Markbass Standard 104HF (410 Cabinet)

I bought this cabinet new on New Year's Eve 2007 with an LMII head. It comes with 4x10 neodymium speakers and a centre mounted horn, which can be adjusted by the attenuator on the left side (facing the front of the cab). It has inputs at the rear for both 1/4 speaker cables and speakon connector. This model, the HR, is rear ported, unlike the HF which has ports at the front of the cabinet.

This is an incredibly light and compact cabinet (about 25kg), and it's a massive 800 watts RMS!!! I can pick this up with one hand and carry it no problems, and I'm not exactly Superman. I have a 2 door Mitsubishi Lancer and with a bit of manouvering with the seats I can get this on the back seat with the head, my EBMM Stingray 5 and lead bag, with pedal case. Very portable.

Like most Markbass the cabinet is very transparent; it aims to produce the natural tone of your instrument. I play a Stingray 5 and it does this *beautifully*. The first time I played through one in a music store I literally played 3 notes and my jaw nearly hit the ground, I was immediately sold.

The cabinet is extremely versatile and for it's compact size has a very impressive bass response, as well as faithfully reproducing crystal clear highs and everything in between. It's 800 watts and I've never come anywhere near pushing it that hard. With one cab the LMII is 300 watts and with the gain set to just below peak and the master at halfway they are REALLY F***ING LOUD!!! Even playing an SVT through an 8x10 cab hasn't blown me away like this. It even rattled the ceiling in my house! Yet still clear and warm and not a hint of strain on either cab nor head.

It's a very clean cabinet; to dirty it up I use a SansAmp BDDI with the drive turned up past 12 o'clock.

I had have the tweeter go on me and had to get that replaced. Other than that it's always been a solid performer and I've gigged a lot with this over the past 20 months or so. It would get a 10 but since the tweeter went I'll give it an 8, as it's been extremely reliable apart from that.

When I had to get a warranty claim the Australian distributor said warranty was only 1 year, and this happened over 12 months from purchase. After waiting for a couple months I emailed Markbass directly as I had a warranty card with the cab that stated a 2 year warranty. Within 48 hours I had an email from them saying they'd already contacted the Australian distributor and I can proceed with warranty repair as soon as I'm ready. I took it to the repairer and they said unlike a lot of other manufacturers, Markbass send the parts directly from Italy to the repairer, rather than to the national distributor, then the head office, the repairer, sometimes taking weeks for parts to arrive. About a week turnaround and my cab was as good as new.

Although I had to wait a long time, when I contacted Markbass directly the warranty procedure was very quick, friendly and hassle free, so for that they get a 10.

I've been playing 12 years, own a few basses. Only owned one amp before this (old Fender BXR 300watt) but I've played through many different amps at college, gigs, festivals, mates etc. including SWR, Ampeg, Trace Elliot, Eden, Peavey, Lab Systems, Behringer, Fender and even Glockenklang (boutique German manufacturer). This sits well up there with the best of them. When you add the portability, sound quality, power and price this is a very competitive choice for any bassist worth their salt.

If it were lost or stolen I would buy another without hesitation. I really can't find anything to dislike, I absolutely love playing through this cabinet.

2008 model...suits my playing needs! I play melodic hard rock...The cab is very light and is used with a Markbass 151HR cab and Markbass Classic 300 Head...plenty of power

Peavey Foundation basses with super ferrites...melodic hard rock and gives me a smile every time I play...no issues, quality piece of gear..it's a cab, what else can I say?

Again, a total piece of PRO gear, great reliability and total portability!! Had it for 9 months, but has been perfect

never dealt with Markbass, Guitar Center distributes them so just swap it for a new one IF there any issues! 2 year Warranty

Played guitar for 20 years before switching to Bass, have always been a Tone/Gear Junkie...I love my Markbass gear!!

Standard Markbass 4x10 rear bass ports. 8ohm / 800 watts peak. Made in Italy. Has a side mounted tweeter control and 2 Speakon and 2 1/4 inch inputs. This thing is L I G H T!!! It's right at 50 lbs... which is the best feature to me and it's why I bought it...

This thing sounds great. It is very transparent like an Eden cab might be, but still has warm mids. It will let your bass be what it is. It will just sound better through this cab ;)... I use a Musicman Sabre and a custom '62 P bass with Lindy Fralin pickups. I run them through an Ampeg SVT-4 Pro. For small gig's I used this cab, and for large shows I use this with my Eden 1x15 bi-amped. By itself this cab has plenty of thump, but with another cab handling the lows...... WOW is all I can say to sum it up. I am a tone whore... I love the sound I get out of this thing... I'm selling my SVT 8x10... It sounds that good, AND it's only *50* freaking pounds!!!

I've only had it for a little while now, but it's made in Italy... Shipping to Italy probably won't be cheap, but Italians make quality stuff... So far so good though.

I've never dealt with them... hopefully won't have to.

I've been playing bass for over 10 years now. All I can say is, I LOVE this cabinet. If I could, I would change two things about it; first, it's expensive... after tax it was over 900 dollars, which is a lot for a 4x10, but how much is great tone *AND* extreme portability worth to you? Obviously to me it's worth over 900 dollars ;)... and secondly, I wish it would have come out SOONER! Where have you been all my life MARKBASS!? My back could have used you a long time ago...

