Road King slave out question.

[aenigma]

I like the whole idea about the slave out on the Road King but is there any way I can use only the slave out for recording and not hear the cab?I like how the Mark IV has a silent recording option, that is what I want to do.What would I have to do to do this?I am guessing I would have to switch all the speaker a/b switches to a and plug off b then put a load on a somehow.

What would I have to use to put a load on it, or is there another way altogether to do this?

Thanks for any help, you guys are very helpful! 8)

 

[jmpatrick]

I do this with a Dual Rectifier. I use an 8 ohm Hotplate as a load, and the slave out for my signal. Sounds great...

jp

 

[aenigma]

Ah hmm well I don't have a hotplate and don't want to blow 200 bucks on one either.Man I am really thinking about getting a Mark IV, the exact tone I want and it has the silent recording feature.Bah.

 

[Red Barchetta]

I, of course, disagree with getting a mark IV over the RK.....the best way really is to get a hotplate or some other dummy load, then go from the slave out....you won't be sorry, and it's cheaper than buying a Mark IV!!!

Also, the hotplate allows you to get that great power tube output CrUnCh!



RB

 

[aenigma]

Well can you get a tone like that bootleg mania Glasgow Kiss video with the RK?I thought they weren't so great for getting those extremely liquid smooth lead tones with tons of sustain?Even listening to Glasgow Kiss on the album with the RK sounds real harsh compared to the Mark IV in the video.

Oh and if I sold the RK then that would be about 1000 for a Mark IV which leaves me extra money left over for a hot plate or a G-Major or a TriAxis or whatever I want.Because as it is now I definately can't buy a hotplate after spending so much money on the RK.

 

[aenigma]

Hey I just wanted to bring this back up.

The reason I want to know is because I have a BR1600 on the way(out for delivery now, cant wait!) and I want to be able to record straight to it without micing the amp, hearing my amp louder than I can hear the backing track or using the onboard distortion on the BR1600.I know I probably can't go from the speaker out on the head to the BR1600 since that would be too much power and would probably hurt something.So I am guessing what I need is something I can plug the output of the amp into just to keep a load on the amp.Like an attenuator that isn't for lwoering volumes but just for operating the amp with no output so I can use the slave out only.

Can I just make something like that?It isn't as simple as running the output to that ground plug that is on the back of the amp that you use just in case you switch to a channel with no speaker plugged in is it?I assume that is just something that is there for a "just in case" scenario but not long term when recording?

Thanks for any help!

 

[jbird]

The slave out is not for recording, neither is it a source for the amps true tone! You will get a brittle, harsh tone out of the slave circuit! It is intended to drive another power amp by means of "padding" the signal. Again, not for recording or going straight to a soundboard! Buy yourself a mic and cable!

 

[aenigma]

Yeah I have a mic. but recording to the br-1600 when I can't hear the drums to keep the beat really sucks.

 

[Jaroslav]

Buy an Behringer GI-100 (should be around 30 USD) and plug it between amp speaker output and a dummy load, which could be just an 8 ohm resistor with high power rating. The ones in aluminium casing work the best, maybe on an aluminium cooler or in a box. Not a true miked cabinet sound, but close enough for some purposes...

 

[jbird]

Umm, how bout a pair of headphones out of the BR-1600 :?:

 

[aenigma]

Yep tried that, but I have to crank this thing so loud to record it is crazy.I can barely even hear the headphones.Even after that is still sounds bad, I need a better mic. I guess.

What about running the guitar to the roadking then the roadking to another amp(in this case lets say the Spider 2) and then plug the br1600 into the spider 2's direct out?This should put the needed load on the RK so it doesnt hurt it right?I am not sure if it would do anything to the spider though, but if not that is an added plus since hte spider has effects I can use.Of course the spider will probably end up coloring the tone too much.But its worth a try if it wont hurt anything.I also have a Fender bandmaster I could run it to.

 

[Jaroslav]

But still you need some kind of load for the poweramp or you will blow the powe tubes, output transformer or both. Using another amp with speaker simulator is not very good. It is better to use a DI box with a speaker simulator or a DI box with a clean and neutral solid state power amplifier and some guitar speakers. In any case, the RK has to have load on its speaker output.

 

[Red Barchetta]

After reading all the replies, and checking on some of my magazine/tech sheet archives, it is my opinion that the best, and safest way for you to do what you want is to spend the money on a hotplate or a JLH Axe Track direct recording device. Any of the other ways makes you take a tonal or amp-life-safety compromise. You can hit ebay for hotplates, and sometimes get them pretty cheap. I haven't tried the Axe Track myself, but a friend got one for his studio and loves it. Also, I think there is a short write up about it in this month's issue of Guitar World.


