I NEED HELP EQ'ING MY DUAL REC

[Triple Cheeseburger]

i have owned this dual rec for half a year and i still am having some difficulty finding a decent sound out of it. i run an epiphone les paul (i put a gibson 490T & 490R set in it) into a visual sound route 66 then the amp (currently with el-34's but i had the same problem with 6l6's) and i get a decent tone out of it until i take a few steps back from the cab and it sounds trebly and disgusting. i have played with just about every eq setting and cant seem to find anything solving my problem. does anyone have any ideas? could it be my guitar or something im not thinking of? thanks

 

[Elpelotero]

what room are you playing in, and what's a visual sound 66?

 

[Triple Cheeseburger]

sorry there are a few more things i should clear up (i was at work and in a rush)

The Visual Sound Route 66 is an overdrive/compressor. i use the overdrive side as a boost (gain at zero volume between half and full) i tried turning the tone right down to try and eq out the high but even with the thing dis-engaged its still there. i usually have my eq sitting at

presence 9 oclock
gain 11:30 -12ish
bass 11:00
mid 10:00
treble 12:00

i have tried pushing the treble down but ultimately no matter what, it sounds like a turd whenever you are directly facing the speakers. (and i have the matching recto cab too)

 

[echoes420]

While pickups are certainly an important part of a guitar's tone, it is not as important as wood. Epiphones use the cheapest woods available. Nonetheless, I am sure you can get a decent sound from the combo of it and the DR.

I am taking this from someone on here, but EQ WITH YOUR EARS, NOT EYES.

This method works great for all the Mesa's I have ever played.

But you should also ditch the OD until you find your base tone.

 

[Triple Cheeseburger]

yeah i have been along time reader of this forum, so the ears not eyes deal i have applied already. its just so frustrating spending alot of money and not being able to dial in something sounding good at louder volumes.

 

[Turumbar82]

The amp will always sound different as you move around the room. If you are standing right by your amp and EQ it, then when you step back it will sound different. Now if you stepped backed in front of the amp a few steps and then EQ'd it accordingly it would sound muffled probably when you were up close to it. Our ears hear things differently when closer or further away or off to the side as opposed to right in front of the speaker.

I think you should try some beam blockers. When you are standing in front of the amp you are getting hit with a lot of treble because of a beam of high frequencies. The blocker diffuses that beam.

Weber makes these ones that I have read a few guys here on the board use.

http://accessories.musiciansfriend.com/product/Weber-Beam-Blocker-High-Frequency-Diffuser-?sku=660007

 

[R_ADKINS80]

I know this probably doesn't help you and I will get some confused replies for this, but.......that is exactly why I don't like Vintage 30 speakers, which you know your cab is probably loaded with. I prefer the 12T-75s. I just adust the bass and bring in more mids accordingly. How old are your tubes? What kind are they? Maybe try a couple different tubes in your V1 slot to tame the trebel down a bit. A NOS RFT will do that nicely. For a more readily available opion you could use a new production Mullard. I have found those to be very mellow on the top end. Chinese tubes, in my experience, seem to worsen the problem and my amp came with 4 of them in it along with a Russian PI tube.....the treble was horrendous and it sounded like crap at any setting/volume. Another thing you can do is run in tube rectifier mode. You will lose some punch but it will mellow out that top end considerably.

 

[tennisplayer]

I'll throw a little light on the subject. I can not play my amp in my office at home. It's a 18X14 room. Amp sounds harsh, bright, and thin! However, I wheel it out into my 2 story open ceiling living room and it's like a completely different amp! The oifference is truly night and day! You would never think it's the same amp.

So, how big is the room you are playing in? I would also put the treble around 10 oclock. It's interesting, in my living room i HAVE TO BUMP MY TREBLE UP TO 1 OCLOCK. In my office 10 oclock tops or it kills me. If someone comes over and wants to hear my recto, I have to take it out into the living room or it's ear piercing painful.

 

[tennisplayer]

Here is the only place in my house it sounds good....

 

[RoyceW]

Well, you're using a Bugera cab...

Strike 1.

 

[R_ADKINS80]

Well, you're using a Bugera cab...

Strike 1.

He said he has the matching Recto cab......don't know where you got the Bugera from?????

 

[Turumbar82]

Well, you're using a Bugera cab...

Strike 1.

He said he has the matching Recto cab......don't know where you got the Bugera from?????

Yeah the original poster is using a recto cab but the picture put up by tennisplayer has a Bugera cab in it. So that's where RoyceW got it from.

 

[plapnab]

It's difficult to tell you how to EQ your amp without knowing what kind of sound you are going for. However, if you are looking for a more modern warmer sound you may want to consider scooping your mids. Try setting your presence and mid at about seven o'clock. Then set your bass, gain, and treble at twelve o'clock...tweak the bass and treble till you find what your looking for...then set your gain (gain should be easy). Also, nothing beats a good EQ through the effects loop...I recommend a MXR 10 band. This will do wonders for your sound.

 

[ESP123]

My Dual shreads your spleen upon hearing it. My set up and settings are:

ESP M1 Standard w/ emg 81 bridge
Ibanez TS9 tube screamer (both volume and drive at 12 o'clock, tone at 3 o'clock)
Dual settings:
Bold
Silicon Diode (high power) w/ 6L6s
channel 3 =
presence 1pm
master 9-12
gain 1-2pm
bass 12:30
mid 8-9pm
treble 1pm
Output 1-2pm

EQ with your ears and a great starting point is everything at 12 noon except master. Also
your output can have a big affect on your sound as well. I run mine between 12 and 1:30 then adjust the master to taste and needs. This saturates the tubes more quickly and gives each master volume per channel huge bite for each adjustment.

Don't give up on the Dual or any Mesa for that matter. EQ EQ EQ
You will become obsessed with you amp and your love for it will scare your friends, loved ones, and band mates once you find your tone. Not to mention everyone that hears your amp will smile with glee.

 

[Triple Cheeseburger]

thanks everyone. the tone i want is a hardcore/metal high gain kinda tone and the room i usually practice in is probably 5 x 10 maybe, but it sounds like this wherever i go. this beam blocker seems to be exaclty the solution to my problem, now its just getting it to australia hahaha

 

[Leng]

Tennisplayer doesn't your mesa melt all the old people furniture?

 

[c.t.d-nicke]

this beam blocker seems to be exaclty the solution to my problem, now its just getting it to australia hahaha

I would suggest anyone who have issues regarding "the dreaded icepick phenomenon" to read this before running down the beamblocker road!

It is a pretty long thread but don't be afraid to read all of it :wink:

nicke

 

[plapnab]

Since your looking for that "metal" sound I would go with what ESP123 recommends. Specifically the tube screamer...those things are awesome with a Dual.

 

[ESP123]

Since your looking for that "metal" sound I would go with what ESP123 recommends. Specifically the tube screamer...those things are awesome with a Dual.

+1

 

[R_ADKINS80]

I won't play my triple without my tube screamer. I modded mine though.