Axe clipping speakers but no red lights on Axe

Spawn2031

Inspired
So pretty much what the title says here. My axe runs direct into our board and I need to run pretty loud since my drummer is a beast. I have my global inputs set so I just barely ever see red and almost never see red on the front when I'm playing my preset. When I watch the horizontal vu meters they typically hit around -2db. So all seems like it should be fine, at least to me.

On the board, everything is set to unity gain. When I turn up the mains (which are Peavy DM112s) to my necessary level they begin to clip here and there. When i run music from my laptop, thru my Axe at the same volume, there is no clipping. In fact I can turn that up even louder without clipping. So that tells me it's got to be something in my preset right? So what should I check? All the usual subjects seem to be good.
 
Yeah, I running directly into the line lol inputs on the board, not the mic pre. I always read it's best to have those maxed. Long time ago, when I first got it.
 
I think that is best for S/n ratio but if it's overdriving your board they will probably need to come down.
 
It is NOT best to set the Output dials at maximum. It never was and never will be (unless you very specifically design things that way).

Output knobs at max with SHUNTS only equals Unity Gain - this isn’t some magic setting, it just means what goes in is exactly the level that comes out. This is for 4 Cable Method and similar.

Once you add an Amp block or any other block that increases volume way past Unity Gain - which typically means always - then you must use the Output Knobs like a standard volume control, as designed.

Clipping speakers means you are overdriving their input, it doesn’t mean you’re clipping the Axe output, which is the only thing the Axe clip lights can tell you. The Axe doesn’t know if you are sending too much signal to the next device.

Some people make their presets with very low signal specifically so they can turn the Output Knobs to max, but this is not typical.

Turn down the Output knobs, use your ears and balance the levels and it will be all good!
 
Just turned them down to half instead with no change, so thats not it
Turn them down more? You’re using the Line Level inputs and the Axe at 1/2 Output is sending a ton of signal. Sometimes I have to turn down to 1/4. And that’s not a bad thing. Sometimes I even have to turn down the Gain in the Global EQ.

Just turn down the Output Knobs until it is correct.
 
It is NOT best to set the Output dials at maximum. It never was and never will be (unless you very specifically design things that way).

Output knobs at max with SHUNTS only equals Unity Gain - this isn’t some magic setting, it just means what goes in is exactly the level that comes out. This is for 4 Cable Method and similar.

Once you add an Amp block or any other block that increases volume way past Unity Gain - which typically means always - then you must use the Output Knobs like a standard volume control, as designed.

Clipping speakers means you are overdriving their input, it doesn’t mean you’re clipping the Axe output, which is the only thing the Axe clip lights can tell you. The Axe doesn’t know if you are sending too much signal to the next device.

Some people make their presets with very low signal specifically so they can turn the Output Knobs to max, but this is not typical.

Turn down the Output knobs, use your ears and balance the levels and it will be all good!

Ok, I'll try turning them down even further. I'll be happy as he'll if it's that easy of a solution
 
post a preset. even with the dials down if your gain staging in your preset is crazy it could still be too much.
 
I most certainly will. I did just get the clipping to stop by turning the outputs down to to about 10 o'clock. But I had to crank the input trim up to 75% which is a little less headroom than I prefer. I'd love to have someone take a look at the gain staging. I'll upload shortly.
 
If you turned down the Axe to avoid clipping, but then turned up the Mixer trim to boost signal, it may not be clipping the inputs.

For now, if that made the problem go away, then stick with it. But you turned down, then turned up essentially the same thing (input gain stage). *shrug*
 
You're clipping the mixer. Turn down the Axe-Fx outputs, turn down the trim on the mixer and use the fader to adjust the volume.
 
You're clipping the mixer. Turn down the Axe-Fx outputs, turn down the trim on the mixer and use the fader to adjust the volume.

Did that and everything sounds great, thanks so much Cliff! Much better than it ever did. I'm glad I posted on here about this considering I had always been under the misconception that those outputs were best left at max.... now I know. So here's one final question...

With turning the outputs down and dialing down the input trims on the mixer to unity, to achieve the level I need to get over my king kong drummer, I have to raise the faders almost all the way up. I always prefer to have a little bit of headroom left, even if I dont intend on using it. Where, in the preset, is the best place to boost the signal up more so I can try to keep those mixer faders closer to unity without changing the overall tone?
 
Where, in the preset, is the best place to boost the signal up more so I can try to keep those mixer faders closer to unity without changing the overall tone?

If there's actually headroom to allow a higher input level at mixer, you could just turn the Axe-FX output knob back up.

Adjusting amp block level or global EQ gain (depending on if you want a per-preset or global adjustment) can increase output level, but this won't avoid mixer input clipping any better than turning the Axe output knob up.
 
Did that and everything sounds great, thanks so much Cliff! Much better than it ever did. I'm glad I posted on here about this considering I had always been under the misconception that those outputs were best left at max.... now I know. So here's one final question...

With turning the outputs down and dialing down the input trims on the mixer to unity, to achieve the level I need to get over my king kong drummer, I have to raise the faders almost all the way up. I always prefer to have a little bit of headroom left, even if I dont intend on using it. Where, in the preset, is the best place to boost the signal up more so I can try to keep those mixer faders closer to unity without changing the overall tone?

Turn up the loudspeker level (if you have headroom left). You should lower all the channel faders (if they are around unity) to return to pre-loudspeaker-boost level. Now you have headroom to play with.
 
If there's actually headroom to allow a higher input level at mixer, you could just turn the Axe-FX output knob back up.

Adjusting amp block level or global EQ gain (depending on if you want a per-preset or global adjustment) can increase output level, but this won't avoid mixer input clipping any better than turning the Axe output knob up.

I'm one of those who tries to do it by the book as much as possible. My mixer recommends that all inputs come in reading about 50% of the meter. Right now, my axe signal is reading at about 35%. This is with my mixer input trims at unity. If I turn up my mixer trims to make the input meet that 50% suggestion, it works fine but I have to turn them up to about 75% total which then I start to notice some constant background noise coming from my rig somewhere. I think most of it is cross talk b/c when I turn my laptop off it lessens greatly but doesn't go away. unplug my guitar from the equation entirely and I still see the meters bouncing around from a mystery signal... so I get to track that down now.

Anyway, Cliff's directions get the best sound quality so far and I'll probably just stick with that and let this go and ignore that 50% target on the mixer input :) .. enough with the OCD right?

Turn up the loudspeker level (if you have headroom left). You should lower all the channel faders (if they are around unity) to return to pre-loudspeaker-boost level. Now you have headroom to play with.

The mains are already at max. A sound guy friend of mine always suggested that I turn up my mains as high as they can go without hissing. These particular speakers can go all the way up without adding any of that. We are a small band that is evolving so eventually the mains will be replaced and that, most likely, will make things a hell of a lot easier. But until then, this is what I have to work with.
 
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