full Volume on power Amp?

[Bob Lee (QSC)]

Power amp attenuators: output gain.

No, just power amp gain controls. There's no adjustment for input gain (except some models have switches for two or three different settings) or output gain.

 

[mward69]

From what I personally notice..maxing out the PRE causes clipping. I keep a balance on power amp and PRE. Usually put the pre stuff around 1-2 o'clock, power amp up to the point of seeing the clip light.

My question for you guys that are saying crank it up..... Are you playing out LIVE with this setting? If your patched in to a PA...no need to dime out..... use the bass rig to get a GOOD clear tone, use the monitors for your stage volume.

 

[Zooberwerx]

No, just power amp gain controls. There's no adjustment for input gain (except some models have switches for two or three different settings) or output gain.

Thanks for the clarification...I knew it was some type of gain but I usually get it fouled up. bongo gave a much better detailed description as to the real workings.

Riis

 

[OOZMAN]

My preamp has a preamp and that preamp has a gain and a level control, also if you go into the preamp preamp drive config mode thing there's also another drive and level control. The other part of the preamp has master. Of course there's the amp master and bass controls. I'm brutal.

 

[Growly Lytes]

Ah forget about it,theres so much to take into account it will make your head spin.
Bass - Volume
Preamp-Gain
Preamp-master
Poweramp-Sensitivity
Poweramp-attenuators
You really need to understand your equipments settings.If you just turn this up & that down or whatever im sure you wont get a nice sound boomy distorted or youll get easy clipping.
You need to know whats really happening.I always used a bass amp & never had any issues but changing to a Poweramp came the problems.
I had a little problem thinking my amps bias was out & buzzing,actaully i had the volumes of my bass, poweramp & preamp all over the place not matched & not thinking about gain structure or clipping or big boomy notes but that was the result.Not knowing how it works properly doesnt help.
I dont think you should have the Poweramp all the way up.Only if needed.

 

[dincz]

Ah forget about it/QUOTE]

5 months later, I had forgotten about it

 

[MichaelSmalley]

I've heard quite a few people with their power amps dimed and very low gain from the pre and it sounded just fine. I didn't notice any noise from their rigs.

I'm not saying that is the best way to do it, but it seems to be working for the guys I know who do it that way. No blown speakers. No problems.

Holy crap I just realized what a zombie thread this is.

Seacrest Out.

 

[HolmeBass]

I thought we were referring to separate preamp/ power amp setups? So your preamp should have a pre gain to set level and a master to control your volume, right? The power amp is the fuel for your fire. So when I used a pre/ power set up I set the pre gain level just below clipping, controlled the overall volume with the master and dimed out the volume on my poweramps so I get maximum headroom from my poweramp. I mean I can't be reaching behind my rack during a song, turning up my poweramps volume when I need to get slightly louder, can I?
I have done this for years and never blown any speakers. My personal method for achieving maximum head room out of my poweramp. Am I wrong?

No, that is correct. That is how the instruction manuals for Eden, Mesa, and Genz Benz amps all say to do it. You get the best tone with the pre-amp running just under clipping, and set the output volume with the power amp control. Maxing out the power amp and running a quiet pre signal just maximizes the amplification of the noise floor of your entire signal chain.