Interstage gain parameters

[Smilzo]

As an ex-tweakers, I would like to give resonance to Cliff's idea:

I toyed around with was a "gain distribution" control. The total gain would remain the same but the control would increase or decrease the last stage gain and vary the preceding stage gain accordingly.

In a crunch or lead preamp, gain distribuition is a key to obtain different kind of feel, compression or tone. I don't know how feasible or how much it affect the sounds... but it is for sure a clever idea! :lol:

 

[RB_Guitar]

I'm a tweaker, so I like the idea!

A lot of amps have additional knobs for voicing/gain structure/mid cut/mods e.g. the Fryette Deliverance has two different gain knobs which affect the overall sound very much.
In general, I'd love to see a "special knob" in the advanced tab which has as different impact depending on the knob of the real amp if this is possible with cliff's current software approach.

 

[VegaBaby]

As long as there's an option to revert to the 'normal' amp settings which entirely defeats this option, then I'm in.

 

[aleclee]

As long as there's an option to revert to the 'normal' amp settings which entirely defeats this option, then I'm in.

My understanding is that this "option" is currently set but is simply hard coded on a per-amp basis. If that's the case, "defeating" it would just be like reverting any amp-specific parameter to its default value.

 

[chase]

I'm a tweaker, so I like the idea!

A lot of amps have additional knobs for voicing/gain structure/mid cut/mods e.g. the Fryette Deliverance has two different gain knobs which affect the overall sound very much.
In general, I'd love to see a "special knob" in the advanced tab which has as different impact depending on the knob of the real amp if this is possible with cliff's current software approach.

I'd like to see things like this - in fact, if the Rottweiler Tornado has a Grunt switch that does something that can't be done with an existing feature on the Axe, it'd be cool to make it available on all the amp models (or at least, wherever it makes sense), so people can use it on the Peerless Warlock, which doesn't have a Grunt switch.

My (uninformed) guess is that a lot of the extra switches on amps just amount to boosts or simple EQ changes that can already be done with what's in the Axe, and that some things are architecture-specific and wouldn't necessarily apply elsewhere. I don't know how useful it would be to be able to tweak the gain staging, but it sure sounds like it could be fun to have.


(I just like making up names of fake amps - Cliff should hire me to name all his models.)

 

[Smilzo]

I think a little brainstorming about "user friendlyness" is worth!

99,9% of guitar amp has cascading AC-coupled gain stages: 2, 3 4 or even 11 (Carvin).

After the first 2 stages, the gain will clip everything if not padded down. So for musical result (each) next stages have voltage divider, often filtered with some caps/res. Any aware builter select the values that match his target sound. The impact is huge, much more than B+ cap, to name one actual parameter. The best for tweakers is having "one pot each stage". This approach lead to problems:
1) different amps have different number of parameters
2) the player has to tweak "n" different gain knob, each with subtle variation in overdrive and tone, that lead to big variation in the final tone...

So Cliff was thinking (let me guess) how to access similar big variations with a single knob, without physical constrain of pot, wires, res & caps! A sort of "balance" controll, that spread the gain over each stages, and allow to musically unbalance them.
Obviously the default value has to keep the actual sound.

If you have some clever idea... please share!

 

[Smilzo]

What about a "drive pot position" knob?

The selected stage has gain controll, the others have default drive setting. Simply, intuitive, family feel (tonestack-like).

 

[moshwitz]

Sup?

I'm in for this :mrgreen:

I like cliff's idea but I voted for each gain stage, although I am really only thinking about the first and last really, Kinda like being able to put a less gainy tube in the V1 of some amps that really clean up the the input stage to change the feel or putting your high gainers in the end for the sizzle. ,,,anyway so I'm gonna say yes either way.

MOSHON
DAVE

 

[marvinx]

For the few who voted no because its too much to tweak,... i think there should be a global "Advanced" mode, so that those who feel "overloaded" by options can take them away from themselves and not worry about them, without removing the power from the hands of those who can handle it.
MX