Is variac setting not enough anymore???

[shogun]

^^ thats my one issue with this amp.. its incredibly versatile.. but i've never been able to get the 3 channels to work together, and sound right

 

[NR2112]

With this amp, there are so many variables you can lose the forest through the trees.
When I find a given channel or mode isnt cutting through the mix well enough or TOO much, I try to use adjust mids or presence first. Sometimes thats all it takes. If that fails, I try to switch tube / diode or pentode/ triode settings.

When that doesnt help I try a shift in overall wattage Im using and then fine tune the eq again to suit my needs.

Now when you are trying to balance the 3 channels for live use so theres no "surprises" when you switch channels...it really takes a bit of thought to find the right settings / modes / eq / rectifier type. Some modes just dont play well together unless you really do some knob twisting. For instance, Tweed just wants to overpower the crunch channel unless you really attenuate the wattage bewteen the two and then use mids/ presence to make one cut more than the other.

Sometimes crunch sounds so smooth and when you go to channel 3 it can be TOO biting / bold ......a quick flip to triode might be all you need.

The beauty of this amp is that it allows you to fine tune the power / eq / feel for almost any situation......sometimes it can get overwhelming unless you take it slow and think it through before you start knob twisting .

well put. Like shogun said too, all the options can hurt or help you. I think they help, but gotta be willing to have the patience and open mind to get the job done. Plus, IMO, ANY amp changes the way it sounds/feels on a day to day basis, what works today will almost certainly not be the same case a following day. But having all these tools to sculpt the sound when you need it can help. I think you really have to know how to use these tools, though...

Which is why the boogie board just plain kicks ass!

 

[scoden]

I find live that its soooo much smoother with better transitions when I use one channel and ride the volume knob as opposed to hitting a footswitch. ITs just hard to get extremely clean or really dirty that way without compromise.
That requires just the perfect sound / headroom with a versatile guitar ( I use a Suhr Pro Series 3 ) ....Ive yet to find the right mode and setting for that ...but IIc+ or IV with boosted mids gets me very close

 

[MBJunkie]

Interesting. I find the V quite easy to dial in 3 great sounds (clean, crunch and hi gain lead) that is well balanced using all channels. Sure, you do have to experiment to achieve the specific sounds you are going for out of each channel (and there are a lot of good choices regarding settings), but each channel has its own channel volume and dedicated channel EQ.

Not to mention....the GEQ preset or sliders can be used to add cut and if all else fails.....stomp on the solo boost (set judiciously).

Personally, I find the V to be the easiest amp I have owned to achieve a great clean, crunch and lead sound that is balanced while practicing or playing live for that matter.

BTW....I also own a Suhr Pro S3 and absolutely love it!! :lol:

 

[NR2112]

You Suhr owners make me Mega Jelous! lol

Ive started another thread regarding to slaving an amp. What I plan to do is get the perfect mix and tone from the Mark V then slave to a power amp and try to get as much juice as possible. It can go two ways. Good, or Piss poor.

But worth trying. I really like that variac setting with 45w, tube rec.

Just plain Chewbacca.

 

[shogun]

I find live that its soooo much smoother with better transitions when I use one channel and ride the volume knob as opposed to hitting a footswitch. ITs just hard to get extremely clean or really dirty that way without compromise.
That requires just the perfect sound / headroom with a versatile guitar ( I use a Suhr Pro Series 3 ) ....Ive yet to find the right mode and setting for that ...but IIc+ or IV with boosted mids gets me very close

THIS!

But I can't really afford to do this in my current gigging situation

 

[Deaj]

I like both Variac and full power settings - each has its own response and expressive qualities. Personally, of the two, I prefer the immediacy of full power a bit more. It's my default setting. When I do switch over to Variac I find it feels relaxed, comfortable, forgiving, slow. These perceptions lead to a different approach and expressive potential, and a whole lot of fun! When I switch back to full power I feel at home, in my element. The faster attack just seems a better fit for me.

I can see how any player might prefer one over the other as these two settings have a very different tactile response. As much as I enjoy playing with the amp set to Variac I feel more directly connected with the MkV set to full power. I can imagine initially feeling somewhat disappointed to find that the Variac option works better when playing in a band setting. I expect that I'd acclimate quickly though as I really enjoy playing with Variac selected.

I have noticed that Variac seems to have a bit less punch behind the initial pick attack. This may be due to the slightly slower response. I suspect that the new bass rig has a broader midrange than the previous rig and the MkV is now competing in the lower mids. I would think that the slower attack / softer punch of the Variac mode would have a more difficult time standing out in the mix with the bass covering more midrange. In this scenario I expect full power mode would have bit more punch to help the percussive elements stand out in the mix better. The most effective means of balancing the two rigs is likely to be EQ adjustments in both rigs so that each has its own sonic space rather than competing for common midrange frequencies.