What's all the "Hub Bub" about the GK 200w combo?

madjazzbass

madjazzbass

Jan 5, 2014
2,662
1,900
5,081
Earth
#1
First of all, I gotta say that I absolutely LOVE my GK Fusion 550! So, I had some time to kill today so I wallked into a (? local) music store hoping to check out a single 1x15 cab; they didn't even have 1 in the whole entire store, so I plugged into a GK 115 200 watt combo :meh: I was NOT impressed At All. I tweaked and turned knobs like nobodys business, I tried any and every setting possible to try and get a decent tone but couldn't everything just sounded cold, stiff, lifeless and boxy (to my ears); the only thing that it was, was loud; and the thing is, I've heard plenty of guys rave about how great this 200w combo is, I don't get it. Is it that I'm just so used to my amp and cab(s)? or is it that some people just don't know what good tone actually sounds like? Sorry If I insulted anyone that owns this particular amp, but I was really expecting more from that amp when I plugged into it cause of all the great things I've heard about it from others. I sorta knew I wouldn't dig it anyway when the sales guy said it had the Neodymium speaker in there :vomit:, once again, Sorry, but those things have no Balls compared to regular ceramic speakers ... well, at least in my experience. O.K, Rant over, Go ahead, let me have it :woot: :spit: BTW, I tried it with 3 different Basses; an Ibanez SR ?, an ESP LTD (5 string) and I can't recall right now the 3rd Bass, but it had a P/J pickup config. It sounded best with the ESP though.
 
#5
madjazzbass said:
First of all, I gotta say that I absolutely LOVE my GK Fusion 550! So, I had some time to kill today so I wallked into a (? local) music store hoping to check out a single 1x15 cab; they didn't even have 1 in the whole entire store, so I plugged into a GK 115 200 watt combo :meh: I was NOT impressed At All. I tweaked and turned knobs like nobodys business, I tried any and every setting possible to try and get a decent tone but couldn't everything just sounded cold, stiff, lifeless and boxy (to my ears); the only thing that it was, was loud; and the thing is, I've heard plenty of guys rave about how great this 200w combo is, I don't get it. Is it that I'm just so used to my amp and cab(s)? or is it that some people just don't know what good tone actually sounds like? Sorry If I insulted anyone that owns this particular amp, but I was really expecting more from that amp when I plugged into it cause of all the great things I've heard about it from others. I sorta knew I wouldn't dig it anyway when the sales guy said it had the Neodymium speaker in there :vomit:, once again, Sorry, but those things have no Balls compared to regular ceramic speakers ... well, at least in my experience. O.K, Rant over, Go ahead, let me have it :woot: :spit: BTW, I tried it with 3 different Basses; an Ibanez SR ?, an ESP LTD (5 string) and I can't recall right now the 3rd Bass, but it had a P/J pickup config. It sounded best with the ESP though.
Click to expand...
I can’t say you’ll like the GK Neo cabs, but using the 200-watt class D combo as a basis to evaluate Neo cabs just is not a good test. Do yourself a favor and try an RB head with the Neo cabs.
 
  • Like
Reactions: JGbassman, Dominic DeCosa and madjazzbass
#6
Stevorebob said:
I can’t say you’ll like the GK Neo cabs, but using the 200-watt class D combo as a basis to evaluate Neo cabs just is not a good test. Do yourself a favor and try an RB head with the Neo cabs.
Click to expand...
Yeeeah, No Thanks, I've heard all I need to hear from the "Neo" cabs/amps, I'm good with my Fusion 550 head; the GK RB 1X15(s) should put me right where I wanna be tone wise; Thanks anyway.
 
