New Drive Blocks: What am I missing?

[ipressthebutton]

I had my first gig with 8.02 last night and my overdrive sounds sounded flat and muffled. I am using the 808 OD model into the USA Clean amp and I cannot get the volume boost to get the overdrive to cut through the mix for solos. I use two drives, one set to light OD and one set to heavy OD. Actually, after one solo when I turned both drive off and there was a audible volume jump when I switched back to my clean sound. My clean sound cuts through the mix fine but when I step on the drives things get muddy.

I read Cliff's post about the new drive models and know the controls are not 1:1 with a real 808 but I simply can't figure out how to get similar sounds. I have been using a tube screamer for years and the 808 OD model is so different. I have a TS9 moded to 808 specs and I usually set the drive at 9 o'clock, tone at 1 o'clock and level at around 3 o'clock for light OD and the drive at 2 o'clock, tone at 1 o'clock and level at 3 o'clock for heavy OD. On the AXE FX I have the levels at 10, tone at 2 o'clock, for light OD I have the drive set at 2 o'clock for light and 5 o'clock for heavy and there is way too much OD for each of the tones and hardly any volume boost.

What am I missing? Any advice or tips would be greatly appreciated.

 

[inkeyes]

Since the update you now have to turn the level control up a bit further in order to achieve a similar level of boost or drive hitting the front of the amp sim. I've only just updated myself but it was the first notable difference.

 

[xrist04]

Just adjust the LEVEL parameter in the Drive block to taste. Bon apétit!

 

[Matt_B]

Since the update you now have to turn the level control up a bit further in order to achieve a similar level of boost or drive hitting the front of the amp sim. I've only just updated myself but it was the first notable difference.

I don't like this change because on a few of my presets, I have the drive output pegged before 8.02.

 

[merlin17]

Turn up the drive, it will be clean longer on some models than before. LISTEN!

Cliff explained the new gain structure in another post.

 

[javajunkie]

Just adjust the LEVEL parameter in the Drive block to taste. Bon apétit!

It is the drive parameter effect that is the biggest change. 5 on the drive block of this model is = fully CCW (turned all the way down)on the actual pedal. Fully CW = Fully CW on the real pedal.

For the tube screamer pedals this will mean you have to turn up the drive a couple of notches or so to = the pre 8 drive tones.

That being said I think cliff changed the output level to match the pedals it models so it may change from model to model.

 

[Smilzo]

I have a TS9 moded to 808 specs and I usually set the drive at 9 o'clock, tone at 1 o'clock and level at around 3 o'clock for light OD and the drive at 2 o'clock, tone at 1 o'clock and level at 3 o'clock for heavy OD. On the AXE FX I have the levels at 10, tone at 2 o'clock, for light OD I have the drive set at 2 o'clock for light and 5 o'clock for heavy and there is way too much OD for each of the tones and hardly any volume boost.

What am I missing? Any advice or tips would be greatly appreciated.

Put the drive around 2 o'clock or 5 o'clock for heavy od. Tweak to taste.

 

[VegaBaby]

It is the drive parameter effect that is the biggest change. 5 on the drive block of this model is = fully CCW (turned all the way down)on the actual pedal. Fully CW = Fully CW on the real pedal.

Not using the Drive block much so I haven't really compared with the real thing, but is what you stated above for ALL of the models, effectively giving a bigger drive/gain range ?

 

[Smilzo]

is what you stated above for ALL of the models, effectively giving a bigger drive/gain range ?

No. Cliff didn't model the pot in each type... he use a generic virtual pot with -40db. Each type of drive react in different manner. Again, set to taste! :mrgreen:

 

[javajunkie]

It is the drive parameter effect that is the biggest change. 5 on the drive block of this model is = fully CCW (turned all the way down)on the actual pedal. Fully CW = Fully CW on the real pedal.

Not using the Drive block much so I haven't really compared with the real thing, but is what you stated above for ALL of the models, effectively giving a bigger drive/gain range ?

