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Blackface Model too quiet


deo33
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Hi all,

Why is the Blackface model so quiet? I can blow the windows out with the Marshall amps and channel volume on 3, but when I set up a Blackface I can crank it all to 10 and it's no where near the same volume. I have tried the BF with different topologies, etc and it's the same issue. WTF??? Is this normal, or is there something wrong with my amp.??? 

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It's ridiculous! The Twin is a big loud amp yet the Line 6 model is tiny and quiet!

I ended up using the Bassman model on topology II to boost the volume up....

 

If your using  POD HD unit with the DT you could change the topology and still use the Twin amp model. Not sure how it would sound but the point of the rig is that you can set it anyway you want, even setups that never really existed. No rules the end resulting tone is all that really matters.

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You don't need a POD to change the Topology, it can be done through DT edit, but the Twin model should be much louder by default

 

Oh yea forgot about the DT Edit. And yea I agree. Any amp on Topology I is quite. Even the Soloando ones. Not sure why they made it that much quieter than the others cause like you said a real Fender twin has 3 volume settings, off, loud and louder!

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Deo33 ...

 

Agreed that TOP I is very quiet compared to the others. I discovered that increasing the Gain doesn't grunge the Twin up too much so I ran the channel volume full out and set the gain up to 2-3+ o'clock to accomplish some better volume equilibrium. See if that might work for you at all? If you are using TOP 1 for clean tones against any of the other TOPs for grunge you will have to turn the Channel Vol down on the grunge's to equate. Just the way it is with this amp. That all being said, this is one great amp once you get your head around it imho. I ended up switching to one of the Brit models (sorry, don't have my HD500 in front of me but I think it is the P75) for clean tones. I prefer it over the Twin, plus it has more overall gain and matches better to the grungier tones for volume equality.

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  • 4 weeks later...

Hi all,

Why is the Blackface model so quiet? I can blow the windows out with the Marshall amps and channel volume on 3, but when I set up a Blackface I can crank it all to 10 and it's no where near the same volume. I have tried the BF with different topologies, etc and it's the same issue. WTF??? Is this normal, or is there something wrong with my amp.??? 

 

If you read the literature, they tell you that the volume disparity between amp models is a deliberate design choice made for the sake of authenticity.  IMO it's either a very poor choice or a load of B.S. to cover a design flaw.  Either way, you have to set each patch's "amp's" (i.e. patch or channel) volume with respect to the other(s)' by lowering the high output one(s) to match with the Fender.

 

BTW, I'm not a chick, this is my next GF once I track her down...

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  • 2 years later...
  • 3 weeks later...

Know this is an old thread, but the volume disparity between voice 1 and the rest is my biggest grievance with the amp. I think I suffered permanent hearing loss the first time I played it , changing from voicing I to 2.  Ended up using the DT Edit to put quieter amp models on channel A and the louder ones on Channel B.

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  • 3 years later...

The solution for me, as noted above by geppert, was turning up the Drive on Topology I (Classic American Clean). With the Drive turned up, Topology I is loud like all the others. Unlike the others, though, Drive doesn't add distortion or "overdrive" with Topology I (Classic American Clean). Prior to adjusting the Drive, I had all the volume problems with Topology I that others were mentioning, including LVM being louder than regular mode (but still not loud, by any means).

 

Don't know if this worked for others or not - I post this only because adjusting the Drive setting didn't seem to be acknowledged by others following geppert's comment so I'm unsure if they tried it or not. Subsequent comments still focused on adjusting Volume, LVM, service centers, tubes, etc. (Perhaps some hints at this as a solution with the discussion of whether vintage Fender's have gain/drive/master volume - but not clear to me if others had tried adjust the Drive and succeeded or not). 

 

All worthwhile investigating, but for me simply adjusting the Drive worked to resolve all volume issues with the Classic American Clean model.

 

UPDATE:

Previously my assessment of Topology I being "loud like all the other topologies" when the Drive was turned up was based on my ears - a qualitative assessment only. I have subsequently measured the volume and can state more quantitatively that Topologies I, III, IV (AKA Classic American Clean, Class A Chime, Modern High-Gain) are indeed within a few decibels of each other when I follow the settings on the reference card which comes with the amp, with the important exception of maxing out the Drive on Topology I (which the reference card doesn't do). Topology II (British Crunch) is approximately 8 decibels louder than the other 3 topologies, but the actual decibels of all 4 topologies are still all pretty close as long Drive is turned up for Topology I. Note that I left the amp's Master volume and all guitar settings consistent, changing only the Topology and adjusting the Drive and Volume as per the reference card for each Topology.

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