Modifying FX8 Presets for a Lower-Wattage Amp

DanielB

Member
Hey, so recently my 40-watt Blackstar HT Club 40 deluxe bit the dust. I bought a used HT20-R, which is for all intents and purposes the same amp but half the wattage. Here is the problem. Pretty much all of my presets I made, which sounded fabulous with my HT 40, all sound over-clipped and badly distorted through this new amp.

The ultimate solution here is pretty obvious, I gotta make new presets that sound good with the new amp. I tried to go through all of my presets and just reduce all of the levels and expression pedal gain settings down a few clicks, but it sill had that overly "digital-ish" (sorry...) distortion sound. I am curious if anyone has made any presets with a lower-wattage amp (and/or switched from a higher to a lower wattage or vice versa) and maybe have any tips or insights to make these presets sound good without having to start all over again.

General discussion also welcome. Thanks!!
 
I would look at the I/O meter page and make sure you aren't clipping at any point in the signal path. If that all checks out, try adjusting the global pre and post levels until there is no longer a digital clipping sound.

I often switch between running my FX8 into a 1 watt amp (Fryette GP/DI) and an 88 watt amp (Fryette Sig:X). I do use different presets for the two rigs, but I have also used their respective presets on the opposite amp and had no issues with clipping.
 
I would look at the I/O meter page and make sure you aren't clipping at any point in the signal path. If that all checks out, try adjusting the global pre and post levels until there is no longer a digital clipping sound.

I often switch between running my FX8 into a 1 watt amp (Fryette GP/DI) and an 88 watt amp (Fryette Sig:X). I do use different presets for the two rigs, but I have also used their respective presets on the opposite amp and had no issues with clipping.

That's a great idea, thank you!

In general, what is your approach to dialing in the Drive block levels/tone with the FX8? Should I set my amp to the ideal level with all FX bypassed first, and the build from there? Or is it "OK" to have the drives add a considerable volume boost to the preset overall, keeping the amp master volume itself lower. I have had a difficult time with the drives sounding "real" with FX8 in general. I was able to dial it in with my last amp, but now I feel like I am starting all over again.
 
I don't really do drives into a clean amp, so all of my drive blocks are setup to be a boost in front of an edge of breakup or full on overdriven amp. I want them to give me a volume boost, so that is part of how I set them up. In the end it is a matter of personal taste whether or not you want a volume boost from a given block. There is no right or wrong way to go about it.
 
If the presets that were working fine with your HT Club 40 are now clipping your HT20-R, then there are more differences between those two amps than just the power out to the speaker. You’ll need to figure out what is overdriving what, so you know what to turn down.
 
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Do you have the +4dBV/-10dBV switch on the effects loop engaged? Sounds like a possibility that it was engaged (-10dBV) on the HT Club 40 and is disengaged (+4dBV) on the HT20. This could quite easily cause clipping in 4CM.
 
Do you have the +4dBV/-10dBV switch on the effects loop engaged? Sounds like a possibility that it was engaged (-10dBV) on the HT Club 40 and is disengaged (+4dBV) on the HT20. This could quite easily cause clipping in 4CM.

Solid observation, fortunately I did consider that as well. I ended up editing all my standard patches one by one, and they're sounding great now.
 
My 16 watt Car Mercury V, doesn't have an effects loop, so the FX8 is pre. Sounded magnificent out of the box - no clipping issues whatsoever.
 
The FX8 is designed to be unity gain, so you shouldn’t have to adjust much if anything unless you turned things way up before.
 
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