Taming the High End via the Cab Block With One Slight Tweak - Any IR

Scott Peterson

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Do you run directly into your DAW, direct-to-FOH, or FRFR?

This is a trick that I've done for many years, and though it isn't my idea... here it is again. This is not an "FM3" only trick; this works on any device or IRL (in real life with analog gear in the recording/mixing realm).

Many people do this automatically; I'm just offering another reminder to clean the 'hash' out of the top end of your tones.

When dialing up your cab block, be sure to take advantage of the "High Cut" (aka "Low Pass") setting there can do. In years past, or with other devices (or on your EQ on the board if you were recording/mixing), you'd have to use EQ (preferably a parametric EQ) to do this.

Typically I start with a setting of 6kHz; I then tune to taste but honestly - no matter what IR's you use... this value is pretty much all you need. Set it... and forget it.

HighCutCab2020.png

People that are not familiar with this and have not yet tried it might think that it would remove the 'sparkle' or 'shimmer' or 'gliss' from their tones... it won't. What it will do is control the 'hash' from the top end. It will tighten and focus your tones, making them more musical and fit in the mix better.

Try it.

Have fun!
 
Out of curiosity, do you adjust the preamp high cut back up to 20k if you cut in the cab mixer?
 
I used to this all the time when I used an HX Stomp. Often I'd have to go to the 4k range to make it usable. So far on the FM3 I haven't had to. I'm going through a pair of Line 6 L2ts and it sounds great as is. It's one of the things that blew me away when I got the FM3. The amps and cabs sounded great from the start without tons of eq, compression, etc... like I had to do with the HXS.

I'm sure I could have to do this when I play through a different system.
 
1) What is preamp high cut?

2) What is a cab mixer?

There's two high/low cuts in the cab block...one is on the first page (that Scott is showing) and the other is in the preamp settings. By default the high/low cuts in the cab mixer page are 20/20,000 which means they aren't really doing anything, and the default in the preamp page is 20/10,000 which means the highs are being cut around 10k. Adding a 6k cab cut on top of the 10k default cut is interesting, plus the steeper settings Scott listed. REALLY makes sure there's no high end coming through.
 
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There's two high/low cuts in the cab block...one is on the first page (that Scott is showing) and the other is in the preamp settings. By default the high/low cuts in the cab mixer page are 20/20,000 which means they aren't really doing anything, and the default in the preamp page is 20/10,000 which means the highs are being cut around 10k. Adding a 6k cab cut on top of the 10k default cut is interesting, plus the steeper settings Scott listed. REALLY makes sure there's no high end coming through.
Okay, I thought maybe you were asking about high cuts at the sound desk.
 
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Do you really don’t understand? I guess the terminology is not accurate, but I really don’t get this kind of attitude in the answers. Much less from a mod
He’s not a moderator and I see no attitude, just 2 questions.

Is there a difference if a moderator asked that?
 
I don't think there's a rule. Sometimes I'll drop it as low as 6K. Sometimes it's wide open. Depends on the cab.

Another way to tame the high end is the studio trick of placing the mics at different distances. Use the Align page to do this. As you separate the IRs in time it will put a notch in the high frequencies.
 
Out of curiosity, do you adjust the preamp high cut back up to 20k if you cut in the cab mixer?
In my experience, earlier today actually, I discovered there can be some issues with the slope if your preamp is set higher than your cab rolloff.

For example with the default Preamp High Cut of 10K if you have the individual Cab IR High Cut below that then if you toggle back and forth between 6 dB/Oct and steeper slopes like 24 dB/Oct then the end result will be 24 dB/Oct sounding brighter than 6 dB/Oct, and or you will have a weird notch/peak.
 
In my experience, earlier today actually, I discovered there can be some issues with the slope if your preamp is set higher than your cab rolloff.

For example with the default Preamp High Cut of 10K if you have the individual Cab IR High Cut below that then if you toggle back and forth between 6 dB/Oct and steeper slopes like 24 dB/Oct then the end result will be 24 dB/Oct sounding brighter than 6 dB/Oct, and or you will have a weird notch/peak.
That's not an issue, it's expected behaviour. The slope doesn't only affect frequencies higher than 10k, it also affects frequencies below the cut-off point. A 24dB/oct slope means the response below 10K is flatter compared to the gentle roll-off you get with 6dB/oct.

PS: this pic should make it clearer
Frequency_Response_Filter_Order_A2-780.gif
 
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He’s not a moderator and I see no attitude, just 2 questions.

Is there a difference if a moderator asked that?

Ok. I stand corrected... not sure why I thought Rex was a mod.

Maybe I’ve misread Rex’s response as being sarcastic and condescending. He has a lot of knowledge and is very helpful on the forum, so I prefer the good advices than the snarky attitude.

Please forget about this and keep the good info coming.
 
That's not an issue, it's expected behaviour. The slope doesn't only affect frequencies higher than 10k, it also affects frequencies below the cut-off point. A 24dB/oct slope means the response below 10K is flatter compared to the gentle roll-off you get with 6dB/oct.

PS: this pic should make it clearer
View attachment 76556

EDIT: And thanks for saving my sanity; turns out I am not crazy, or at least about this particular thing :)

Hey thanks for the info :) I didn't think it was an issue but something I had to learn, and that confused me . I played around with a PEQ for a bit and it indeed shows a bump around 2-3 dB from 5K-6K with my parameters; it is from the knee getting harder so the notch and high end I hear is the delta between the top blue line knee and the harder knee. Combine that with the preamp also blocking even more from 10K up and there isn't much difference left to hear except the difference in knee; particularly with old farts whose hearing doesn't go much past 14/15K lol.

Here are some screenshots to show what I mean:

7777.7Hz@ 3dB/Oct: Sounds Dark - less 4K-7K

7K 6dB:Oct.jpeg

7777.7Hz@ 24dB/Oct: Sounds Bright - more 4K-7K

7K 24dB:Oct.jpeg
 
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