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143 Views 5 Replies Latest reply: Jan 10, 2013 7:38 PM by Carbibbles RSS
Carbibbles Just Startin'
Carbibbles
3 posts since
Jan 9, 2013
Currently Being Moderated

Jan 9, 2013 8:52 PM

valve mkii sound

Hello, first time line6 owner here. I had originally bought a floor model valve mkii 112 from GC and it sounded amazing at low volume, but once you cranked the volume it sounded like a blown speaker. So I took it back and they exchanged it for a new one. The new one sounds decent at high volume but at low volume the distortion isnt quite the same, its a bit fuzzy and scratchy and whereas before you could make the amp scream with ease, now you really have to work the guitar to make it scream. Do these amps need to be broken in or anything? I heard about a difference between firmwares but my new one is v1.20 and I cant recall what the original amp's version was but I would assume it was also v1.20.

 

 

 

Thanks

 

Jason

  • esibanjack Just Startin'
    esibanjack
    35 posts since
    Mar 30, 2012
    Currently Being Moderated
    Jan 10, 2013 10:15 AM (in response to Carbibbles)
    Re: valve mkii sound

    If your first amp was a floor model it's possible that it was a return that had been updated to firmware 1.50 or 2.0, although if that was the case, your experience would contradict what many others have stated previously on this board. If you were to go back into the history of this forum you would find that most people think the SV MKII amps sound better at lower volumes with the original firmware than they do after an update to version 1.50 or 2.0. Even Line6 says the amp models were changed in the later firmware versions to sound better at higher volumes. It's also possible that your original amp settings had been "dialed-in" a little bit while it was on the floor, which could account for some of the tone difference. At the end of the day, tone is a subjective thing, so my recommendation would be to update to 2.0 and see how it sounds, as you can always roll-back to the original firmware if you're not happy with the results.

    • Carbibbles Just Startin'
      Carbibbles
      3 posts since
      Jan 9, 2013
      Currently Being Moderated
      Jan 10, 2013 12:37 PM (in response to esibanjack)
      Re: valve mkii sound

      Thanks for the reply. I want to try out the different versions but im going to have to wait until I can get a MIDI to usb cable. That would be great if it was as simple as a firmware update to get the sound I want back.

       

      After playing it a bit more I noticed another issue though, the amp sounds like total **** if you turn the channel volume up past 12 o'clock. Again it sounds like a blown speaker rattle/mush, I know I turned the original amp's channel volume up higher than this and I did not get this result.

       

       

      Here is a video, its a bit hard to tell from the video how bad the sound is when I have the chan vol up at first. But the sound is mostly fixed by turning it back down to around 9 o'clock, although it still doesnt sound amazing. No other adjustment fixes the issue other than turning the chan vol way down.

       

      http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=brYEiJBIJGM

       

       

       

      Overall, the first amp that I had gotten sounded very tube like and clear/clean warm. This new amp just sounds very digital, almost solid state like, and a times just total ****. Even my girlfriend who doesnt play guitar was looking at me like "wtf is wrong with your amp" when I had the chan vol turned past 12 o'clock. I dont get why there would be a difference because its the same dang amp

      • esibanjack Just Startin'
        esibanjack
        35 posts since
        Mar 30, 2012
        Currently Being Moderated
        Jan 10, 2013 4:17 PM (in response to Carbibbles)
        Re: valve mkii sound

        I have the HD100 MKII, so I don't have any experience with the combos. I know from reading the forum that many users don't turn their channel volumes up much at all, but I believe this was really more to avoid an annoying "POP" when they would switch presets. I have found that the presence knob can affect the tone quite a bit, so that's where I would start. Unfortunately, this forum has been pretty dead for quite some time, so I don't know how many more responses you're going to get. You would probably be better off taking some time to read through some of the old post, as there is a wealth of info on here. I would start at the present day and then work my way back to when the MKII's were first rolled-out, which I believe was around October of 2009 (forum page 85 perhaps?).

      • spaceatl Expert Line 6 User
        spaceatl
        4,456 posts since
        Jan 24, 2007
        Currently Being Moderated
        Jan 10, 2013 6:07 PM (in response to Carbibbles)
        Re: valve mkii sound

        The bias could be low? You seem to be describing a "cold" tone...like the amp sounds cold...W

         

        hen bias is high on a class AB tube amp like the SV, the power amp amp turns more class A with less B component...anyway, it generally means a warmer tone...But at the cost of lower damping...Basically, it can get spongy and kinda messy at higher volumes because the amp is running with way less headroom...think if bias like a car idle...if the idle is high, then your engine is closer to the redline...

         

        Anyway, you can check the bias with a multimeter...but if you are not comfortable with high voltages, have a pro do it...This amp has 400v plate voltage...it can be lethal...

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