Need replacement 12" speaker for Markbass CMD 121P

[CorrieDeee]

Hi all,

 

The speaker in my Markbass Mini CMD 121P (Combo Head II) has failed, and I’m looking for a suitable 12" replacement.

Here are the specs I need to match:

Impedance: 8 ohms

Power handling: 400W RMS (AES rated)

Amp output: 300W RMS @ 8 ohms (500W @ 4 ohms)

Cabinet type: rear-ported bass reflex
 

It doesn't have to be the exact same speaker model that originally came with the combo, and I don’t mind if the replacement is a little heavier than the original (I know Markbass uses neodymium drivers, but weight isn't that much an issue for me).
 

Has anyone here replaced the speaker in this exact combo before? I'd love to hear what you used and how it worked out — especially in terms of fit, screw holes, tone, and handling the amp’s output. I don’t have much technical knowledge about amps or speakers, so any advice in plain language would be very helpful. Preferably, the speaker should be available through Thomann.

 

Thanks in advance for your help!

[mybass]

Try contacting MarkBass first? 

[Matt P]

I'd have to suggest the same thing, the best speaker for that enclosure would be the one that Markbass designed it for, Failing that then if you can take measurements of the internal enclosure volume and any port areas and lengths then someone might be able to suggest a suitable replacement.

 

matching cabinets to speakers is a science and getting it wrong will at best just sound bad and at worst damage the new driver. I made the mistake of buying some speakers with the intention of building some cabs without doing enough research beforehand and ending up with completely the wrong speakers and no chance of building a suitable cabinet that would fit in the space i had.

 

Matt

[CorrieDeee]

I’ve contacted Markbass directly regarding my issue, and they referred me to their importer. However, I haven’t heard back from them yet. In the meantime, I’ve noticed that there are quite a few speaker options available on sites like Thomann, so I thought I’d start gathering some information and exploring the possibilities.

I also made a short recording to better illustrate the issue. I'm using a passive bass with the EQ set flat, the gain at around 11 o’clock, and the master volume at about 9 o’clock. Despite these relatively low settings, there’s still a lot of unwanted noise coming from the speaker, which is clearly audible in the recording. I’ve also checked and tightened all the screws, just to rule out any mechanical vibrations, but the problem persists

[Matt P]

I've just listened to the recording, have you checked the dustcap in the centre of the speaker? it sounds to me like something physically vibrating and if you've been through the physical connections then this would be my next thing to check. if it is the dust cap then it might just need a touch of adhesive to fix it.

 

[CorrieDeee]

From the outside, I don't see any defects on the speaker. I haven't removed it yet. How can I check if the dust cap is loose? Do I need to unscrew the speaker to check that?

[Matt P]

2 minutes ago, CorrieDeee said:

From the outside, I don't see any defects on the speaker. I haven't removed it yet. How can I check if the dust cap is loose? Do I need to unscrew the speaker to check that?

 

you just need to get to the front of the speaker, it should be possible to gently use your fingers to see if anything is loose, a soft artists paint brush would work as well, it should be obvious if something isn't attached. 

 

go gently and you should be fine.

[CorrieDeee]

I checked the dust cap gently and it isn't loose. I also unscrewed the speaker and it looks like a screw is missing, i've attached a photo. Could this be the issue?

 

  

[Matt P]

no idea about the threaded hole in the speaker, i guess it could be a securing screw for the magnet cover but I thought these were usually glued on, is the cap loose? from the picture it looks like the thread is in the cap though so that wouldn't make much sense.

 

if there was supposed to be a screw there then i'd expect it to be stuck to the magnet or loose somewhere in the cab.

 

is this an issue that has appeared over time?

 

Matt