NAD - Gallien-Krueger MB200

[discreet]

[b]NAD - Gallien-Krueger MB200[/b]

[b]Specifications:[/b]
[url="http://www.gallien-krueger.com/mb-200-specs"][b]http://www.gallien-krueger.com/mb-200-specs[/b][/url]

I had one of these little scamps a while back and stupidly moved it on. I picked this one up recently as part of a deal with the intention of keeping it as a back-up for my large Class A/B SS amps. It actually fits [i]inside[/i] my SVT350H with room to spare. The MB is also a SS amp - and as before, I'm surprised by the amount of heft and sheer volume available. The core tone is good, too... now read on.




It's [i]really [/i]tiny - 7.75" wide, 1.75" high (without rubber feet) and 8" deep. So it'll fit in your gig bag with no problems whatsoever. It's light, too - less than 1kg. Rated at 200W RMS @ 4ohms and 140W RMS @ 8ohms. Front panel: One 1/4" (6.3mm) Jack input, -10db pad for active basses, a single Gain control, Contour switch - this cuts the mids for a scooped sound - it's either on or off. I doubt you would want to have this switched in live, as I suspect you'd lose your mids somewhat, but it does make the amp sound nice and lush at home-playing levels. Treble, Hi-Mid, Lo-Mid, Bass EQ controls. And of course, a power switch. It has a ring LED which changes from red to blue when it's ready to rock, just like its big brothers, the G-K MB500/MB800 and Fusions.

On the rear we have an AC mains socket, XLR Direct Out with Pre or Post toggle, Aux in for playing your tunes through the amp (good for late-night headphone noodling), and a switched output that doubles as a headphone out or a line out depending on how you've toggled it. And of course the ubiquitous Neutrik Speakon speaker output - of which there is only one, so if you want to use two 8ohm cabs for maximum 4ohm beans, you will need to daisychain your cabs. Or use a single 4ohm cab, of course.

I tried the amp both with my Schroeder 21012L (4ohms) and my two BFM J12s (2X 8ohms - 4ohms). As I said, it's a loud amp! Once again we realise that rated output means little, and the amount of 'volume' one perceives is largely due to the sensitivity of the cabs one uses, and other parameters. Running 200W @ 4ohms, there is more than enough power to keep up with a drummer and egocentric guitarist using a 50W Marshall Valve combo - an arse-shatteringly loud combo, by the way.

How does it sound? Well, it's very good indeed. In fact it's something of a giant-killer given its size. It does share some tone with its big brothers - albeit with slightly less headroom and fewer EQ options - but the MB200 does have its own sound too, and you can definitely start to hear a bit of gain break-up at higher levels. It's SS break-up of course, but it's very musical and usable and it works well in the real world - and that's the bottom line. Think more MB500 than Fusion.

So... it's very simple, very small, very light and it sounds very good. It's also very affordable. Like many others, I initially considered this as a back-up amp, a purpose for which it is well-suited, but it's really much better than that - if you're on a budget, or you just don't need a massively loud amp (and really, no-one needs a massively loud amp - that's just marketing) then this is for you. Like the rest of the G-K MB range, you don't need a preamp or sound-shaper in front of this little fellow - it sounds just great straight out of the box, it's totally plug and play. And its convenience, portability, simplicity, power and tone make it almost irresistible.

Edited September 30, 2015 by discreet

[CamdenRob]

Great little amps these... Had mine for a couple of years.

I pair mine with an EA wizzy 10 for an easily transportable set up.

Great review as ever Mark... you've done this little beast justice

[discreet]

[quote name='CamdenRob' timestamp='1443524062' post='2875459']
Great little amps these... Had mine for a couple of years. I pair mine with an EA wizzy 10 for an easily transportable set up.
Great review as ever Mark... you've done this little beast justice
[/quote]

Thanks Rob - you probably remember we've been here before, but an update never hurt anyone.
If I could snag a Schro 1212L from somewhere that would be my ultimate lightweight rig.

[planer]

A top review duck, and a great ickle jewel of an amp. I've had one for a year or so and to be honest, I still don't know where they keep all the loud.

