Pbassred Posted March 20, 2013 Share Posted March 20, 2013 I bought my Little mark 800tube because I joined a cuban funk band. However it didn't get off the ground, and I've joined a gently bossa nova band instead. I'm pushing the master volume as high as 1 -1/2, so I'm not really working it or have the controllability. Can anyone recommend a power soak? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
0175westwood29 Posted March 20, 2013 Share Posted March 20, 2013 what cab are you using it with? im not sure what you mean by controllablity? the controls should work just as well on 1 as on 10? andy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
3below Posted March 20, 2013 Share Posted March 20, 2013 Amp is too loud, you are lucky [size=4] I needed 700W (real watts lol) and BF Dubster to put drummer in his place. Try turning bass volume down.[/size] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr. Foxen Posted March 20, 2013 Share Posted March 20, 2013 Power soak is really not the way. What cab are you using? Really, volume control is the way. Maybe a pad but that is still silly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
heminder Posted March 21, 2013 Share Posted March 21, 2013 You could turn the input gain down if you find yourself fiddling with the threshold on the volume pot. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gjones Posted March 21, 2013 Share Posted March 21, 2013 Yes as others have said. Unless you're looking for a tubey, gritty, Geddy Lee tone with your bossa nova band don't worry about it just keep it at 1. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
L_Bass_Dog85 Posted March 21, 2013 Share Posted March 21, 2013 +1 on the gain. Good luck in keeping them happy though Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marvin Posted March 21, 2013 Share Posted March 21, 2013 Too loud you say. This is an alien concept to most of us Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dannybuoy Posted March 21, 2013 Share Posted March 21, 2013 A power soak is used when you want to drive an amp with power tubes (i.e. not your amp) into distortion but at sensible volumes. Use the gain and master volumes and if it's still too loud turn down the volume of your bass! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
6v6 Posted March 21, 2013 Share Posted March 21, 2013 As others have mentioned, a power soak is typically used with an amp that has a tube output stage, where you wish to push the power amp into saturation at lower volumes (to get an overdriven sound), more a guitar than bass thing I guess, but all it will do with your solid-state amp is make it get hot and be more likely to blow up since it's pushing more power than you need it to. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RandomBass Posted March 21, 2013 Share Posted March 21, 2013 Too loud? That's the mythical 'pub landlord' quotation I've heard before. Although to be fair last week a pub landlady did ask me (yes me, the bass player) to turn up a bit more. Defo playing there again... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zero9 Posted March 21, 2013 Share Posted March 21, 2013 (edited) +1 to using the volume knob on your bass (I presume it has one ). Edited March 21, 2013 by zero9 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pbassred Posted March 21, 2013 Author Share Posted March 21, 2013 Controlability = ability to control, or the ability to control [b]with precision[/b]. If you would normally be running at, say 6, a couple of degrees either side of that is barely noticable. A few degrees either side of 1 is, by proportion, a whole heap. I'm using it to drive a Barefaced Super 12T. Yes, I [i]could[/i] just turn down the gain on the pre amp but I was hoping that the valve preamp might behave like a valve at some point. As yet, I have not been able to run it at any kind of volume. It sounds nice as a DI box though! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chris_b Posted March 21, 2013 Share Posted March 21, 2013 I use my 750 watt amp with an acoustic guitarist so low power from a loud amp can work. You might be asked to do louder gigs in the future so I wouldn't sell this amp. If the various volume controls don't work as you want I'd get another amp. Everyone needs a backup, maybe an Aguilar TH350. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chris_b Posted March 21, 2013 Share Posted March 21, 2013 [quote name='Pbassred' timestamp='1363871566' post='2018670'] ....I'm using it to drive a Barefaced Super 12T.... [/quote] I think 800 watts into a BF S12T is overkill! That's a sensitive cab so even 500 watts would fill a room. I'm sure I read that the valves in some of the MB amps have minimal effect on the sound. I'd call Alex about your power soak idea. I'd be suprised if you could damage either your amp or cab but Alex would know. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr. Foxen Posted March 21, 2013 Share Posted March 21, 2013 Power soaks that handle more than 100w aren't really available. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jjay69 Posted March 21, 2013 Share Posted March 21, 2013 Just a thought, but the S12T is a 4ohm cab so your amp will probably be running at full power, if you had an 8ohm cab you'd get a bit more control out of the amp as it would be giving out appx half the power (give or take) Im sure there's a whole heap of technical/wording errors there but you get the idea. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lozz196 Posted March 21, 2013 Share Posted March 21, 2013 I had the Little Mark Tube 500 and that was very loud. reading that you want the gain on full to get that bit of grit, I think maybe buy a graphic equaliser with an overall slider for output, and just drop the slider all the way down? Leave everything else where it is, should do the trick. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IanA Posted March 21, 2013 Share Posted March 21, 2013 I run a Markbass lm800 non tube and it is seriously loud through my HD212, I keep it under control by turning the input gain down a little. It has way more power than I normally need, but is there in reserve if I need to call on it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ezbass Posted March 21, 2013 Share Posted March 21, 2013 I have a similar experience with my rig in my current band. I've had to turn down the input gain in order to have the master anywhere near working. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pbassred Posted March 21, 2013 Author Share Posted March 21, 2013 [quote]Just a thought, but the S12T is a 4ohm cab so your amp will probably be running at full power, if you had an 8ohm cab you'd get a bit more control out of the amp as it would be giving out appx half the power (give or take) I'm sure there's a whole heap of technical/wording errors there but you get the idea. [/quote]Nothing at all wrong with the science. Loose about 2db because of the impedance and another 3db by dumping a driver. I could get a small, clean and less efficient cab until I need the juice I suppose. Less to transport. Bargain! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
6v6 Posted March 22, 2013 Share Posted March 22, 2013 The LMT has an FX loop doesn't it? So an alternative if you just want to be able to run the master higher would be to stick a pedal with a level control (compressor, graphic eq or whatever) in the FX loop, and turn the level down (and adjust the "effect" settings to not affect the tone) - then you'd get the preamp drive you want, but be able to limit the preamp level going into the poweramp I guess this is effectively the same as running the master at a low setting, but if your aim is to run the master at a bigger number without actually being any louder, and get more granular control of the output level, this would be a way to do it without getting a smaller cab? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WinterMute Posted March 22, 2013 Share Posted March 22, 2013 (edited) More power = headroom in my book, currently running 1400 watts into a BF Big Twin T, competing with a drummer who hits like Chuck Connors and a guitarist who is contributing to continental drift... Effortless bass in a distortion crazed world... OP, try turning the amp up a touch and the bass output down, you'll not affect your signal to noise ratio much as you're playing at such low volumes anyway. At least you can then control your onstage volume from the bass and not have to go to the amp every time. Edited March 22, 2013 by WinterMute Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bassmachine2112 Posted March 22, 2013 Share Posted March 22, 2013 [i]Get a pre amp pedal[/i] Behringer bd1 21 turn down the level-hey presto sorted and you can use it as a DI box as well. Cheap as chips and a lot of people swear by them. I also use a line 6 bass pod live and a hartke vxl as well and do the same. DI into the PA and use your amp as a monitor-sorted Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dincz Posted October 2, 2013 Share Posted October 2, 2013 A couple of resistors built in to your cord's jack plug and you've got an input pad. I'm sure any tech would fix that for you - or ask OBBM. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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