I know it's easy for someone else to say "go spend", but in a case like this, I really believe it will make you happy.


RB

 

[Jaroslav]

One answer to this style of recording is also on the Mesa/Boogie website in the tone tips...they advice to put the speaker into another room and cover up with pillows. Easy, if you live in a house...

 

[aenigma]

Hmm yeah I figured there would be no easy way around it.Or not so much easy as cheap :lol:
So what is with the silent recording feature on the Mark IV, does that record with good tone?

 

[Red Barchetta]

I have heard that it does do well...but I still maintain...Dooood, you got's a Road King....I think going from a RK to a MkIV would be a mistake...everything I did on the MkIV, I can do on the RK...and then some.

It would be so much cheaper and better in the long run if you explore one of the hotplates or the Axe Track.

I know based on my own experience that the RK has far more varied tones at your fingertips than the MkIV. I think you should seriously consider my advice...hold on to that RK....


RB

 

[aenigma]

Could you post a soundclip where it sounds like a Mark IV?Everything I have heard sounds nothing like the tone I am looking for.That is including the live performance of Glasgow Kiss with John's RK.It sounds very crunchy and not smooth at all.Just like what it sounds like when I use it basically.

 

[Red Barchetta]

I don't have the capability to make soundclips...I find that they vary so much depending on which speakers you're listening to them on, that they aren't much use for me for nuanced sounds.

Also, trying to replicate sounds that you've heard on someone's CD is a chancey thing at best. Not only do you have to replicate the guitar rig, but also figure their effects chain...positioning, type, etc....as well as what studio treatment did the track receive? Even something as subtle as putting a compressor on a track can radically alter the end result. I use a Keeley Compressor in my rig, and it helps get that smooooooooth tone you are talking about...but that's MY rig. You playing thru my rig wouldn't sound like me...it would sound like you. The same goes for trying to cop a sound off a cd. You can get close, but chances are, you're not gonna be able to emulate it perfectly.

I still maintain that I can get any sound the MkIV does out of my RK. You are one of the lucky people that have a Boogie, and one of the luckier ones that have a Road King.....you are fixating on one particular sound, but I believe you should be exploring everything your amp has to offer.

That smooth sound you look for can be got from the RK...you likely just need to saturate the power tubes,(here comes the Hotplate) and maybe add a Keeley Comp to your chain. Graphic eq's can also smooth out the crunchyness....


Good luck seeking your tone...

RB

 

[Red Barchetta]

One more thing...I just listened to Glasgow Kiss again...and I hear Road King all over it. It sounds like John used a little compression on the track, and I'm guessing he used 2 6L6s on either channel 3 vintage or channel 4 modern.


You can get this tone, but I'm telling you, it's gonna have a lot to do with your guitar, fx, compression, an YOUR techniqe.


I fully believe that a hotplate could help you get this tone, but a lot depends on you.

One simple thing you may not have tried to smooth out your tone...back off on your tone knob on your guitar. That's how Clapton got that smooth "woman" tone. No tricks, just a tone knob.


RB

 

[aenigma]

No you misunderstood me, I can get the new glasgow kiss tone alright, it is very crunchy sounding and not smooth at all.The tone I want is from a live performance of Glasgow Kiss, not a cd.So it isn't overly processed or anything.I just want the basic smooth tone the mkiv seems to get.Oh and as far as I know he usually uses 4 6l6's all the time.

The way my RK is now I don't get very many different sounds from it even when changing the progressive linkage, I can hear the differences but they aren't big enough to really make it worth it.Especially since it is twice as much money than the amp I actually wanted from the beginning.I was after that MKIV tone all along but made a mistake thinking that he was using the RK in the live recording I heard, only he used the MKIV.

Oh and like I said before I can't afford a Hot Plate after buying the RK, much less effects and what not.And I have backed off on my tone knob and used neck pickup and it gets close.In fact the tone I get I kind of like better than the one he gets live with his RK(on Glasgow Kiss at least), but still not the Mark IV tone.

So to sum it up, the different tones I can get so far from this thing aren't different enough to really make it worth twice as much as another amp which would get me my main tone.Which is basically just a smooth lead tone, something the DR's don't seem to get from what I have been hearing.

I could probably get the tone just fine if I spend another 1000 dollars in effects and hotplates and all that stuff, but somehow that doesn't seem to be a good idea.Spend alot more money to "try" and get a smooth lead tone or spend less to get that tone and buy something else along with it?

Oh and I also want to say that the reason I got the RK wasn't primarily for the ability to change power tubes and have alot of different tones, but just so I could try to dial in that one good tone I would love then later be able to try other tones.Only so far I haven't really got close, and even after getting it fixed I am not sure if I will get my tone going by what other RK's I have heard sound like.