Channel volume vs master volume. Into guitar amp

[willsmythe37]

Hello all,

 

I wanted to gather opinions as to the best method of feeding directly into the power tubes/effects return of an amp.

 

My question relates to the master volume nob and it's correlation to Helix Ampsim Ch volume.

 

Currently I have the pedal at around 3 o'clock, with channel volume at 8 (master volume of amp at 6?)

 

Either way. Should the pedal volume knob be set to full? Then levels always adjusted on the amp sims channel settings?

 

Or should it be as I have set it, higher settings in the amp sim, with the master volume on running 'never at max'?

[roscoe5]

I feed Helix floor 1/4" out into the return/power amp in of a 100w L6 Spider Valve HD100 and have the volume 9 o'clock. The amp master volume is at 10 oclock.

 

I use full amp models though which are louder than preamp models, but the Spider Valve has almost no coloration of its own. Mesas, Marshalls, etc have a very signature colored power section when Helix preamp models seem to work better with. In this case, you need Helix output to be louder.

 

Personally, I like controlling volume from Helix floor in front of me. The scale of the volume control is much finer and less touchy than my amp master volume.

[DunedinDragon]

There really isn't any difference between feeding the return into a power amp from feeding into a dedicated FRFR speaker.  Both should be relatively clean amps unless you're driving the power amp to clipping....but the same would be true on an FRFR speaker as well except it would engage the limiter.

 

I tend to be relatively conservative in the signal level I send, so I keep my Helix Master set right around 50% and the amp/FRFR at 50% as well.  I then construct my patches master, amp vol, gain, etc. and normalize the measured output with a sound meter to 100db SPL which is more than enough for most any venue.  I can always turn up the Helix Master volume slightly if I need to knowing I've got plenty of clean headroom and all my patches will respond accordingly.

[willsmythe37]

Thanks guys.

General consensus is it's no different then.

 

It would be nice to know once and for all whether there is any colour difference between the two settings, running at the same volume.

 

I.e, perhaps there is a different interaction between amp component modelling?

[zooey]

Helix channel volume and output block volume are purely volume controls, they have no effect on overdrive (if you're not clipping, which just don't).

[MusicLaw]

12 O'Clock position of Helix's Main Vol Knob works really well with 12 o'clock position of Yamaha's DXR Monitors' Line Input Level knobs! Plenty of headroom and also easy to quite down to a whisper.