Trypios
Member
Hello!
I own a Mesa Boogie Rectifier Recording Preamp, which in my opinion I paid more than I should. I say this because the distortion channel is not what I expected, and the clean channel breaks very easily. I don't know though if it really is breakup because it sounds like digital peak distortion, clipping or so. Using my Marshall JCM2000 TSL100 I don't have any distortion using the clean channel but with the mesa, I get a crunchy sound when using gain and volume knobs on more than 20%. I don't know if this is due to the tubes, effect chain, FX loop or what, maybe you can help me.
Let me share my setup, so you can have a better understanding:
[*]IBANEZ RG2020X prestige model (bought new but rewired for better grounding)
[*]TC ELECTRONIC G-SYSTEM (bought new)
http://www.tcelectronic.com/G-System.asp
[*]MESA BOOGIE rectifier recording preamp (bought new)
http://www.mesaboogie.com/Product_Info/Rectifier_Series/RectoPreAmps/RectoPreAmp.html
[*]MARSHALL EL84 20/20 stereo poweramp (bought new)
http://www.marshallamps.com/product.asp?productCode=EL84-20-20
The effect chain is as follows:
Ibanez RG prestige --> G-System IN --> G-System SEND --> Mesa INPUT --> Mesa SEND --> G-System RETURN --> G-System OUTS [Left&Right] --> Mesa RETURNS [Left&Right] --> Mesa LIVE OUTS [Left&Right] --> Marshall PA INPUTS [Left&Right] --> Marshall PA OUTS [Left&Right] --> 2x Palmer PGA04 speaker simulators
I first thought that the speaker simulators are the ones causing the problem so I used a cabinet:
Ibanez RG prestige --> G-System IN --> G-System SEND --> Mesa INPUT --> Mesa SEND --> G-System RETURN --> G-System OUTS [Left&Right] --> Mesa RETURNS [Left&Right] --> Mesa LIVE OUTS [Left&Right] --> Marshall PA INPUTS [Left&Right] --> Marshall PA OUTS [Left&Right] --> Cabinet 2x12 (Hughes&Kettner Rockdrivers)
same problem
Note that I use the same setup with the TSL100 and everything is great. Also note that the Mesa preamp does not have a serial FX loop. It only goes up to 90%. I don't know if this is causing any problems.
Maybe it's an issue with the poweramp because I use its volume at 70-100% but I think that this gear should not be causing any breakups or distortions. Even so, I tried the following setup, without the poweramp, to be sure:
Ibanez RG prestige --> G-System IN --> G-System SEND --> Mesa INPUT --> Mesa SEND --> G-System RETURN --> G-System OUTS [Left&Right] --> Mesa RETURNS [Left&Right] --> Mesa RECORDING OUTS [Left&Right] --> PA System
same problem
I don't think it's an issue with the preamp tubes cause it's brand new and anyways I tried to swap the tubes with the ones from my TSL100
Maybe it's the G-system, because running only the preamp
Guitar-->Mesa rec outs-->PA system
it's ok, but the G-system is high-tech, also it works fine with head amps
Notes on settings:
* On the Mesa Preamp I experiment with the clean channel keeping the Bass, Mid, Treble and Presence knobs at 50%. So I tweek the gain and master controls of the clean channel and also the Live Output knob. Bright and -3db buttons are off, but I tried the -3db and didn't hear any difference
* On the G-System I use mostly Compressor, Reverb and Delay though concerning my problem I used nothing and I also tried changing the loop headroom.
* On the Palmer I use Volume 80%, Full Range 0-20%, Bass & Treble 50%, HiCut on and Brown/Lite.
* On the Marshall 20/20 I use 70-100% volume.
* On the Guitar I use the bridge pickup ( seymour duncan JB SH-4) and my picking is not hard.
* As for the cables I use monster cables 20cm for patching and 6 meters Guitar --> G-System.
What do you guys think?
I own a Mesa Boogie Rectifier Recording Preamp, which in my opinion I paid more than I should. I say this because the distortion channel is not what I expected, and the clean channel breaks very easily. I don't know though if it really is breakup because it sounds like digital peak distortion, clipping or so. Using my Marshall JCM2000 TSL100 I don't have any distortion using the clean channel but with the mesa, I get a crunchy sound when using gain and volume knobs on more than 20%. I don't know if this is due to the tubes, effect chain, FX loop or what, maybe you can help me.
Let me share my setup, so you can have a better understanding:
[*]IBANEZ RG2020X prestige model (bought new but rewired for better grounding)
[*]TC ELECTRONIC G-SYSTEM (bought new)
http://www.tcelectronic.com/G-System.asp
[*]MESA BOOGIE rectifier recording preamp (bought new)
http://www.mesaboogie.com/Product_Info/Rectifier_Series/RectoPreAmps/RectoPreAmp.html
[*]MARSHALL EL84 20/20 stereo poweramp (bought new)
http://www.marshallamps.com/product.asp?productCode=EL84-20-20
The effect chain is as follows:
Ibanez RG prestige --> G-System IN --> G-System SEND --> Mesa INPUT --> Mesa SEND --> G-System RETURN --> G-System OUTS [Left&Right] --> Mesa RETURNS [Left&Right] --> Mesa LIVE OUTS [Left&Right] --> Marshall PA INPUTS [Left&Right] --> Marshall PA OUTS [Left&Right] --> 2x Palmer PGA04 speaker simulators
I first thought that the speaker simulators are the ones causing the problem so I used a cabinet:
Ibanez RG prestige --> G-System IN --> G-System SEND --> Mesa INPUT --> Mesa SEND --> G-System RETURN --> G-System OUTS [Left&Right] --> Mesa RETURNS [Left&Right] --> Mesa LIVE OUTS [Left&Right] --> Marshall PA INPUTS [Left&Right] --> Marshall PA OUTS [Left&Right] --> Cabinet 2x12 (Hughes&Kettner Rockdrivers)
same problem
Note that I use the same setup with the TSL100 and everything is great. Also note that the Mesa preamp does not have a serial FX loop. It only goes up to 90%. I don't know if this is causing any problems.
Maybe it's an issue with the poweramp because I use its volume at 70-100% but I think that this gear should not be causing any breakups or distortions. Even so, I tried the following setup, without the poweramp, to be sure:
Ibanez RG prestige --> G-System IN --> G-System SEND --> Mesa INPUT --> Mesa SEND --> G-System RETURN --> G-System OUTS [Left&Right] --> Mesa RETURNS [Left&Right] --> Mesa RECORDING OUTS [Left&Right] --> PA System
same problem
I don't think it's an issue with the preamp tubes cause it's brand new and anyways I tried to swap the tubes with the ones from my TSL100
Maybe it's the G-system, because running only the preamp
Guitar-->Mesa rec outs-->PA system
it's ok, but the G-system is high-tech, also it works fine with head amps
Notes on settings:
* On the Mesa Preamp I experiment with the clean channel keeping the Bass, Mid, Treble and Presence knobs at 50%. So I tweek the gain and master controls of the clean channel and also the Live Output knob. Bright and -3db buttons are off, but I tried the -3db and didn't hear any difference
* On the G-System I use mostly Compressor, Reverb and Delay though concerning my problem I used nothing and I also tried changing the loop headroom.
* On the Palmer I use Volume 80%, Full Range 0-20%, Bass & Treble 50%, HiCut on and Brown/Lite.
* On the Marshall 20/20 I use 70-100% volume.
* On the Guitar I use the bridge pickup ( seymour duncan JB SH-4) and my picking is not hard.
* As for the cables I use monster cables 20cm for patching and 6 meters Guitar --> G-System.
What do you guys think?