Mark Bass Heads..

[ricaddic]

Was wondering if anyone has and currently useing the Mark Bass TA501 or TA503 heads, if so would love to hear your thoughts and opinions on them, I am currently useing the Mark Bass Little Mark Tube 500 head with the Mark Bass 410HF cab and absolutely love the system, have had my eye on since getting the MB system at both those heads, im leaning toward the TA503 but also have interest in the TA501, so your thoughts and opinions would be gratefully appreciated..thank you...Happy Ricken..

[jps]

Wish I could help but I have never tried those particular models. I have owned a LM II in the past and currently have a F1 and a Minimark.

[charlyg]

I had a Little Mark II for awhile, but it was too sterile, tried to go back to an Ampeg B2RE and same result. I'm running a 60 watt tube amp now with the same speakers (2x12 Ampeg Portabass).

Sorry, can't speak to those models, but for me it is tubes all the way. I just don't need 300+ watts of tube power!

[jps]

.....I'm running a 60 watt tube amp now with the same speakers (2x12 Ampeg Portabass).

That much, eh?

Sometimes, I'll plug my Princeton Reverb into my 1-10 EV cabinet.

[woodyng]

i've bought the cmd121p combo (for the 2nd time!),which has the little mark II amp section,i don't think it is sterile sounding,but since i started using the vt21 pedal with it,i can get all the grind/warmth i want along with plenty of power. (adding an 8ohm 2nd cabinet gives you 500 watts!) i have read reports that the tube versions of markbass amps tend to add a bit a warmth,a la SWR'S single preamp tube method,but if you are looking for something closer to a real tube amp sound,it may not quite get that for ya.....

[turlu]

I had the LMK II and the Tube 500 as well. Honestly, I don't believe you will hear much difference in Tone from the TA503 or 501 at all. These heads at that time basically sounded pretty much the same, in my humble opinion. The Tube in the 500 makes a very, but very slight difference in tone and it would be the same as the TA503, etc. I also really dig the 410HF cab, I had that too, the best 410 Cab I ever had !!!!

The MarkBass rig is great and don't look too far ahead, you got it right there mon ami !!!

[charlyg]

When I say sterile, I mean solid state has little character by itself. Thus the reason for 80 million pedals. With tubes, both guitar and bass, you add character with your playing, IMHO. A little boost, a little reverb, and a Hotplate to get the output tubes to saturate, instead of/or on top of preamp distortion. and a wah when ya feel like being in ROAD!


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Road_(band)

[bassduke49]

Charly! Long time! Good to "hear" from you!

[charlyg]

and Howdy to you too!

[Blackstar4003]

Mark bass users typically love their amps because they love the natural sound of their bass. Their amps do not color the signal!

[turlu]

It is hard for me to hear the 'natural' sound of my bass, simply because I have to plug it to hear it !! So, in a sense, any amp will 'color' the tone no matter what in my opinion !!!

[Blackstar4003]

Really? I can pick up my RIC Blackstar right up off its stand and its sounds completely different then my 1972 Jazz bass even without amplification. I do not need to plug it in at all. Sure the PU's play a large part in the sound that is produced. Having said that...I couldn't disagree more:

The Markbass amplifier circuitry is designed specifically not to color the sound. So what you put in is exactly what comes out. Whether you play electric, or upright you want the sound of your bass to be the sound of your bass and that is exactly what these amps do. I have played everything from vintage SWR amps and cabs which are very Hi Fi sounding to a growling tube driven ampeg. Trust me there is a difference. Check out the reviews or better yet, try it for yourself. You will see. Un-plug that bass and find a quiet room.

[jps]

Markbass amps are quite neutral sounding, so speaker cabs make a huge difference in getting the tone you want, along with your bass.

[marc61]

Markbass amps are quite neutral sounding, so speaker cabs make a huge difference in getting the tone you want, along with your bass.

Interesting because when we play out, many times I don't have room to pack both my cabs ...and orange 2x10 and a gk 2x10. The orange handles the power with room to spare but, I'm never happy unless I'm using both.

[charlyg]

One man's "natural/nuetral" is another man's "no character"............