GB Streamliner 600 Volume

jdwhitak · #1 01-27-2013, 07:04 PM

I just bought a GB Streamliner 600 & an Uber Quad cab to go with it. I just finished trying the amp out and it doesn't seem that loud. This is the biggest amp in wattage and physical size that I've ever owned. I've had small practice combos sound louder than this!

I plan on calling Genz this upcoming week, but I wanted to see if anyone here had any advice for me.

On this particular amp does the preamp gain and volume have more to do with amp volume than the master volume? By the way, I'm using a G&L SB-1 (P-Bass) with flatwounds and George L's instrument cable.

Thanks in advance for any and all help.

lookiel · #2 01-27-2013, 07:27 PM

How are you setting the gain, volume and master?
The master pot on the Streamliner is different from most amps out there: it's audio taper, don't be afraid to crank it! Play around with the gain and volume until you get a sufficiently hot signal to the output stage, don't pay too much attention to the clip light, the Genz limiter is quite effective and musical.
Comparing different amps based on knob settings is quite useless.
On the other hand IME Genz amps aren't the loudest either based on wattage and I don't know how efficient the Uber quad is...

agedhorse · #3 01-27-2013, 07:31 PM

Your amp's gain, volume and master are all responsible for loudness. Also, the voicing of the Streamliner is a little more low end heavy than our other amps so it may not appear as loud because that low end takes more power to reproduce.

Texan · #4 01-27-2013, 07:33 PM

Pop the top and reseat the preamp tubes. Sometimes the can get unseated in shipping. This happened to me and the reseat cured it.

krutonlowend · #5 01-27-2013, 07:34 PM

I somewhat recall a few threads talking about the volume on the streamliner. I'll see if I can dig them up.

TC.65 · #6 01-27-2013, 07:47 PM

Do you have the gain button pushed in? That's where you'll get your volume with a passive bass. Mine works fine with the button out in church but in a loud rock band I engage the gain button.

willsellout · #7 01-27-2013, 07:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TC.65

Do you have the gain button pushed in? That's where you'll get your volume with a passive bass. Mine works fine with the button out in church but in a loud rock band I engage the gain button.

Yeah without the gain button the STL's are pretty weak, IMO.

TC.65 · #8 01-27-2013, 08:03 PM

Like agedhorse said these amps are pretty heavy on the low end so it also helps to cut the bass back to about 9 or 10 o'clock. I do that and I've got a 5751 in the V1 position. It's still got plenty of beef to the tone.

willsellout · #9 01-27-2013, 08:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TC.65

Like agedhorse said these amps are pretty heavy on the low end so it also helps to cut the bass back to about 9 or 10 o'clock. I do that and I've got a 5751 in the V1 position. It's still got plenty of beef to the tone.

I would cut mine back to about 8 o'clock but without that gain button the amp was near useless in my band. It was just a fluffy mess.

TC.65 · #10 01-27-2013, 08:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by willsellout

I would cut mine back to about 8 o'clock but without that gain button the amp was near useless in my band. It was just a fluffy mess.

Did you have the stock tubes in yours? The 5751 in V1 really tightens up the bass some and seems to help push the mids a little.

willsellout · #11 01-27-2013, 08:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TC.65

Did you have the stock tubes in yours? The 5751 in V1 really tightens up the bass some and seems to help push the mids a little.

Yeah, stock tubes. I didn't care for the amp enough to work with different tubes. It just wasn't my cup O' tea.

Not yet · #12 01-27-2013, 08:27 PM

Try turning the pre-Volume up to 5o clock and gain to 10 o clock

Should be plenty loud w/o the gain button in which for me gets too gritty.. Like the earlier comments, this isn't your normal tone stack

johnny b · #13 01-27-2013, 08:28 PM

Change bass,maybe 1 with preamp and strong pickups

willsellout · #14 01-27-2013, 08:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Not yet

Try turning the pre-Volume up to 5o clock and gain to 10 o clock

Should be plenty loud w/o the gain button in which for me gets too gritty.. Like the earlier comments, this isn't your normal tone stack

The problem I had with this head was that without the gain button "in", it was too fluffy and didn't cut through at all in my band. It would work in a lot of bands, but didn't work in mine at all.

TC.65 · #15 01-27-2013, 08:41 PM

There really are a lot of different tones in this head you just have to work with it and learn it. It's more versatile than it gets credit for.

willsellout · #16 01-27-2013, 09:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TC.65

There really are a lot of different tones in this head you just have to work with it and learn it. It's more versatile than it gets credit for.

I know what the head can and can't do. I read the tone primer thread, as well as the tube rolling thread, and familiarized myself with how the tone stack worked and played with it in a live context for about a month and a half. Overall, I found the tone stack a bit too interactive for my tastes, and the tone and ability to cut through was definitely lacking; especially without the gain pushed in. It just didn't work in my situation. I'm now playing a Mesa Mpulse and a GK 800RB, both of which perform better in a live setting for me.

TC.65 · #17 01-27-2013, 09:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by willsellout

I know what the head can and can't do. I read the tone primer thread, as well as the tube rolling thread, and familiarized myself with how the tone stack worked and played with it in a live context for about a month and a half. Overall, I found the tone stack a bit too interactive for my tastes, and the tone and ability to cut through was definitely lacking; especially without the gain pushed in. It just didn't work in my situation. I'm now playing a Mesa Mpulse and a GK 800RB, both of which perform better in a live setting for me.

I wasn't trying to sway you or say that you were wrong I was just pointing out what i have found with this head. The tube swap really does make a difference. I just listened to an mpulse 600 for the first time the other day and really liked it. We are all different and thats why we need different flavored amps.

jdwhitak · #18 01-27-2013, 09:21 PM

The setting I've used so far are as follows:

Gain = 11 o'clock
Pre Volume = 2 o'clock
Bass = 11 o'clock
Mid = 10 o'clock
Treble = 1-2 o'clock
Master Volume = varied from 9 o'clock to max.

The head is completely stock. If a tube was loose I'm sure I would be experiencing other problems related to a tube being out. I haven't tried the amp with my active bass yet and I won't be able to until tomorrow.

I like the tone of the amp, but I was expecting it to be able to push more air which is probably just fine. I live in an apartment and as much as this head & cab cost I don't think I'll be taking it out anywhere

Not yet · #19 01-27-2013, 09:39 PM

Try diming the pre volume... It made a huge difference for me

craig.p · #20 01-27-2013, 09:44 PM

JD, I'm wondering if that UG UQ cab is really for you. I've always associated that cab with the 6-string players (or at least the bright roundwound players) who demand a very hi-fi tone, i.e. lots of mid+treble content. Maybe a more-traditional cab, one without even a mid or tweeter? With a Pbass clone and flatwounds you probably need a straightforward 212 or 410 or something along those lines.