For what it is worth for my bass brothers....I play in a Godsmack tribute act. Have really enjoyed my Markbass tube 800 (I have two) through one or two 4x10 cabs (I have two of those, too). I play cheaper, Ibanez basses with a Boss ME50B dbx compressor model in front. KILLER tone. Only compliments, and my rig/gear crushes everything else I have heard and is 100 lbs lighter than anything that comes close. I am a huge fan of Markbass. Until my head caught on fire. Literally had to call fire department. Fortunately it was practice and not a gig. That head saw road gig after gig (with gentle packing and care, no abuse) for 5 years. My other, newer, tube 800 head still works fine, same killer tone, but I do find the crackling volume pots disconcerting. Came from factory like that; kinda "loose". Bought a Quilter bassblock for new back up amp. It sounds good; low, clean, but more like 600 watts than the 800 the mark pushes. Really, really small and light, simple, and it seems indestructible, And I want to keep it, but the Mark tone and power kills it. I do kind of like the transparency of the Quilter, though. The Mark def colors your sound, comparatively, more high end "sparkle". I can get close to the tone with the Quilter if I turn up my highs at the bass. Disclosure: My super loud drummer makes it tough to use anything smaller than 500 watts to 4x10. I have also owned two of the 2x10 combo amps, and they are great amps IMO, if you only need something for "light" use.
Anyway, hard to trust the Mark now, back up amp is a MUST. I am not getting any easy, straight answers with regard to service and repair, and likely the repair and shipping will be $200 or more. I did have a friend who repairs look at it, and it is the main board that was compromised in the burn. AND, the Mark is not a cheap amp. So, unfortunately, I think I am done with purchasing Markbass. Mesa Subway would be next choice; I know I can mail it to Cali if I ever needed to. Possibly two Quilter bass blocks in my future, or I just may get a crown xls2502 and put my helix in front of that, through my 4x10 cabs.
Just saying...Tom
Anyway, hard to trust the Mark now, back up amp is a MUST. I am not getting any easy, straight answers with regard to service and repair, and likely the repair and shipping will be $200 or more. I did have a friend who repairs look at it, and it is the main board that was compromised in the burn. AND, the Mark is not a cheap amp. So, unfortunately, I think I am done with purchasing Markbass. Mesa Subway would be next choice; I know I can mail it to Cali if I ever needed to. Possibly two Quilter bass blocks in my future, or I just may get a crown xls2502 and put my helix in front of that, through my 4x10 cabs.
Just saying...Tom
