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Markbass New York 151
Warranty from the manufacturer: 12 months.
Description of the Markbass New York 151
When you’re looking for a cab that can open up properly in a small rehearsal room yet won’t fall apart under low-end pressure on a big stage, the Markbass New York 151 appears right in the middle of that dilemma as a real-world compromise – but one that feels alive, musical and inspiring.
This is a bass cab that doesn’t feel like a soulless box – it feels like an extension of your instrument and your hands. It’s light to carry but anything but lightweight in terms of tone. You don’t need to plan a military-style logistics operation just to get to rehearsal or a club. Grab your head, throw the cab in the boot – and you’re basically ready for the set.
The best part is that, despite its portability, it delivers a tight, clear, articulate bass sound. The lows don’t turn into mush, the mids don’t disappear, and the attack stays defined even with strong compression or overdrive. This is exactly the kind of cab that lets you play fingerstyle, with a pick or slap without having to adapt to the quirks of the room.
The manufacturer has clearly focused on maximum efficiency and sensitivity. As a result, the speaker reacts quickly to your playing dynamics and reproduces the nuances that many other cabs in this format tend to smear out. If you’re used to a 4x10 and assume a single fifteen will feel sluggish, this one will pleasantly surprise you. The sound is punchy and springy, yet full and substantial.
Another big plus is how well it pairs with different heads. Italian amps, solid-state heads, a valve preamp, a digital modeller – it all works together without drama. The cab doesn’t force one particular character on you; it simply highlights what’s already in your signal chain. For home use there’s more than enough volume on tap, but with sensible gain settings you can comfortably play in a flat, then walk on stage with the same rig without feeling like you’re dealing with two completely different worlds.
Why choose this model?
- Strong, punchy low end without muddiness – equally at home with laid-back ballads and heavy, driving grooves
- Lightweight enclosure with a proprietary speaker and bass reflex port, making it easy to transport and quick to set up on stage
- High sensitivity and plenty of power handling, so it takes loud rehearsals and gigs in its stride
- Clean, honest reproduction of your instrument’s tone without unnecessary colouration – a win for both bass players and live sound engineers
- Versatile across styles and situations, from home practice and learning through to session work and touring
Model overview
On the acoustic side, the brand has gone for a compact yet very lively configuration: a single fifteen-inch speaker in a lightweight enclosure designed to handle serious sound pressure. At the same time the designers deliberately avoided turning it into a purely vintage “honker”. Instead you get a modern, quick response that comfortably covers fusion, pop and contemporary metal, where the bass has to cut through a dense wall of guitars and drums.
The Markbass New York 151 uses an in-house, proprietary driver that’s been optimised for fast bass response and a clear, defined attack. The cone handles high mechanical load, while the voice coil takes a healthy amount of power. Hence the sense of headroom: the master on your head is nowhere near full, yet the cab is already filling the room with confidence.
The bass reflex design of the enclosure helps to bring out the very lowest frequencies properly. Instead of boom and random resonances you get a focused, controlled low end. This is particularly useful in small rooms and clubs where bass often turns into a constant “mmmm” in the background. With this cab you’ll find your place on stage and in the mix much quicker, and the engineer won’t have to carve away the lows with brutal EQ.
Connectivity is straightforward and familiar: a pair of Speakon/jack combo sockets on the rear panel allows you to hook up your head in different ways and, if needed, add a second cab. So you can start with a single fifteen and later build a full stack once you find yourself playing louder venues. The impedance and power rating are set up to work happily with the vast majority of bass heads on the market – from the brand’s own Italian amps to popular American models.
The weight deserves a separate mention. For a cab with this level of power and a fifteen-inch driver it’s surprisingly light. It’s not a toy, but it’s also not a wardrobe you’re afraid to lift on your own. Getting it onto a stage, carrying it into a studio, hauling it down the stairs to a basement rehearsal room – all perfectly doable without drafting in three mates. And if you get to rehearsals by public transport or taxi, this enclosure feels less like a nightmare and more like a normal, workable reality.
Who is this cab for?
This cab is a great fit for beginners because it doesn’t require complicated tweaking and sounds “right” straight away. Plug in the head, switch on the bass, nudge the EQ a bit – and you’re good to play with a band. It doesn’t hide technical mistakes, but it doesn’t punish you for every clumsy note either. You’ll clearly hear where you haven’t fretted cleanly enough or have overdone the attack, and that really speeds up your progress.
For producers and sound engineers the cab is appealing because of how predictable it is. The sound is clear and free of nasty surprises, which makes life much easier both on stage and in the studio. If you’re recording live bass through a mic and DI at the same time, this cab gives you a solid, understandable foundation in the low end and saves you from having to stack a dozen plug-ins just to tame the rumble.
You can play a jazz set in a small bar, then in the same city play a rock gig and never feel that the gear is holding you back.
Session players and touring bassists will appreciate the balance of weight, volume and versatility. The cab doesn’t choke a warm old-school sound, nor does it resist a more aggressive, modern tone.
For those who keep bass as a hobby and mainly play at home, there’s an extra bonus. At first you’ll use it as a solid “trainer” for practice and jamming along to backing tracks. Then you can take exactly the same setup to a local festival or a club gig. There’s no need to buy a separate “home” cab and a “gigging” rig – one cab can comfortably do both.
If you’re already an experienced player and need a reliable workhorse for rehearsals, side gigs and studio sessions, this model also fits the bill perfectly. The Markbass New York 151 doesn’t lock you into any one genre or style; instead, it gives you a solid platform to build from. Change the head, the pedals, the bass – and the cab calmly adapts to wherever you’re at right now.
Specifications of the Markbass New York 151
- Type: bass speaker cabinet
- Configuration: 1 x 15" driver
- Power handling (RMS): 400 W
- Impedance: 8 Ohms
- Frequency range: approx. 40 Hz – 3.5 kHz
- Sensitivity: around 100 dB SPL
- Enclosure type: bass reflex, front-ported
- Connectors: Speakon/jack combo sockets
- Cabinet material: plywood with protective finish
- Dimensions (W x H x D): approx. 46 x 53 x 48 cm
- Weight: approx. 17 kg
- Colour: black enclosure, black grille, signature yellow speaker rings
