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babas3d « Ass-kicking! »
Published on 03/03/14 at 04:08
Best value:
Poor
Everything has been said in the previous reviews, it's 300W or 500W solid-state amp with an additional cab.
I added to it a 2x10 cab to rival my guitarist's tube amp + 4x12 cab.
This also spares me having to crank the volume to max, since I always like to have some extra power reserve.
USE
It's very easy to use, If you are looking for an all-purpose combo with tuner, USB port, parametric EQ, 2 channels, built-in overdrive, etc., you'll need to look elsewhere.
But it was exactly this simplicity I was looking for. If I ever need different sounds then I turn to my pedalbard.
SOUND
What I love about it is that it doesn't alter the sound of my instrument.
The combo has a good dynamic response, it doesn't sound muddy.
I also bought the MarkStand, at first just to see how it works, but it has proven very good for small venues to increase the diffusion of low frequencies and reduce the reflections from the ground, the sound is more precise.
The EQ's frequencies (360Hz and 800Hz) are ideal for my music style.
I use the MarkBass filters with caution:
- VLE allows me to remove the tweeter's noise
- VPF allows me to cut more or less through the mix depending on the moment and place
OVERALL OPINION
I bought it one year ago.
It convinced me after trying it out with my own gear at the store. I also tested the TC BG250-210, SVT BA-115 and Warwick BC-300 combos, besides having played half a dozen of two-part combinations that were either not good enough or out of my budget.
I also tried out at the store three ABS active PA speakers (between 900€ and 1200€ per unit) to compare electrical and acoustical power.
To me, this combo delivers the 800-1000W of the ABS speakers and even more, the latter produce muddy lows and have poor dynamics.
It's a bit like the real temperature and the temperature with wind-chill factor.
It's hard to cut though the mix with the ABS speakers, whereas the sound of the MarkBass literally pops and has a great diffusion for it size and weight...28.6lbs (13kg).
The only snag is the access to the inputs-outputs (return, send, tuner, cab), which are hidden on the rear and aimed towards the ground. So you either turn the combo upside down or you lie down to reach them, but once plugged you'd better not need to ouch them again.
Although, I don't think the engineers had many options trying to design such a compact unit, due to the fan, the vibrations, etc. So, that's not a major issue to me, since I bought it in part due to its compactness.
I added to it a 2x10 cab to rival my guitarist's tube amp + 4x12 cab.
This also spares me having to crank the volume to max, since I always like to have some extra power reserve.
USE
It's very easy to use, If you are looking for an all-purpose combo with tuner, USB port, parametric EQ, 2 channels, built-in overdrive, etc., you'll need to look elsewhere.
But it was exactly this simplicity I was looking for. If I ever need different sounds then I turn to my pedalbard.
SOUND
What I love about it is that it doesn't alter the sound of my instrument.
The combo has a good dynamic response, it doesn't sound muddy.
I also bought the MarkStand, at first just to see how it works, but it has proven very good for small venues to increase the diffusion of low frequencies and reduce the reflections from the ground, the sound is more precise.
The EQ's frequencies (360Hz and 800Hz) are ideal for my music style.
I use the MarkBass filters with caution:
- VLE allows me to remove the tweeter's noise
- VPF allows me to cut more or less through the mix depending on the moment and place
OVERALL OPINION
I bought it one year ago.
It convinced me after trying it out with my own gear at the store. I also tested the TC BG250-210, SVT BA-115 and Warwick BC-300 combos, besides having played half a dozen of two-part combinations that were either not good enough or out of my budget.
I also tried out at the store three ABS active PA speakers (between 900€ and 1200€ per unit) to compare electrical and acoustical power.
To me, this combo delivers the 800-1000W of the ABS speakers and even more, the latter produce muddy lows and have poor dynamics.
It's a bit like the real temperature and the temperature with wind-chill factor.
It's hard to cut though the mix with the ABS speakers, whereas the sound of the MarkBass literally pops and has a great diffusion for it size and weight...28.6lbs (13kg).
The only snag is the access to the inputs-outputs (return, send, tuner, cab), which are hidden on the rear and aimed towards the ground. So you either turn the combo upside down or you lie down to reach them, but once plugged you'd better not need to ouch them again.
Although, I don't think the engineers had many options trying to design such a compact unit, due to the fan, the vibrations, etc. So, that's not a major issue to me, since I bought it in part due to its compactness.