It's just as happy at home being a headphone amp or driving my TC BC212, or plugging up to a battered rehearsal-room 4x10 and making some proper noise. My buddies think I'm taking the Michael when I wander in with it swinging from one little finger...

Love it. How do they do it for the money?

I keep thinking that I 'need' to upgrade to an MB500 or something 'louder', when in fact the MB200 is just perfect.

[dodgnofski]

Great review Mark, these babies sure do pack a punch especially at 4ohms

Although there is only one speaker output, I think it is a dual Spakon / 1/4" Jack - so you never get caught out if you forget your Speakon lead and as Mark says, almost all cabs have their inputs wired in parallel these days, so it 's no problem to 'daisy chain ' two 8ohm cabs to obtain 4ohms to get the full 200 watts from this wee beastie

[cybertect]

[quote name='dodgnofski' timestamp='1443527272' post='2875504']Although there is only one speaker output, I think it is a dual Spakon / 1/4" Jack - so you never get caught out if you forget your Speakon lead[/quote]

YMMV. As I discovered after I bought mine a couple of years ago, they changed the MB500 to Speakon-only and lost the 1/4" jack socket in the middle, even though the manual still referred to it.

It's quite possible they've value engineered the MB200 in the same way.

Edit: though I'm happy to be corrected if anyone has a recently manufactured one.

Edited September 29, 2015 by cybertect

[planer]

Mine is speakon only.

If I recall correctly the dual jack/speakon connectors are green and stick out of the amp casing a bit more, and the speakon only ones are black.

[Muzz]

[quote name='planer' timestamp='1443527039' post='2875500']
...I still don't know where they keep all the loud.
[/quote]

I've had one and yeah, this. ^

Oh, and let's not forget the sheer comedy value of putting one on a 2 x 4x10 stack...

[Tradfusion]

I had one of these too and loved the tone but only ever played it through a tiny GK 12MBX extension cab for really small gigs.. I ended up selling it when I bought a TC rig (which is now gone too ) and missed it almost immediately... Has anyone compared one of these alongside an MB500 in terms of the ability to move air on a loudish gig with decent cab (s)?... from what Mark says above when he tried his MB200 with his bigger cabs is sounds like there might not be a huge amount in it?

[MOSCOWBASS]

Great little amp, I bought mine as a backup, but use it regularly at small gigs. As a matter of interest, i compared mine to my MB800 at a small gig, through my BF Midget T and the pic shows the controls, that to me matched level and tone pretty close.

[cybertect]

Interesting that GK seem to have changed the illuminated push pull switches with toggles for controls like the -10db cut on both models since I got mine.

[Ticktock]

Great review. As a, dare I say it, "hobby" player I have no need (wants are another matter) for anything larger than this and am more than happy with mine. I originally cobbled together a Y speakon cable but graduated to a DIY 1 in 2 out junction box! which works well. It does indeed keep up with a 60W Marshall guitar combo and a drummer with anger management issues. In fact Mr Drums asked me could I turn it down! It really does sound really good plugged straight in but I still bung things in the signal chain...

Edited September 29, 2015 by Ticktock

[discreet]

[quote name='MOSCOWBASS' timestamp='1443533184' post='2875592']
As a matter of interest, i compared mine to my MB800 at a small gig, through my BF Midget T and the pic shows the controls, that to me matched level and tone pretty close.
[/quote]

That's very interesting. It's not exactly at full-tilt, is it? I think you could easily gig with one (depending on what kind of band you're in, etc), which makes this little amp quite a contender IMHO.

[CamdenRob]

This is starting to look like BCs first ever universally liked piece of gear

[cybertect]

Anyhow, congrats to @discreet on the new MB200. I very nearly bought one myself, but decided I wanted the toys that the 500 offered.

[Billy Apple]

The GK MB200. The little big-man. Simple, straightforward, does exactly what it says on the tin. Should be in everyone's tool bag.

