Markbass Little Marcus, what's the deal..

[wildebassman]

Just curious, who played on the MB little marcus amps. It seems they're not as popular as the regular little mark models. 

Looking at the pre amp lay out one would think they are more  usefull in that respect.

I listened to some reviews on youtube but it's hard to really get a idea about how the amp sounds in real life. My first impression is that it is a " darker" sounding amp. Not something I relate to Marcus Millers sound.

Dennis.

[fretmeister]

Not darker.

EQ is much better. More bands and better freq centres.

 

 

[wildebassman]

7 hours ago, fretmeister said:

Not darker.

EQ is much better. More bands and better freq centres.

 

 

Do you have or played this amp? How would you rate it? 

Dennis.

Edited June 9, 2020 by wildebassman

[franzbassist]

I had an 800 and currently own a 250.  Original series with the Millerizer rather than the para EQ on the second channel.

I think it's a fantastic head.  As fretmesiter says, the EQ points are much more usable than the Little Mark and I think it's a great amp for live use.  I regretted selling mine so bought a 250 that was going cheap as a backup to my main amps.  I was really pleased to get one again. 

[julfam]

I have one as well - got it a few days ago. Wouldnt call it dark(er) either (even though not as clear as EBS Reidmar).
I found it punchier than the regular MB. The EQ is really good too. It just sounded the best with my Spector (and to my hear) while I compared it to other Markbass and the Mesa D800.
 

Edited June 9, 2020 by julfam

[fretmeister]

1 hour ago, wildebassman said:

Do you have or played this amp? How would you rate it? 

Dennis.

It's my main amp. And I've had the regular LM2 in the past.

I use it for everything. With overdrives and other things for rock and metal, but most of the time with just a compressor for everything else.

 

My version is the limited "Gold Line" version that removed the "Millerizer" control and replaced it with a 2 knob semi-parametric, but the rest of the amp is identical and I don't use that feature anyway. It is very punchy and can be warm and clear too.

 

It is not darker than the regular LM2/3 - but the LM2/3 high EQ control was set at a completely pointless 10Khz. Unless a cab has a tweeter that control did nothing. 

 

The Marcus versions have a 5 band regular EQ rather than 4 and they are spaced better. The Ultra low control is now a little higher at 65hz - much better for cutting low end boominess in a bad room or on a cheap stage - and the Low Mid is closer at 180hz. This is particularly brilliant as that is where tight low end thump happens rather than flubby nonsense. It's also a good freq for EQ-ing to fit with a kick drum.

The Mids / high mid and treble are also far better centred. The treble is now at 3.8Khz and that is perfect for either adding nice definition at the top or cutting it for an old fashioned sound.As I said in the other thread I think cab choice is going to have a bigger impact on the treble of a sound. My BF cabs go to 6Khz at the top without a tweeter. If I bought a tweeter equipped BF cab the top end would be at 20Khz. That's a massive difference. The official Marcus cabs all have tweeters.

 

I can only think that it is youtube or the individual player that gives you the impression that it is a darker sounding amp. It is a very versatile amp. When I play metal I like a grindy treble Cliff Burton type sound and even though my cabs do not have tweeters it does that easily with a drive pedal. And it sounds great with a P bass, flatwounds and old RnB lines as well. Youtube vids might be going direct, might be getting post production EQ, might even be running into an IR of an old 18inch cab. Unless the youtuber shows all his signal chain and settings you just don't know.

Don't know if it makes a difference but at the moment the basses I'm using with it are - from darkest to brightest...

 

1: Fender American Special Precision - Rotosound Monel flats

2: Sandberg California II TT4 Superlight (Active with EMGs) - GHS Pressurewounds

3: Modified EBMM Stingray 5 (Passive PJ pickups) - D'Addario nickels

4: Ibanez SRMD205 Mezzo 5 string - Warwick Black Label steels.

 

Each bass sounds different with the amp. 

 

If it breaks - I will be buying another one.

[wildebassman]

1 hour ago, julfam said:

I have one as well - got it a few days ago. Wouldnt call it dark(er) either (even though not as clear as EBS Reidmar).
I found it punchier than the regular MB. The EQ is really good too. It just sounded the best with my Spector (and to my hear) while I compared it to other Markbass and the Mesa D800.
 

Now, you really got me curious, which model did you get? 250, 500, 800, 1000? How is the noise floor (hiss) on this amp compaired to the mesa? And how noisy is the cooling fan?

Dennis

[fretmeister]

I am really sensitive to cooling fan noise. I hate it.

It really annoys me that the quest for tiny amps has meant cooling fans are everywhere when a bit bigger case would allow passive cooling. I often play with just a single clarinet and fan noise is obvious on some amps - not great for the gig. The Miller head is quiet enough - the fan is very low volume. Low enough that I will use the amp in the house even when just noodling to watch TV.

