max volume

[reggie hall]

Hi guys I'm going to keep this short and sweet , just curious on if any of you have really cranked your bass amp to max or close to it?? Throughout my years playing I've never went past 4 on my amp and it's extremely loud even at 4, last week I used my hartke rig and I started at about 3 but ending up turning it up to 4 and I was able to keep up with the whole band.

 

[Dave W]

Yes

Not really useful info though as you can't compare knob positions between different amps. Then you've got how many speakers, how sensitive they are, how much headroom/wattage, etc, etc, etc.

 

[reggie hall]

Yes a lot of factors to consider I didn't want to get too deep lol I was just wondering soley on whatever rig u own

 

[reggie hall]

The rig I was using is a hartke ha4000 amp with 2.5xl and 115xl

 

[bobyoung53]

Depending on how much output the bass has my SVT is just about at it's maximum output at 11 o'clock if that on the volume control, they are very high gain amps. I have played there at times, just enough to get a little bite when I really dig into the bass (and it's loud!) but have never maxed out the volume control, I don't like replacing speakers and i would probably get thrown off the stage within 3 seconds..

 

[murphy]

I don't usually turn a bass amp beyond noon for maximum volume..but rarely that high
but listening for signs of distortion

 

[reggie hall]

I never even attempted to turn up that loud

 

[shawshank72]

When i use a Traynor SB115 i max out the volume.
But the gain is only at 10-11pm.
Sounds better that way.

 

[reggie hall]

When i use a Traynor SB115 i max out the volume.
But the gain is only at 10-11pm.
Sounds better that way.

So u turn volume all the way up and use the gain? Hmmmm never tried that

 

[shawshank72]

So u turn volume all the way up and use the gain? Hmmmm never tried that

Creates more clean power, if you like that sort of thing.

 

[reggie hall]

I'm going to try that

 

[wcriley]

Outdoor gig a couple years ago I hit the limits of a ShuttleMax 9.2 and a pair of fEARful 12/6s. No idea what any of the knob settings were on the instrument or amp.

 

[B-string]

Most amps if you like a respectably good sound anything over noon and your in the skinny string distortion range. I find if the "volume" gets near noon I don't have enough speakers or amp. Opened a couple rigs full up and both sounded horrible (V4-B and Sunn 2000s both through a 215 loaded with Altecs).

 

[ThisBass]

Depends on what really is max volume.
Volume/master knob full clockwise: no

Some audible distortion with SS amps, no, as long as there was enough power to avoid audible distortion content.
Some audible distortion with full tube head, sometimes, depends on noise needed on stage.

In my opinion full power already means cut off of short term transients which actually is inaudible.
In this sense I mostly run power amps at full although not audible in sense of audible distortion.
Other folks would claim there is still headroom but it's not!

edit,
IME most of amplifiers run out of juice around somwhere at noon. I'd claim most of amplifiers do a cut off to the tranisents already at noon.
It does not mean there isn't some additional potential of loudness till clipping becomes really audibele.
So how to define full power?
In sense of an electrical consideration or in the sense what ears do hear?

 

[reggie hall]

Depends on what really is max volume.
Volume/master knob full clockwise: no

Some audible distortion with SS amps, no, as long as there was enough power to avoid audible distortion content.
Some audible distortion with full tube head, sometimes, depends on noise needed on stage.

In my opinion full power already means cut off of short term transients which actually is inaudible.
In this sense I mostly run power amps at full although not audible in sense of audible distortion.
Other folks would claim there is still headroom but it's not!

Interesting!!

 

[reggie hall]

Outdoor gig a couple years ago I hit the limits of a ShuttleMax 9.2 and a pair of fEARful 12/6s. No idea what any of the knob settings were on the instrument or amp.

12/6? I'm not familiar with those

 

[B-string]

Many folks have no clue how to correctly use the term "headroom". It seem to have become a "buzz word" of convenience or slang in attempt to justify excesses.

 

[Passinwind]

12/6? I'm not familiar with those

Start with this thread: fEarful™ 12/6 & 15/6 enclosure designs - FREE!

That's just a tiny fraction of the info available on these cabs on TB.

 

[SplinteredSkull]

I'm scared what would happen if I go past noon honestly. A wormhole may open or something

 

[Downunderwonder]

I'm going to try that

Carefully. You won't have any protection via the preamp compressing or clipping. When you dig in it will all come out.

Most solid state preamps work best dialing up the tone then the master volume on the amp.