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  • Marshall 9100 poweramp lacking low end.

    Hi

    I recently purchased used 2x50w Marshall rackmount amp mentioned above. It seems to lack low end even after retubing and bias-adjustment. Has anyone else had same kind of problems? Can anything be done to increase oomph in the low register? My current setup is Jackson guitars tuned to C with Dimarzio X2N and super distortion pickups through Rocktron Piranha preamp (new tubes also) into jcm900 4x12" cab.

    If you know how to fix my problem please help.

    ps. buying VHT or Mesa-Boogie is not an option [img]graemlins/images/icons/wink.gif[/img]

  • #2
    Re: Marshall 9100 poweramp lacking low end.

    Although the X2N is a great pup, it has a lot of high end. Turn your treble down on the preamp or just get a Duncan Invader to replace the X2N. Just my opinion.
    I feel my soul go cold... only the dead are smiling.

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    • #3
      Re: Marshall 9100 poweramp lacking low end.

      Those Marshalls have a REAL problem with low end... I've owned them and the 100/100s and played countless shows with them... Same problem with the 900s, thin sounding and not much chunk.

      Probably one of my main reasons for going VHT.

      I EQd them up and the bass just got farty... Helped a bit... But, no major happy time there. I used a Voodu valve for a while and that helped a lot as it is bass heavy. Don't know about the Pirahna myself.

      Ever see car stereo guys put big caps in the system to get bass? Well, The caps that they put in the marshalls are small and about the same height than C batteries. Not much low end reserve for transient low end chunk... EVEn if you EQd the bass up in the front, it can't reproduce it very well and farts up and distorts.

      My VHT 2150 has caps that are bigger than D cells, and twice as tall. And it will out bass the bass player...

      I'm so bummed with Marshall products anymore... They put the cheapest components they can...

      I payed $1299 for my new MonoBloc 100/100... Sigh... Deep and hard... But, it was awfully pretty though.. Nice gold satin finish etc...

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      • #4
        Re: Marshall 9100 poweramp lacking low end.

        Couple of suggestions you can probably get by with for fairly cheap...

        (1) EQ...maybe stick a Parametric or Graphic before the power amp and see if you can slam some heavy thwump into it. But, since Cleve's said he's kinda tried it and it didn't work, you might want to try...

        (2) BBE Sonic Maximizer and/or a Behringer Ultrafex Pro. The Ultrafex, in particular, has a very strong bass processor that can add a mighty wallop in there for ya. It has 4 voicing types for the bass processor, that helps you maintain the type of bass you'll be looking for...though 99.99% chance you'll use it on "Tight" hehe. The BBEs can do nice stuff to the bass, too, but they tend to alter the original texture more than the Ultrafex to my ears. Depending, that might be a good thing for you, I dunno. Both types of units can also "thrash up" the high-end as well...again, the Ultrafex has much more variability...and also has a Surround Processor that helps your sound field seem "bigger", and a noise gate section, which I find alters the sound too much with my gear (it can be turned off completely), but might work well with something else.

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        • #5
          Re: Marshall 9100 poweramp lacking low end.

          I'd have to admit, the EQs, and BBEs (I used the BBE422a) will definitely help at low volumes.

          But at higher volumes, the amp just doesn't have the ability to reproduce the bass that is produced by the use of these helpful products is sorta what I was getting at. It tends to just sorta shock out and not respond, and flatuate the bass freqs, haha... Basically, you'll lose some definition.

          BUT, I'll also say that, I think that I might ask for too much bass in my ideal sound, and "you" may get this to do what you would like it to do with the use of all of the above...

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          • #6
            Re: Marshall 9100 poweramp lacking low end.

            I use the BBE 422 with mine and it will definately remedy your lack of low end problem. I own a 9200 Mono Bloc and that was my exact complaint until I threw a BBE in the loop.
            "Bill, Smoke a Bowl and Crank Van Halen I, Life is better when I do that"
            Donnie Swanstrom 01/25/06..miss ya!

            "Well, your friend would have Bell's Palsy, which is a facial paralysis, not "Balls Pelsy" like we're joking about here." Toejam's attempt at sensitivity.

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            • #7
              Re: Marshall 9100 poweramp lacking low end.

              Yeah, and you play it with four 4x12 cabs attached and sit two feet away from them in a 8x12 room...

              Go figure... [img]images/icons/tongue.gif[/img]

              Take it to a club and see... Not so bassy..,

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              • #8
                Re: Marshall 9100 poweramp lacking low end.

