Cabs and clipping

addedc

addedc

Experienced
I've had the AXE for about a year and half and have gone through several amplification routes including ART SLA2 to THD Cab, Mesa Power Amp to THD Cab, and now FRFR to Verve 12ma.

I just got the Verve so I haven't tried it at stage or rehearsal volume yet. But I did notice last night that when I edit the presets that I previously used with my Amp/Cab set-up by adding a cabinet block I immediately get clipping. This is easily resolved by bringing down amp master or level, but I am just wondering if anyone knows why the modeled cabinets would induce clipping?

The answer is probably related to another tip I read on the forum about adding a second Oval 1x6 cab to thicken the sound. When I tried that, I got clipping too. Again it's not a problem to eliminate. I am just trying to understand what's going on.

Thanks for all the great contributions on this forum. Raca and Yek, I checked out your 10.3 presets. What a great way to hear the potential in FRFR. I had a hard time tearing myself away from many of them last night, especially the Vox. Mahalo!
 
A cab block w/ level at 0 dB is capable of increasing the level of various freq. ranges. If there's a high enough level of any freq. within those ranges, the cab can turn the previously non-clipping level into one that does clip.
 
If this is true, you must be running a really hot signal out of the amp block. It seems unlikely to me that an internal block would clip before the DAC does, unless the gain structure is out of whack and a block just before the DAC was attenuating. Even when I *try* to clip internally with radical PEQ boosts, I have a hard time.

Is it possible that you were clipping before, but didn't notice until you went FRFR (with a tweeter)? If the clipping is occurring after the cab block for instance, what may have been filtered by your real guitar cab would be horribly apparent now. It could seem that the clipping occurs when you engage the cab block because the clipping is masked by the amp block's unfiltered harmonics when the cab block is bypassed. Just speculating.
 
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I assumed he's referring to clipping at the DAC. A cab block (level at 0 dB) can turn a signal that didn't clip into something that does clip.
 
I guess I should have assumed that too. Still, that's a very hot level if engaging the cab makes enough difference to clip (assuming it is at 0 dB).
 
Are you staying on the same row? Summing two rows will increase your level...
 
Some of the mics such as the 121 can give a pretty good boost, especially to the bass, which caused clipping in a couple of my patches.

JWW
 
Thanks for the responses. DAC is digital audio conversion? The clipping I am talking about isn't audible (at least at low volume). It's the indicators lighting up on the AXE. They didn't light on these patches until I put a cab block in.

I had the cab set at 0db and almost all my patches have amp level set at 0db or lower. I was going through my Fender-ish type patches last night and I have the master cranked on most of those so maybe that's it.

I will check it out again at home tonight and identify what is probably my error.

Thanks.
 
DAC = Digital-Analog Converter. The LED means the final signal reaching the DAC exceeds (or is close to exceeding) what 24 bits can represent. A quick method to get out of clip range and maintain relative preset levels is by reducing the global EQ's gain.
 
addedc said:
I had the cab set at 0db and almost all my patches have amp level set at 0db or lower. I was going through my Fender-ish type patches last night and I have the master cranked on most of those so maybe that's it.
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this is a HUGE boost! Check it this way: bypass the amp block, listen to the output level. Than switch on amp block, and set level near bypassed level. Probably you will need to lower it at -15/20 db. It depends on your drive and previous level.
 
Yep - most of my AMP block level settings range from -10 dB to -15 dB, to avoid clipping in the digital domain. They're set differently to balance out perceived volume differences between presets.
 
Dinkledorf said:
I run pretty well all of my amp block at 0db, however, I block low freqs later on in the chain.
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It depends on drive & master. I always try to get unity gain in each block to a) avoid any clipping problem b) have a bit of headroom to boost and solo, when needed c) get a ready to go patches when globally bypassing amp block.
 
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