Mark Bass Combo

[olieoliver]

Can anyone give me some input on Mark-Bass gear. I've bee thinking about getting a combo kickback amp.  
 
I've looked at the GK 2x10 and they sound pretty good.
 
I just got through trying out a Mark Bass 2x10 combo and it sounded great at the store. I like the weight of it too, very lite. I just don't know much about them. Any input would be appreciated.

[keavin]

Hey olie,ive tried a Mark Bass amp in guitarcenter recently & all i can say is that Son-of-a-bitch was POWREFUL!!! but not much Midrange............But on the GK gear i just purchased a GK rig & the police have been to my house several times this year cause i no mercy on my neighbors!

[5stringho]

Hey, Olie!
 
Something I actually know about! I've been using a MarkBass Traveller 102 Combo and Traveller 115 Cab for right at 2 years now. It replaced a 1400 watt, 2-rack/2 Cabinet rig I was using. Not only is the stuff light and easy to lug around, I have never turned it up past 11:00. It gives me all the power you need, and has good direct outs if you're playing in a big hall and need to go straight to the board.                      MarkBass are quite trasnsparent amplifiers, they add very little, if any, coloration to the natural tone of your bass. The 102 I use is great by itself, but you do get a little more bottom with the 115 extension cab, and more power, if you need it. I have not noticed the lack of midrange Keavin did, I usually keep the mids cut somewhat.
I looked at the Mesa Boogie stuff, Ampeg Portabass, and Euphonic Audio gear, and it came down to between the EA and Markbass, and you see what I bought. I have been VERY pleased with it, had no problems with it (I play 4-5 gigs a month or more, plus rehearsals) and my back DEFINATELY thanks me!! I think you would be very happy with it. If you have any more questions, let me know.
Have Fun! the 'Ho.....

[bigredbass]

Eden.
 
I've used lots of amps over the years, mostly all purpose-built bass amps, used a component rig for a while in the 80's when you had to use mostly PA gear which left me a bit cold.
 
I'd always preferred bass amps.  I wanted the bass equivalents of a Twin Reverb, AC30, etc.  In other words, a complete box really made for bass.
 
Over a year ago I tried all the 'usual suspects' in the 210 combo format made popular by SWR's Super RedHead.  The Eden METRO was above and beyond anything else for my ears.  After a year of driving this thing, I'll tell you it's plenty loud, has tone for days, and is obviously built by someone who knew what bass was supposed to sound like.  A bit light in the low C's on the five string (after all, a bit much to ask out of a fat Twin Reverb-sized box), an extension cabinet (an Eden D115XLT) finished it off.  After the Alembic bass, it was the second leg of really finding my own tone.
 
I'm about to buy the Eden CXC-110 combo and CX-110 extension cab for acoustic work (concentric 10+tweeter, not that idiot 'wizzer' cone!), then later the mighty DC-112XLT combo and matching D112XLT extension cab, the single twelve rig that really can do it all.  All designed by David Norschow and his brain trust (the 'David' in Eden), and they design and fabricate their own drivers (though some are built OEM to their design).
 
Eden's extension cabs are mostly eight ohm, so any of these combos can drive two extension cabs.  I've often thought of getting a second 115 for the METRO just to scare the hell out of guitar players . . . .
 
That GC is suddenly so heavily in bed with MarkBass while they routinely say that Eden went out of business makes me plenty gun-shy.  Of course, GC always says any line they drop went out of business !
 
Eden also has a terrific online forum at their website (www.eden-electronics.com).  If you haven't tried any of their gear Olie, you SHOULD.
The BigRedBass sounds my-T-fine through the METRO stack!  They of course make a full range of big and bigger heads, and just about any cabinet configuration you can imagine.
 
J o e y

[olieoliver]

Thanks guys. Very helpful info.
 
Keavin thats where I tried it today , GC. It sounded pretty good. I don't play with a lot of mids in my sound so that wasn't really a factor to me. I played a Pedulla Thunder bass (which I didn;t really care for) through it, and a Warwick Streamer which are nice.
I think I'll take and Alembic up there and try the Markbass and the GK.  
 
Mike I assume you've gigged out with yours alot and it's held up. Thats what I'm looking for. Something light weight and durable but doesn't lack a fat bottom.
 
Joey I actually have a Eden Metro 2x10 combo. I bought it when they first came out. It is in need of some repairs thoough. It does sound great but is HEAVY.
 
I do prefer the sound of my Eden over the Markbass. The only reason I'm looking for something small and lighter is I am contemplating coming out of retirement and doing some small gigging. I would really like something that I can carry out in one trip without a fork lift.LOL
 
Thanks again guys, as always the club comes through again.
 
Peace, Olie

[bigredbass]

Olie, you've got to try the DC112XLT combo with a D112XLT extension cab.  Metro tone, at half the weight, scared the hell out of me the first time I tried one.
 
J o e y

[tbrannon]

Joey,
 
You mentioned the Wizzer cone above.  Are you referring to the newish EA Wizzy 10's and 12's?  
 
