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GK MB200 or Ashdown MiBass 220?


guitarjong
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OK, simple question. Which head would you buy or did you buy? The GK MB200 or the Ashdown MiBass 220?

I have been reading reviews and watching videos on YouTube all day and I can't split them. The only thing that I've read which concerns me is some reports of hissing on the MB200 when the treble is turned up.

Thanks.

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I've not tried the Ashdown so I can't really offer any comparison, but on my MB200, the infamous hiss is only really noticable in a silent room, not in any sort of group playing situation. I think the hiss is mostly due to having a single volume control early in the circuit - it's like taking an amp with preamp gain and master volume controls and then running it with the master volume on 10 and controlling volume with the gain knob. Also, setting the treble control to 12 o'clock is actually quite a hefty treble boost due to the voicing of the preamp, which makes any noise more prominent. Really unless you're going to use it primarily for home practice through a cab with a tweeter, I wouldn't be worried by reports of noise.

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[quote name='guitarjong' timestamp='1349301373' post='1824605']
Merton, which GK do you have? The MB200 or bigger?

What cab do you put it through?
[/quote]

I have the MB200 and the MB Fusion, I was only commenting ont he MB200 for this thread though :)

Cab is a Barefaced Supter 12T, though I have used it with a Zoot 1x12 on a couple of gigs and it's been fine then too.

Edited by Merton
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I have the MiBass 220 through my Ashdown 112 & 48 cabs. I reckon they've doe a great job on the whole EQ thing, you can make it hiss on full treble but you can do that on any amp if it's working :)

The choice of EQ or flat is great & instant return to your settings + the Deep & Shape buttons do exactly what they say.

My only slight niggle would be: personally I don't think it's very loud! Maybe just me being old fashioned but I'd say my Little Bastard 30 all valve watts are 'louder' than my MiBass 220 S/S watts B) but that's not out there in the real world, just me in mine doing what I do :P playing bass :P

Cheerz, John
PS I thought the same about Ashdown's 100 Watt + 210 mini rig, what was it called? First impressions were "How could that be 100 watts"? But I'm old school you see :P

No experience of the GK BTW sorry.

Edited by KiOgon
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I have one on the way(the GK), should be here any day now, for just....
[quote name='Beer of the Bass' timestamp='1349305075' post='1824666']
[i][u][b]Really unless you're going to use it primarily for home practice through a cab with a tweeter[/b][/u][/i], I wouldn't be worried by reports of noise.
[/quote]
....this purpose. :huh: Though I'll probably turn the tweeter off.

I figure I'll be keeping the volume low enough that the noise, if there is any, should be no issue.

Edited by Darkstrike
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[quote name='Darkstrike' timestamp='1349352115' post='1825100']
I have one on the way(the GK), should be here any day now, for just....

....this purpose. :huh: Though I'll probably turn the tweeter off.

I figure I'll be keeping the volume low enough that the noise, if there is any, should be no issue.
[/quote]
The hiss is not loud enough to bother me on mine, but it is there. It's quieter than my old AI Clarus was. I think the more annoying noise mentioned in some of the Talkbass threads might have been a lead dress/QC issue on the earlier batches. The MB200 sounds good, is tiny and is plenty loud enough for my needs with my cabs, so I still feel like it was a good buy.

Edited by Beer of the Bass
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[quote name='Beer of the Bass' timestamp='1349368681' post='1825407']
The MB200 sounds good, is tiny and is plenty loud enough for my needs with my cabs, so I still feel like it was a good buy.
[/quote]

The MB certainly looks to be very good value and at over £100 less than the MiBass it is very hard to ignore.

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[quote name='Doddy' timestamp='1349290670' post='1824409']
I use the MiBass 550 too. It's a great amp-it took the place of my Genz Benz.

Cab wise,I'm still using my Bergantino HS410,while I'm waiting for the new MiBass cabs.
[/quote]

What's the build quality like on the MiBass heads?
Oh, and is there an ETA on the MiBass cabs? The product photos have changed on the website but very little else, they were meant to be here months ago...

