Odd drop in power and flubbiness

rmbaylin

rmbaylin

Inspired
This is very odd

But first the setup - Godin LGXT --> AXE-FX --->QSC 122 (controlled via FCB1010)

I've noticed during band practice that my volume gets lower and it becomes flubby, losing its clarity to point of having almost no definition. Best word to use would be a farting-like sound. The volume drop happens gradually, but after 2 hours or so, I need to dime the guitar, full throttle the FCB1010 volume pedal and adjust my output level on the Axe-FX from say 10 oclock to about 1 oclock. I tried power cycling the gear but no change.

There is plenty of gain into the front input of the AXE, that never changes. I've replaced the battery in the Godin 2 x now, but I've even switched to using the Mag only output on the guitar. I've tried new guitar cables.

I played a gig last week using the same QSC but with my acoustic this time. We played for about 2 hours, and I had no problem. Last Sunday I had some guys csme over and I played into the PA with the AXE and Godin guitar (same cable). No problems at all, and we jammed for about 3-4 hours.

So, I am wondering if there is a problem with the AC power supplying power to the QSC and the AXE at the practice space? Would a voltage or current drop cause such things? It really seems like its only at the practice location. I mean, could that happen? or is it more likely the QSC power amp section? Is there something in the AXE
maybe failing? Maybe the XLR cable from the AXE into the QSC? Just a wild ass guess but is this what a failing capacitor or transformer sound like?

Tomorrow, I am practicing again and will try a different guitar (but I think I had this issue with the PRS too). Any suggestions for tomorrow if this starts to happen.

Thanks in advance

Rb
 
Similar thing happened to me. I was flipping through amps when I found the 800 and it sounded really good, but suddenly it sounded just like you explained. It "farted" instead of barked. I checked the cable and other things, but the input volume was normal. It's like the amp changed "power amp" by itself all of a sudden.

Bug maybe?
 
Yup.

Now that you mention it, I may have been using the JCM800 patch when this happened the last few times - maybe.

I will stay off the JCM800 patch tomorrow and see if it happens again.

Rb
 
That's part of the modeling. The JCM800 was notorious for doing that as it got hot after being used for a little while.

D
 
mortega76 said:
dk_ace said:
That's part of the modeling. The JCM800 was notorious for doing that as it got hot after being used for a little while.

D
Click to expand...
You're joking, right?
Click to expand...


Yes. I wanted to see if I could get any takers though. FWIW, I use the JCM800 sim a lot now, and I've never had this issue.

D
 
I didn't specifically notice the issue at practice yesterday - at least not the flubiness, but the volume drop may have been there. It's hard to tell on that note, because the overall volume tends to rise in practice. But I wasn't overly concerned to the point of trying to 'figure out what was wrong'. So at this point I am chalking it up to volume. Still wondering what is the issue.


Ron
 
If the volume loss is a perceived thing (as it may be with a practice and things all get louder...except the Axe-Fx) and not an actual loss in volume then you're probably turning yourself up over time. With that, the flubbiness might be because of you turning yourself up to compensate with everyone else and then you might be overloading your speakers/poweramp and making them flubby.

The perceived volume loss issue might be what's happening. I've seen it time and again where a drummer plays louder over time and you as a guitarist you realize that you're getting drowned out. Remember, he can play just a little bit harder and yet make it sound much louder. As a guitarist, however, if you're using distortion and have set your level you're not going to be able to be any louder by playing harder, you've got to physically turn your amp up. I play at my church everyweek and at the beginning of sound check/practice I always set my amp to "gig volume" and everyone goes "whoa that's really really loud". Oddly enough, once everyone's playing and we get into the service the drummer and bass player get really excited and play louder and I have to even turn my amp up more occassionally. Your mind/ears get used to loud sounds and normalize them overtime.
 
No I don't think that's it. When this happens it seems that flubiness and 'farting' ihappens within just a minutes. We are a pretty quiet band compared to my other bands, in fact we need to encourage the drummer to play louder sometimes.

I am wondering if its issue with power amp of the QSC or maybe my XLR cable to the cabinet is iffy, since this happens intermittently.

I'll keep checking.

r
 
I'm no expert, but are you guys using so much power for amps, p.a. etc that some or all of your gear is having to make due with less juice than it needs?
When I used to gig a lot, I was using a VHT CLX100 and would notice that sometimes I thought it sounded amazing and other times just dull. I just figured it wasn't getting enough voltage to growl. I could be dead wrong, but you might try an extension cord and plug in to a different outlet etc.
 
G-

that's exactly what I plan on doing. although I think we are really conservative in volume ie power requirements.

a few years back, I had a problem with my electric dryer where it wouldn't run at full heat, then it failed to turn on. I took the whole thing apart, only to find out I was getting 87v on each side of the outlet. Turned out my ground was loose in the breaker panel. Why it was loose I have no idea.

I am taking a multimeter to practice next week!

rb
 
I can only comment anecdotally on my own experience: I've beat the heck out of my QSC HPR for extended periods and 3 set nights cranked way up and never had the issues noted here.

That means nothing really; but that's simply my experience.
 
Scott,

I see the HPR as work horses myself.. I have two (which I need to mark so I dont confuse them) so i can see if switching them makes a difference. I still think it's an electric power issue, maybe they have an appliance on the same circuit???/

I appreciate all the input from everyone.

R
 
I think this is some sort of psycho acoustic thing because I've noticed this sort of thing before as well - even with real tube amps. I've literally checked cords and such thinking the amp isn't working only to get strange looks from my bandmates. I have no deep insight here or any sort of scientific explanation but it is some form of ear fatigue. And it isn't just a sheer volume thing because we actually rehearse at pretty reasonable volumes - although it probably is because I didn't always play at sensible levels.

Next time you experience this, take a break and see if that helps.
 
Well, for me it was clearly two completely different sounds. Like the 900 suddenly "became" the 800 and I was expecting the 900. I ran direct, so maybe we're having different problems. I sure sounded similar though.
 
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