Ok, I've took a quick look at the HBE-100 models in the same firmwares (15.01, 16 Beta 4 and 16 Beta 11) as I took a look at the BE Models. This morning I dialed up the stock HBE-100 V1, then I increased the gain to around 7 and 8, which is not uncommon for this amp to be set at say 8 for BE then kick in the HBE for solos, which means due to sharing a gain control on the real amp the gain setting would stay the same, 7-8 in this case. To me, this just can't be right? It almost sounds like you have a fuzz pedal blended in say 30%.
This to me seems to indicate the previous HBE models were either very innacurate, which I don't believe they were from my experience with them and my amp, or there is possibly a mistake here.
A quick look at Input EQ low cut on previous models and previous firmwares, again this may be totally irrelevant due to the differing algorithms and not knowing how they relate to the changes behind the model in the SPICE or whatever we don't see or understand.
15.01
BE Marsha = 500Hz
HBE Marsha = 500Hz
BE Mark Day = 500Hz
HBE Mark Day = 350Hz
No BE model
HBE 2018 = 540Hz
16 Beta 4
BE = 445Hz
HBE = 48Hz
16 Beta 11
BE = 303Hz
HBE = 57Hz
Now anyone who is having serious issues with how they hear the HBE in Cygnus try these older low cut values, particularly if you really enjoyed HBE 2018 from 15.01 so try 540Hz. That to me sounds much more like how you will have heard the Ares model sounding.
So this leaves the question considering a wildly different low cut on these models from firmware to firmware is this just to do with how it relates to the new Cygnus modelling in the background or is there also a mistake somewhere as I'm pretty such the HBE should not sound like a Fuzz/slight square wave mixed in even at stock setings with the gain at 8/10, esecially an amp noted for it's quite tight bottom end, as mentioned and quoted here and in the wiki regarding Carol-Ann amps:
"I think what people like about this amp is the same reason people like the BE/HBE. These amps share the same aggressive low-cut on the input and then add bass back in the power amp. This gives clear bass response without getting flubby."
Obviously this isn't what we are hearing here anymore. Also worth noting could the low cut at 48/57 be mising a zero on the end? We do know other tight modded Marshall type models, take the Atomica High for instance have no low cut applied to the model and sounds perfectly tight, so who knows?
The grid bias etc has been mentioned an steps to "combat" this have been mentioned, so here is the quote for anyone else who may have missed this earlier in other beta threads:
"That's the way the HBE channel sounds. The problem with the design is that the drive control is located between the 3rd and 4th gain stages. Too far back IMO. This causes a lot of distortion and also a lot of bias excursion before the drive control with no way to control it. In most amps the drive control is located after the first stage (input buffer). Some amps have a second drive control, typically called an Overdrive, located further downstream which allows you to balance the pre- and post distortion. One way to deal with it is to decrease the Input Trim and increase the Input Drive. You can also try reducing the Master Bias Excursion but that won't get rid of the pre-drive control distortion. A lot of people like this sound though. It has a certain stringy quality that many people find desirable." source
Anyway I'll leave this here. I hope to anyone reading this isn't coming across as me with a dickish attitude? This is a beta phase and this is what beta testing is for, trying to weed out any potential bugs.
If the main man chimes in, has a check or whatever lets us know the score and verifies that everything is as is, I guess anyone who still isn't happy we can just choose another amp model, hell knows there are more than enough for that modded Marshall tone, try some teaks as many have mentioned, or worst case if the old BE sound we had is so important to the player, then make the choice to srick with 15.01.