Cheers,
Eude

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[quote name='Beer of the Bass' timestamp='1349368681' post='1825407']
The hiss is not loud enough to bother me on mine, but it is there. It's quieter than my old AI Clarus was. I think the more annoying noise mentioned in some of the Talkbass threads might have been a lead dress/QC issue on the earlier batches. The MB200 sounds good, is tiny and is plenty loud enough for my needs with my cabs, so I still feel like it was a good buy.
[/quote]

Mine arrived a while ago, and after a quick ram through it with a few different basses, the verdict is good!

The hiss is there, if I have my tweeter rolled on, and the treble at 12 o clock+, which is just too much treble(even for slap, IMO). If I rolled the treble back to an acceptable, yet still bright setting(about 10:30 +/-), the hiss is ever so slightly there, but completely unnoticable. Running the trebele anywhere with the tweeter off was silent, and honestly, I find that slight hiss with most amps anyway.

Also with considering was the entire time my head was between 2 and 3 feet away from the MB200.

More importantly, dang lovely sounding amp, grindy when I dig in, harmonics sing, loud as heck(I only needed the gain at 9 o clock for my high gain basses, and 10:30 for lower gain/parallel humbucker settings) and light as a feather.

Dead happy, it'd be worth every penny twice over.

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I think the MB200 is fantastic value.

It definitely has its own sound, very typically GK, but on a budget.

I run mine through an EBS 1x15 with a tweeter (albeit heavily attenuated) and it is mightily loud for a tiny amp (12 o'clock balances just fine with a reasonably loud drummer).

I could see hiss being an issue if cranked up with a tweeter-fitted cab, but by the time you got to the hiss being annoying, the sound would be dreadful on the ear anyway!

Unfortunately, I can't comment on the MiBass, though - sorry!

That must be a nice setup there Merton - can't wait for my Super 12T to come. What are the main benefits of the MB Fusion over the MB200 in your opinion, specifically with regard to the S12T?

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The Fusion is "warmer" and more organic sounding because of the valves in the preamp, and it has a second "overdrive" channel which I LOVE! I tend to run it flat but with the Deep boost engaged, it sounds absolutely spit on. The Mb200 is a bit more clinical in comparison and when pushed you get a nice musical limiter into the mix. Obviously the Fusion has more headroom do not yet found the limiter on it! Hope that helps :)

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The Fusion sounds very nice. Would break my current buget and is probably more than I need or can justify at the moment.

I've not really looked at the GK Backline 600. I've kind of dismissed them as old tech, and not old enough to be old tech of the right kind - not that I know enough about bass amps to talk convincingly about old kit. Old guitar amps, well yes, old bass amps no.

Any love for the Backline 600? They seem very very cheap, but I assume that is for a reason? Probably retailers shifting the last few in stock which are gathering dust??????

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[quote name='Merton' timestamp='1349467246' post='1826848']
The Fusion is "warmer" and more organic sounding because of the valves in the preamp, and it has a second "overdrive" channel which I LOVE! I tend to run it flat but with the Deep boost engaged, it sounds absolutely spit on. The Mb200 is a bit more clinical in comparison and when pushed you get a nice musical limiter into the mix. Obviously the Fusion has more headroom do not yet found the limiter on it! Hope that helps :)
[/quote]

Thanks Merton, what I'd imagined, really.

Certainly doesn't help the gas much! :D

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[quote name='eude' timestamp='1349423013' post='1826035']
What's the build quality like on the MiBass heads?
Oh, and is there an ETA on the MiBass cabs? The product photos have changed on the website but very little else, they were meant to be here months ago...

Cheers,
Eude
[/quote]

The MiBass heads are great quality. I've had no problems with mine-I take it out all the time and it still doesn't have a mark on it,
and it's not like I baby my gear.All the controls are smooth and solid too.I can't say anything against it.

As far as I'm aware with the cabs,last time I spoke to Lee he told me that they were expecting delivery of the cabs hopefully
in the next few weeks.

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