Dual Rec actual volume boost with TS-9 Pedal

swill777 · Mar 24, 2009

Guys, I got my dual rec set to change the red channel to orange, the gain on like 2:00 or so. Sounds ok
Plug in a TS-9, set the level all the way up, and the drive almost all the way down, WOW, sounds awesome.
The thing is, the volume level hardly changes... it sounds more saturated and tighter, but no volume increase. I imagine this is cause the tubes are already being slammed.
So, I hate using the effects loop on my 2-CH dual rec, I think it makes the sound go "thin" when its engaged. crazy I kno.
So I love exactly how this sounds.. I just want to be able to raise the volume a bit for leads n stuff.
If I set everything the same on CH2 (the red channel), and just give it a little more volume, it just sounds different. Kinda frustrated.. I just want my tone and to be able to increase the volume slightly.
Someone told me I could have a pot wired in after the pre-amp, before the amp section, where I could lower the normal setting a bit, and have it clicked off (bypassed) with a foot switch. It makes sense, but is this the only way?

MusicManJP6 · Mar 24, 2009

swill777 said:
Guys, I got my dual rec set to change the red channel to orange, the gain on like 2:00 or so. Sounds ok
Plug in a TS-9, set the level all the way up, and the drive almost all the way down, WOW, sounds awesome.
The thing is, the volume level hardly changes... it sounds more saturated and tighter, but no volume increase. I imagine this is cause the tubes are already being slammed.
So, I hate using the effects loop on my 2-CH dual rec, I think it makes the sound go "thin" when its engaged. crazy I kno.
So I love exactly how this sounds.. I just want to be able to raise the volume a bit for leads n stuff.
If I set everything the same on CH2 (the red channel), and just give it a little more volume, it just sounds different. Kinda frustrated.. I just want my tone and to be able to increase the volume slightly.
Someone told me I could have a pot wired in after the pre-amp, before the amp section, where I could lower the normal setting a bit, and have it clicked off (bypassed) with a foot switch. It makes sense, but is this the only way?

Given your requirements I would say, yes, that is the only way.

jdurso · Mar 24, 2009

swill777 said:
Guys, I got my dual rec set to change the red channel to orange, the gain on like 2:00 or so. Sounds ok
Plug in a TS-9, set the level all the way up, and the drive almost all the way down, WOW, sounds awesome.
The thing is, the volume level hardly changes... it sounds more saturated and tighter, but no volume increase. I imagine this is cause the tubes are already being slammed.
So, I hate using the effects loop on my 2-CH dual rec, I think it makes the sound go "thin" when its engaged. crazy I kno.
So I love exactly how this sounds.. I just want to be able to raise the volume a bit for leads n stuff.
If I set everything the same on CH2 (the red channel), and just give it a little more volume, it just sounds different. Kinda frustrated.. I just want my tone and to be able to increase the volume slightly.
Someone told me I could have a pot wired in after the pre-amp, before the amp section, where I could lower the normal setting a bit, and have it clicked off (bypassed) with a foot switch. It makes sense, but is this the only way?

First off, the reason why there is no increase in volume is because what your doing by using the ts9 infront of an already heavy channel is increasing the signal which is basically getting those preamps to there clipping. Once they reach that point you get some sweet compression and harmonics but unfortunately once a tube clips you've lost any headroom you had left in the preamp. Which is why when you see the solo switch on a amp its in the form of an extra output control, basically controlling the output of the power amp which is more or less the mod you described.

What you could do is try running your preamp cleaner by reducing the gain and/or master on that channel, which when you engage the ts9, you should get the same effect but with a bump in the volume. The way you can compensate for the reduced volume/gain for when you dont have the ts9 engaged is raise your output control (that is if you dont have the amp with the fx loop hard bypassed). Other than that I'm not sure what you could do outside a mod to the amp. Maybe Chris McKinley can add some of his pedal guru wisdom... if there is a way i'm confident he knows it.

swill777 · Mar 25, 2009

Thanks guys, I can definitely try to chill the gain out... and of course the mod is always an option. Cheers!

Chris McKinley · Mar 25, 2009

Unfortunately, jdurso had it right....there's no headroom left for an OD or boost to provide any significant volume boost on the front end. Apart from the mod, about the only thing you can do is to use the effects loop and put either a very clean boost or a graphic EQ in there strictly for the signal boost to the power amp.

That said, if you're actually going to be doing much lead playing, I would suggest that you're going to want an OD up front, since an unaffected Recto tone that sounds good for rhythm isn't likely to sound particularly great for leads. It will lack mids, it will lack harmonics and it will lack sustain, all things a good OD can provide. Therefore, and again apart from the mod, you might even consider running the OD up front, either just for solos or even to leave it on all the time, and running a clean boost or EQ in the loop also. That way, you'd get the volume boost you're looking for, but you'd also get a better tone for leads and solos than your Recto can do on its own.