FX Loop Volume/Tone drop? (Sorry if asked before)

[sean106ESP]

Hey there.

So I seriously have notice a change in tone/volume when I kick on the FX loop. I don;t leave it on all the time and tap dance pedals as I had specific combinations of things I like, so regardless if anything is running in the loop the tone/volume drops a bit.

think it may be the preamp tube for the loop? Thanks in advance.

 

[SteveO]

Adjust the FX Send to balance out the volume when the loop is engaged.

 

[sean106ESP]

Adjust the FX Send to balance out the volume when the loop is engaged.

If I put it past 12 O'clock I get some unwanted break up on the clean channel. Also it feels aside from volume the tone is smothered a tad.

yeah just played around with it some more. For sure sounds more muffled and less the tone I dial in.

 

[SteveO]

It could be the tube, I have no major change in tone with the loop in or out with mine. Also, the controls on these amps are pretty sensitive and very interactive. If you have the channel masters up too high they will start to distort the loop circuit. I generally keep my channel one master no higher than noon, and channel two typically about the same with channel three around 9:00 or so. I then let the overall master volume do the actual heavy lifting.

 

[sean106ESP]

It could be the tube, I have no major change in tone with the loop in or out with mine. Also, the controls on these amps are pretty sensitive and very interactive. If you have the channel masters up too high they will start to distort the loop circuit. I generally keep my channel one master no higher than noon, and channel two typically about the same with channel three around 9:00 or so. I then let the overall master volume do the actual heavy lifting.

I have the channel masters at about 9 and 10. My master is about 10 and running 90 watts. I get this tone smothering (not huge but notciable) when I click on the fx loop regardless if anything is active. I grab some tubes this week. About due for it anyhoo.


Any recommendations for a place that has em any cheaper then say dougs tubes? Do you guys stick with Mesa 12AX7's or like to mix it up? I had some very good results with Tung Sol power tubes but never really tried them for preamps. Thanks

 

[SteveO]

It could be the tube, I have no major change in tone with the loop in or out with mine. Also, the controls on these amps are pretty sensitive and very interactive. If you have the channel masters up too high they will start to distort the loop circuit. I generally keep my channel one master no higher than noon, and channel two typically about the same with channel three around 9:00 or so. I then let the overall master volume do the actual heavy lifting.

I have the channel masters at about 9 and 10. My master is about 10 and running 90 watts. I get this tone smothering (not huge but notciable) when I click on the fx loop regardless if anything is active. I grab some tubes this week. About due for it anyhoo.


Any recommendations for a place that has em any cheaper then say dougs tubes? Do you guys stick with Mesa 12AX7's or like to mix it up? I had some very good results with Tung Sol power tubes but never really tried them for preamps. Thanks

You said you get the tone smothering regardless if anything in the loop is active, have you tried it with just a jumper cable between the send and return, just to eliminate the possibility that one of your effects is the culprit? That's a whole lot easier than getting at the preamp tubes!

 

[sean106ESP]

It could be the tube, I have no major change in tone with the loop in or out with mine. Also, the controls on these amps are pretty sensitive and very interactive. If you have the channel masters up too high they will start to distort the loop circuit. I generally keep my channel one master no higher than noon, and channel two typically about the same with channel three around 9:00 or so. I then let the overall master volume do the actual heavy lifting.

I have the channel masters at about 9 and 10. My master is about 10 and running 90 watts. I get this tone smothering (not huge but notciable) when I click on the fx loop regardless if anything is active. I grab some tubes this week. About due for it anyhoo.


Any recommendations for a place that has em any cheaper then say dougs tubes? Do you guys stick with Mesa 12AX7's or like to mix it up? I had some very good results with Tung Sol power tubes but never really tried them for preamps. Thanks

You said you get the tone smothering regardless if anything in the loop is active, have you tried it with just a jumper cable between the send and return, just to eliminate the possibility that one of your effects is the culprit? That's a whole lot easier than getting at the preamp tubes!

ahh thanks. I have never done that. Small patch cable in both send and return...then turne loop on and off? Does that reset it or something?

 

[SteveO]

No, there's nothing to reset. It's just that some effects interact strangely with the impedance loads of some loop circuits, and this might be the source of your issue. I would just hate to see you dink around with swapping out preamp tubes if they're not the problem.

 

[sean106ESP]

No, there's nothing to reset. It's just that some effects interact strangely with the impedance loads of some loop circuits, and this might be the source of your issue. I would just hate to see you dink around with swapping out preamp tubes if they're not the problem.

I appreciate that. I did the jump. I just connected them and turned the fx loop on and off a few times, played with the FX level knob and no luck. Some sort oft one suckage. Just comes alive when I leave it off for some reason.

 

[farren]

It could be the tube, I have no major change in tone with the loop in or out with mine. Also, the controls on these amps are pretty sensitive and very interactive. If you have the channel masters up too high they will start to distort the loop circuit. I generally keep my channel one master no higher than noon, and channel two typically about the same with channel three around 9:00 or so. I then let the overall master volume do the actual heavy lifting.

I have the channel masters at about 9 and 10. My master is about 10 and running 90 watts. I get this tone smothering (not huge but notciable) when I click on the fx loop regardless if anything is active. I grab some tubes this week. About due for it anyhoo.


Any recommendations for a place that has em any cheaper then say dougs tubes? Do you guys stick with Mesa 12AX7's or like to mix it up? I had some very good results with Tung Sol power tubes but never really tried them for preamps. Thanks

I'm not 100% sure what the stock tubes really are these days, though I've heard Ruby, but like stock pickups in a guitar, they won't be right for everyone (or even for most people ). I'd try something new if I was you and perhaps develop a preference through experience. I'm waiting on Doug's 7 tube "tone kit" right now to replace my stock Mesa tubes, which looks pretty ideal for the Mark V's valve layout I think. It only utilizes a Tung Sol for V1, probably because Tung Sols are known for sounding great but not being very reliable and failing quickly (unless something has changed in their production standards very recently).