Phil Starr Posted January 27, 2016 Share Posted January 27, 2016 I was just about to press the button on a LM III and looking for the best deal when I spotted a Tube 500 for an extra £50. I really like the sound and features of the LM III and have tried it with my speakers and like the match. Two questions, I've seen the other threads on here where the tube sound is described as subtle. That would suit me but if it is so subtle you can't hear it then I might as well save £50. The other question is whether the solid state input on the Tube 500 would be identical with the LM III that I liked so much? I'm tempted to just go with the LM III which I liked but it just makes sense to ask before I take the plunge. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lozz196 Posted January 27, 2016 Share Posted January 27, 2016 I`ve had both and the only way I`d describe the tube sound is very subtle, you hardly notice what it does, but, and a big but here, you certainly notice it when you turn it off - it sort of has the effect of "sterilising" the sound. For the extra £50 I`d go for it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roland Rock Posted January 27, 2016 Share Posted January 27, 2016 Are you going for new or used? Just thinking that if it's an older LM3, it'll be class AB rather than class D, which may be worth taking into account. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil Starr Posted January 27, 2016 Author Share Posted January 27, 2016 (edited) [quote name='Lozz196' timestamp='1453883239' post='2963666'] I`ve had both and the only way I`d describe the tube sound is very subtle, you hardly notice what it does, but, and a big but here, you certainly notice it when you turn it off - it sort of has the effect of "sterilising" the sound. For the extra £50 I`d go for it. [/quote] Thanks, that's really helpful. Do you think anyone would notice live, this is very much going to be my gigging amp. It's replacing my HA3500 which is getting crotchetty. On that I only use the valve input but I'm not a big valve fan per se, it's just about what sounds good and the valve sound is much better than the s/s on the Hartke. It looks like the difference is much smaller on the LMIII [quote name='Roland Rock' timestamp='1453883340' post='2963667'] Are you going for new or used? Just thinking that if it's an older LM3, it'll be class AB rather than class D, which may be worth taking into account. [/quote] I'm going new, at around £300 for a pristine used and £390 for new with a guarantee (three years for the LMIII) I'm happy to pay the extra. Edited January 27, 2016 by Phil Starr Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
6v6 Posted January 27, 2016 Share Posted January 27, 2016 I faced the same dilemma and FWIW I went for the LM3, although IIRC the difference was more than £50 when I was buying. I'm more than happy, I just add a pedal (a BDI21 sansamp clone) occasionally if I want a bit of grit/warmth (mostly not needed for my style, I find rolling off the treble is all I really need to warm things up on a P bass). I think you're right to go new - although they're supposed to be pretty reliable, I had mine fail (spectacularly, plumes of smoke from melted power-amp!) at just over a year old - after a bit of a debate with the retailer I got it repaired for free, but I'm glad it wasn't used as it needed a whole new power amp module. Where do they say it's a three year warranty? The retailer was trying to tell me it was a year and claimed it was a goodwill thing at about 15 months old, but maybe I should have contacted MarkBass directly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil Starr Posted January 27, 2016 Author Share Posted January 27, 2016 DV247 do their own three year warranty. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lozz196 Posted January 27, 2016 Share Posted January 27, 2016 [quote name='Phil Starr' timestamp='1453885917' post='2963691'] Thanks, that's really helpful. Do you think anyone would notice live, this is very much going to be my gigging amp. It's replacing my HA3500 which is getting crotchetty. On that I only use the valve input but I'm not a big valve fan per se, it's just about what sounds good and the valve sound is much better than the s/s on the Hartke. It looks like the difference is much smaller on the LMIII I'm going new, at around £300 for a pristine used and £390 for new with a guarantee (three years for the LMIII) I'm happy to pay the extra. [/quote] Difficult to say, if you were to switch between the two soloed it would be noticeable, but in the mix, well not so sure. It just gives a "shimmer" around the sound, making it less clean and edgy. I really like it but it`s not like adding gain or drive, no noticeable break-up as such. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Muppet Posted January 27, 2016 Share Posted January 27, 2016 I've got both and for £50 I'd go for the tube. The 'tube' itself is a tiny GT valve soldered to the circuit board but does provide a pleasant extra warmth. I still use a OD pedal anyway. The tube also has two channels (separate gain, shared EQ) and a mute switch. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scalpy Posted January 27, 2016 Share Posted January 27, 2016 Mine's dialled on tube 100%. Occasionally I do shared backline gigs with LMIIIs and I hate them! They feel plastic to play whereas the tube option feels a bit more pliant and musical. Very cork sniffy I realise and subjective but like the best things in life, you only notice it when it's not there! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil Starr Posted January 29, 2016 Author Share Posted January 29, 2016 Thanks for your advice everyone. I've ordered the Valve 500. