Nicko Posted January 18, 2016 Share Posted January 18, 2016 Mine are set to off as I've never found these add anything to my sound. I reckon they should remove the circuits, offer this as a stomp option and make the amps cheaper. Discuss.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roland Rock Posted January 18, 2016 Share Posted January 18, 2016 They are great filters, and their existence is the only thing that could persuade me to buy a minging yellow and black amp. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FuNkShUi Posted January 18, 2016 Share Posted January 18, 2016 I loved them. Found them vey useful Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Conan Posted January 18, 2016 Share Posted January 18, 2016 I like the VPF as I sometimes like to cut the midrange without adjusting the core tone... but I find no real use for the VLE. Why would anyone want to sound all dull and thumpy? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
discreet Posted January 18, 2016 Share Posted January 18, 2016 (edited) They are very useful indeed but should be used with discretion, especially the VPF and especially live. The VLE (Vintage Loudspeaker Emulator) gradually rolls off a wider and wider range of top-end for a more old-skool sound, while the VPF (Variable Pre-Shape Filter) will progressively Boost lows and highs, in effect giving you a mid-scooped sound. Though this makes the amp sound very nice when playing solo or at home, you definitely don't want to be scooping your mids in a live situation as you will not be heard. It's important to note that both controls are only in the 'OFF' position when fully LEFT, and not at 12 o'clock. They are a major selling point of Markbass amps. When I had a Markbass, I set the EQ controls flat and got all the sounds I needed using only the VLE and VPF filters. You can get an amazing combination of tones just by using the filters and nothing else. Edited January 18, 2016 by discreet 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Conan Posted January 18, 2016 Share Posted January 18, 2016 (edited) [quote name='discreet' timestamp='1453127682' post='2956588'] ...you definitely don't want to be scooping your mids in a live situation as you will not be heard. [/quote] In most cases I'd agree, but it depends on the band. In my band there is no keys, but there are two guitars - their owners use very clean, clear "jangly" tones and so the bass has a pretty big sonic space. Even with some mid-cut the bass comes through well. It should be used judiciously though, as you say. Edited January 18, 2016 by Conan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
discreet Posted January 18, 2016 Share Posted January 18, 2016 [quote name='Conan' timestamp='1453127944' post='2956592'] In most cases I'd agree, but it depends on the band. In my band there is no keys, but there are two guitars - but their owners use very clean, clear "jangly" tones and so the bass has a pretty big sonic space. Even with some mid-cut the bass comes through well. It should be used judiciously though, as you say. [/quote] Yes, your mileage may vary. I should have said, '[i]I[/i] don't want to be scooping [i]my[/i] mids in a live situation'. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevie Posted January 18, 2016 Share Posted January 18, 2016 I found them a complete waste of time when I had an LMIII. They just duplicate the other tone controls. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xgsjx Posted January 18, 2016 Share Posted January 18, 2016 I often found the VLE at just above 9 o'clock & the VPF turned off. The rest was set flat & then adjusted to the room. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spike Posted January 18, 2016 Share Posted January 18, 2016 I always used to use a bit of VLE just to make things sound smoother. The preamp on my new bass has a Vintage Tone Control which does the same thing so I've started using that instead. I've started experimenting with the VPF but, as Discreet says, they are best used sparingly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
40hz Posted January 18, 2016 Share Posted January 18, 2016 Never use them. All done through the EQ. VPF is just a fancy name for a contour control, you'll lose your presence in the mix cranking that much above the off position. VLE just dulls everything. YMMV of course. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Conan Posted January 18, 2016 Share Posted January 18, 2016 [quote name='40hz' timestamp='1453132702' post='2956674'] VPF is just a fancy name for a contour control, you'll lose your presence in the mix cranking that much above the off position. [/quote] Pretty much - except it depends on the actual mix (as stated earlier). It can be useful almost as an effect, instead of having to change the bass, high mid, low mid and treble controls! Assuming you want a bit of scoop for a certain song... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deepbass5 Posted January 18, 2016 Share Posted January 18, 2016 Love my MB LMK always seem to use the VPF at 9 o'clock. habit but tried without and always come back to that setting. As a two channel amp I set the top channel VPF at 12 o'clock for funkier stuff and can just jump on foot pedal to swap over from finger style setting ( 9 o'clock) on the bottom EQ which also has slight cut on low mid to 11 o'clock. I use this for most playing. also boost upper mid and the high a smidgen when on the funky top EQ setting. