Output 1 Clip Light?

Paulg2uk

Paulg2uk

Power User
Hey guys,

Just a quick question. I was reading via the axe fx 2 manual and noted that the output 1 level control on the front of the axe should be turned up all the way up to achieve unity gain. I've lowering some levels like amp master volumes etc within some presets but I keep getting the output 1 level clip light coming on when strumming power chords and other parts. Whats else can I try to stop the output 1 clip light from lighting up? Is it my IO levels? What are some of the recommend settings you guys have?

I'm using primarily the use clean 2 amp and just engaging a drive sound with cause the clip light to come on and also I'm using the recto orange amp too. I've notice if I turn off the power amp sim the lift doesn't come on. Which is more than likely how I will be running it when I get my mesa 2:90.

It happens when listing thru headphones and plugged in to my amp.

Any suggestions would be great. I'm probably not doing something right.

Thanks guys

Paul
 
Paulg2uk said:
I'm probably not doing something right.Paul
Click to expand...

He he ;-)

You're confusing the overall output level with the digital signal level.

The Output 1 and Output 2 knobs at the front are for adjusting the overall volume level of the Axe-Fx. Adjusting those controls has no impact at all on signal clipping inside the Axe-Fx whatsoever.

If the output clipping LED comes up, you need to turn down the level on the grid somewhere, because the clipping occurs in the digital domain somewhere. You can do that in an effect block (Level parameter), or in the Global EQ (gain control) or in the output mixer in the Layout menu.

My personal approach is to keep indiv. blocks (and the output mixer) whenever possible at unity gain (often 0 dB), and use only the Amp block's Level control to prevent clipping. Which means that Amp Level can be as low as -20 dB or so, which doesn't impact the tone at all.

Output: setting levels, making connections - Axe-Fx II Wiki

Output: avoiding clipping - Axe-Fx II Wiki
 
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If you IP level is set so your just tickling the Red led when hitting the strings hard then thats fine. If you bypass your patch, and put OP1 up full - that will give unity gain. What goes in comes out.

As soom as you add the amp sim though thats going to change. Set you amp patches so there right and if you need to lower OP1 then thats fine. If you clipping the OP then your getting a much hotter signal the unity out anyway.

FWIW, I on the edge of clipping the OP with my OP1 full (so again - hotter than unity) and some of my amp blocks are as much as -12db - while others are at +6db.

I wouldnt get hung up about unity gain if I was you.
 
I'm glad this was posted. I have been keeping my amp block levels as close to Zero as possible and my recordings are coming in way too hot.
I'm going to have to try bringing them down to -10/-15. I have always kept the output 1 level on the front on the front of the Axe at about noon.
I guess it's Ok to bring it up to say 3:00 or so then? that doesn't do anything to overload the signal out, it's just basically a volume control (Is how I understand it?)
**edit*** just read the Wiki, I need to check my global settings as all of my patches sem to be too hot and my output 2 clip light seem sto come on a lot. :eek:ops
 
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I get a red clip light on OUT 1 whenever I'm using playing through AFX with my DAW playing at the same time. Does changing the level of the global EQ gain also take the USB audio down? I don't get any clipping on my patches, or clipping when listening to my DAW both seperately, it's just at the same time as playing.
 
kmanick said:
I guess it's Ok to bring it up to say 3:00 or so then? that doesn't do anything to overload the signal out, it's just basically a volume control (Is how I understand it?)
Click to expand...

That's right. Only thing you can be overloading with the Output levlel knob is - of course - the input of the amp you're connecting to, so you gotta watch that.
 
beyondreazon said:
I get a red clip light on OUT 1 whenever I'm using playing through AFX with my DAW playing at the same time. Does changing the level of the global EQ gain also take the USB audio down? I don't get any clipping on my patches, or clipping when listening to my DAW both seperately, it's just at the same time as playing.
Click to expand...