 

I don't hear any hiss unless I'm using a compressor or drive pedals - and that still depends on the settings of them.

 

 

[wildebassman]

4 minutes ago, fretmeister said:

It's my main amp. And I've had the regular LM2 in the past.

I use it for everything. With overdrives and other things for rock and metal, but most of the time with just a compressor for everything else.

 

My version is the limited "Gold Line" version that removed the "Millerizer" control and replaced it with a 2 knob semi-parametric, but the rest of the amp is identical and I don't use that feature anyway. It is very punchy and can be warm and clear too.

 

It is not darker than the regular LM2/3 - but the LM2/3 high EQ control was set at a completely pointless 10Khz. Unless a cab has a tweeter that control did nothing. 

 

The Marcus versions have a 5 band regular EQ rather than 4 and they are spaced better. The Ultra low control is now a little higher at 65hz - much better for cutting low end boominess in a bad room or on a cheap stage - and the Low Mid is closer at 180hz. This is particularly brilliant as that is where tight low end thump happens rather than flubby nonsense. It's also a good freq for EQ-ing to fit with a kick drum.

The Mids / high mid and treble are also far better centred. The treble is now at 3.8Khz and that is perfect for either adding nice definition at the top or cutting it for an old fashioned sound.As I said in the other thread I think cab choice is going to have a bigger impact on the treble of a sound. My BF cabs go to 6Khz at the top without a tweeter. If I bought a tweeter equipped BF cab the top end would be at 20Khz. That's a massive difference. The official Marcus cabs all have tweeters.

 

I can only think that it is youtube or the individual player that gives you the impression that it is a darker sounding amp. It is a very versatile amp. When I play metal I like a grindy treble Cliff Burton type sound and even though my cabs do not have tweeters it does that easily with a drive pedal. And it sounds great with a P bass, flatwounds and old RnB lines as well. Youtube vids might be going direct, might be getting post production EQ, might even be running into an IR of an old 18inch cab. Unless the youtuber shows all his signal chain and settings you just don't know.

Don't know if it makes a difference but at the moment the basses I'm using with it are - from darkest to brightest...

 

1: Fender American Special Precision - Rotosound Monel flats

2: Sandberg California II TT4 Superlight (Active with EMGs) - GHS Pressurewounds

3: Modified EBMM Stingray 5 (Passive PJ pickups) - D'Addario nickels

4: Ibanez SRMD205 Mezzo 5 string - Warwick Black Label steels.

 

Each bass sounds different with the amp. 

 

If it breaks - I will be buying another one.

Thanks a lot for this insightful answer! I have been looking at this amp a long time and I think I will order one now, the 1000w gold edition is "only" 750 euro's at Thomann, sounds like a steal. Two more questions, how is the fan noise and the noise floor of the amp? I also use the amp in a small room at home.

My gear:

Fender Pro Jazz

Fender Player Precision

Sire MM

Vanderkley 112mnt 600w 40hz-16khz.

[wildebassman]

2 minutes ago, fretmeister said:

I am really sensitive to cooling fan noise. I hate it.

It really annoys me that the quest for tiny amps has meant cooling fans are everywhere when a bit bigger case would allow passive cooling. I often play with just a single clarinet and fan noise is obvious on some amps - not great for the gig. The Miller head is quiet enough - the fan is very low volume. Low enough that I will use the amp in the house even when just noodling to watch TV.

 

I don't hear any hiss unless I'm using a compressor or drive pedals - and that still depends on the settings of them.

 

 

Ha ha, you were faster!

[julfam]

24 minutes ago, wildebassman said:

Now, you really got me curious, which model did you get? 250, 500, 800, 1000? How is the noise floor (hiss) on this amp compaired to the mesa? And how noisy is the cooling fan?

Dennis

I got the 250 because I don't actually need more power. I can't hear any hiss at all. I do hear the cooling fan, but it's quiet enough so that I dont hear it when playing in my bedroom (let alone with a band), so more than acceptable in my opinion 😉

Hard to compare the noise with the Mesa because my bedroom is obviously quieter than the shop, and I dont remember hearing anything in the shop (on both MB and Mesa)

Edited June 9, 2020 by julfam

[wildebassman]

1 minute ago, julfam said:

I got the 250 because I don't actually need more power. Can't hear much noise. I do hear the cooling fan, but it's quiet enough so that I dont hear it when playing in my bedroom, so more than acceptable in my opinion 😉

Hard to compare the noise with the Mesa because my bedroom is obviously quieter than the shop, and I dont remember anything in the shop (on both MB and Mesa).

Thanks for your answer, I tried the Mesa D800 too, nice amp, I liked it, but I will order the Little Marcus limited now at Thomann, no risk, if it's not a good match with my cab I can just return it.

[julfam]

Given the price difference, it's worth it indeed!

Edited June 9, 2020 by julfam

[wildebassman]

3 minutes ago, julfam said:

Given the price difference, it's worth it indeed!

