MarkBass?

MarkBass is the best amp in the market?

I have OrangeCrush 25W at the moment.
But I’m thinking to buy New MB58R Series. What do you recommend another combo? or Amp and Cabinet?
if not combo, Im thinking MB58R amp head but not too sure about the size of the cabinet yet;
4x10? 3x10? 2x10? 1x15?2x12? and 4ohm? or 8ohm?

what do you guys recommend?

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Hi @tk0902, what are you getting it for? If you bought the MB58R 500W amp, you would need two cabinets running at 4ohms to utilize the whole 500W of the amp, otherwise you are running with 300W. A 500W amp head with a 2x10" and 1x15" is LOUD and would be adequate for small and medium venues.

Mark Bass is a great manufacturer and make quality equipment, but you will find that amps and cabinets tend to be subjective. If you are able, I would try a few amps and see if you have a preference. I would also check out Aguilar, Mesa Boogie, Orange, and Ampeg. I am sure others in the forum can add to the list.

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ahh if it runs with 300w w 1 cabinet 8ohm is not as good? cuz I don’t think I will be needing more than one cabinet. if I happen to get one more cabinet in the future, 2 8ohm cabinets won’t run with 500w amp?

I just thought 4x10 looks better that’s all lol.

500w@8ohms (single cabinet) will only put out around 300w of power, but the same amp with 2 cabinets @4ohms will put out the total 500w of power.

It depends what you are trying to achieve. If you plan on playing with other musicians (drummer and guitarist) in a closed setting, you would be fine with a single cabinet (2x10, 1x12, 1x15). If you plan on gigging, may need more wattage depending on the venue. The 4x10 does look cool, and its only a couple of hundred dollars more than MB58R 102 or 151. You can always buy the amp, get the cabinet you want, and add another cabinet down the line if you need more watts.

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Hi @tk0902 and welcome to BassBuzz!

Yes, no, maybe? What is best will depend on your personal taste and the sound you want. There are a lot of great amps for bass. For instance, I have a Fender Rumble that I like a lot.

This depends on what you’re doing. If you’re jamming with a drummer, you’ll need 300+ watts. If this is just for you, then get whatever gives you the sound and loudness you want.

This looks like a versatile piece of gear. 300 watts with one cabinet or 500 watts with two cabinets should be plenty.

Almost all bass cabinets made today are 8 ohm cabinets. If you put two 8 ohm cabinets together, you get 4 ohms. So, with one cabinet you’ll getting 300 watts and with two cabinets you’ll get 500 watts.

As for 10’s versus 12’s versus 15’s, this is another thing that comes down to personal preference and two different people can listen to the same cabinet and come away with two different opinions. 10’s are considered tighter sounding. 15’s are considered thicker sounding. Depending on who you ask, 12’s are either the best of both or the worst of both.

I can’t speak about 12’s, I don’t have any experience with them. I have had a 410 and I now have a 115. I like both. I would like to have a 210 to pair with my 115.

Spend time playing all the amps at guitar stores and try to get a feel for what you like the best. Once you get your hands on the gear and start playing with it you might be surprised what ends up being the thing for you.

Yes. They do look awesome. I would like to have four of them. :grinning: :+1:

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It depends. Getting to that price point with combo, or head and cab, you’d need to do your homework as amp in a $1000 price range is more personal preference than how good they sound. They are all good. It’s what you want is more important. Unless you want the brand then it’s easy just pick one in your budget and you are good to go.

I’m imprinted to Genzler on the main amp so I’m lock-in for now, lol. The smaller ones I’m open to just about anything.

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fine amps indeed. I know AgedHorse on TalkBass used to work for Genz Benz and is now associated with Genzler in some fashion, iirc. I’ve chatted with him at length about the design of my GB Focus LTS 4x10.


As for @tk0902 - I like MarkBass a lot. It’s a very modern sound with nice mids, at least the stuff I’ve played. I also like Darkglass (bright modern), Genzler (as a company and based on past GB products. Also their Nu Classic line is a spiritual successor to my Genz Benz Focus LTS 410, it’s a great blend of modern and classic sound, very flavorful, thicc but defined). You can speak with Genzler himself on TalkBass, and their Bass Array cabs while expensive are very interesting and innovative.

I’ve ended up with a Zoom B6 that does LOTS of emulations of various bass amps/cabs/etc.

I guess my point is, as has been said, best is subjective, and it takes playing a lot of things to find your own best.

The Orange Bass Crush 100 is a wonderful bass combo, imo, too. I’ll take its grind over an Ampeg SVT any day.

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I really love Orange amps, both guitar and bass. For me they fill the same role as Marshall (also fantastic) but IMO bring more tone with them.

For bass, though, I am equally happy with Ampeg or G-K.