                Hi!

                Thanks to everyone who answered. You guys game lots of suggestions what to do. Have check them out. I also e-mailed marshall. Lets see what they have to say about the subject. I live in europe so one possible thing to do is to buy Engl 930/60 poweramp (they are reasonable priced compared to VHT or Mesa) or ditch whole rack-setup and grab Engl Powerball [img]graemlins/headbang.gif[/img]

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                • #9
                  Re: Marshall 9100 poweramp lacking low end.

                  [img]graemlins/laugh.gif[/img] at John
                  "Bill, Smoke a Bowl and Crank Van Halen I, Life is better when I do that"
                  Donnie Swanstrom 01/25/06..miss ya!

                  "Well, your friend would have Bell's Palsy, which is a facial paralysis, not "Balls Pelsy" like we're joking about here." Toejam's attempt at sensitivity.

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    Re: Marshall 9100 poweramp lacking low end.

                    Dooode, I'm sure that the Engle would be a FINE amp. They make a great product. I didn't realize it was an attainable piece for you.

                    Screw the Marshall, you're DEFINITELY only paying for the Marshall name...

                    Definitely look at the Engle!!!

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                    • #11
                      Two things (given reasonable bass-response pickups): Pick a Good Preamp & Speaker Cab. I ran LPs & Strats thru a Carvin QuadX preamp to my 9100 into 2 speaker cabs: a 2x12 G12M and a carvin 18" ported bass cab. The bass player is STILL pissed at me ('cuz I stomped all over his sound spectrum). Seems to work pretty well. Any element in your signal-chain that chokes off (or doesn't generate) bass signals will cause your sound to wimp out..... therm

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                      • #12
                        Originally posted by Cleveland Metal View Post
                        Yeah, and you play it with four 4x12 cabs attached and sit two feet away from them in a 8x12 room...

                        Go figure... [img]images/icons/tongue.gif[/img]

                        Take it to a club and see... Not so bassy..,
                        Dude, our 9200s sounded like night and day..and you never ran a BBE with yours, I was there.

                        I played this in the basement for years..It owns, Not as brutal and bassy as the Uber of course, but for a "MARSHALL", this is the shit..you KNOW that!

                        Besides, you shoved your ear by the speaker cone, that's the TONE..thats where the mic is..not 75 feet away..

                        Ahhhhh..you're silly.
                        "Bill, Smoke a Bowl and Crank Van Halen I, Life is better when I do that"
                        Donnie Swanstrom 01/25/06..miss ya!

                        "Well, your friend would have Bell's Palsy, which is a facial paralysis, not "Balls Pelsy" like we're joking about here." Toejam's attempt at sensitivity.

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          Engl are built better than Marshall...I'm taking John's word for it...he's more versed in the anatomy of amps. I'm not, I just go what sounds good.

                          The 9200 to own are the first series..loaded w' 5881..I don't like the EL34 versions at all...that's if you like a true "Marshall" tone..I do!!!

                          Between the 9100 and Engl, I'd go with Engl, especially if you have EL34 9100. I don't know why Marshall quickly changed to EL34 to be honest..they lost whatever low end it had. That never made sense to me.

                          Marshalls are not known for low end..as their definition and singing lead tones. I'm pushing as much low end I ever got from ANY Marshall..I owned a few.

                          If you happen to own the 5881 version 9100, that's a good/rare thing. I suggest trying the BBE before you dump it.

                          The 5881s (6L6) sound much warmer and better/tighter low end at high volumes than the EL34 later EL34 series!!!!!
                          Last edited by horns666; 01-08-2007, 06:07 PM.
                          "Bill, Smoke a Bowl and Crank Van Halen I, Life is better when I do that"
                          Donnie Swanstrom 01/25/06..miss ya!

                          "Well, your friend would have Bell's Palsy, which is a facial paralysis, not "Balls Pelsy" like we're joking about here." Toejam's attempt at sensitivity.

                          Comment


                          • #14
                            How did this one get resurrected?

                            See Stu's post up there? RIP, bro.
                            Tarbaby Fraser.

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                            • #15
                              I read something a long time ago that stated Marshall wanted to always use EL34's, but they used the 5881's because they were a much more reliable tube.....I guess the selection of EL34's was pretty poor for awhile. I also remember Boogie in the 90's in some of their manuals mentioned how 6L6s were recommended because EL34 were just not reliable enough.

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