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Too Many Notes
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Apr 26, 2012
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The Lehle 1 at 3 SGoS Amp Switcher came today, and I wired it up to the I/O on my pedalboard with a few extra cables I had on hand - I'm one cable shy for the connections to all three amp outputs on the pedalboard, so had to order another one, but I can just attach the cable for a third amp directly to the pedal, so there's no loss of function.

Going through the board's I/O jacks make setting up a little faster because the vertical-facing jacks are easy to see, I don't have to kneel down and look for the right horizontal facing jacks on pedals and switchers in a dimly lit room, etc.

I considered taking all the pedals off the board, rearranging everything, and making it look slick, but for now I just wanted to concentrate on function. So the pedals are mounted far enough apart that I can get to all the switches on all the pedals with my big feet.

These red cables on the board are the Van den Hul "Bay C5" pedalboard cables, assembled by Lava Cable. The upside is that the pedalboard sounds really great, generates zero noise, and the connections are very solid. The downside is that they're very stiff cables and have big plugs. So it's a little harder to get them all tucked under the board's surface neatly.

I like the look of the little plugs that most of the guys here use, but these big plugs seem to be immune to failure. So that's good.

The Lehle switcher works great; you can program it, believe it or not, and set it up to do different things, depending on your needs. I just have it set up so I can switch each amp on and off one at a time, the default setting.

The switching is for the most part very quiet, though I'm getting a slight pop with one amp when switching its connection off, so I've emailed Lehle to find out the solution for that.

It's great to have all three of my amps connected, and just switch into the one I want to use, instead of re-cabling, etc.

Here's a shot of the setup:



It doesn't look as good as it did before, but it's very functional.
 
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Still looks awesome (imho) and convenient as h-e-double hockey sticks. On a side note, I just ordered a Koko Boost this morning!
 
I think it looks pretty awesome, Les. I hope the Lehle people can solve the popping issue.

It's probably something really simple that I'm overlooking. But I have no idea where to start, so I emailed them for suggestions. the popping isn't bad, I've had lots of pedals that made more noise when being switched in or out.

But I like a dead quiet switching system, so I'm on a mission to track the solution down.
 
Joki at Lehle got back to me first thing this morning with an email answer - that's a good sign when a manufacturer emails you first thing, isn't it?

There's probably a DC offset issue somewhere in my signal path (the first suggestion was to press the ground connection button to connect the grounds on all the amps, to see if that helped, but that wasn't it).

The pop isn't loud at all...I got louder pops from my Xotic EP booster, and it also isn't there with all the amps. It seems to depend on what's connected to what. But there's a fix.

Lehle makes a small, inexpensive DC Filter box that will solve the DC offset problem.

Apparently there's even a way to measure where the DC offset is coming from using an ordinary multimeter - I'll do it just to make sure a DC offset is the issue. So that's my next trick. Today, however, I have to get some work done on my project so I don't have time to do it.

One thing I will say is that the Lehle 1 at 3 SGoS does not change the tone - at least, not in my rig. I haven't noticed a difference with it in the signal path. So not only do I have "cool switching," as Lehle likes to say, there's no noticeable tone suck.

I also installed a Furman P-1800 PFR in the studio, a power filtering - surge protection device with automatic shutdown, that has an interesting twist: in addition to each outlet being isolated from the other outlets, and having a bunch of filters, it stores 45 Amps of current as a reservoir.

The claim was that the amps could draw on this current reservoir faster than they could get AC from the wiring in the house, and that they'd sound better.
Since I had the amps plugged into a regular power strip, and wanted a little more protection for them, I figured something like this might be worth trying out. It's not a balanced power isolation transformer like I use with my recording gear, but it's a lot cheaper and it has this reservoir thing...so...

So I decided to get one with the proviso that it had to actually work as promised, or it'd go back.

Well, I do think the concept works; all 3 amps sound a bit more "present." The greatest beneficiary was the Lone Star, it really opened up. However, it's also noticeable with the PRS amps, though they already sounded fantastic. So, yes, worth it for the improvement in the Mesa alone, and a nice thing for the PRS amps, too.

Anyway, I'm now officially DONE with the pedalboard, the power stuff, guitars and amps.