#7
madjazzbass said:
First of all, I gotta say that I absolutely LOVE my GK Fusion 550! So, I had some time to kill today so I wallked into a (? local) music store hoping to check out a single 1x15 cab; they didn't even have 1 in the whole entire store, so I plugged into a GK 115 200 watt combo :meh: I was NOT impressed At All. I tweaked and turned knobs like nobodys business, I tried any and every setting possible to try and get a decent tone but couldn't everything just sounded cold, stiff, lifeless and boxy (to my ears); the only thing that it was, was loud; and the thing is, I've heard plenty of guys rave about how great this 200w combo is, I don't get it. Is it that I'm just so used to my amp and cab(s)? or is it that some people just don't know what good tone actually sounds like? Sorry If I insulted anyone that owns this particular amp, but I was really expecting more from that amp when I plugged into it cause of all the great things I've heard about it from others. I sorta knew I wouldn't dig it anyway when the sales guy said it had the Neodymium speaker in there :vomit:, once again, Sorry, but those things have no Balls compared to regular ceramic speakers ... well, at least in my experience. O.K, Rant over, Go ahead, let me have it :woot: :spit: BTW, I tried it with 3 different Basses; an Ibanez SR ?, an ESP LTD (5 string) and I can't recall right now the 3rd Bass, but it had a P/J pickup config. It sounded best with the ESP though.
Click to expand...
Stevorebob said:
I can’t say you’ll like the GK Neo cabs, but using the 200-watt class D combo as a basis to evaluate Neo cabs just is not a good test. Do yourself a favor and try an RB head with the Neo cabs.
Click to expand...
madjazzbass said:
Yeeeah, No Thanks, I've heard all I need to hear from the "Neo" cabs/amps, I'm good with my Fusion 550 head; the GK RB 1X15(s) should put me right where I wanna be tone wise; Thanks anyway.
Click to expand...
Um, the woofer in the GK MB115 is ceramic...
MB 115 Specs
 
  • Like
Reactions: madjazzbass, scuzzy, HolmeBass and 3 others
#9
Stevorebob said:
Right you are! :bag:
Click to expand...
MB combos and cabs are ultralight so it's natural to expect them to be neo, but the single-woofer models (old and new series alike), the MB410 and the series II MB210 are actually ceramic driver-ed and manage to save weight thanks to construction only mainly (1/2" ply, IIRC).

(It's actually quicker to list those that are neo: the MB212, both series, and the old -210. C'est tout.)
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: DrMole and madjazzbass
#12
madjazzbass said:
Yeeeah, No Thanks, I've heard all I need to hear from the "Neo" cabs/amps,
Click to expand...

From GK's website. MB 115 Specs
?format=750w.jpg


?format=300w.png



Power
200 WATTS

Dimensions
14.5 x 19 x 23"
38 LBS

Speakers
CERAMIC
1X15"

Horn
YES

Proof that a 15 does not always sound like a 15, a ceramic does not always sound like a ceramic and a Neo does not always sound like a neo.

Or a MarkBass 15 the Ampeg b-15 and the Mesa Subway 15 should all sound the same because of the number 15.
 
  • Like
Reactions: madjazzbass, Kro, HolmeBass and 2 others
#15
rjake007 said:
I have an MB 115 and really like it. Cuts through the live mix nicely. Has a cool contour switch that scoops the mids if needed. Pretty satisfied.
Click to expand...
Agree with this. I find it sounds fine to me. It hasn't changed my perspective on the world, angels didn't fly from the heavens when I first played through it. But for $250 (used), a 38 pound, small combo with enough volume to keep up at a gig? For my 42 year old body, the sound is almost inconsequential. But the sound is good.
 
  • Like
Reactions: rjake007
#20
birminghambass said:
Dude, you have a 550 into the RBH cabs. I've owned almost every GK cab and amp, you've got the best they make (IMO). The 200 1x15 combo is VERY boxy to my ears, I really like it for small stage monitoring.
Click to expand...
Thanks. I don't have the RBH cab(s) YET, but those are the ones that I want; currently I'm running two Avatar B210 cabs with my Fusion 550. Yeah, that is indeed a killer head, I have zero gripes about that amp.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top Bottom
Back