All Amps Dimed, Surprising Results

[Brandon Breeze]

So, for the heck of it, and because I can, I tried all of my amps turned up to 11 today. I was very surprised by the results. Amps that are absolute monsters at about 3-5 on the volume knob turn into complete garbage beyond that point.

Orange Dark & Micro Terror sounds like poop above 12 o'clock on the volume knob
5150II absolute flub and squeal above 5
Bogner Uberschall same as Peavey
Krankenstein got to about 5.5 before losing its mojo
crate Blue Voodoo hangs in until about 6
Marshall JVM410H remains articulate and in the game until about 6.5 master volume after that it's a flub and squeal fest like the others.
The Winner by far was my Carvin V3, this bad ass can go all the way to the top of master volume and still sound amazing! Not only that but I sat right next to the damn thing(within 3') and no feedback at all! Sometimes this is the type of test that separates the men from the boys.

 

[severinsteel]

What guitar/ pickups did you use? If they are higher output, that makes a difference. Also, I find that with high gainers, you need to reduce the gain a bit once you really crank the master. I'd be curious where you had the gain set on the amps.

 

[Brandon Breeze]

What guitar/ pickups did you use? If they are higher output, that makes a difference. Also, I find that with high gainers, you need to reduce the gain a bit once you really crank the master. I'd be curious where you had the gain set on the amps.

I used my Ibanez RG with EMG 81. You can see the gain setting on the Uberschall right at noon. All my gain settings at normal volume are typically barely above noon, Krankenstein at 6, 5150II @ 6, Marshall JVM @ noon(about 5), oranges anything above noon on volume or gain was poopoo,m other than the V3 at 7, so it held up the best and had the gain turned up the most.

 

[Valtyr]

I got a JVM1H so I actually could run a cranked amp at home. If the gain is set low, the tone is actually usable when cranked but I usually keep the volume around 5.

 

[Mesa\Kramer]

Video for proof or you dimed your Gorrila and Crate SS 10 watters...............

 

[Brandon Breeze]

I got a JVM1H so I actually could run a cranked amp at home. If the gain is set low, the tone is actually usable when cranked but I usually keep the volume around 5.

Around 5 the JVM sounds amazing, much beyond that and I'm guessing the gain needs to go way down. I'll have to try reducing the gain for these tests next time.

 

[Brandon Breeze]

Video for proof or you dimed your Gorrila and Crate SS 10 watters...............

Next time I will, & believe me it's not pretty

 

[Tone Monster]

Every amp I ever dimed sounded like ass...

 

[Kapo_Polenton]

Yeah even some jcm800's above 7 start to fall apart..... the plexis do it the best dimed. As everyone else has said, there comes a point where there is no point in going to 11... it isn't any louder it just flubs out. That said, any amp should be able to keep it together until 6-7 on the MV. In practice though, if they are mic'ing back stage behind the stacks, they really don't need anymore than 4 or 5.

 

[Racerxrated]

Bass bass bass...gotta keep the bass lower the louder you go. I agree most amps don't sound any better past a certain point. SLO is best, then any Marshall holds it together well up to a certain point. My Jubilee has a better taper than most Marshalls I've had, but at 5 on output master(lead master dimed) it doesn't get much louder beyond.

 

[Mailman1971]

Yeah....start turning the master past noon....most amps fall apart. They dont get LOUDER....just sound crappier.

 

[Rocksoff]

Hmmmmmmmmm!

I've dimed Marshall Plexis through 1 cab and 2203's as well and it just sounds louder and better and doesn't crumble into crap.

Hendrix, Blackmore, EVH, Kossoff etc etc all on full or near full volume.

 

[TrueTone500]

So, for the heck of it, and because I can, I tried all of my amps turned up to 11 today. I was very surprised by the results. Amps that are absolute monsters at about 3-5 on the volume knob turn into complete garbage beyond that point.

Marshall JVM410H remains articulate and in the game until about 6.5 master volume after that it's a flub and squeal fest like the others.
The Winner by far was my Carvin V3, this bad ass can go all the way to the top of master volume and still sound amazing! Not only that but I sat right next to the damn thing(within 3') and no feedback at all! Sometimes this is the type of test that separates the men from the boys.

I recommend you add a AC15 and AC30 to your collection. Best "11" tones going, if you like that blizzard of nails sound.

 

[nevusofota]

As stated previously the gain and EQ must be adjusted greatly in most tube amps when the volume is at maximum. The test tells is little except that some amps can be adjusted less as volume is added.

Also, aren't early JCM 800's (vertical inputs) the same as as a plexi?

 

[Brandon Breeze]

Looks like Ill really have to mess with the eq before I try it again, just really surprised the Carvin V3 was the only amp to make it to full volume and sound just as good without a single EQ change

 

[Kapo_Polenton]

As stated previously the gain and EQ must be adjusted greatly in most tube amps when the volume is at maximum. The test tells is little except that some amps can be adjusted less as volume is added.

Also, aren't early JCM 800's (vertical inputs) the same as as a plexi?

Similar enough but not bang on, cascaded preamp and master volume on the 2204. The non master volumes up the gain as the volume goes up, sounds a bit sweeter than a 2204 but really, not that much diff that I couldn't rock one of the other.

 

[leib10]

I haven't turned my Bogner Uberschall Twin Jet past 2 o'clock on both volumes; I'm afraid of how loud it's going to get!

The Rev 2 tends to flub out around 2-3 o'clock on the volume controls.

 

[Brandon Breeze]

I haven't turned my Bogner Uberschall Twin Jet past 2 o'clock on both volumes; I'm afraid of how loud it's going to get!

The Rev 2 tends to flub out around 2-3 o'clock on the volume controls.

Mine is a Rev Blue and is right there same as the Rev 2

 

[rsm]

I've not tried this with my Engl rig (I have an E850/100 (100W per side) and 2 * 2x12 cabs)...my house may collapse.

My AC15H1TV sounded good cranked IIRC, never tried with my AC30H2.

 

[squank]

A lot of it depends on where you are playing. If you are inside, at high SPLs your pickups are acting like microphones, and that will make most amps sound bad at high volume.

Interesting note - I played an open air amphitheater a couple of years ago - massive stage, 10k fans - and had my Engl Powerball II Master Volume on 7 for the entire gig. It sounded unbelievably good. It was a high gain set, so the distortion was there in gobs, with no negative effects. I had no trouble hearing myself over the drummer

EDIT: I found a picture of me running the Engl practically wide open: