Question on the output level sounding better at 12 o'clock

[chris]

that's what i figured and its the reason why i set the amp block at -15 to prevent any clipping leaving me enough headroom for louder patches.

just a quick note, the actual number/value of the Level in the Amp block has no significance. you can set all your amp blocks to -15 dB and they will all be different levels due to Drive, Master, and many other settings. so don't rely on that number for a specific volume result.

(perhaps you know that, but the way it was stated might lead someone to think opposite of what i clarified)

 

[guitarmike]

I occasionally run the axe into the return of my roland jc which has only a level switch, therefor the volume level on the axefx does become a master volume knob. While the principle of gain staging stays the same, how you implement it depends entirely on the parts you are using.

 

[dbun]

I always set mine at around 75%, but this is just a carry on from the days I used to use Line 6 gear where they recommend this to get the best SNR.

If FOH complain the signal is too hot then I'll dial it back. Once everything is levelled off I've never noticed a difference in tone.

 

[ralphonz]

As for lqdsnddist last post, that is soon true, every time I make a patch that I'm 100% happy in the studio, the same patch live always lacks bottom and sounds overly bright. I wish there was a formula to figure out eq compensation (i.e. hi cut at 8khz in studio equals hi cut at 3khz live or so!)

Your proposed EQ would change with every listening environment, so maybe you need apply some acoustic treatment to your studio so that what you are hearing is more truthful? How do your mixes translate to other speakers from your studio? Do they suffer from the same problems as your axe patches? You can use a program like Room EQ wizard to measure the response of your room and then apply some eq settings depending on the results of the test but it might be rather disappointing.

Most small rooms will have modes or standing waves in the low frequency region either boosting and/or cancelling certain low frequencies which can be a major problem with most small rooms - the tendency is to either add to much or too little bass when working in tight, untreated spaces.