MASTER vs OUTPUT questions

[Olivier Dupont]

Hello,
do the MASTER and OUTPUT work like in a Marshall (i.e. MASTER will yield more distortion and OUTPUT will work like a Master Volume) ?
Related question : i understand the OUTPUT is not functional when the FX loop HARD BYPASS is engaged, can i engage the FX loop from the back panel and NOT have anything between the SEND and RETURN ?

Cheers

 

[mace]

Not sure about your first question as I don’t know Marshalls very well.

If HARD BYPASS is engaged you cannot use the FX LOOP at all. No signal will flow out of the FX SEND (regardless or footswitch or back panel rotary dial setting). Is that what your question was?

HARD BYPASS means none of the following things will function: FX LOOP, OUTPUT, SOLO.

 

[Olivier Dupont]

Thanks for your reply.

Q1 : let me re-phrase it : would the sound (distortion) be different in the following cases :
- MASTER at 10/10 + OUTPUT at 2/10
- MASTER at 2/10 + OUTPUT at 10/10

Q2 : in order to experiment with Q1 with my own amp, i'll need the OUTPUT to be functional, understood.
So i need to flip the back switch to 'LOOP ACTIVE', but now :
- can i leave the FX loop empty (ie nothing plugged-in the SEND/LOOP input jacks) ?
- connect the SEND/LOOP input jacks with a patch cable ?
- connect the SEND/LOOP input jacks with any pedal (that i will not switch on) ?

Hope i made myself clearer ...

Cheers

 

[St. Evil]

You do not need anything in the loop (at least that's how my dual recto with a serial loop works), and if memory serves me correctly, I THINK you can also use the loop level as a sort of alternate volume.

 

[bandit2013]

You can use the Mark V with the FX active mode the circuitry used to drive the FX loop also feeds into the Output/Solo controls. The FX loop is not dedicated, it is switched so you can bypass the jacks with the FX turned off on the footswitch and engage it with the footswitch. If nothing is plugged into the loop, you will not notice any changes. This allows you to run fx pedals in the loop but you can turn it off remotely. You will still have the output controls which are not more of a global output master.

Driving the channel master volume higher will give you more preamp characteristic distortion or signal strength but with the global volume or output set to a reduced value will result in lower signal strength applied to the power tubes. It will have some effect on the level of distortion you would hear just as much as the gain control for each channel. Having the output level control allows you to balance volume between the three channels.

In Hard-bypass mode, the circuitry for the FX loop, and the output/Solo are completely bypassed. In that case the channel volumes will be directly influencing the power section. It will appear much louder so keep in mind when you set the switch to hard bypass mode, turn down the channel volumes.

In hard bypass mode, you have more influence on power tube distortion than you would with the FX active mode. There will be no attenuation of the signal strength as it will not be adjusted to run the FX loop as that will be at a line level which does get boosted by the preamp tube buffer to required signal level needed to drive the phase inverter.

 

[Manehead]

W.r.t. question 1, any distortion you hear with master up and output down will not be power valve distortion. You can only achieve that with volume (i.e. master up AND output up). What you’re hearing is probably the fx loop send preamp valve distorting.

Having said that, it can still be a useful tool for shaping your tone when not in bypass mode.

 

[user 83127]

Thanks for your reply.

Q1 : let me re-phrase it : would the sound (distortion) be different in the following cases :
- MASTER at 10/10 + OUTPUT at 2/10
- MASTER at 2/10 + OUTPUT at 10/10

Q2 : in order to experiment with Q1 with my own amp, i'll need the OUTPUT to be functional, understood.
So i need to flip the back switch to 'LOOP ACTIVE', but now :
- can i leave the FX loop empty (ie nothing plugged-in the SEND/LOOP input jacks) ?
- connect the SEND/LOOP input jacks with a patch cable ?
- connect the SEND/LOOP input jacks with any pedal (that i will not switch on) ?

Hope i made myself clearer ...

Cheers

Q1...definitely yes and turning up the volume (channel master ) wil make the sound more present while turning it down will hollow out the mids and make the sound disappear if you know what i mean.... and also will effect gain from the power tubes (I disagree about the 12ax7 being effected, it sounds like power tube to me anyways)
Q2, you do not need anything in the loop with it active...have fun...use all modes to play and experiment with (I use it for my G Force effects, have an EQ in the loop, also have used the return to patch my Triaxis in. I put my MXR in the loop and use that to tweak my sound when I am using the GEQ> They even...Mesa , suggest an out of range load for the power cabs....meaning hook and 8 ohm cab up to a 4 ohm output (Mesa will give you the accepted cab, output mismatches)..they say it changes the attack characteristics...I have done it and didnt get much...but i dont use Vintage 30's...I use Marshall with G12T-75's)...they say have fun!!! There are many ways for you to use and abuse this amp and the web site or my friggin keyboard keeps deleting my comments so for now just leave it at this!!! (The power amps on the V react differently from channel to channel and you can take advantage of that when using it as a power amp for say...A Triaxis!!!)