I had found that jamming along to Backing track would cause clipping on a patch that normally doesn't clip at all. I guess the audio coming in over USB adds to the levels. Weird
 
Thanks guys for he responses. I took a closer look at the amp block in the patch that was clipping and the level was up to 2.7 so I turn it back to 0 and it seems to have cured the problem. I'm not sure why it was set to that in the first place. Maybe I changed something without noticing.
 
many of my amp levels are -8 to -20, though some are around 0. i usually have my output volume knobs between 9 and 12 o clock.

the volume knobs do not affect internal clipping as mentioned. turned too high they can clip your mixer, speaker or amp that's after the axe in the signal chain.
 
toasterdude said:
I had found that jamming along to Backing track would cause clipping on a patch that normally doesn't clip at all. I guess the audio coming in over USB adds to the levels. Weird
Click to expand...

FAS has told me that the USB from the DAW is added to output 1. This causes the clip LED to light even if your preset does not. I never actually hear clipping though so it is just an annoyance.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
 
FWIW Scott Peterson said a few weeks back that he would post a video on setting preset levels.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
 
Paulg2uk said:
You guys are talking about the level control on the DYN page aren't ya?
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yes, as shotgunn said, this level control is the same that appears on a few of the pages in the amp block. so that's not a "dynamics level control" but still the amp level control.
 
Ok so lets say I'm happy with the preset level no clipping light. Now I want to add a filter block to the same patch and set a 6db boost for solos. This will then be saved as a different preset but I'll be switching between the 2. Now the clip light is back on again the filter block is at the end of the chain. What do I do to stop the clipping?
 
For the explanation see the 2nd link in my answer to your OP....... ;)

In short: to set your reference level you must take a clean preset, enable any boosts you have, select your loudest pickup and then set the Amp level in that preset to a level that doesn't clip when hittin' the strings hard.
That's your loudest preset. Set all other presets softer than that one, and you'll be save.

PS. +6 db extra is VERY loud. Your band members will kill you.
 
yek said:
For the explanation see the 2nd link in my answer to your OP....... ;)

In short: to set your reference level you must take a clean preset, enable any boosts you have, select your loudest pickup and then set the Amp level in that preset to a level that doesn't clip when hittin' the strings hard.
That's your loudest preset. Set all other presets softer than that one, and you'll be save.

PS. +6 db extra is VERY loud. Your band members will kill you.
Click to expand...

I might be missing something here or maybe I'm just being stupid but if there is a level control, whats the point of the master volume control on the amp block as well?
 
I mean no disrespect but you really need to invest time into reading the manual / wiki.
Master Volume (on real amps too) does not just control volume level but it also affects gain, compression and tone.
It interacts with the Amp Drive (among others). When Drive and Master are set to your liking, use Level to set the desired level (to match other preset levels and prevent clipping).
 
yek said:
I mean no disrespect but you really need to invest time into reading the manual / wiki.
Master Volume (on real amps too) does not just control volume level but it also affects gain, compression and tone.
It interacts with the Amp Drive (among others). When Drive and Master are set to your liking, use Level to set the desired level (to match other preset levels and prevent clipping).
Click to expand...

I've read the manual a fair bit. It does all make sense I think I'm just having trouble with setting my levels. With my Mesa Mark V I just set the master volume and each channels own vol to where its audible enough to be heard. On real amps we don't have a clip light. The signal isn't actually clipping on the axe the light is just coming on but I'd feel a lot happier without it coming on.

So in short the master vol on the amp block controls the channel? and the level controls the overall volume?
 
think of a regular tube amp with gain and master.

you set the gain for the distortion you want, then the master for the overall volume of the amp. however, the position of the master volume also adjusts how much power amp distortion is present (as opposed to preamp distortion).

now imagine you are in a recording studio and you setup your amp just the way you like it, with the gain and master knobs where they should be. the engineer puts a mic on your speaker cab and you go to the control room. he moves the channel fader on his mixer up and down to control how loud your amp is in the mix of the song.

that channel fader is what the "level" knob does in the amp block.

and after that there are the output level knobs on the front of your axe fx controlling the overall volume of everything.
 
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