Mini Rectifier Channel Modes Changing Volume Drastically?

[KhzDonut]

Sorry if this has already been asked, I couldn't find an answer anywhere, but I'm new to the forum...

Anyway, when I switch from Clean to Pushed, I get a substantial volume drop. It doesn't oscillate, it just drops significantly. (by half or more)

The same thing happens when I switch from Modern to Vintage in channel 2, it just gets super quiet compared to the other mode.

It's not a make-or-break type of situation, but I'm only using it for recording, so it's a little bit of a pain constantly changing the volume on the amp or adjusting things in post to match volumes by such a large amount.

------

Also, I've got the version without the hard bypass switch on the FX loop. Does anybody just use a patch cable running from the send to the return to engage the loop without anything in it?

------

Otherwise, 3 days into using the Mini and I'm pretty much in love with it

 

[Leroy Crow]

I'm sure someone here can elaborate as to the cause, but from all the different mesa DRs I have played and few I have owned there is always a volume difference when switching between differet voicings on the same channel. I have yet to try a mini but Im sure it's the same...I would guess that it has somehi? to do with the difference that occurs in the preamp/gain staging that occurs when switching between higher and lower gain voicings, as far as a difference by half that seems more than what i have noticed there maybe something to look at in the effects loops/bypass ....anyone?

 

[WardP]

Anyway, when I switch from Clean to Pushed, I get a substantial volume drop. It doesn't oscillate, it just drops significantly. (by half or more)

That doesn't sound right, although I come from a perspective of only ever using one Mini Rectifier! On my amp the difference between pushed and clean (assuming all the controls are kept the same) is negligible, in fact I often think being able to footswitch between the two would be great and add another dimension of flexability. The red channel however is a different story, there is a significant difference in volume between the vintage and modern modes with modern being significantly louder than vintage and maybe the reason that footswitching between modes wanst included or hasnt appeared as a mod - the volume difference would make it unusable in the way we would want to use it.

Just my experience with a grand total of 1 mini rectifier but hope it helps.

Kind regards

 

[elvis]

+1

I have 2 MRs, and they both have similar volume between pushed and clean, though that may be affected by the settings as well. They can pop when switching, so footswitching is probably not going to work well.

There is a lot more gain in modern vs. vintage, so it has a huge difference in volume.

 

[KhzDonut]

Thanks for the input, guys.

So I fiddled around, and I realized that if I keep the gain a bit lower (like, 9 o'clock) then I don't get much of a difference, but if it's past noon it becomes very different. Pushed just sounds gritty and thin, and as you crank the gain on Clean, it just gets louder and louder.

I do have a significant drop in volume changing from Modern to Vintage on channel 2, and nothing seems to change that. When I'm recording, it's a difference of more than 50%. I go from just clipping the mic input to less than half the way up the meter.

I called Mesa and they said that it was odd to be that extreme (though on Channel 1 I'm going to chalk it up to user error) but that I should contact my closest service center, and they're telling me it could be like 90 days. If I hadn't already registered the amp, I'd probably just send it back to the retailer. I wish I had noticed this sooner, and I'm hoping it's a quick fix that won't take 3 months.

 

[KhzDonut]

There is a lot more gain in modern vs. vintage, so it has a huge difference in volume.

Thanks for the input. How huge is "huge"?

 

[Authorized Boogie]

Did the service center give you a 90 day time frame?? Give us a call again tomorrow - (you spoke to me today) and we'll make sure you get things taken care of A LOT faster than that!!! Thanks!

 

[KhzDonut]

Did the service center give you a 90 day time frame??

He said they were pretty swamped (like 7 weeks behind on repairs across the board) and something about tube issues being 90 days, and that this was in some way an industry standard? I'm not quite sure I understood him entirely on that front.

I've done a bit more research, and if I'm reading things correctly, I'm thinking that there's not something actually wrong with the amp, but rather my expectations of what constitutes a normal jump in volume between modes. I think I may just be really unaccustomed to how actual amps work, as opposed to digital emulations.

From this post: http://forum.grailtone.com/viewtopic.php?f=24&t=56478&start=135

"Hey guys. I haven't read the manual yet, shame on me, but do you guys notice a noticeable (huge?) volume jump when going from Vintage to Modern? The volume difference is significant."

Dmarco said: "If going to vintage to modern I have to adjust the volume down about 1.5 positions to normalize."

And Don from Haggertys MusicWorks said: "Yes, that's completely normal and is consistent across the entire Rectifier line."


I found a few more forum entries here, and elsewhere, which would imply similar. I think this is just a learning experience for me, and I feel a little foolish to be as panicked as I was about it. I was looking at the VU meter in my recording software and thinking "oh my god! It's half the volume when I switch to vintage mode!" but it was much like Dmarco said, about 1.5 "clicks" of the volume knob and it normalizes, so it doesn't appear to be outside of the norm.

And Don's videos are like 50% of the reason I got the idea to get a Mini Recto (Ola Englund's videos being the other %50) and I would think if anybody knows how a rectifier works, Don would.


Thanks again for all the help, everyone. I think I'm ready to call it good and just enjoy my amp, because whatever the volume is, it always sounds great, so I think I need to just stop living in Amp Modeling Land and enjoy the intricacies (and idiosyncrasies ) of real amps with real tubes.

 

[YellowJacket]

There's a huge volume jump from Vintage to Modern on a recto. At bedroom volumes it can go from 'off' to 'quite loud'. It's just the nature of the circuitry and the fact that there is a different circuit for vintage and for modern. If you want details on how and why, other guys know much better than I do.

 

[KhzDonut]

There's a huge volume jump from Vintage to Modern on a recto.

Thanks so much for the input, the more I hear this the more and more reassured I am about the whole thing. I really appreciate it!

 

[KiwiJoe]

One more comment for reassurance. There is a noticeable difference between Modern and Vintage; between Clean and Pushed not so much. In my experience it can go either way depending on settings. I wouldn't worry about it as long as the amp sounds good (no crackling, etc.)

Since you said you want to get into how a tube amp responds as opposed to a modeler, play around with that Clean setting. Dime the master volume, and set the gain to taste. Once past noon or so, it doesn't add too much more volume, but it does really wake the amp up to hit the power section with a really strong input signal. If you dime the gain and master you'll get a really nice, uncompressed, bouncy, loose OD; the feel (not so much the sound) is like an old Marshall Plexi with a tube rectifier. Use your guitar's volume knob to control the gain. The amp is very "touch sensitive" set like that. It's a wonderful way to go "old school" if you want to get the vibe you get from a non-master volume amp.

Also, less is more with the EQ settings; less EQ allows you to use more of the volume controls to get the amp into the sweet spot. Set them with your ears, not your eyes, but rarely should anything need to be past 3 o'clock.

Of course, this is all my opinion, and, as such, may be completely invalid for your purposes.

Enjoy your Mini Rec. I'm still in love with mine after a year with it. It's a great amp.