5153-50watt owners - volume discrepancy

  • Thread starter Thread starter Orvillain
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Orvillain

Orvillain

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I thought I'd kick off a thread to discuss these amps and ask a few questions. These are without a doubt really GREAT amps. They sound killer; really nice clean tones as well as crunch and lead sounds.

For other owners out there; How are you getting around the volume discrepancy between channel 1 and channel 2?

I'm trying to figure out a way to do this, but so far have not been too successful. I've got a Line 6 M13 and Digitech GSP1101. With both of them setup to switch via midi and to bring in a volume effect into the FX loop of the amp, I get a huge burst of sound about 60ms long. It seems that the FX units switch the amp before they switch their internal DSP, causing a sound spike. So I don't really know where to go from here. My FX processor midi controlled 4 cable method fix is a bit of a fail.

The thing is, I want to use the FX loop for a noise-gate for channel 3 as well as use it to reduce the volume of channel 2, and I want to avoid having to tap dance. I don't care about delays and reverbs, I run those all out in front of the amp anyway.

So how else can this be resolved? Only solution I can really think of is to use a pedal for my mid-gain crunch tones. (Which I wanted to use Channel 2 for)
 
I have a POD HD that I use 4CM with the 5150III and don't have switching volume issues. That said I may set up my clean and crunch different than you. I had a rig that I was using the M13 for switching and ran into gaps in switching times. My m13 bit the dust which made me get he HD so I couldn't try it out to see if it's the M13.
 
I'm using the GSP1101 with the Control 2 hooked up 4CM, zero switching problems. Running all the delays chorus in the loop. Not before the amp.
 
First, the volume jump is minimal w/ the gain at noon or higher. However, I like my clean to have a very low gain setting. What I feel sounds the best with this amp is get a good midi pedal looping controller (Musicomlab EFX is what I use) and put a boost (i.e. EQ pedal) in the loop that's programed to enter the chain only when you hit your clean patch.
 
When I used my POD HD500 to be the MIDI controller of the 5153, I threw a heavy gate on the blue channel in the loop to squeeze down that volume.
 
I keep the gain of channel 2 at around 12 o'clock and that channel sounds fantastic as my clean when I back down on the volume knob.
 
I use a Nova System in the loop and simply lower the level of the blue channel to match. With gain at 12:00 or 1:00 and a bit of volume there is very little difference. The Nova works pretty well for switching channels a well.
 
nevusofota":3nrq8sgr said:
First, the volume jump is minimal w/ the gain at noon or higher.
Click to expand...

That has not been my experience at all; I did a gig with it last Saturday and at very loud stage volumes, the volume jump is still massively drastic.

zewango":3nrq8sgr said:
I'm using the GSP1101 with the Control 2 hooked up 4CM, zero switching problems. Running all the delays chorus in the loop. Not before the amp.
Click to expand...

Interesting. When I switch my GSP1101 from midi using a Rolls Midibuddy, it does not send an outgoing program change. So I have to have the midi in > thru merge feature enabled. But even when I don't have it enabled and I switch using the patch select knob on the front of the unit, I get a huge spike when going from channel 1 to channel 2, or vice-versa. It's as if the amp changes slightly before the GSP changes. I spent all of yesterday trying to get it to work, with no such luck.

Are you sure you're not getting a split second loud burst of noise when switching to channel 2? Would be interested to hear your settings of your GSP, and whether you're using the MustBeBeta c63 release. If you are, maybe I could clone your settings *exactly* and see if it works here. I don't have the Control 2, but you'd think it wouldn't be absolutely necessary as long as I have some form of midi controller.
 
I don't have a discrepancy,,mine is mexico made I also use my volume n
knob on guitar a lot
 
My 50 watter is a Mexican made unit, not sure if that makes a difference. So far I haven't been able to get a pristine, CLEAN tone and use the blue channel as I'd like it without a massive volume difference. I understand all that about using patches with different levels, but I don't want to go that route when I have a bunch of amps and only this one has the issue. That said, I REALLY like the little EVH with the EVH 2x12 cab that tilts. Its has become my gig amp for one of my cover bands. I have given up trying to deal with the volume issue and just got a Bogner Red pedal that serves as my in between clean and scream tone. With the clean channel set CLEAN, the Bogner (or probably any decent pedal) really does a good job. I realize its a compromise, but for me it works really well.
 
I was playing around with my settings yesterday, and I found hat the blue channel is killer with the gain at 3:00 the cleans are a bit dirty at that level, but if I roll the volume down a bit, or play quite soft it cleans up pretty good with very little volume difference.

Mine is made in Mexico if that makes a difference
 
Rayneman":18piyh7z said:
My 50 watter is a Mexican made unit, not sure if that makes a difference. So far I haven't been able to get a pristine, CLEAN tone and use the blue channel as I'd like it without a massive volume difference. I understand all that about using patches with different levels, but I don't want to go that route when I have a bunch of amps and only this one has the issue. That said, I REALLY like the little EVH with the EVH 2x12 cab that tilts. Its has become my gig amp for one of my cover bands. I have given up trying to deal with the volume issue and just got a Bogner Red pedal that serves as my in between clean and scream tone. With the clean channel set CLEAN, the Bogner (or probably any decent pedal) really does a good job. I realize its a compromise, but for me it works really well.
Click to expand...

I have considered this. Do you have any clips of the Bogner? I am currently doing the same with a Fulltone OCD and a BOO Instruments Tubescreamer. It doesn't sound as good as the blue-channel. I'd almost rather switch between the amp and an amp-sim in the FX loop for my clean tones.
 
I like to run the gain pretty high on the blue channel. For real clean tones I use the GSP as the preamp. Can get some nice cleans usually use the Twin Reverb. The 4cm with this amp is great. The Digitech set up works great. Convenient and simple.
 
zewango":teuwf2nl said:
I like to run the gain pretty high on the blue channel. For real clean tones I use the GSP as the preamp. Can get some nice cleans usually use the Twin Reverb. The 4cm with this amp is great. The Digitech set up works great. Convenient and simple.
Click to expand...

Hey dude, I actually tried this, but found the clean tones really bassy and kinda shrill at the same time. Any specific amp models I should look at?
 
I use the Twin Reverb and fine tune the bass and mids with knobs on the front.
Took a while balancing all the channels .
 
I'm used to using a 2203, so i'm used to using my volume for super cleans. Therefor i set the blue to where i want it and then my clean is about what it is on my 2203 (a bit of dirt). My issue is more of an EQ thing. I'd like my clean to be a bit more present, but i cant make that happen without making the blue channel all trebly. Therefor, i usually just use my volume knob on the blue channel and say screw the green channel :)
 
Amberience":3li4jfjj said:
nevusofota":3li4jfjj said:
First, the volume jump is minimal w/ the gain at noon or higher.
Click to expand...

That has not been my experience at all; I did a gig with it last Saturday and at very loud stage volumes, the volume jump is still massively drastic.
Click to expand...

GAIN..............not volume
 
It doesn't matter where the 50watter was made, all the exact same components. If I remember correctly the only difference between the amps made in Mexico and Vietnam is how the front control plate is mounted.
 
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