MarkBass Questions

[WarMan]

I recently purchased a MarkBass 102P to go with my Sterling HS. Wow, the two were made for each other. I was initially turned off by the yellow speakers and thought there was a lot of hype. It is a great combo. But I have several questions about MarkBass for those of you who are quite familiar with them.

1. I don't understand the effects loop. What is the point of an effects loop, if it runs through the equalizer? I thought effects loops were supposed to bypass the preamp and tone controls. Doesn't that defeat the whole purpose of an effects loop? What am I missing here?

2. What is the value of a tweeter in a bass amp? Do you find it to improve your tone or do you find it to be a nuisance?

3. What are you guys doing for amp covers? Any suggestions would be appreciated.

Thanks in advance,

Ken

 

[mynan]

I think it's more common to put the effects loop after the eq section (GK, Ampeg), but I don't think there are a lot of amps that completely bypass the eq section with the effects loop.

The tweeter is more useful for passive basses. On the CMD102P, you can essentially dial out the tweeter using the VLE filter.

 

[WarMan]

But why have it?

Mynan,

Thanks for the info. But what is the point of having an effects loop that goes through the EQ? Why not just run your bass into the effects into the preamp input? That one baffles me because I realize that there is some obvious answer that eludes me.

Thanks again.

 

[mynan]

Why not?

Why wouldn't you want to be able to tweek the eq on your effects? There are a lot of effect pedals that don't have any eq control. Anyway, if you want to essentially bypass the eq just set the eq controls to zero.

Eden also puts their effects loop pre-eq.

 

[WarMan]

Here's my problem

I was using my Tascam bass trainer with the effects loop. I connected it to the return. The VLE control really rolls off the sound when I set it anywhere above off. i.e. It completely cuts out the cymbals and other higher frequencies from my bass play-along cds. I have a work-around. I just plug the bass trainer into my guitar amp.

It just seems like an odd design. Especially now, since I've noticed that the LMIII head now has a pre/post eq switch. It's no big deal.

Thanks again,

Ken

 

[oddjob]

If I am not mistaken, the MB loop is also parallel. So, basicly you also have a clean signal under it... putting it pre-eq helps match the signal (I have heard you can move a jumper to put it into series if that is what floats your boat)

 

[WarMan]

Jumper

I heard something about it just being a jumper. I'll probably leave well enough alone. It's a great sound amp and I've got my Deluxe Reverb to use for my bass trainer, iPod, etc.

Thanks,

 

[mynan]

I was using my Tascam bass trainer with the effects loop. I connected it to the return. The VLE control really rolls off the sound when I set it anywhere above off. i.e. It completely cuts out the cymbals and other higher frequencies from my bass play-along cds. I have a work-around. I just plug the bass trainer into my guitar amp.

It just seems like an odd design. Especially now, since I've noticed that the LMIII head now has a pre/post eq switch. It's no big deal.

Thanks again,

Ken

The pre/post button on the new ones is a nice feature. It's a matter of preference. Different companies that don't have the pre/post button for the effects loop do it different ways. I'd bet that Markbass didn't have your bass trainer in mind when they designed the first generation LMII.

 

[mynan]

I heard something about it just being a jumper. I'll probably leave well enough alone. It's a great sound amp and I've got my Deluxe Reverb to use for my bass trainer, iPod, etc.

Thanks,

Even if you remove the jumper, the effects loop is still pre-eq.

 

[WarMan]

Still a little confused.

My brain is not fully caffeinated yet.

Right now my return goes through the eq before it goes to the power amp, right?

If I move the jumper my return will go straight to the power amp, right??

Thanks for taking the time to answer my questions.

Ken

 

[mynan]

My brain is not fully caffeinated yet.

Right now my return goes through the eq before it goes to the power amp, right?

If I move the jumper my return will go straight to the power amp, right??

Thanks for taking the time to answer my questions.

Ken

No...with the jumper in place, the signal from your main input and effects loop are parallel so if your effects loop crashes for whatever reason, you will still get clean signal to the eq/poweramp. Also, you are sending clean signal to the eq/poweramp even when using the effects loop. If you remove the jumper the signal has to go through the effects loop to get to the eq/poweramp, but the effects loop is still pre-eq.

 

[mynan]

More simple explanation...

With jumper...main input goes to effects loop and to eq then poweramp.

Without jumper...main input goes to effects loop then to eq then to poweramp.

 

[WarMan]

Thanks

Thanks for answering my questions.

Ken

 

[smallequestrian]

The tweeter is more useful for passive basses.

This makes little sense, if anything, it probably is the opposite.

Despite bass guitar being holder of the lows, there is a lot of harmonic content with each note. While the fundamental frequency of say the low E is below the frequency response of the tweeter, there are overtones and harmonics associated with that pluck, that will be much higher. These overtones to some extent will change the overall sound/tone of the note, some cases good, some cases not so much.

That said, because of the boost in the signal and the different ways active electronics work, more of the total harmonic range of the instrument is being outputted through the jack. If you want to hear it all, for better or worse, you are going to need a tweeter.

 

[mynan]

This makes little sense, if anything, it probably is the opposite.

Despite bass guitar being holder of the lows, there is a lot of harmonic content with each note. While the fundamental frequency of say the low E is below the frequency response of the tweeter, there are overtones and harmonics associated with that pluck, that will be much higher. These overtones to some extent will change the overall sound/tone of the note, some cases good, some cases not so much.

That said, because of the boost in the signal and the different ways active electronics work, more of the total harmonic range of the instrument is being outputted through the jack. If you want to hear it all, for better or worse, you are going to need a tweeter.

All I know is that my Pbass buddies all crank the hell out of their tweeters...

Oh, and there's this...

The horn in that amp to to give presence to passive basses...see if you can roll it off a bit or disable completely.

 

[Grand Wazoo]

If I am not mistaken, the MB loop is also parallel. So, basicly you also have a clean signal under it... putting it pre-eq helps match the signal (I have heard you can move a jumper to put it into series if that is what floats your boat)

I was about to suggest the same thing if you read the user manual there is an option which they recommend to be carried out only by an authorized qualified engineer that jumps the effect loop into series so that you can have the other option.

You might find this funny but I play my Tascam bass trainer through the imput channel of my LINE6 Bass Pod XT Live and I have no issues with loss of cymbals or highs with the tascam playback mp3 tracks, The LINE6 pedal board then goes straight into the Mark Bass CMD102P, and my bass is plugged in the LINE6 input, and none of these involves the effects loop at all, and the sound is top quality even though the stereo playback of the Tascam will play mono.

If I want to hear my Tascam in stereo I connect it to the aux input of my home stereo and "Bob's your Uncle" as they say in London. In other words problem solved.

Good luck

 

[smallequestrian]

Oh, and there's this...

I like Sterling, but I am going to have to respectfully disagree with him there.

Thankfully tweeter attenuators and VLE's are there for a reason.

 

[Aussie Mark]

The reason why you wouldn't simply run your bass through a full board of effect pedals and then to the input of your amp is that unless those pedals are all top quality full bypass pedals the tone of your bass will be sucked dry. That's the biggest benefit of a separate effects loop.

Tweeters in bass cabs, for passive or active basses? Not for me, thanks. I dial them out completely in my SWR cabs, no matter which bass I'm using.

Amp covers - there are guys on ebay selling covers for Markbass cabs and combos.

 

[five7]

Turn the tweeter off. Yes!

 

[Deaj]

No tweeter/horn for me either thanks.