New Dt25 - Volume Too Low Or Something Wrong?

[the29band]

Hello All,

 

I just bought a DT25 head + cab. The only amp that I have owned before this is the 20W Fender Mustang I. So after I plugged in and started playing, I couldn't hear any sound from the cab. I was sitting 3-4 feet away from the cab. The settings on the head were as follows: 

 

Low Volume Output = OFF

 

Voicing = 1, Pentode, Class A

Drive = 3, Bass = 6, Mid = 5, Treble = 5, Presence = 3

Volume = 5

Master Volume = 4

 

I could hear through voicings 2 and 4 though. Then I changed the settings on the head as per the settings layout shown on the head top which basically turns up the volume all the way up to 10 and it was okay. 

 

My question here is that were my original settings too low and is it normal that I couldn't hear anything at those settings and for this voicing is the volume supposed to be turned way up high? I just want to make sure that there is nothing wrong with the amp itself and if I need to return it. 

 

Like I said, since I've only played a Mustang I before, I am used to that thing which plays pretty loud at master volume of 3-4 and amp volume of less than 5 so which is why I am confused. 

 

Thanks for your help in advance!

[talwilkins]

I haven't tried these settinings on my DT25 but to me it looks OK.

What you need to understand is that the volume knob is like the channel volume on the POD HD. This changes the volume without changing the tone.

 

The different Amp sims on the DT have very different volume levels ans you can use the volume knob to even things out.

Voicing 1 is a Fender Twin I think (maybe a deluxe). Voicing 4 is a Mesa Boogie which is way louder than the Fender (I believe this to be the case in real life as well),

 

With voicing one you would typically set the volume knob to full position.

If you would then have voicing 4 on channel B you would probably have the volume knob there below 50% to match the volume of channel 1.

[innovine]

I tried those settings (I assume you mean 4 as in 4-outta-10) with dt25. I use jj el84 tubes which are a little louder I think, but not by much. At the mentioned settings, for voicing 1, I can hear the amp but it's not loud at all, too low for me to sing along with anyway. Adjusting the drive up a bit raises the overall volume a lot, so going from 3 to 5 on the drive brought it up into what I'd normally sing along to without a mic.

Changing voicings, all the others are very loud indeed, so much so that I'd back off the master to sing along without a mic.

 

Just realised, I've also messed with which preamp is in which slot, so could be a bit off the defaults... but in summary some amp models are very quiet, and some are very loud at the same knob positions, but you should be able to hear something at least.

[talwilkins]

Adjusting the drive up a bit raises the overall volume a lot, so going from 3 to 5 on the drive brought it up into what I'd normally sing along to without a mic.

 

Yeas, that's another thing. On the Fender models the Drive knob works more as an extra volume knob and doesn't give any distortion to speak of (I think). This is because the original amps don't have a drive knob. 

[the29band]

Thanks guys. I am going to try again tomorrow. I am also thinking of going over to the local guitar center tomorrow and play the combo they have there with the same settings. Based on your responses, I am hoping it's just me. 

[talwilkins]

Good idea!