Master volume set almost to 12:00! whats wrong?

[Gordybaby]

I am having an issue. I have to run my volume at 3:00 and master at 11:30 to 12:00 and it's just loud enough to play with our drummer on the red and blue mode. I used to play shows with the master at 9:00 to 9:30 with the volume set at 2:00 and it was really huge sounding. Now I am really pushing it hard and it is missing that clean loud punch. I have put new power tubes and new preamp tubes and no change. Any suggestions? I have tried the clean mode with the master cranked and the volume set at noon and it can't keep up with a band. And its not very clean sounding. Help!

 

[tubby_cosmos]

I am having an issue. I have to run my volume at 3:00 and master at 11:30 to 12:00 and it's just loud enough to play with our drummer on the red and blue mode. I used to play shows with the master at 9:00 to 9:30 with the volume set at 2:00 and it was really huge sounding. Now I am really pushing it hard and it is missing that clean loud punch. I have put new power tubes and new preamp tubes and no change. Any suggestions? I have tried the clean mode with the master cranked and the volume set at noon and it can't keep up with a band. And its not very clean sounding. Help!

I'm assuming you checked the gain trim and clean volume settings on the back? Check all the other backside switches to make sure you haven't set something wrong (speaker load, tube type, reverb on/off, etc...).

Barring some error with all of those switches, I have no idea what might be wrong - sounds like a job for an amp tech.

 

[J.J]

If you have a 1x12 it could be the speaker. I have heard of others cooking the speaker.

Also try going straight into the amp if you have not already and with a different cable than normal.

Otherwsie, If everthing else checks out it will need a service.

 

[primal]

I had a similar issue with My Road King. In the end it was a combination of bad power tubes and rectifier tube.

You should be cracking the earths crust at that level.

 

[jamme61]

I know you changed the power tubes but, are you sure both are running? I had the same problem happen to amp of mine and it was only running of one of the two power tubes. Does it change when you switch to half power stting?

 

[rick4jc]

had the same problem it was a preamp tube [ phase inverter ] this tube controls current to power section, changed tube problem solved.hope this helps

 

[konstantine RK]

which preamp tube are you using for your phase inverter?

 

[Gordybaby]

I had a stock mesa in the phase inverter and recently I changed to a jj I had laying around. Still no change. I have also replaced all of the preamp tubes one at a time with no change. It still sound good on the drive channel it just has no clean head room. And I had the master at almost 12:00 at band practice yesterday with the volume between 2:00 and 3:00

 

[formisano]

...It still sound good on the drive channel it just has no clean head room.

Might be a silly question, but could it be the clean level control on the back of the amp next to the gain trim switch?

 

[jtED]

I bought my ED a couple weeks ago. Brought it home from the store to crank it up and found that it had a bad tube (V4). I only changed it because I was getting fart-like static in the clean channel, but realized how much clean headroom I was missing after changing out the tube. I didn't get the desired result until I tried a second 12AX7 as the first one I tried continued to make static. My point is, perhaps you should try another tube in the V7 position if it is affecting all channels, or V4 and V5 if it is only the clean channel that is problematic. There is also a chance that you have a bad power tube in the mix. If after systematically trouble shooting all the tubes as covered in the manual there is still no change, call Mesa Boogie and ask them what to do. They have excellent customer service and will even walk you through some trouble shooting. Let us know what you find out if and when you get this resolved. I suppose you could plug into another speaker cab to rule out a speaker issue too. Either way, I'd be on the phone with HQ for direction. Good luck.