Cannot get balanced volume between clean and drive channels

[royslead]

Ok, so I have had both rectifier heads for quite some time now. I own a Roadster and a Series Two Rect-O-Verb. I have tried everything I can think of, but cannot seem to balance channel volumes well on either head. I'm talking only the clean vs drive channels. I can get them balanced with more gain on the clean, but then it isn't "clean" anymore; and if I turn the gain down on the drive channels, I can get close, but then I don't have the appropriate gain I desire. I must be missing something. I have worked the eq's, on the Roadster, I was using the 100 watt setting on clean and 50 watt setting on drive channels. I cannot be the only one who has come across this, what are the rest of you doing?

Oh yeah, both heads have newer tubes as well- didn't make any difference in this case.

 

[screamingdaisy]

If one channel is too loud, I use the channel master to turn it down until it isn't.

 

[deeman]

If one channel is too loud, I use the channel master to turn it down until it isn't.

word.

Maybe play with the eq a little bit to help even it out.

 

[Eevil]

Ok, so I have had both rectifier heads for quite some time now. I own a Roadster and a Series Two Rect-O-Verb. I have tried everything I can think of, but cannot seem to balance channel volumes well on either head. I'm talking only the clean vs drive channels. I can get them balanced with more gain on the clean, but then it isn't "clean" anymore; and if I turn the gain down on the drive channels, I can get close, but then I don't have the appropriate gain I desire. I must be missing something. I have worked the eq's, on the Roadster, I was using the 100 watt setting on clean and 50 watt setting on drive channels. I cannot be the only one who has come across this, what are the rest of you doing?

Oh yeah, both heads have newer tubes as well- didn't make any difference in this case.

Well. The cleans can be a bit frustrating with so many knobs to tame. Nowadays with roadster I start with clean channel volume maxed and the gain pot sets the channel level. This way there's some headroom in reserve.

The ch3 & ch4 volumes are somewhere 11-13

Trial & error are your best friends

 

[afu]

The Mid control can increase apparent loudness without increasing volume. If one channel is set much different than the other, it can be a biatch to get the channels to sound matched.

The Roadking/Roadster have improved clean channels circuits compared to the other, older Rectos, but the filtering is still whacking the frequencies off the top to kill the harmonics in a similar fashion to the 3 Ch version. I have no hands-on time with the Road series, but the Clean circuits for 1 and 2 might benefit from turning up the gain and turning down the volume and bass. That's what I do with my 3 Ch Recto to get a really good clean sound. The Presence and Mid settings will defeat any distortion. Having the channel volume lower will keep the PI from overdriving, unless you have kung-fu grip.

It's a 50s or 60s kind of clean, in that it can overdrive when you lay into it, but sounds really good with a moderate to lighter touch or a thin pick. For a super squeaky clean, I'd get a good solid state amp and an A/B box. No joke.

 

[royslead]

The Mid control can increase apparent loudness without increasing volume. If one channel is set much different than the other, it can be a biatch to get the channels to sound matched.

The Roadking/Roadster have improved clean channels circuits compared to the other, older Rectos, but the filtering is still whacking the frequencies off the top to kill the harmonics in a similar fashion to the 3 Ch version. I have no hands-on time with the Road series, but the Clean circuits for 1 and 2 might benefit from turning up the gain and turning down the volume and bass. That's what I do with my 3 Ch Recto to get a really good clean sound. The Presence and Mid settings will defeat any distortion. Having the channel volume lower will keep the PI from overdriving, unless you have kung-fu grip.

It's a 50s or 60s kind of clean, in that it can overdrive when you lay into it, but sounds really good with a moderate to lighter touch or a thin pick. For a super squeaky clean, I'd get a good solid state amp and an A/B box. No joke.

Thanks, I'll try some of these methods. Funny, afu, that you mentioned a separate amp - I have considered exactly that, potentially incorporating my rack setup in the process. Anyone paying attention to some of my other posts, knows I've been on the fence with this series - even considering replacing the Roadster with a Mark IV. I hate to do it, because I love everything else about the Roadster and consider myself fortunate to be able to own one.