Yes absolutely!

[wildebassman]

28 minutes ago, wildebassman said:

Ha ha, you were faster!

Which model do you have? 500, 800, 1000watts?

Dennis.

[wildebassman]

Received the little marcus 1000w limited edition today.

Great tonal range, pretty quiet fan but...noisy pre amp, compared to the amps I have tested recently, the amp's got a lot of white noise. Even with the master all the way down considerable hiss came from the tweeter, what a bummer.

At playing levels it was really bad on my Vanderkley cab. When muted all hiss was gone, I suspect it's the pre amp.

Well I put it back in the box and it's on it's way back to Thomann.

[fretmeister]

19 hours ago, wildebassman said:

Received the little marcus 1000w limited edition today.

Great tonal range, pretty quiet fan but...noisy pre amp, compared to the amps I have tested recently, the amp's got a lot of white noise. Even with the master all the way down considerable hiss came from the tweeter, what a bummer.

At playing levels it was really bad on my Vanderkley cab. When muted all hiss was gone, I suspect it's the pre amp.

Well I put it back in the box and it's on it's way back to Thomann.

That's a shame.

I've never had any hiss on my 800W one. But also I don't have any tweeters in my cabs.

Does the Vanderkley have a tweeter control? Some tweeters go up to 20Khz, which in my mind is absolutely useless for bass, but that is where hiss can be.

[julfam]

Same, absolutely no hiss here on the combo MM 2*12

[wildebassman]

8 hours ago, fretmeister said:

That's a shame.

I've never had any hiss on my 800W one. But also I don't have any tweeters in my cabs.

Does the Vanderkley have a tweeter control? Some tweeters go up to 20Khz, which in my mind is absolutely useless for bass, but that is where hiss can be.

It's not the cab for sure.

 

Edited June 17, 2020 by wildebassman

[wildebassman]

Well the tweeter on the Vanderkley goes to max 16khz. Tried different amps on this cabinet, even today Mesa D800, no hiss at all, MB was hissing even with master volume all the way down. Well I really wanted this amp but cannot accept this anoying hiss in the background all the time even getting worse with the master up. I think it's in the pre amp design, I tried an amp with the same problem recently, EBS Reidmar 750.

Edited June 17, 2020 by wildebassman

[BillyBass]

I got one today, see the post below (I mucked upon the photo download hence the edit & repeat)

I think I now have a very similar rig to @fretmeister

 

Edited June 17, 2020 by BillyBass

[BillyBass]

I just got one today: 

Its the 500 w version.  My Elf has a fault and I have an appointment at GuitarGuitar in Camden Town on Tuesday to take it in to be repaired (such is lockdown!).  So, not wanting to be headless for, I'm guessing three months, I bought The Little Marcus 500 watt ltd ed.  

The Eq points looked really sensible and generous, and Andertons had it on a deal.  So why not!

 

 

[fretmeister]

42 minutes ago, BillyBass said:

I just got one today: 

Its the 500 w version.  My Elf has a fault and I have an appointment at GuitarGuitar in Camden Town on Tuesday to take it in to be repaired (such is lockdown!).  So, not wanting to be headless for, I'm guessing three months, I bought The Little Marcus 500 watt ltd ed.  

The Eq points looked really sensible and generous, and Andertons had it on a deal.  So why not!

 

 

SNAP!

 

I love it. All my basses sound different with it, as they should, and it takes pedals really well too.

[BillyBass]

52 minutes ago, fretmeister said:

SNAP!

 

I love it. All my basses sound different with it, as they should, and it takes pedals really well too.

Ordinarily I wouldn't buy blind, but its lockdown.  I was umming and arring between the Genzler Magellan 350, the Darkglass 500 and the Markbass.  I thought I might end up wanting a bit more headroom than the Genzler would provide.  The Darkglass does have built in dirt, but I would rather have that in pedal form, and the Darkglass Footswitch costs another £89, which makes it £260 more than the Markbass, not bad value if you want the Darkglass pedals, but I wasn't sure I did.  Then there is the outstanding EQ section in the Markbass.

I did read your previous posts about your rig, as you seem to be the only other bassist out there with the one10 and Little Marcus, so thanks for posting your opinions.

My first impressions are good.  I am only playing it at quiet volumes at home but I have had to dial the 65Hz and 180Hz knobs down a bit; the room is concrete floored with painted walls and not much in the way of soft furnishings.  In a couple of days I'll take it out to my shed and turn the volume up a bit.

And yes, my basses sound different with it, more so than with my Elf (I have mim Fenders; a P and a J ).

Edited June 17, 2020 by BillyBass

[fretmeister]

In the lounge - wooden floor - I back off the 65hz quite a bit. Unless I'm going full Marcus with my active jazz anyway.

At the moment I seem to be using my P with roto flats a lot. Just sounds perfect to me.