Mark V Combo - Problems with 4 Cable Method with Line 6 M13

I connected my Line 6 M13 into my Mark V Combo using the 4 cable method (guitar in to M13 in, M13 Effects Loop out to MKV front end input, MKV Send to M13 Effects Loop In, then M13 Output to MKV Effects Return), but am having issues, especially on the 3rd channel.

When I switch channels to the 3rd channel when set to the extreme mode, instead of providing the nice saturated tone I am used to from that channel, I instead get a flubby, noisy, low gain sound. It was so bad I figured I blew a fuse. Before I took the amp apart, I unplugged the M13 and plugged straight into the front end of the amp and it sounded GREAT as it is supposed to.

I want to be able to use the M13 for both the distortion/compression effects before the amp's preamp and the delay effects after the preamp. I understand this is the only way to accomplish this.

Does anyone have any suggestions on how to work on this issue?

Thank you! Thank you! Thank you... in advance!

The Mesa has a Parallel effects loop, and is likely hitting the M13's loop signal too hard (which is why it sounds fine in front of the amp, but like crap in the loop). Turn your M13's mix parameters up near 100% on whatever effects are in the loop, and the amps effect loop send waaay down. You should be able to balance a happy medium.

For future reference, if you blow a fuse, you won't get any sound at all.

My Mark V head manual says the effects are in series....is it different for a combo? Looks like your connections via 4 cable method looks right...Channels 1 and Channel 2 works with the 4 cable method, then it could be the amp?

finsterbaby said:

I connected my Line 6 M13 into my Mark V Combo using the 4 cable method (guitar in to M13 in, M13 Effects Loop out to MKV front end input, MKV Send to M13 Effects Loop In, then M13 Output to MKV Effects Return), but am having issues, especially on the 3rd channel.

Click to expand...

I use the M13 with my Mesas in the 4CM in mono as well and your cabling reads right; I do not have the Mark V so all I can offer is what my history has been.

First question I have is what version of the flash are you running on the M13? Hopefully it is 2.04. The second question would be is the sound great in all the other channels until you switch to channel 3 with extreme mode; what is it like when in channel 3 but not in extremel mode?

If SonicProvocateur suggestion works then, whew! 8)

Otherwise someone more technically savy then I may be able to look at the circuitry concerning the extreme mode in channel 3 and see if there is something that is getting hit hard by the M13 (or visa versa) since I am assuming the Mark V fuse blew. :?:

Dennis

Mr MarkIII is correct. If you blow a fuse, you'll get no sound or function.

1. When you switch to channel 3, are all the settings in the M13 the same as the other channels?

2. Are the relative volumes of ch1, 2 and 3 all about the same?

3. Is there ANY weirdness with channels 1 and 2? Not quite the right volume, gain, or tone?

4. Check one half at a time. Remove the Mark V loop connections, but leave the M13 in between the guitar and amp input. Better? No? Reconnect the Mark V loop to the M13, but remove the M13 from the front of the amp and plug the guitar directly into the amp. Better? No?

5. Remove the M13 completely from the amp. Is Ch3 OK, or permanently changed (tube may have gone bad). Is the M13 OK? (Amp may have damaged the M13).

6. May be an impedance mismatch. You may need a buffer between the Mark V FX send and the M13 return. If you have specs for the M13, the FX return should be >1Meg Ohm. If it's much lower, then it's loading the Mark V's FX send. If this is the case, removing the connections to the Mark V loop should fix the tone issue.

When I wrote "I thought I blew a fuse", I meant I thought I blew a tube. HA! That's whay I get for posting when I'm half asleep!

I don't have as much time to play as I'd like as I get home from work and have a only a small window of opportunity before the kids go to be and the amp stays off.

The other night I did a factory reset of the M13. I then checked the M13 to ensure that it was not in true bypass mode as that would bypass the MarkV front end. I also disconnected my budda wah, TS9 and OCD from the between the guitar and M13.

It seemed to work better. I was actually getting nice distortion from channel 3. I hope this weekend to try this at volume and see if it is better.

I really appreciate all of the responses and will let you know how it goes!