Perceived Volume & Distortion

[Modern Saint]

I agree with pretty much all of that. The next question is how can I compensate for it with an amp's EQ. I tend to either run everything flat, or cut the bass. sometimes I add treble. Unsurprisingly, that's usually what my guitar EQ looks like too. Obviously this is room and volume dependent, but what else can I look to do?

I pretty much run my amps flat. I may boost the bass signal or cut the treble by one digit as I like everything as flat as I can - similar to you. Much of what Mark does I tend to do as well. Other things I do is lift my cabinet up in level so that my knees are not getting blasted by the amplified signal. Like Mark I use an Xotic RC to pump the solo volumes up. On single channel amps with a preamp and master, I prefer to kick the master up and use the preamp to control the overall volume - sort of opposite of what the controls indicate. This way I avoid as much preamp distortion as I can while lessening the amount of distortion coming from the preamp volume control. On single channel one volume amps - really no issues.

This is what works for me.

Outside of that, turn down.

 

[Mark Wein]

I usually try to elevate the amp too.

I had to borrow a milk crate from the venue Saturday.

 

[Help!I'maRock!]

That would be great, but in this rehearsal situation, I'm usually playing through an 8x10. Which is likely the problem too.

 

[Modern Saint]

That would be great, but in this rehearsal situation, I'm usually playing through an 8x10. Which is likely the problem too.

Closed cabinet and very directional - yes likely your problem.

Is it ported at all?

 

[Help!I'maRock!]

Closed cabinet and very directional - yes likely your problem.

Is it ported at all?

Depends on the amp. We seemingly never get heals room twice.

 

[Modern Saint]

Depends on the amp. We seemingly never get heals room twice.

Bummer - no consistency.

 

[Help!I'maRock!]

Bummer - no consistency.

Exactly. It's a compound issue, which is why I'm looking for ways to solve it. I'm open to the idea that it may be an unsolvable problem, but I figured I should start somewhere.

 

[Modern Saint]

Exactly. It's a compound issue, which is why I'm looking for ways to solve it. I'm open to the idea that it may be an unsolvable problem, but I figured I should start somewhere.

Sadly my solution may not be something you are looking for with the amp turnstyle.

It would be to bring a small head (ie: Quilter, Micro Amp, etc.) and just use the cabinets at the practice space. Gives you amp consistency but not speaker or cabinet consistency.

 

[Wyatt]

Actually....lets shine the Batsignal @Wyatt

I dunno.idn_smilie And honestly, I can only guess because I'm having a hard time wrapping my head around the situation.

This seems to be a band mix issue. Are the guitarist elbowing in on your rel estate e in the spectrum?

Most guitarists are used to dialing in a much bigger, fuller tone at home, but in a band mix, they really need chop off the bottom end to help definition. If you isolate some of the greatest guitar solos in history, you'll notice how bright, thin and anemic they sound by themselves, because they are relying on rhythm guitar and bass to fill out the sound.

Here you dealing with the opposite. You need whatever it takes to keep the low-end tight and punchy with a lot of definition. Big, boomy low-end is your enemy. Distortion has a habit of loosing things up.

 

[Help!I'maRock!]

I dunno.idn_smilie And honestly, I can only guess because I'm having a hard time wrapping my head around the situation.

This seems to be a band mix issue. Are the guitarist elbowing in on your rel estate e in the spectrum?

Most guitarists are used to dialing in a much bigger, fuller tone at home, but in a band mix, they really need chop off the bottom end to help definition. If you isolate some of the greatest guitar solos in history, you'll notice how bright, thin and anemic they sound by themselves, because they are relying on rhythm guitar and bass to fill out the sound.

Here you dealing with the opposite. You need whatever it takes to keep the low-end tight and punchy with a lot of definition. Big, boomy low-end is your enemy. Distortion has a habit of loosing things up.

Talk about mudflaps, my girl's got 'em...

My initial distortion was my MI Audio Tube Zone. I may bring it back specifically for high gain, as it has it's own tone stack.

 

[Wyatt]

As in dating...big, boomy, thunderous bottom end is your enemy.

 

[Help!I'maRock!]

Rehearsal again tonight. I brought my Super Duper and had the levels balanced nicely, though the guitarist felt there was too much volume and I felt there was not enough gain with both sides engaged. Amp was an SVT-350 into a 1x15. But the real headway was made when I turned on my Double Red Llama. In order to get the right amount of gain at the lowest setting, I do have to roll off the instrument's volume knob. But the second side, which is basically set up for fuzz, handled the the sound i was going after beautifully. There is a bit of bass cut, but it's not mid-humpish like a TS. So I'll use the Llama with the next rig and see what happens.

 

[Wyatt]

Honestly, neither you nor your guitars was probably in a position to tell. Players are always too close to the amps, and at the wrong angle to the speakers, to hear what they really sound like.

The "stage" is the worst place to judge a mix. It helps to have someone record from an audience to listen of how it all sounds where it matters. But in a rehearsal space, that's not really an option.