it. I tend to use it more when i put new strings on. After a few gigs i end up with it all the way off. The VPF tends to stay on around 9 o'clock most of the time although i do back it off a bit when using my Sansamp. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RhysP Posted July 24, 2012 Share Posted July 24, 2012 [quote name='EmmettC' timestamp='1340992350' post='1712637'] If anyone wants to swap me for an EBS combo though........... [/quote] I've got an EBS Gorm 350et 1x15 combo if you're interested..... I've never got on with Markbass stuff either - I find it anything but transparent. I used one for some session work I did in Switzerland a few years ago & while it was OK it just didn't impress me in any way. Used various combos & head/cab set ups since then but always felt the same. The fact that the colour scheme makes them look like Fisher Price "My First Bass Amp" toys doesn't help either IMO. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ghost_Bass Posted July 24, 2012 Share Posted July 24, 2012 From my experience it isn't the Markbass amp that's messing with the clean signal, it's the cab! Markbass amps can be fairly clear (a bit of EQ needed) but the cabs have lots of colour and sound very "honky". I tend to stay away from any MB gear because of this. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EBS_freak Posted July 25, 2012 Share Posted July 25, 2012 [quote name='dave_bass5' timestamp='1343133526' post='1745766'] Actually no, the VLE just cuts the freq from about 250hz and above. its designed to emulate the old muffled speaker cabs. They should have called it.......The Ashdown knob [/quote] Does it increase the risk of the amp catching fire also? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roland Rock Posted July 25, 2012 Share Posted July 25, 2012 (edited) [quote name='cocco' timestamp='1343160825' post='1746454'] No probs, just out of interest have you ever played a vette $$? Is there much of a sound difference in the two? [/quote] [quote name='dave_bass5' timestamp='1343133526' post='1745766'] Actually no, the VLE just cuts the freq from about 250hz and above. its designed to emulate the old muffled speaker cabs. They should have called it.......The Ashdown knob [/quote] If the VLE only cuts the higher frequencies and leaves the lower ones alone, would that not suggest that the muffled tone issue is coming from elsewhere? ie it has isolated the lower frequencies rather than colour them. Hope this makes sense Edited July 25, 2012 by Roland Rock Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dave_bass5 Posted July 25, 2012 Share Posted July 25, 2012 [quote name='EBS_freak' timestamp='1343210672' post='1746979'] Does it increase the risk of the amp catching fire also? [/quote] no but if its on for more than 10 mins it cuts the amp off. Get back to the serious stuff, ive recently got a Sansamp Paradriver and that really seems to bring my F1 to life. I liked using a BDDI but now i have proper control over the mids im finding my tone has a bit more definition. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
discreet Posted July 25, 2012 Share Posted July 25, 2012 [quote name='dave_bass5' timestamp='1343211860' post='1747007'] ...I've recently got a Sansamp Paradriver and that really seems to bring my F1 to life...[/quote] Thanks for posting this... I did not know about the Paradriver. Looks very interesting. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dave_bass5 Posted July 25, 2012 Share Posted July 25, 2012 No problem. Ive been using a BDDI for a year or so and have been happy with how that works. My cab is quite middy so the slight loss of mids hasn't been a problem, and i keep everything more or less flat anyway, with a bit of drive (definitely not distortion) when required. I do miss my old SA450 with its para mid control though. Most of the time the F1 EQ points work fine but a few times i could have done with a bit more so the Paradriver makes scene. Its not bass specific like the BDDI but it still has that Sansamp tone, great if you like that, not so much if you dont. I was thinking of getting a P-Reto, i was very impressed with the demo on YT, but as good as it is i'd rather have something that works with both all basses. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RhysP Posted July 27, 2012 Share Posted July 27, 2012 [quote name='RhysP' timestamp='1343134959' post='1745808'] I've got an EBS Gorm 350et 1x15 combo if you're interested..... [/quote] Ignore this - it crapped out on me this afternoon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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