Brand new
800watt RMS,4 ohm,
4 10' neodymium B&C speakers + compression driver horn,
bass reflex
Frequency Response: 35Hz to 20kHz
Sensitivity: 103 dB SPL
Weight: 65.92 lbs. Quite easy to cary arround.
2x 1/4 and speakon input
Dimensions: 23.39"W x 29.13"H x 18.9"D
Tweeter level on the side of the cabinet (nice)

This cab is very well built (better be for the price) The only other CAB I owned that was that well built was my Bergantino HT322. But the Markbass is half the weight and has much better tone.

Doesn't fit as well my the trunk of my car as my Avatar cab. The Avatar is only 16.5 inches deep.

There is not that much of a difference between the tweeter cut off or maxed, so I don't spend time trying to find the sweet spot with the tweeter level. It's full or cut off, most of the time cut off. I can get a lot of sizzle if I want from it, but I have to cranck the highs on the amp or on the bass. Since it sounds well with the tweeter cut off, it sounds good with distortion.

I give it a 10 for it's well balance sound in general, convenient and accessible tweeter level on the side and its light weight.

Thick, loud and agressive. Sounds more vintage than modern.

I use this cab with a Markbass TA503 head (tube pre), a Fender US Jazz Bass with custom shop pickups, US Fender Precision '70, a Precision '54 and a Schector Stilleto Studio 5 with Bartolini electronic. P '70 and Jazz use DR high beam strings. P '54 use Ernie Ball Flat wond strings. The Schector is still on stock strings.

I was running my head with an Avatar 212 and was very impressed, but I was looking for another cab that could handle the head power and render richer mids.

I found it with this cab. Well let's say that the first time I ever tried Markbass gear, rich mids is what impressed me the most.

What I like the most about this cab is that it sounds awesome when the tweeter is completely cut off. If you like the thick mid highs of 10' you will be well server with this cab. The tweeter will add some sizzle but not to any extreme. The tweeter output level is very well balance at my opinion. Some might find the tweeter not loud enough, but it's perfect for me.

The mids are clear, and the low mids are thick and rich. The average sound is very punchy, not as much as the rear ported version, but still very punchy and the lows are very extended due to the cabinet size.

The lows are very loud and balance with the EQ entirely flat.

It is not the most prominent open E (42Hz) I have ever heard, but the lows extends way below 35. In fact it can provide a very loud X- low E (21 Hz). If I do a Major E chord with the open E string and the B fret on the A string, I get a very loud and distinct (21 Hz) E instead of slugish chord. Even my 215 cab doesn't do that. My 215 gives me a stronger cleaner epen E though, but it's not fair to compare a 410 with a 215 cab.

Beside the very prominent low mid, which is normal for an 410, the low is very well balanced down to 20 Hz. Open B string is also very prominent and distinctive.

In a very small room, the sound may be very thick, but scooping the mids and crancking the higs help resolving the problem.

When I use a passive instrument, I tend to keep the tweeter cut off.

With the P-Bass, by scooping the mids and crancking the highs, it is excellent for blues or classic rock Sabbath, Iron Maiden. It sounds very deep agressive and abrasive (with the tweeter cut off). Good combination for old scool rock'n roll.

By rolling off the highs on the amp, itis excellent for funk, soul and so on. Excellent also to recreate Doobie Brothers, Aerosmith, some old school reggea and so on.

I discovered the sound of my P '54 with this cab. It's the absolute best sound I ever got from this bass so far. I use it for late '60 reggea, old Jethro Tull and The Flock. This bass is the absolute best thing for combination of pick and palm mutting technique.

Shines very well with a Jazz Bass also. Custom shop pickups have great mids and it is well rendered with this cab. Great rich mids and excellent for popping. I like to play some classic rock like Cream, Hendrix or newer stuff like Living Colors with this combination as well. I Jam a lot with the Jazz bass and I use it exclusively at Church.

The Schector bass has a lot of sizzle so I cranck the tweeter to the max. The B string is very lound and clear. I like to play early .MOE, south american grooves or new metal with this bass, and it digs very well. This bass sounded quit bad with the Avatar 212, but it sounds awesome with the Markbass.

The most important with this cab, is that despite the size and weight, it fills a room with loud, rich and aggressive sound. It is really surprisingly loud for a 410.

The only other 410 cab that impressed me as much for its unique tone, sound level and distinctive caracter was the extinct Ampeg 410 Pro (125 lbs). That cab was something, too bad it's discontinued.

Small size, light weight and good sound use to be a compromise for cabinet. Not with this one. This cab rocks. It delivers solid rock sound, thick, deep and aggressive, yet very distinctive and musical. Ok it is fed with a good amp, but after owning Ampeg 810, Bergantino HT322, Avatar 212, Sun 215 and some GK gear, the Markbass is the first cab that is really versatile enough to do anything.

Why is that? Well the company is brabbing that the amp is the most transparant one on the market. It certainly has very opened mids and that is just charming for bass.

Ok, beside my Markbass rig, I still have my Sun 300 tube head with its 215 cab, and nothing could match the grind of an all tube head, but if distortion is not necessary and if I don't feel like carying a 100 lbs amp, the 8 lbs Markbass amp is now going out on larger venues.

The Avatar was used only at church and at home. As much as I appreciate the Avatar, I never brought it to a rock'n roll gig, but the Markbass is now going out and replacing the Sun gear once in a while and the Avatar cab is for sale.

I don't think I wlll depart from my Sun gear soon, but the Markbass is my favorite do it all at this time.

If it wasn't for the stiff price, I would give it a 10.