DR volume levels

[enuenu]

When I have everything set to 12'O'clock on the clean channel and I plug my Strat in, the volume from my DR + Recto 4 x 12 is at a decent bedroom level, certainly not what you would call loud. Is this normal? It seems quiet. I thought maybe it was the guitar, so I tried my LP at the same settings and it was about 20% louder, but I guess this is because of the pups.

When I set everything to 12'O'clock on the red channel you can't stay in the room. Again the LP is louder than the Strat. The clean channel just seems very quiet.

 

[UnderJollyRoger]

Without trying it for myself, I would say this is normal. I have my clean channel set to about 1:00, while my red channel is at about 10:00 (master around 12:00) and they are balanced ...

 

[enuenu]

I've had similar issues in the past and it seems the clean channel has lost volume again. Have to wait until I fire her right up again to really tell, but my ears are telling me some volume has been lost. I've never had the volume at 12'o'clock in the bedroom before.

 

[UnderJollyRoger]

Ah, well, this isn't my bedroom level, it's practice room level

So you might be right ... I wouldn't want to run everything on 12 in my house ...

 

[boss4]

And the master is at?... My channel 1 is at 12:30, ch2 at 11:30,12:00 and my ch3 at 10:30. Master is at 09:30 (to play with drums from the computer/P.A.) and 10:30 with a drummer. If you've noticed a decrease in the ch1 volume maybe you should toubleshoot the pre-amp tubes. The volume settings I've mentined above tend to change - the sound doesn´t "feel" the same every day.

 

[enuenu]

And the master is at?...

Master at 12. Everything at 12. Presence, Master, Gain, Bass, Mid & Treble. All at 12. I did it this way to keep any comparison simple. Clean channel with mode switch up in clean position. A bit louder than bedroom volume, but not much. Seems quiet for these settings. Tone still fine though.

Had repeated preamp tube problems. Maybe tubes? All Mesa 12AX7s in now after problems with other quality tubes. Getting frustrated with the amp. Can something in the amp be causing damage to preamp tubes if it turns out I have a problem?

 

[boss4]

Ch1 at 12 with master at 12!? That's quite loud and nothing like bedroom levels, at least with mine (old 3ch DR with bold/silicon diodes). I strongly advise you to change the preamp or the poweramp tubes (maybe not the poweramp tubes cause the other channels are ok,right?) just to check if the problem is related to tubes .

 

[enuenu]

Ch1 at 12 with master at 12!? That's quite loud and nothing like bedroom levels...

That's what I thought. I don't use the clean channel that much so wasn't noticing the problem. I fired up the clean channel a week ago and my immediate recation was that there was a volume problem.

I've been through this a few times now, the amp seems to keep wrecking tubes. Another long drawn out process of isolating tube problems pending! :x Could there be an underlying problem?

I've only used quality Mesa and other brand tubes with same results. Goes well for a while, then after about 20 hours use volume fades and preamp tubes are usually the culprit. Why is my amp chewing tubes? It doesn't get used a huge amount, I'm not a touring musician or anything.

It is a 3ch DR about 5 years old. Has the bold/spongy & rectifier/silicon diode switches in back.

 

[mastora]

I'm no expert but, maybe there's a bad connection in the pins? Some dirt or something else causing a poor connection?

 

[volatileNoise]

All relative to output of pickups and gain level setting on individual channels.

Set all levels with your ear, I run gain on channel 1 at 12.30, and with the volume at around 2pm to get close enough to channel 3 at 10am on the output level. Channel 2 sits somewhere in between but even then channel 1 is still slightly quieter than channel 2, and channel 3 still louder than both channels 1 and 2, mids must be used in all EQ settings too in order to push out the sound.

Sounds like nothing wrong with the amp, this topic goes over and over, settings are everything.

 

[enuenu]

Was just wondering if someone with the same rig could plug a Strat or LP in and set guitar volume to 10, set everything on the clean channel to 12'O'Clock and see if it is what you would call loudish bedroom volume.

 

[volatileNoise]

It's not what I would call super loud, last night I had the output on 12 and channel one pulled back to 1pm, mids on 2pm, and channel 3 on 10.30 still considerably louder. There is no way in hell I would then turn up channel 3 to midday, would be stupid loud.

