Setting levels....ugg again!

[MisterE]

Where can your amp list with this information be found?

Here:
MisterE's amp collection for FW 11.03

 

[Tremonti]

This process would be a lot better if we could set the A,B,C,D knobs for global whatever and just start flying through the 60 presets...as is it is a real pain in the ass.

Especially when you go through and set them all and then wanna try out a new amp that clips....then you have to start the damn process all over again. I really wish this could be addressed.

 

[yek]

Especially when you go through and set them all and then wanna try out a new amp that clips....then you have to start the damn process all over again. I really wish this could be addressed.

You didn't read the suggestions, didn't you?
It's just a matter of keeping enough headroom in your presets, from the start. You only have to do that once. Then there'll be no need anymore to start the damn process all over again.

 

[hoth]

I keep a pedal for overall output volume and a pedal for amp input volume so I can control my levels on the fly exactly as needed. I just leave enough headroom when creating presets. I find these two pedals life savers.

 

[Bakerman]

Especially when you go through and set them all and then wanna try out a new amp that clips....then you have to start the damn process all over again. I really wish this could be addressed.

Lowering the global EQ gain slider (as mentioned in first reply of thread) is the solution we currently have to the exact issue you described. Once you have a group of presets leveled, you don't have to lower their levels one by one when a new preset clips. Just lower global EQ gain enough to get the new preset at the desired level without clipping.

 

[Tremonti]

You didn't read the suggestions, didn't you? It's just a matter of keeping enough headroom in your presets, from the start. You only have to do that once. Then there'll be no need anymore to start the damn process all over again.

Yes I did. I've been a user for 5 plus years now. I know the unit. Some of my patches are negative 25 on the level and STILL need lowering.

 

[Bakerman]

Yes I did. I've been a user for 5 plus years now. I know the unit. Some of my patches are negative 25 on the level and STILL need lowering.

Did you read the first reply in the thread?

 

[yek]

Yes I did. I've been a user for 5 plus years now. I know the unit. Some of my patches are negative 25 on the level and STILL need lowering.

-25 and still clipping? You want to post an example?

 

[brokenvail]

Yes I did. I've been a user for 5 plus years now. I know the unit. Some of my patches are negative 25 on the level and STILL need lowering.

I hate the use your ears advice but it really does apply here. I have been at lower than -25 b4. I had to tell my self to not let the numerical value I was seeing bother me a d just do it till it feels/sounds right

 

[Rex]

...is it is a real pain in the ass...Especially when you go through and set them all and then wanna try out a new amp that clips....then you have to start the damn process all over again.

When you're trying out a new amp that clips, just turn down the one that clips. There's no process beyond that.

If you get a lot of clipping when you try new amps, there's something else in your chain that has way more level than it needs.

 

[yek]

If you get a lot of clipping when you try new amps, there's something else in your chain that has way more level than it needs.

Exactly. Something else is boosting the signal in there. But I have a feeling that the OP has his mind set. ;-)

 

[Tremonti]

Exactly. Something else is boosting the signal in there. But I have a feeling that the OP has his mind set. ;-)

Huh? Really? Awight...just because I am not agreeing with the solutions doesn't mean I have my mind set.

 

[barhrecords]

I think there might be some more to the OP workflow?

If you have a set of level matched presets, then add one new preset, typically only the new preset would need to be edited to avoid clipping the whole set.

Are you using global blocks? and changing the amp type in a global block that then borks your whole preset set?

 

[yek]

C'mon... You chose to vent your unhappiness in a thread.
A number of helpful people reacted, providing suggestions, to which you've not responded at all.
Instead, you just repeated your rant.
I don't think my "feeling" is that far off.

 

[reclavea]

If you have your presets and good ways away from clipping ......then new amps or presets that are clipping SHOULD be a lot louder than your presets.


Once you notch down the preset to just where it stops clipping, it should still be relatively louder if not a lot louder than your presets.


You would then need to notch it further lower to match your presets.


I never find myself lowering my patches because of a new clipping patch.


Try leveling your presets to the "bypassed" preset level. Bypassed presets should be at nominal level.
This way you'll be keeping your presets at nominal level within the axe and if any new level issues come up you know it is not your overall preset levels, and you don't mess with that as a fix.

 

[Tremonti]

C'mon... You chose to vent your unhappiness in a thread. A number of helpful people reacted, providing suggestions, to which you've not responded at all. Instead, you just repeated your rant. I don't think my "feeling" is that far off.

I've tried these solutions given over the years YEK and they haven't provided a solution for my situation. Sorry you feel the need to reprimand me, but it literally is the only issue I have with the unit. I hate the feeling of spending hours leveling things only to have to do it again and again. Having negative 25 on a level seems very "unlike the real world amp". Tell me where negative 25 is on a Marshall? Thanks for all the responses and replies.

 

[stm113]

This process would be a lot better if we could set the A,B,C,D knobs for global whatever and just start flying through the 60 presets...as is it is a real pain in the ass.

Especially when you go through and set them all and then wanna try out a new amp that clips....then you have to start the damn process all over again. I really wish this could be addressed.

I think the ability to set the ABCD knobs to control what ever we choose would be amazing! For me D would be the amp Level for ease of setting levels on the fly. A would be input trim as my guitars have different output levels and I could boost or cut as I switch. Of course this would mean thag you'd have to be able to set it for preset specific and or global functions.

 

[Sixstring]

Yes, there's a much easier way.

Go to your cleanest preset. That's the one that's going to give you the most clipping problems. If you use a level boost, turn that on too.

Dial in that preset to just below clipping. Then drop it another 6 to 10 dB to give yourself some headroom.

Now level the rest of your patches against the one you just set. No more flickering red lights.

This is the best way of doing it that I have found and as long as a firmware update doesn't change things level wise you shouldn't have to mess with it. The only wild card is which clean amp sim to use as the base line for this process.

 

[brokenvail]

Having negative 25 on a level seems very "unlike the real world amp". Tell me where negative 25 is on a Marshall? Thanks for all the responses and replies.

This is the problem right here and I mentioned it in my original response. You can not let the visual numbers get in your head. The connection you're trying to make is bad to say the least. So much of the ii is nothing like real life ie all the advanced parameters we can mess with in 2 sec. Marshall's start at 0 and go to 11 on the plus side the axe goes way over 11. Do you only use it between 0 and 11? Further more if you are using a Marshall like a plexi the master as you know is in 10. You can not make the correlation between a real life master and the ii amp block level control

 

[Rex]

I've tried these solutions given over the years YEK and they haven't provided a solution for my situation. Sorry you feel the need to reprimand me, but it literally is the only issue I have with the unit...I hate the feeling of spending hours leveling things only to have to do it again and again.

I get your frustration. I also get yek's frustration. Here's the problem he and I are both facing:

You're re-leveling all your patches when you try a new amp that runs hot...but that's backwards. If the new amp clips, then fix the new amp, not the rest of your presets. You don't want to level all your carefully-dialed-in presets to acommodate the one patch that's misbehaving. You want to level the clipping patch to your existing patches.

That's why you set your levels well below clipping—not just a little below clipping. If you set your levels at least 10 dB below clipping, you'll never have to level them again.

That's why you start with your cleanest preset, and use it as your reference level—at a given volume, your clean presets will clip before your gainy presets.

Our frustration comes from knowing that you haven't tried these things, because if you had, your problem would disappear.

Having negative 25 on a level seems very "unlike the real world amp". Tell me where negative 25 is on a Marshall? Thanks for all the responses and replies.

You're comparing apples to oranges. A Marshall doesn't even have a Level parameter.


Seriously, my brother, give it a go. It will work.