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Amp with digital volume control?

Noshtero

Noshtero

Dec 2, 2007
538
248
Chicago, IL
#1
I run direct to the house so my amp/cab on stage is just my monitor. We run a very loud stage (save the comments on stage volume.....). I’m always needing to fiddle with my amp levels for a given bar, and often don’t have it right on the first shot and need to adjust after the first song.

So I had a crazy idea...is there an amp that has digital volume controls? So I could write down that this bar is volume 54, and that bar is volume 62? I have a digital volume level on my multi effect pedal but that doesn’t help when the amp itself has dials that I can’t keep in a static position. I considered taping the amp knobs....
 
#5
I mean on stage volume, out of my amp that’s a monitor. House controls the PA. I turn my amp on, fiddle with the volume, and decide “that’s probably about right.” And then sometimes we start playing and it’s too loud or too quiet. It’s hard to estimate sometimes. It would be slick to just plug in the volume number I’ve worked out after playing a bar a few times. Wouldn’t even need to test it.

Maybe I should just put a mark on the amp with a sharpie, turn the knob to that spot, and then use the pedal digital volume.
 
#6
What about a simple volume pedal in the effects loop, or a buffered volume pedal at the input, or a little adjustment on your bass itself? Of course, all of these will affect the level of the bass in the PA unless you take your send to the PA pre volume pedal (easiest using it in the effects look and using the on-board DI in pre eq mode (which is usually pre-fx loop).

I don't see how being digital makes any difference or has any benefit.

[correct for auto-correction error]
 
Last edited:
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#8
I think you are chasing a pipe dream. I play the same venue week in and week out and help with sound there. Fader settings at the board change depending on how many people show up, how hot and humid it is. If we have fans running, and how much frustration the drummer had this week. And I play in the morning. You need to worry about how loud of a day you and everyone else had. Not trying to poo poo your question, just trying to save you money and frustration.
 
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#13
Not that I’m diminishing the importance of your question or anything, but everything your describing is the reason sound-checks exist. When you do a sound check, don’t limit your band to ”one part of one song”. Hit the intro of this, the chorus of that, and the solo section of another song entirely. It’s not just a good practice for your volume and tone; but it’s also good for your sound guy to get a larger snapshot of your overall levels.
 
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#15
agedhorse said:
What about a simple volume pedal in the effects loop, or a buttered volume pedal at the input, or a little adjustment on your bass itself? Of course, all of these will affect the level of the bass in the PA unless you take your send to the PA pre volume pedal (easiest using it in the effects look and using the on-board DI in pre eq mode (which is usually pre-fx loop).

I don't see how being digital makes any difference or has any benefit.
Click to expand...

Gotta get me one of those buttered volume pedals myself :)
 
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#18
I second the suggestion of a pipe dream.
My band uses IEM and the drums are electric. There are compressors and limiters in place. There is one amp that gets miced and that's a pretty consistent setup. The rest is digital. Yet I find myself adjusting my monitor mix every single gig. To make use of a digital control, the placement of all the amps on stage would have to be matched exactly and all amps used would need that control. Then there still is room acoustics that factor in. When the room is packed, it sounds differently to when it's only half full.
 
#20
I imagine any type of amp with an LCD screen could show the numerical value of a knob-- the B|Amp comes to mind. I don't own this amp, so I can't say definitively if it has this feature. However, something like this would be useful; the LCD screen on the amp would show a numerical value for each knob position (1-100) so theoretically, you could remember "Bar X sounded decent around 28" or what have you.
 

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