How about you try, channel 3 on 10am, channel 2 at 12, and channel 1 around 2pm. Crank some mids and see how that goes.

Also if your running no boost for your signal the above settings would be very realistic, I run a permanent boost and that brings the channels a little closer together.

 

[enuenu]

Thanks man, I'll give it a try and do some tube swapping as well. I have an EQ with boost so I'll play with that too.

 

[boss4]

Sounds like nothing wrong with the amp, this topic goes over and over, settings are everything.

I have to disagree on that men, with ch1 and master on 12, whatever settings are, is way to loud for bedroom level.At least in my case.

Was just wondering if someone with the same rig could plug a Strat or LP in and set guitar volume to 10, set everything on the clean channel to 12'O'Clock and see if it is what you would call loudish bedroom volume.

I have a gibson les paul standard and with everything on 12 and, more important, with master at 12 is quite loud for me...and my band. With my drummer I dont use the master more than 11. Maybe its the room, but never had to put the master above that (couple of times with too much beer). I dont use very mutch the ch1, but have to deal with it in some songs and I dont have to crank the amp to listen it.

 

[cyber104]

I agree with boss 4. If I'm reading this post correctly it seems that everything on the clean channel was set to 12:00 (including the gain) and then the Master Volume was set to 12:00. If this is the case - the amp should be VERY loud. I tried it on our DR last night just to confirm.

Chris

 

[volatileNoise]

Agree with it is loud, but with all channels at midday, channel 1 will be pretty loud, channel 2 louder again, and channel 3 on midday I wouldn't want to be in the room!

 

[enuenu]

I agree with boss 4. If I'm reading this post correctly it seems that everything on the clean channel was set to 12:00 (including the gain) and then the Master Volume was set to 12:00. If this is the case - the amp should be VERY loud. I tried it on our DR last night just to confirm.
Chris

Thanks all. I think I have a problem, well my amp does anyway. Yes, all 6 knobs on the clean channel set to 12'O'clock (including gain) and I get a volume that is just a bit above a decent bedroom volume. This amp is starting to do my head in.

I've been through similar problems a few times now. Last time it happened I had the amp checked by The Guru at the Australian Mesa distributor and he gave it a clean bill of health after simply swapping tubes. It did work when it left the workshop but the disease haunting this amp seems to have reared its head yet again. I wish the thing would just totally break down so the problem would be obvious.

 

[Stratocaster]

When you say everything is at noon, does that include the effects loop level? Or do you have it bypassed
(didn't notice if you already said)?

Stratocaster.

 

[enuenu]

When you say everything is at noon, does that include the effects loop level? Or do you have it bypassed
(didn't notice if you already said)?
Stratocaster.

I think you have solved the problem Stratocaster. I am about to make an idiot of myself here , but that's how you learn. First up, in future I think I need to grab a pen and paper and note everything I do before I touch the amp. I say this because the following is what I THINK was the case, but not 100% sure (the idiot part).

I think the effects loop knob at the back was set to "footswitch". I have the footswitch connected, but no effects were in use. The levels for the effects loop were both at noon. The volume problem disappeared when I spun the knob to "bypass loop".

The thing I find curious is that when I now return the effects loop knob back to "footswitch", the volume is close to zero. Nothing like it was before, but the settings are the same :?

Also, if having the effects loop knob in the wrong position was the cause of the volume loss, I am wondering why it ever worked at proper volume. Until today I haven't touched any settings at the back since it came out of the workshop 3 months ago. However when it left the workshop, and for the next 2 months, it seemed to work fine. Then the volume dropped as described in my opening post. All with the effects loop knob set to "footswitch".

I am baffled as to what went on and what is going on. However the amp seems to be fine now so I am STOKED! Thanks a heap Stratocaster.

If anyone can hazard a guess as to what I have done, feel free to unleash :lol:

 

[Stratocaster]

Glad all is well, enuenu!

Don't worry about the learning process...it's half the fun (and reason to drink) in the first place, lol.
Have a good day, and happy jamming.

Strat