If so, can you enlighten me as to why you don't care   for them?  I'm looking into a new downsized rig and the EA iAmp 500 and a Wizzy were on the top of my wish list.  I've only played through them once (while in Australia), but was impressed by what I heard.  Gear here in NZ is scarce and what is avaliable is incredibly/ridiculously expensive.  If I were going to get an EA setup it would be sent over from Australia.  The other option I was considering was a Yamaha BBT500 head paired with a Yamaha 2x10.
 
Sorry for the partial hijack Olie, but perhaps the info might be of use to you as well.  
 
Toby

[bigredbass]

'Wizzer' cones are simply a dish shaped dust cover at the bottom of the cone surround on a speaker, instead of the usual dome shape.  This is supposed to magically add highs without benefit of a crossover or anything else, save for that shape .  .  . right ! !
 
This BS used to be seen in car stereo speakers back in the 70s, and I'm shocked that the once-interesting EA got in bed with this.  There are concentric high drivers (Bag End and Eden among others) that use a crossover, etc., and are concentric to the speaker.  This ain't that.  Evidently you can push a lot of BS down a transmission line.  A far cry from the tiny cabinets that made their reputation originally.
 
If you're in NZ, why not contact our friend Burgess at Green Square Music in Australia (www.greensquaremusic.net), the ALEMBIC distributor as well as Schroeder and AccuGroove, among other things?
 
Yamaha dropped the BBT series amps/cabs like a rock suddenly here in the States, one day all the big mail order / net retailers were blosing them out CHEAP, not a good sign.  Quite a few instability problems in the digital power supply is what I was told.
 
J o e y

[tbrannon]

Joey-
 
Thanks for your input- I hadn't done any research on how the Wizzy's actually work- I've played through one once and liked the sound, but hadn't looked into the design- I guess I should.  
 
In regards to Greensquare- I spend far too many hours perusing the Greensquare website already. =)  I've considered the Schroeder/Accugroove and Acme cabs, but without playing them, I'm hesitant.  I've read lots of reviews about the tweeters in the Schroeders being harsh to alot of ears- some love 'em, some hate 'em.  I guess I was looking at the EA stuff because it was the size I was looking for and it's gear that I had actually played before.
 
In regards to the Yamaha stuff- I read that all the Yammie cabs were being recalled in Europe- emitting to many noxious fumes for European standards.  Disappointing, because I had read good things about the cabs.  
 
Thanks again-
Toby

[bkbass]

Olie,I've played through most of the MarkBass line and liked what I heard,they are light weight the single twelve combo sells for around 750 US dollars. So theres other things to look at in the price range. EA, regardless of speaker components, sounds like a studio quality amp. They keep up with a drummer(in volume)well... mostly based on the small venues I heard them in. I don't know how they would behave in a medium size room. My experience suggests perhaps two cabinets. I own several Eden heads and cabinets (among way too many other amps) and all I can say is in a word MUSICAL. I've just purchased their WTX 260 head. I researched the Acoustic Image,the Ampeg 250&800 and I played numerous EA heads which have the same digital power section of their new mini. I liked the sound of the Eden head very much. On this mini rig I'm building I tried to get away from what I already have to try something new and I ended up right back at Eden. I've also just recieved word from Marc Serio @ drbass cabinets that he is in the process of designing a new line of ultra lightweight cabs using 4x8,2x10,1x15 configurations. I also own several of his cabinets and will probly wait and purchase one of these ultra's over the current Eden offerings. Eden had demo'd a small combo at NAMM featuring the new WTX 260 head coupled with the single 10 coax. Supposedly that may go into production along with one or two other cabinets meant to compliment their mini. MarkBass has carved a wedge in the market place. He never intended to grow as fast as he did. GC has their fangs in him and will ring every last nickel out of the carcass before leaving them out of business It's a very nice product but will you be able to get repairs done in five years? Do you speak Italian? I leave you with this,just about everybody has embraced digital switching amps and neo speakers the others will soon follow. If you want to spend 750 on a 500 dollar combo that's your business.Happy hunting and God Bless.

[olieoliver]

Thanks Barry, you've been most helpful. I do like my Eden Metro, I use at church, but it's so heavy it's not practical for me if I start doing some small gigs. Sound wise is great just too darn heavy.  
I may try as your doing, a Eden head with some light weight cabs.

[gare]

Ollie
I've been using a Mark Bass LMII head for the past 6 months, with a Schroeder 1210 cabinet, and it sounds great. At GC I played thru the Mark 2x10 combo(about $900), which I really liked. But I prefer regular speakers over the neo's, seem to have a tad more bottom to them. I also play with everything set flat on the preamp then adjust overall sound with the scoop control and vintage cab emulator control. Playing mostly in bars its more than enough power to do battle with 2 guitars and a loud drummer. And its light.
Now days my Mesa gear sits collecting dust.
Good luck on the Hunt.
Gare