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil Starr Posted February 3, 2016 Author Share Posted February 3, 2016 Well the big day arrived and I'm now the proud owner of a Little Mark Tube 500. First impressions are that I prefer the sound of my Harke 3500 which it will replace as my gigging amp. Not by much and to be fair it may be more to do with knowing all the tone settings and just a familiar sound but, well the Hartke sounds great even if it is getting a bit cranky (I'm worried about long term reliability which is why i needed a new amp) I won't miss the weight either. The Tube 500 does sound good though. The thing goes very loud, way louder than i'll ever need and is slightly bass heavy, Turning it up ended up with the speakers rattling against the front grille, something that never happened with the Hartke. I've rolled off the bass a little and that lets the sound breathe a bit. The VLE just sounds unpleasant to my ears, I doubt I'll be using it but the VPF lets you access some nice sounds fairly quickly. The tones generally are pretty sensitive and I'll have to learn their little ways. 5mins in it is starting to sound better with a little bass rolled off, tiny low mid boost and the VPF up about a 1/4. As to the tube input, well you were right, it is subtle, more so than the Hartke for example but it does make a difference. Partly because it is a little louder but the tone is subtly different. At the moment the optimum spot seems to be about half tube and half s/s, which gives a more articulate sound than the tube input but with more warmth than the solid state. I don't think I'd miss it if I'd bought the LMIII but it's nice. Better still the case is a nicer colour with a bit less banana. The acid test will be at the next gig. Thanks for all your advice everyone. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil Starr Posted February 4, 2016 Author Share Posted February 4, 2016 (edited) Quick update (I know, I'm a child with a new toy) I tried out the Tube 500 initially with my J, a Highway One fitted with a J-East Retro, I was frankly underwhelmed. When I switched to my American Deluxe P Bass last night it sounded great, lovely clean sounds, then I switched to my MIJ Thunderbird and that really came alive, much nicer sounds than with my old Hartke more articulation and just more detail. It seems some amps are just a much better match to one bass than another. I started with the Jazz because it is my best sounding bass, well so I thought until I heard the T'bird through the Mark Bass The band are in for a shock next gig. Now I just have three more speaker options to run through....... Edited February 4, 2016 by Phil Starr Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lozz196 Posted February 4, 2016 Share Posted February 4, 2016 Nice one Phil, I think the Markbass sound lends itself more to warmer basses, rather than articulate ones - they seem a bit "sterile" when coupled with the MB sound. Probably why I loved mine when paired with my Precisions. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil Starr Posted March 7, 2016 Author Share Posted March 7, 2016 (edited) Just a last update in case my comments about 'underwhelmed by the sound' is putting anyone off. I gigged the Tube 500 this weekend for the first time. January and February have been a bit dead and we had a pub cancel on us so it's been a long wait. Firstly for the class D sceptics and the 'heft' merchants there is no shortage of volume or bass, deep or otherwise from the amp. Secondly for those wondering about the tube pre amp I gigged with the balance firmly towards the solid state input, but the difference really is so subtle that I don't really think the audience would have noticed. I could afford the extra £50 but so far I don't think I'd miss the tube pre amp, early days but it's very likely if you went for a Little Mark you'd be perfectly happy. I think what I've not liked is the midrange character of the MB amp and I've missed the graphic on my old amp. I find graphics very intuitive to use with my science teacher approach to everything. You've really got to learn the sound of the tone controls on the MB pre amp and for me the bass controls aren't centred on the best frequencies. Boosting anything below 50Hz just ends up exciting room resonances IME and the critical frequencies for a bassier sound seem to be 80-150Hz, so a 40Hz centre is too low for my liking and the low mid control is too high for me. In fact I ended up with the controls set flat as most MB users seem to do. I then set the VPF (middle suckout) to about 10.00 o'clock and added just a touch of VLE (Vintage loudspeaker emulation) at about 7-8.00 o'clock. This gave me a fairly dark sound with a nice solid thump, much less lively and characterful than my usual sound but probably better suited to most of the ancient rock covers I'm forced to play. Think P-bass with dirty old strings, this is with my American Deluxe P and through my 15" Deltalite based cab. The end result was a less bass forward sound than I usually run (I do the mixing) but I have to confess a much better overall sound for the band as a whole than we often get. In fact the overall sound was probably the best I've recorded, which may be down to room acoustics and the placing of my little Olympus recorder but was noticed by my better half out in the audience. I'd also done an hour's run through in the morning of the gig and got a really nice, more modern tone out of my 12" cab with the P. So in conclusion this is definitely a decent giggable amp, even if I would still swap for the sound of my Hartke 3500. However weight, and the reliability of a newer amp make up for that. I've a long way to go before I can just dial up the tone I want and the big lesson is that reviewing an amp or even auditioning one is so dependant upon what you use it with. Different amps, cabs, basses and room acoustics will complement each other or fight each other so take all the advice you can but take it with a pinch of salt as well. Who knows if I get on top of the eq I might even get to love this little beastie. Many thanks to all those who've offered advice. Phil Edited March 7, 2016 by Phil Starr Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.