Markbass - LMK 58R

Markbass's LMK 58R is back in an ultra-lightweight version that smacks of obsession with detail. With two independent channels, each equipped with its own 4-band EQ, it's easy to switch between active and passive bass without playing Russian roulette with the volume control. Some will even use it to combine two sound signatures on the same instrument - or to alternate between a bass line and a drum machine, like an electric reincarnation of Dr Jekyll and Mr Groove.

This Markbass LMK 58R amp head groups its controls at the front, where your hands won't have to go on expeditions. Everything has been thought out to avoid you having to contort your body like in an acrobatic yoga class. At the rear, only the power supply and speaker connections remain. The result: a smoother installation, tidier cables and a musician who remains calm, even after a slightly improvised connection.

If your attacks lack bite or your playing needs a little extra reactivity, the LMK 58R's dual-band limiter comes into play without warning. Unlike conventional models that choke as soon as you hit them too hard, this one lets your treble breathe and respects your intentions. The punch remains clear, even at high volume, without the dynamics melting like a badly-stretched string. A great way of not betraying your fingers or your strings.

The result of in-house technology developed by Markbass, the MPT circuit built into the LMK 58R has been designed without compromise. No standard amp modules recycled like jigsaw puzzles, but electronics designed specifically for bass. Every note gains in relief, every frequency feels at home here. And for those who wonder whether ecology has a place in an amp: Markbass has thought about it too, right down to the assembly.