Volume Question for Owners of Two Channel Dual Rectifiers

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russellconner
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My question is on the channel volume levels you guys use. Here's my amp's setup:

LP w/ EMGs --- ISP Decimator --- Dual Rectifier --- Two OS Mesa 4x12 Rectifier cabs (8 ohms each)
(no boost, effects loop OFF)

The amp is a 1994 chrome chassis with a Rev. G board. However, it has all the early rev features like attached power cord, serial loop, small logo, etc. It basically looks like Mesa used a leftover chrome chassis from the earlier revisions to build mine when I ordered it.

Here's my dilemna. With high gain, it seems like the volume increases way too quickly when i turn up the channel volumes. By the time i turn it up to 10:30 on either channel (with gain at 2:30 or so) the amp is holy crap loud and starting to break up. I have tried new power tubes and gotten the same thing.

Do you guys think something has gone bad, and that i need to replace a part? Is it a tube issue, and i just need to got through and swap them out? It still sounds good, it's just very hard to control the volume when it goes from off to nose bleed in a quarter turn.

thanks in advance for your input, guys.

-russell
 
Set the amp to effects on for both channels and use the active master knob as your volume. Then your channel volumes will be less sensitive.

I think your tubes are fine. In my experience most tube amps are that way. They achieve most of the actual volume between off and about noon on the master. Anything past that and it just saturates the power amp section harder, not getting louder.
 
RJF":2djk7u3w said:
Set the amp to effects on for both channels and use the active master knob as your volume. Then your channel volumes will be less sensitive.
:thumbsup:
 
I will try this tonight after work. It makes sense, though. This is how my Uberschall is set up by default. It has a master that is over both channels' volumes, with our without effects. I use much more of the Uberschall's volume controls' ranges compared to the Mesa.

As it is with the Mesa right now (effects loop OFF), it just seemed strange that only the first 1/3 of the volume knobs' ranges are useful.

thanks,

russell
 
I have essentially the same amp (a '94 Mesa Dual "Blackface" with Chrome Chassis, Serial Loop, etc). And, your assumption is correct. '94 was a transitional period for the Rectifiers (both Dual and Triples). You'll find quite a few that look identical to the early revisions (Rev C-F), though they are in fact part of a first run of the G's. Once that chassis stock was gone, you saw the transition to the later styled Rev G features.

It sounds like what you're experiencing is normal. It's a loud amp, and you'll notice a large jump in the first half of the knob. I can play mine at lower volumes though. The taper doesn't seem too bad.

I prefer the tone of the amp with the loop bypassed, but that's just me. YMMV.
 
Yup, that seems normal to me. I have a Rev G chrome chassis Triple and much prefer to hard-bypass the loop. The channel masters are very touchy with the overall master out of the circuit. 9:00 is blowing my head off.
 
Yeah I have the same exact revision and specs, small logo, chrome chasis, hardwired power cord.
I run both my channel masters at around 9:00. The red channel slightly higher at 10:00.
Those levels are just send levels for the loop when the global master is active.. Dont worry about their positions. Obviously if the loop isnt active then the channel volumes would be set higher to achieve the same relative volumes.
 
I re-read your original post and what youre probably experiencing is just a reverse taper pot. A lot of amp makers put the loudest part of the taper at the beginning of the range. After 12:00 the volume doesnt actually get twice as loud as you get to the full clockwise position.
ive always suspected that this was a trick for showroom floors so salesman can show customers how loud they amp can go as the turn the amp up slightly with all that volume, leaving the rest to the customers imagination.
 
First, thanks everyone for the input on this.

I put a patch cable in the loop and set it to be active for both channels. Set up this way, the volume was easier to control. The only drawback seemed to be a slightly duller sound. I dont know if it was because of adding the 12ax7 in the signal path with the loop active, or if the loop's tube just has less treble response than the others. After tweaking the EQ, i was able to get sounds that i liked.

one thing for sure, though: these things are loud, really loud. it took some guts for mesa to offer an even more powerful version in the triple rec. sheesh.

-russell
 
russellconner":e8rpblrb said:
First, thanks everyone for the input on this.

I put a patch cable in the loop and set it to be active for both channels. Set up this way, the volume was easier to control. The only drawback seemed to be a slightly duller sound. I dont know if it was because of adding the 12ax7 in the signal path with the loop active, or if the loop's tube just has less treble response than the others. After tweaking the EQ, i was able to get sounds that i liked.

one thing for sure, though: these things are loud, really loud. it took some guts for mesa to offer an even more powerful version in the triple rec. sheesh.

-russell
Why the patch cable? I don't do that with either my C or F.

The triple rec is really not much louder than the dual. Just has more headroom.
 
When I briefly had a Rev F Dual, it got really loud quickly on the taper as you say. It's normal for that amp, as far as I know.
 
Yup, sounds normal.

I have a 2-channel Triple. That thing will blow out your ear drum if you look at it wrong...
 
 
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