Agoura JCM800 model

[gbr13697]

Is there something off with the channel switching on this model? There is a massive jump in volume and gain when switching from low to high. I would expect a difference, but not that much. Using a snapshot to switch channels is not practical because of the huge jump in levels. I have had to put a 20db boost in front of the Low channel to get it anywhere near the volume level of the High channel on the same Drive setting.

[PaulTBaker]

That sounds like the "level" is set very different between the two.  Check that if you haven't already.

[gbr13697]

On 12/12/2025 at 8:25 PM, PaulTBaker said:

That sounds like the "level" is set very different between the two.  Check that if you haven't already.

Gain and level the same. Just switch from Low to High to get your ears blown out. Alternatively, with the High channel set reasonably, the Low channel will be pretty much inaudible. It makes it virtually impossible to use both channels in the same preset, which rather negates any benefit from combining them in the same model. In the Helix floor they were two separate models, and would be in separate presets. With the two channels being so vastly mismatched in the Agoura model they can't both be used, so combining them in a single model is just wasting the extra DSP.

[jpdennis]

On 12/12/2025 at 2:15 PM, gbr13697 said:

Gain and level the same. Just switch from Low to High to get your ears blown out. Alternatively, with the High channel set reasonably, the Low channel will be pretty much inaudible. It makes it virtually impossible to use both channels in the same preset, which rather negates any benefit from combining them in the same model. In the Helix floor they were two separate models, and would be in separate presets. With the two channels being so vastly mismatched in the Agoura model they can't both be used, so combining them in a single model is just wasting the extra DSP.

 

Have you sent this to the Line 6 support ticketing system?  If not please do.  Good catch.  The work around is good but not great.  

 

jpd

[gbr13697]

On 12/12/2025 at 11:41 PM, jpdennis said:

 

Have you sent this to the Line 6 support ticketing system?  If not please do.  Good catch.  The work around is good but not great.  

 

jpd

I don't think that this is a "fault" that would make a support ticket approriate.  

The default values for the Brit 2203MV (JCM800) are Jack - High, Drive 7.6, Master 4.5, Level -10. At these settings the output from single coils is around -20db and humbuckers -18db (there is not much difference due to the high-gain compression).  However, if the Jack is switched to Low, the humbucker level is a quiet -28db, and single coils are a barely audible -35db. Obviously you can adjust Drive, Level, and Master, to get a decent sound with either High or Low, but actually using them together in the same preset is impractical.

In the Helix Floor these two amp channels were two separate models.  In the Helix Stadium, like several other amp variations, they have been combined in a single model.  This obviously means that the combined model takes up a lot more DSP.  This would be worthwhile if it were practical to use both High and Low channels in the same preset, but that is not the case.

Plus, though I have never played a JCM800, I rather doubt that a Strat plugged into the Low input with drive on 7.6 and Master Volume on 4.5 would be that quiet!

[PaulTBaker]

hope this is not missing the point, however when you say: "With the two channels being so vastly mismatched in the Agoura model they can't both be used," you could assign level changes to the same FS as the changing from low to high... I do that all the time.  I also will change the bass and other parameters with the same FS.

[gbr13697]

On 12/18/2025 at 5:48 PM, PaulTBaker said:

hope this is not missing the point, however when you say: "With the two channels being so vastly mismatched in the Agoura model they can't both be used," you could assign level changes to the same FS as the changing from low to high... I do that all the time.  I also will change the bass and other parameters with the same FS.

I assign gain, levels, and EQ to an expression pedal, so that I can ramp up gain smoothly to any point I want, whilst making all the corresponding changes to level and EQ. I use snapshots to change amp channel, Bright switches etc, as well as delay settings. On all other models the change in channel is still within the gain/level limits of what can be controlled within the same assignments to the expression pedal.

However, with the Brit 2203MV, the levels are so vastly different that this won't work. As soon as I use a snapshot to change from High to Low, the volume collapses to nothing.

I agree that you could get decent sounds from Low and High channels by using a FS or snapshot to drastically alter the gain and volume settings, but these would be fixed and not variable via the expression pedal.

As I said above, I can't believe that a Strat plugged into the Low Jack of a JCM800 with drive on 7.6 and MV on 4.5 would be so quiet. I accept that it would be quieter, say -6db which would be half the volume level, but not -15db. It would be nice if a JCM owner could chime in and enlighten me, but I do think that the differences in levels between the High and Low channels are too extreme to be realistic in this particular model.

[glideman]

On 12/18/2025 at 1:28 PM, gbr13697 said:

I assign gain, levels, and EQ to an expression pedal, so that I can ramp up gain smoothly to any point I want, whilst making all the corresponding changes to level and EQ. I use snapshots to change amp channel, Bright switches etc, as well as delay settings. On all other models the change in channel is still within the gain/level limits of what can be controlled within the same assignments to the expression pedal.

However, with the Brit 2203MV, the levels are so vastly different that this won't work. As soon as I use a snapshot to change from High to Low, the volume collapses to nothing.

I agree that you could get decent sounds from Low and High channels by using a FS or snapshot to drastically alter the gain and volume settings, but these would be fixed and not variable via the expression pedal.

As I said above, I can't believe that a Strat plugged into the Low Jack of a JCM800 with drive on 7.6 and MV on 4.5 would be so quiet. I accept that it would be quieter, say -6db which would be half the volume level, but not -15db. It would be nice if a JCM owner could chime in and enlighten me, but I do think that the differences in levels between the High and Low channels are too extreme to be realistic in this particular model.

 

Do you use a Volume block for overall preset level and just change your amp "Level" setting with the snapshot?

[gbr13697]

I use the same expression pedal (built in to Stadium) to reduce the amp Level as the Gain increases. I also use an external expression pedal, linked to the Output block, to control overall volume.

On 12/18/2025 at 9:40 PM, glideman said:

 

Do you use a Volume block for overall preset level and just change your amp "Level" setting with the snapshot?