[lowhand_mike]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=69spscU1V8o

sounds pretty nice even if a basic review vid, another one to put in the search for a backup head though i feel the MB500 may suit better, still a small unit
great review btw

[Merton]

[quote name='CamdenRob' timestamp='1443535413' post='2875611']
This is starting to look like BCs first ever universally liked piece of gear
[/quote]

No, I hated mine, and I certainly didn't at one point own two of them

[intime-nick]

I used my Chinese made MB200 with two BF gen2 compacts and it was easily loud enough for gigs and sounded great. It then developed a loud hiss, had it replaced under warranty, replacement was a USA made model....utter rubbish quality, dented front panel, same hiss. Upgraded the replacement for a USA made MB800....sounded great but the front panel was dented/scratched, two case screws missing, two others stripped or loose, wobbly control knobs (one of which came off whilst I was turning it). I love the sound (hence why I have GK profiles on my Kemper) but wouldn't touch the 'real' MB series amps now.

Reading all the positive posts about these MB series amps leads me to think I've been unlucky but being burnt 3 times leaves a lasting impression

Edited September 30, 2015 by intime-nick

[discreet]

[quote name='CamdenRob' timestamp='1443535413' post='2875611']
...This is starting to look like BC's first-ever universally-liked piece of gear...
[/quote]
[quote name='intime-nick' timestamp='1443657179' post='2876716']
...I've been unlucky, but being burnt 3 times leaves a lasting impression...
[/quote]

Excellent, this thread was beginning to be a bit one-sided. Seriously though, I can totally understand the once- (or thrice-) bitten, twice-shy attitude. It only takes one fault or breakdown (especially at a gig) to completely put one off a brand's entire range of gear.

Illogical really, as all manufacturers usually have a quite predictable percentage of failures and no manufacturer can ever reach 100% reliability, but when it happens to you it seems [i]very[/i] logical! That all-important feeling of confidence in your gear is gone.

Edited October 1, 2015 by discreet

[Merton]

I have to say my first MB200 was Chinese and second was USA; the Chinese one blew the USA one out of the water for fit and finish.

Both sounded identical though

[Beer of the Bass]

It's interesting seeing the comments about fit and finish, as my MB200 was one of the earlier batches of US-labelled ones and the front panel is slightly wonky. It wasn't enough for me to want to send it back, but the casting is slightly out of square at one corner. For the price, size and sound of the thing I'm not too bothered about it, but I thought it should at least be acknowledged.
People do tend to comment on the background hiss with these amps too. I think a lot of that is down to the EQ voicing and the lack of a master volume control. The amp is closest to flat with the treble control at 10 o'clock, so at 12 o'clock it is already substantially boosting the highs. If you take almost any amp, run the master volume on full (equivalent to how the MB200 is laid out) and boost the treble you will hear some hiss. And it's quieter than my Acoustic Image Clarus was, anyway! I would much rather have a master volume control than that daft contour switch though.
I try and avoid uncritically raving about pieces of kit, but despite those couple of flaws this thing is useful, good value and I like the sound of it. The perceived volume seems about in line with what I'd expect of a 200 watt solid state amp and it behaves gracefully when pushed close to its limit.

Edited October 1, 2015 by Beer of the Bass

[discreet]

[quote name='Beer of the Bass' timestamp='1443691376' post='2876865']
I try and avoid uncritically raving about pieces of kit, but despite those couple of flaws this thing is useful, good value and I like the sound of it. The perceived volume seems about in line with what I'd expect of a 200 watt solid state amp and it behaves gracefully when pushed close to its limit.
[/quote]

A good, balanced post. I try to avoid uncritical raving too, but if I like something I tend to get excited about it.
Perhaps a modicum of detachment would be appropriate in future!

Interesting comments about wonkiness and fit and finish and so on - the last MB200 I had was a Stockton, CA USA-built model, and so is my current one. I've made no comments about build quality as they both seemed absolutely fine - not carved from a solid piece of titanium, but nowhere near being remarkable for any perceived lack of quality.

Edited October 1, 2015 by discreet

[bassbora]

I have been thinking about these amps as an alternative to my amp for smaller gigs and was thinking about getting a TKS112.

Does anyone have any experience in pairing these two together?