12ma gain vs. Axe output vol.

[TonyGring]

12ma owners- where are you typically running your Axe output vol. knob? I assume you leave it set there and adjust 12ma gain to taste? Thanks!

 

[mitch236]

I have my level on the 12ma set to max. It isn't a gain stage, its the level of amplification. But I am curious to hear other's experiences.

 

[Dpoirier]

I used to have my 12mA's gain control set to 12 o'clock (and found I needed to crank the Axe quite a bit). About two weeks ago, someone here mentioned he had his set to "unity gain", which is somewhere between 3 and 4 o'clock. I currently have mine set this way, and it's LOUD. I mean VERY loud. Like, with the Axe-FX out level set to 8 o'clock, it's rehearsal levels. At 9 to 10 o'clock, it's full concert level. I can't imagine how loud it would be a noon or higher. I find it's not granular enough, and I'll probably lower the gain on the 12mA. I prefer to send out a strong signal and amplify it less at the end (for lower noise).

A quick note: the term used by that poster, "unity gain", is not quite what it implies. There is no such thing as unity gain on a 12mA (if there was, you couldn't hear it, because at unity gain, you would feed the same level as the Axe-FX output, straight to the driver).

 

[quonsar]

I used to have my 12mA's gain control set to 12 o'clock (and found I needed to crank the Axe quite a bit). About two weeks ago, someone here mentioned he had his set to "unity gain", which is somewhere between 3 and 4 o'clock. I currently have mine set this way, and it's LOUD. I mean VERY loud. Like, with the Axe-FX out level set to 8 o'clock, it's rehearsal levels. At 9 to 10 o'clock, it's full concert level. I can't imagine how loud it would be a noon or higher. I find it's not granular enough, and I'll probably lower the gain on the 12mA. I prefer to send out a strong signal and amplify it less at the end (for lower noise).

A quick note: the term used by that poster, "unity gain", is not quite what it implies. There is no such thing as unity gain on a 12mA (if there was, you couldn't hear it, because at unity gain, you would feed the same level as the Axe-FX output, straight to the driver).

Yeah, that was me. What I meant was I had it set where the little zero is, which is not quite all the way up.

It's all really going to relative to patch levels in the Axe. I find that in order to balance with my clean volume, my distorted patches are set fairly low - amp level usually at -12 to -18db, compared to my Fender-ish clean sound at -6db so it doesn't clip. But no matter where all that ends up, the 12ma certainly has all the loudness I need. I backed mine off to about 1/2 but have been inching it back up lately. With the Axe output between noon and 3 o'clock, and with the 12ma on the little zero, that is freaking LOUD.

 

[Sixstring]

I used to have my 12mA's gain control set to 12 o'clock (and found I needed to crank the Axe quite a bit). About two weeks ago, someone here mentioned he had his set to "unity gain", which is somewhere between 3 and 4 o'clock. I currently have mine set this way, and it's LOUD. I mean VERY loud. Like, with the Axe-FX out level set to 8 o'clock, it's rehearsal levels. At 9 to 10 o'clock, it's full concert level. I can't imagine how loud it would be a noon or higher. I find it's not granular enough, and I'll probably lower the gain on the 12mA. I prefer to send out a strong signal and amplify it less at the end (for lower noise).

A quick note: the term used by that poster, "unity gain", is not quite what it implies. There is no such thing as unity gain on a 12mA (if there was, you couldn't hear it, because at unity gain, you would feed the same level as the Axe-FX output, straight to the driver).

Yep, Unity gain is the wrong trem for this application. To really know how to set the input correctly one would need to know how much level to hit the input stage of the FBT's pre which I'll bet is really low. Then you would need to mesure the output of the Axe to find that level and set it and adjust the main volume with the FTB which seams like it would be a hassle. I would just run it wide open and adjust the Axe accordingly.

 

[Dpoirier]

...About two weeks ago, someone here mentioned he had his set to "unity gain"...

Yeah, that was me.

By the way, thanks for that original post. I may not use it that high ever again, but cranking that little sucker up has greatly expanded my impressions of the FBT. What a phenomenal piece of equipment! I had not realized it (to that extent) until I read your suggestion.

 

[Jay Mitchell]

I used to have my 12mA's gain control set to 12 o'clock (and found I needed to crank the Axe quite a bit). About two weeks ago, someone here mentioned he had his set to "unity gain", which is somewhere between 3 and 4 o'clock.

You were given incorrect information. If a power amp actually were set for "unity gain," its output voltage would be exactly the same as the input voltage. This means that, for the Axe-Fx's maximum output of +18dBu, the power amp would be putting out less than five watts into an 8-ohm speaker. You could certainly hear that, but it would not be particularly loud.

 

[Dpoirier]

I used to have my 12mA's gain control set to 12 o'clock (and found I needed to crank the Axe quite a bit). About two weeks ago, someone here mentioned he had his set to "unity gain", which is somewhere between 3 and 4 o'clock.

You were given incorrect information. If a power amp actually were set for "unity gain," its output voltage would be exactly the same as the input voltage. This means that, for the Axe-Fx's maximum output of +18dBu, the power amp would be putting out less than five watts into an 8-ohm speaker. You could certainly hear that, but it would not be particularly loud.

Yes, that's what I (sort of) said further down in my post:

...A quick note: the term used by that poster, "unity gain", is not quite what it implies. There is no such thing as unity gain on a 12mA (if there was, you couldn't hear it, because at unity gain, you would feed the same level as the Axe-FX output, straight to the driver).

 

[archangel]

I like running my AXE output at around 2:00 (2/3 of the way turned up) and then running my single FBT as needed for volume but usually no lower than 12:00 noon (half way up). For the uber-small stages or small pubs I be-grudgingly turn the AXE output down a little bit but I try to never let anything get below 1/2 way...for some reason it just seems to compromise the tone and feel for me if I get things turned down too low (fletcher-munson? IDK). I also find getting that cool, controlled feedback from my git difficult when volumes dip below 1/2.

 

[fandyboy]

Because of the lack of level meter ont he 12ma input, I can never tell if the Axe is clipping the input of the Verve.