Solo switch level??

[peterL]

Hi all,

new to the best (and probably last) amp I ever had - so please bring me up to speed:

It seems that the "SOLO" level control only works as a volume boost only as soon as
a) channel masters are less than 3 o´clock
b) output level is less than 11 o´clock

At least this is what I am experiencing. Settings for reference:

Ch1 - fat, gain 4, master 2, 90w variac - WORKING
Ch2 - Mk1, gain 3, master dimed, 45w variac - NOT WORKING
Ch3 - MkIIc+, gain 10, master 9:30 - BARELY AUDIBLE

... or what am I doing wrong?

Thanks for input!

 

[MBJunkie]

I am not sure I completely understand what you are referring to as your output level, but I will try to answer based on my assumption that your description of "output level" is the overall master volume knob of the amp and NOT the level of the Solo feature.

However, before I do this it is important to note the "Solo" boost feature will only work with the loop-in selected in the back of the amplifier. Apparently, you have yours set correctly or you wouldn't hear any volume boost at all with "Solo" engaged. In fact, without the loop-in selected in the back the "overall master volume" knob doesn't do anything either.....each channel master acts as its own final master volume of the amp in that case.

Secondly, the solo boost feature does nothing more than add volume to your overall output level (master volume knob) of the entire amp located to the far right of the amplifier. The solo feature has nothing to do with how each individual channel is set...including the independent channel volume knobs, gain knobs, tone controls, mode toggles, etc.

BTW....you have your gain maxed in channel 3 which I would never recommend or find musically useable.....try a setting from 11 - 2 o'clock. I would start with gain settings in these ranges for all channels and modes to start with, but never ever would I dime the gain in channel 3 to get a good sound period. I also don't typically dime to channel volume knobs, but that is more of a personal preference to me.

Typically, I will set my gain and channel volume controls in their low to medium ranges in each channel, set my overall master volume knob (far right) to fairly low 9 - 10 o'clock, and my solo level very low...say 8 o'clock (bairly cracked open).

Give my "medium range of settings" a try in each channel set to 10W for starters...so as to not accidentally be surprised with very high volume...and then customize to what sounds great to you while staying away from very high gain settings in channel 3....IMO.

Note: I use my channel volume knobs to obtain balanced settings between all channels for a given master volume setting. Do not make the mistake of setting your solo boost knob set even close to as high as your overall volume knob or you will shake the windows when engaging it. Start with your overall master volume and solo boost set very low to avoid ear splitting surprises.

I hope this helps, and best of luck! This is a great amp!!

 

[MBJunkie]

One more useful tidbit of information.

You WILL notice a sizable increase in volume when switching to the "Tweed Mode" of channel 1 from either of the other two modes offered in Ch1 (Clean or Fat), and similarly a sizable volume increase when switching to the "Extreme Mode" of channel 3 from either of the other modes offered in Ch3 (MkII and MkIV). It would be wise to reduce your individual channel volume a couple of notches before engaging either the Tweed or Extreme modes with the appropriate channel volume knob!

You have been warned! :mrgreen:

 

[peterL]

@MBJunkie:

I agree that a moderate approach is best for most modes, but not so on the Mk I - its best tones in my view can be found either on the low gain or - on the other side - the cranked end. Try for yourself with treble and presence up way high too - some huge cutting edge power will be the reward!


Generally speaking - I possibly did not make myself clear in my first post - I experience a "threshold" level on the overall output control of about just slightly less than halfway up up to which the solo volume boost works, from this point onwards, independent from other settings, there is no more volume increase as soon as I engage the solo control.

The manual says that the circuit in question is yet another amplification stage in between preamp and the poweramp section. So even on a dimed channel volume there "theoretically" should be enough headroom in the power section to achieve this boost. Real life shows the opposite result (even if I increase the wattage of the channel and reduce the overall output level).

 

[MBJunkie]

peterl:

I did not mean to infer that extreme tone knob settings are not benefitial or even required in some modes (especially in MkI and Edge Modes of channel 2). Clearly, they are for me and in a very opposite way. MkI is very dark sound requiring drastic reduction in bass and even mid for me on the channel tone knobs, and I further need to reduce my bass in that mode using the GEQ in a fairly straight line slope from fairly low in the lower frequency band (maybe halfway between the centerline and low line) to mayby halfway between centerline and high line for the highest frequency band of the GEQ. The Edge mode is the opposite from MkI in that it is voiced much, much higher and requires me to bump up the bass higher than any other mode in the amp and cut treble and presence for a good sound.

In your post, you mentioned that your "output level" was below 11 o'clock so I assumed that you meant your overall master volume knob. Personally, I think it is typically good to keep the overall master volume in that range. However, you never mentioned the setting of your solo boost, and I thought that possibly it was your solo boost knob that may have been set to 11 o'clock and possibly your main overall output level barely cracked open. I did not know.

I do not run my channel volume all the way up in any mode ever, but that is just me....so it is very possible there could be an adverse reaction while using the solo boost in this situation.

However, I wouldn't think so because the solo boost feature is part of the overall master volume circuit and can only increase overall volume from the master volume level.

My biggest concern with your settings were with your gain maxed in channel 3 only. I rarely set my gain in Ch3 higher than 2 o'clock and usually closer to 12 - 1 o'clock which results in an enormous amount of great high gain lead sounds for rhythm chords and single note solo sounds. You also need to watch too high of treble and presence settings in channel 3....especially when the gain is set high.

I hope this helps you in some way.

All the best.