From Cliff:

The Drive knob has always had 40 dB of range. The TS model, however, had more gain than a real Tube Screamer. Now the gain is the same as the real thing. So if you had the Drive set to 0 and the Level set to 10 now you have to turn the Drive up a bit to get the same results.

5 - 10 for the Drive is equal to 0 - 10 on the real thing. An SD-1 has 30 dB of range so fully CCW on an SD-1 is equivalent to 2.5 on the model. A ProCo Rat has 100 dB or range, which is stupid. But no one ever uses one with the Drive knob set nearly fully CCW.

With the Drive set to maximum it will always be the same as the Drive set to maximum on the real thing. Same with the Level.

As the release notes clearly state, there isn't necessarily a one-to-one correspondence on the knob positions. I like 40 dB of range as I feel it's a nice compromise between those pedals that have too little range (Tube Screamer types) and those that have too much (Rat).

If you want to use a Drive pedal as a boost, set the Level near maximum and the Drive to minimum. Bring the Drive up until you achieve the desired amount of boost.

 

[VegaBaby]

From Cliff:

The Drive knob has always had 40 dB of range. The TS model, however, had more gain than a real Tube Screamer. Now the gain is the same as the real thing. So if you had the Drive set to 0 and the Level set to 10 now you have to turn the Drive up a bit to get the same results.

5 - 10 for the Drive is equal to 0 - 10 on the real thing. An SD-1 has 30 dB of range so fully CCW on an SD-1 is equivalent to 2.5 on the model. A ProCo Rat has 100 dB or range, which is stupid. But no one ever uses one with the Drive knob set nearly fully CCW.

With the Drive set to maximum it will always be the same as the Drive set to maximum on the real thing. Same with the Level.

As the release notes clearly state, there isn't necessarily a one-to-one correspondence on the knob positions. I like 40 dB of range as I feel it's a nice compromise between those pedals that have too little range (Tube Screamer types) and those that have too much (Rat).

If you want to use a Drive pedal as a boost, set the Level near maximum and the Drive to minimum. Bring the Drive up until you achieve the desired amount of boost.

Thanks man ! Didn't even remember that I had read that before .

 

[ipressthebutton]

It is the drive parameter effect that is the biggest change. 5 on the drive block of this model is = fully CCW (turned all the way down)on the actual pedal. Fully CW = Fully CW on the real pedal.

Not using the Drive block much so I haven't really compared with the real thing, but is what you stated above for ALL of the models, effectively giving a bigger drive/gain range ?

From Cliff:

The Drive knob has always had 40 dB of range. The TS model, however, had more gain than a real Tube Screamer. Now the gain is the same as the real thing. So if you had the Drive set to 0 and the Level set to 10 now you have to turn the Drive up a bit to get the same results.

5 - 10 for the Drive is equal to 0 - 10 on the real thing. An SD-1 has 30 dB of range so fully CCW on an SD-1 is equivalent to 2.5 on the model. A ProCo Rat has 100 dB or range, which is stupid. But no one ever uses one with the Drive knob set nearly fully CCW.

With the Drive set to maximum it will always be the same as the Drive set to maximum on the real thing. Same with the Level.

As the release notes clearly state, there isn't necessarily a one-to-one correspondence on the knob positions. I like 40 dB of range as I feel it's a nice compromise between those pedals that have too little range (Tube Screamer types) and those that have too much (Rat).

If you want to use a Drive pedal as a boost, set the Level near maximum and the Drive to minimum. Bring the Drive up until you achieve the desired amount of boost.

Thanks for all the feeback! I did read Cliff's post and followed his recommendations; however, what I'm finding is that when I bring up the drive to get the level of boost that I need, there is too much overdrive in the signal. I am going to bring my TS9 to practice this week and try to match the levels. I'm sure it is user error and I haven't spent enough time tweaking. I have to keep telling myself change is a good thing

On a positive note, IMO there was a high end harshness to the tubescreamer models that is now gone from the drives I've tried so far. So I agree with the "organic" sound improvement of the drives I've used.