Obsession with "super V" on graphic EQ????

[Dolebludger]

V settings on the graphic (and/or on the knobs) has its value when playing in a small room such as when practicing or playing a small venue. Other settings are needed when playing in a band in a larger venue. and the Acoustics of the room make a big difference in selecting EQ settings. That's why the EQs are adjustable.

 

[MusicManJP6]

V settings on the graphic (and/or on the knobs) has its value when playing in a small room such as when practicing or playing a small venue. Other settings are needed when playing in a band in a larger venue. and the Acoustics of the room make a big difference in selecting EQ settings. That's why the EQs are adjustable.

I totally agree with this. I usually play at home so the V comes in handy, but I took the amp to a friend's to jam (first time in a while) and had to redo my settings to match the different room size and materials. I had a killer tone once I tweaked it some. Every new environment requires some tweaks it seems... I wouldn't own an amp without a GEQ now that I've had a Mark IV and a DC-3. It really lets you dial your sound in precisely. I would have sold my DC-3 already if it did not have the GEQ. I'm pretty particular and the GEQ lets me get my tone just right. I'm hoping to go the distance with this amp!

 

[Dolebludger]

Yes, and one good thing about having the V setting available it you can get a good sound at low volumes. That is a real challenge for amps to do this. Any cheap old SS amp will sound good cranked to 10 (or as Spinal Tap would say, 11). But they sound puny at low volumes. Many times musicians are hired to play at small to medium venues where the management and/or the customers want lower volumes so they can hear themselves talk (and think). The V setting will do that, with a decent tone. But should we be hired to play a large auditorium or a stadium (yeah, good luck), considerable adjustment out of the V mode will be needed.

 

[Gruffnutz]

The V has never worked for me; but I reckon it's all to do with the speakers you run. I use fairly clean speakers (EV and JBL k120) which don't emphasise the mids as much as Celestions etc. Therefore there's not as much need to 'scoop and boost' at the EQ stage.

For me, the EQ is used purely to shape my dirty chanel and set to 'auto' so it comes in when I switch in the Crunch. I get my clean right with the main TMB controls, set the EQ to shape the crunch, then adjust presence to suit the room. Works every time.

 

[glawk]

The size of the V depends on your presence setting and speakers basically....I guarantee if you have scooped speakers (Celestion 75 anybody?) that you will turn that V right side up.

 

[fpoon]

Or, are these Mark amps running with so much mids that one must dial out some in the post stage?

This. I'm sure the majority of Mark IV users will agree that too much of that 750 slider will make it sound like a car horn. How much of that you remove or boost of course depends on the rest of the chain (guitar, pickups, etc).

 

[Racerboy44]

As the subject line suggests, I am dying to find out what the obsession with scooping the hell out of the mids is on these mark amps.

Everytime I see a rig pic and the person owns a mark series amp there is a, what I call, "super V" dialed into the graphic EQ. I'd like to think many of the intelligent people on this forum understand that the guitar is a MIDRANGE instrument. Why 86 the very frequencies the guitar was invented to push?

Having owned a Quad for some time and having spent time with a Mark IV, I must say that one can definitely dial in phenomenal tones (clean, crunch and lead) with a mid spike dialed into the graphic EQ. Has Metallica really impacted the guitar community to such an extent? Or, are these Mark amps running with so much mids that one must dial out some in the post stage?

What do you guys think?

(yikes!!)

I have owned the Quad as well and I'm sorry but I could never imagine running the center slider above the halfway mark on the EQ. Maybe your guitar lacks mids or something. Mark series amps have tons of mids so cutting some mids on the graphic gives it a great heavy sound. Sometimes for leads I drop the graphic to get a volume boost but I think the "V" shape is a very good sound as long as the center slider isn't taken all the way down because then you lose all the tone of the amp.

 

[dominick9998]

Then you haven't spent enough time with a quad then

As the subject line suggests, I am dying to find out what the obsession with scooping the hell out of the mids is on these mark amps.

Everytime I see a rig pic and the person owns a mark series amp there is a, what I call, "super V" dialed into the graphic EQ. I'd like to think many of the intelligent people on this forum understand that the guitar is a MIDRANGE instrument. Why 86 the very frequencies the guitar was invented to push?

Having owned a Quad for some time and having spent time with a Mark IV, I must say that one can definitely dial in phenomenal tones (clean, crunch and lead) with a mid spike dialed into the graphic EQ. Has Metallica really impacted the guitar community to such an extent? Or, are these Mark amps running with so much mids that one must dial out some in the post stage?

What do you guys think?

(yikes!!)

I have owned the Quad as well and I'm sorry but I could never imagine running the center slider above the halfway mark on the EQ. Maybe your guitar lacks mids or something. Mark series amps have tons of mids so cutting some mids on the graphic gives it a great heavy sound. Sometimes for leads I drop the graphic to get a volume boost but I think the "V" shape is a very good sound as long as the center slider isn't taken all the way down because then you lose all the tone of the amp.

 

[Racerboy44]

I spent plenty of time with the quad and I would have never sold it if I wasn't getting away from rack stuff at the time. I know that preamp very well and it has a killer sound. But the only way that amp is going to sound good with the center slider above halfway is if you are cutting mids somewhere leading up to the graphic eq or you have very scooped speakers. Otherwise, I can't see how the mids are not going to be fairly harsh and overpowering.

 

[dmt]

I use a "W'. Mids are 50%. I'll crank em up to 100% for Santana lead sound or long sustain, but they go back down to tame the feedback monkey... The V is just too brittle sounding.

 

[JOEY B.]

The V has never worked for me; but I reckon it's all to do with the speakers you run. I use fairly clean speakers (EV and JBL k120) which don't emphasise the mids as much as Celestions etc. Therefore there's not as much need to 'scoop and boost' at the EQ stage.

For me, the EQ is used purely to shape my dirty chanel and set to 'auto' so it comes in when I switch in the Crunch. I get my clean right with the main TMB controls, set the EQ to shape the crunch, then adjust presence to suit the room. Works every time.

+1 to the EQ AUTO

I don't know if the Celestions emphasize the mids or just do not have the extended frequency response of the EV amd JBL speakers.

I run a pair of EVM-12L 1x12 thiele cabs with an EQ set like this when playing my Gibson.

 

[JOEY B.]

Great minds think alike ;-)

I think it is a case of C+/LP/EV syndrome. :lol: The sliders get moved a bit when I play my superstrat Jacksons.

 

[screamingdaisy]

When I still had a Mark III I used to crank the mids up and turn the bass down, then reverse it on the GEQ to bring it back into balance. Tightened up the tone while reducing the overall harshness. I basically used to tap the mid slider down until the harshness went away but the midrange was still plenty present.

I know that internet guru's like to slam V shaped EQs, but sometimes you need to set your EQ with your ears and not your eyes.

 

[ryjan]

Dammit! Now Im going to have to get an EV equipped cab to see for myself. Dropping the 750 slider makes a huge difference so my v30s must be midrangey as hell.

 

[primal]

The Mark IV is such an incredibly midrangey amp, I drop 750 simply so the mids won't be so overwhelming.

I don't do the V exactly (though admittedly almost). I call it a tea cup

800 just below the top line
240 on the mid line
750 slightly below the halfway point between the middle and bottom line.
2200 between the top and middle line (gives it a little added crunch)
6600 on the middle line.