Hey all, question about running an external pre into the return of the effects loop to bypass the internal pre of the combo. My question is, in said arrangement shouldn't I be able to control overall volume via the master knob? As is right now the master does not change the level, but I can really crank it with the volume from the external pre, with combo acting as a power amp with the volume dimed. Thoughts?
My examination of the schematic for the Rumble v3 40, 100, 200, 500, shows FX RETURN to be post-everything, including MASTER. In the electrical neighborhood of LINE OUT, AUX IN, and PHONES.
It is very common for preamps to do all of the tone shaping -- provide an amp's "character" -- and to dump the signal to a pure power amp which does nothing to the tone at all. Think of how the AUX IN works: you control the ultimate volume with whatever devise you have connected to AUX IN; MASTER does nothing. Indeed, the "magic black box" which are the ICEpower modules is designed to do just that: dump whatever you like into the input and it will output the exact same signal, only louder.
All this assumes you have nothing at all connected to the instrument INPUT jack.
In any event, the ICEpower section is always "dimed."
So, yes, your experience is exactly how the Rumble is wired to operated.
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This is sort of related to Toddbass65's and many others questions about how LINE OUT works and why does it do that and why didn't they implement it the way some people think they want it implemented. As Linnin has said many MANY times over: "LINE OUT works exactly like putting a really good microphone right in front of your speaker." If you put a microphone in front of your speaker and run it to FOH mixer, what happens when you jack up your MASTER? I'll tell you what: the sound guy has to jiggle some knobs on the sound board -- same as when you go direct using the LINE OUT. Not similar to, not pretty close, but exactly the same. You jack the MASTER, the sound guy has to compensate at the board, whether mic'ed or LINE OUTed.
The way LINE OUT works on the Rumble is the best solution -- especially for the cost! -- for 99% of everyone's LINE OUT needs. Really, the only reason to do otherwise (like the Bassman allows you to do by including extra hardware) is if the sound board is ancient and can't deal with your signal if you are playing very quietly or very loud. But seriously, any modern sound board is going to be able to handle whatever your LINE OUT can throw at it without any difficulty whatsoever. Anyway, this is what sound checks are for. And, even though the Bassman allows it, I can't think of a situation where I would want to send the board a completely dry signal -- not unless the sound guy was seriously THE guy in charge of how my band sounded -- my own George Martin or Phil Specter.
Think of it this way: It's time for your big bass solo. You jack up the volume on your amp for a little extra push but FOH sees none of that; you sound just your same in-the-mix normal self.
Is that really what you want?
. If I was gonna do the dry thing why even have an amp, I'd just send a signal to my monitor and put my bass and vocals into my monitor instead of just vocals. Just wish that the master volume was outside the loop in the electronics of the line out on the amp....like others have mentioned. Sure would be great! Thanks as always boys!