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lefrash Posted January 19, 2016 Share Posted January 19, 2016 I had them both set at 12 oclock for a while because for some reason i thought this was them off... hated the amp fir a few weeks until i realised my mistake. Both off all the time now. Get plenty of range just from the eq... enough for me anyway. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lefrash Posted January 19, 2016 Share Posted January 19, 2016 I had them both set at 12 oclock for a while because for some reason i thought this was them off... hated the amp fir a few weeks until i realised my mistake. Both off all the time now. Get plenty of range just from the eq... enough for me anyway. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scalpy Posted January 19, 2016 Share Posted January 19, 2016 VPF and volume are the only controls I touch on mine. I just use it to posh up the tone a bit when necessary, varies between 10 o clock to as far as 3 in some situations, technically 'wrong' I guess but works for me! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Byo Posted January 21, 2016 Share Posted January 21, 2016 I use the Little Mark Rocker 500 and the only controls I use are the valve drive (for some grit) and the VLE & VPF filters. The EQ is set flat and depending on the room a little of bass is rolled of or boosted. The filters are the selling point of the amp and they are great, I'd be happy with just Gain-Drive-VLE-VPF-Master controls on my amp. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spectoremg Posted January 21, 2016 Share Posted January 21, 2016 [quote name='discreet' timestamp='1453127682' post='2956588'] They are very useful indeed but should be used with discretion, especially the VPF and especially live. The VLE (Vintage Loudspeaker Emulator) gradually rolls off a wider and wider range of top-end for a more old-skool sound, while the VPF (Variable Pre-Shape Filter) will progressively Boost lows and highs, in effect giving you a mid-scooped sound. Though this makes the amp sound very nice when playing solo or at home, you definitely don't want to be scooping your mids in a live situation as you will not be heard. It's important to note that both controls are only in the 'OFF' position when fully LEFT, and not at 12 o'clock. They are a major selling point of Markbass amps. When I had a Markbass, I set the EQ controls flat and got all the sounds I needed using only the VLE and VPF filters. You can get an amazing combination of tones just by using the filters and nothing else. [/quote]This. I do exactly the same on my Markbass amps. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EssentialTension Posted January 22, 2016 Share Posted January 22, 2016 [quote name='discreet' timestamp='1453127682' post='2956588'] They are a major selling point of Markbass amps. When I had a Markbass, I set the EQ controls flat and got all the sounds I needed using only the VLE and VPF filters. You can get an amazing combination of tones just by using the filters and nothing else. [/quote] Agreed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rusco Posted January 22, 2016 Share Posted January 22, 2016 [quote name='EssentialTension' timestamp='1453450257' post='2959549'] Agreed. [/quote] Agree too - this is what I do with my CMD112P combo and cab Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dave_bass5 Posted January 22, 2016 Share Posted January 22, 2016 [quote name='Nicko' timestamp='1453124946' post='2956546'] Mine are set to off as I've never found these add anything to my sound. I reckon they should remove the circuits, offer this as a stomp option and make the amps cheaper. Discuss.... [/quote] Well they did some of that, but i looks like people just want the full set of knobs, even if most of us dont use them all. [url="http://www.markbass.it/product_detail.php?id=117&markbass=Discontinued"]http://www.markbass.it/product_detail.php?id=117&markbass=Discontinued[/url] Im another user who leaves the EQ flat and mainly uses the two filters. Not too much, but these are the things that have kept me with MB over the past 7 or so years. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mcnach Posted January 28, 2016 Share Posted January 28, 2016 Yup... The VLE filter in particular I use a lot. It's perfect to 'round' up the edges of the sound a bit. I use the EQ very lightly and VLE is just lovely. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
molan Posted January 28, 2016 Share Posted January 28, 2016 [quote name='Nicko' timestamp='1453124946' post='2956546'] Mine are set to off as I've never found these add anything to my sound. I reckon they should remove the circuits, offer this as a stomp option and make the amps cheaper. Discuss.... [/quote] They already have - it's the new Nano http://www.markbass.it/product_detail.php?id=250 Ok, so it's only a 300w head and has some other differences but basically it does appear it was designed to be small, super light and with less features to get the price down. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
adam.kiralyhegyi Posted March 22, 2016 Share Posted March 22, 2016 Hi! Sorry, it's offtopic, but I've pm'd you a couple of days ago, and I just want to make sure you get that message! Thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chrismuzz Posted March 22, 2016 Share Posted March 22, 2016 I once turned these filters up really high, sounded like I was playing through an Ampeg cab Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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