SoylentGreen Posted January 3, 2010 Share Posted January 3, 2010 We all know that these amps are very loud when cranked all the way. Unfortunately, I prefer to use a Muff with an amp's clean sound. One has to play at a lower volume to stay clean, though. If I use a muff with the VJ set to clean, will it be as loud as the VJ gets by itself turned to 10? Or close? I hope it can push those tubes hard enough! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wedgeSG Posted January 4, 2010 Share Posted January 4, 2010 I'm sure others will have info to add but I think you'll gett all you want and then some. I use an English Muff'n on my modded VJ and it's like night and day difference in output. Granted a Big Muff is a bit of a different animal but just about everybody will tell ya that the VJ loves the pedals... Wedgie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SoylentGreen Posted January 4, 2010 Author Share Posted January 4, 2010 Good. I really needed that "turned to ten" volume while keeping the volume knob lower to keep the signal clean enough for the muff to do its thing. Now that the volume question is answered... Does anyone have any particular experience with the VJ and any fuzzbox? I know normal OD and distortion pedals go well with it tone-wise, but I haven't heard anything about fuzz sounds Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peeper Posted January 4, 2010 Share Posted January 4, 2010 Loud enough for what? Bedroom? Recording? Hanging with a drummer? Motorhead show? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SoylentGreen Posted January 4, 2010 Author Share Posted January 4, 2010 Loud enough for what? Bedroom? Recording? Hanging with a drummer? Motorhead show? To be as loud as it normally is on ten, which, many seem to agree, is loud enough for small gigs like coffee shops and small bars. The volume of five watts fully cranked is half as loud as a 50 watt amp cranked...which is loud! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TWANG Posted January 4, 2010 Share Posted January 4, 2010 first off.. ten isn't much louder than 8 or even 7 really. that is, the decibel increase isn't so much you'd really notice. running the amp on ten is harder on the tubes.. still. if you set you amp on ten.. play.. add the muff.. set it where you like it. crank back your vj volume to the same level you had with no muff. it's gonna be lower on the dial and just as loud as on ten. this amp doesn't have to be run on ten to keep up with a drummer.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peeper Posted January 4, 2010 Share Posted January 4, 2010 this amp doesn't have to be run on ten to keep up with a drummer.. That, depends on the drummer!:- Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SoylentGreen Posted January 5, 2010 Author Share Posted January 5, 2010 first off.. ten isn't much louder than 8 or even 7 really. that is' date=' the decibel increase isn't so much you'd really notice.running the amp on ten is harder on the tubes.. still. if you set you amp on ten.. play.. add the muff.. set it where you like it. crank back your vj volume to the same level you had with no muff. it's gonna be lower on the dial and just as loud as on ten. this amp doesn't have to be run on ten to keep up with a drummer.. [/quote'] I've found information at other forums as well. What's you're opinion on this?: "I find that clean the VJ has little headroom. Here is the thing though. Once it reaches breakup. it never really gets much louder as you turn up the volume. Just more compressed and distorted. (unless you mod it)" So, I'm starting to think the clean is pretty close to being as loud as the distorted sound, and the difference should be made up by the muff. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
m-theory Posted January 5, 2010 Share Posted January 5, 2010 If you're looking for strong stage presence, a stock Vjr isn't the ticket, imo. You'd be far better off with something in the 12-18 watt range. In terms of lab-measured decibel levels, the difference is minute, but in terms of audible headroom, and thus the ability to cut through a stage mix, the difference is considerable, and is most definitely noticeable. Either way, you'll want to throw a mic up, and toss something into a stage monitor, but you'd likely be FAR happier with something around 12-18 watts. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
m-theory Posted January 5, 2010 Share Posted January 5, 2010 I've found information at other forums as well. What's you're opinion on this?: "I find that clean the VJ has little headroom. Here is the thing though. Once it reaches breakup. it never really gets much louder as you turn up the volume. Just more compressed and distorted. (unless you mod it)" This can be said about any tube amp, obviously. It's the nature of the beast. So, I'm starting to think the clean is pretty close to being as loud as the distorted sound, and the difference should be made up by the muff. Which is one reason output power is rated BEFORE distortion. FWIW, most tube amps WILL produce SIGNIFICANTLY more power than they're officially rated for, AFTER distortion. It's not out the realm of possibilty, for instance, that your lowly stock Vjr, rated at 5 watts BEFORE distortion, can actually put out 8 or more watts when pushed hard, and possibly more with a boost of some sort in front of it. The question becomes though, is that extra power useable? In the case of the Vjr. as you've pointed out yourself, it's really not, because it just becomes additional mush that tends to get buried in a mix. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SoylentGreen Posted January 5, 2010 Author Share Posted January 5, 2010 This can be said about any tube amp' date=' obviously. It's the nature of the beast. Which is one reason output power is rated BEFORE distortion. FWIW, most tube amps WILL produce SIGNIFICANTLY more power than they're officially rated for, AFTER distortion. It's not out the realm of possibilty, for instance, that your lowly stock Vjr, rated at 5 watts BEFORE distortion, can actually put out 8 or more watts when pushed hard, and possibly more with a boost of some sort in front of it. The question becomes though, is that extra power useable? In the case of the Vjr. as you've pointed out yourself, it's really not, because it just becomes additional mush that tends to get buried in a mix. [/quote'] But, if the volume isn't significantly higher, isn't that a moot point? Three more watts of power would provide a negligible increase in volume. This is from another site: 5 watts is 50% as loud as 50 watts. 8 watts is 56% as loud as 50 watts. That's only about a ten percent difference between 5 and 8 watts. The rest will be made up by the muff, no? Also, keeping up with a drummer isn't a concern for me. I play drone music that doesn't utilize drums. Most of the time, a bass will be the only other instrument. I also like to play in intimate settings, where the required volume is at a level just loud enough to require me to use earplugs. I hate huge crowds. Side note: I'm glad places like this exist. It's great that people from all over can have technical discussions like this. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peeper Posted January 5, 2010 Share Posted January 5, 2010 Volume and headroom are two different things. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SoylentGreen Posted January 5, 2010 Author Share Posted January 5, 2010 Volume and headroom are two different things. Indeed. That's my entire point: the volume of the amp clean (with the knob turned down) is almost as loud as it is dirty (knob all the way up). At least if the person I quoted was correct. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
m-theory Posted January 5, 2010 Share Posted January 5, 2010 But, if the volume isn't significantly higher, isn't that a moot point? Three more watts of power would provide a negligible increase in volume. This is from another site: 5 watts is 50% as loud as 50 watts. 8 watts is 56% as loud as 50 watts. True, going from 5 to 8 watts isn't going to get you appreciably more headroom or clean volume. Going from 5 to 15, however, IS an appreciable difference. Even though the overall volume is nearly identica in terms of "lab" db ratings, the audible difference in clean headroom is noticeable, and makes a considerable difference in cutting through a mix. Only you can decide if the pedal in front of the turned down amp will provide you with what YOU'RE looking for. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eracer_Team Posted January 5, 2010 Share Posted January 5, 2010 is the idea that you want to get the distorted sounds from the BigMuff and then when you turn it off the VJ is 'clean' sounding? Why don't you just turn the amp to full and roll back off the volume on the guitar till you're clean.. what dirt, turn the guitar volume to max. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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