Uhm...for a while. ;)
 
The Furman's current sink is an interesting notion. Sounds like it lets an amp suck up a current demand more quickly than from a line source. That means more aggressive current spikes in amplification for demand situations.

Kinda makes you wonder how amps would behave if their current source was rated an order of magnitude higher than stated peak draw. Signal current rise time would shrink and note bloom would be so much faster.
 
The Furman's current sink is an interesting notion. Sounds like it lets an amp suck up a current demand more quickly than from a line source. That means more aggressive current spikes in amplification for demand situations.

Kinda makes you wonder how amps would behave if their current source was rated an order of magnitude higher than stated peak draw. Signal current rise time would shrink and note bloom would be so much faster.

I read the manual today, and it says that most AC power that comes from the outlet has too much line impedance because of the power grid being overtaxed and due to house wiring; one thing this product does (according to the manufacturer) is reduce the line impedance to the amp, and of course, in addition, there's the current reservoir so things like transients are cleaner.

In any case, better note bloom is a good way of putting what's happening with the Mesa, and the transients do sound much better, with less of a compressed attack. Maybe it's more noticeable with that amp because it's a 100 Watt amp?

The PRS amps I have are 30 Watts. Yes, this thing makes them sound a bit crisper and nicer all-around, but with the Mesa the improvement was more dramatic.

PRS amps always sound phenomenal. The Mesa needed a little more help. ;)
 
I just went and did some work on my project and used the amps, the switcher, the power thingie, the whole ball o' wax.

Everything sounds great. Sometimes, you go back and think, "I'm not sure I heard what I think I heard."

But tonight, I'm sure I heard what I think I heard. The Lehle doesn't alter the tone, and the power thingie really works. My rig has never sounded this good.

Now all I have to do is play the damn guitar. ;)
 
I decided to order the Lehle DC Filter box, because it's so inexpensive, and seems like it'd be a useful studio tool, since it handles both balanced and unbalanced signals. Under $60 shipped? Passive, no power supply needed? Sure, t'll take one!

I use the passive splitter/transformer box from Lehle all the time in the studio. It's a great little device for splitting a signal to two destinations without creating ground loops. Doesn't alter the tone of whatever's plugged into it at all, but it does need to be driven by a buffer box to avoid volume drops (as does every splitter/transformer box I've ever used).

Good stuff.
 
Still looks awesome (imho) and convenient as h-e-double hockey sticks. On a side note, I just ordered a Koko Boost this morning!

Did it come yet? I love mine. Not only is it a great boost with the whole Mid curve thing being a great feature, I love the hi-fi sparkle it adds on the settings I use (admittedly, I'm pretty mild with it, just a touch of boost).

Curious to see what you think!
 
Did it come yet? I love mine. Not only is it a great boost with the whole Mid curve thing being a great feature, I love the hi-fi sparkle it adds on the settings I use (admittedly, I'm pretty mild with it, just a touch of boost).

Curious to see what you think!

Not yet. I cheaped out and went for free shipping. Supposed to be here Saturday. Loved the videos I watched of it though. That, and your words of praise made it an easy choice.
 
Not yet. I cheaped out and went for free shipping. Supposed to be here Saturday. Loved the videos I watched of it though. That, and your words of praise made it an easy choice.

Well, I sure hope you like it, then!

Here's what I use it for - at low settings, it adds a nice sheen, fullness, and detail to the sound. So I set it to just push the front of the amp a little bit, so clean becomes "edge of grit" and overdriven gets pushed into additional fatness, or at lower guitar volumes, it just rounds out the clean tone and makes it thicker and more hi fi. I find that it works well with all of my amps equally, and that's rare in my experience for any pedal.

I don't often use the mid-boost except with the HXDA, because I got pretty addicted to the fuller, less EQ'd tone. But in any case, I think it's a slick pedal.

This is the first time in a long time I've done without an overdrive pedal, because I like what this thing does to push an amp into a more natural OD. But if you check the pedalboard picture above, you'll see that I use it very moderately, just a a couple of db of boost. I'm sure it can do way more than I do with it, but that's my sweet spot.

Warning: You may become a bit enthusiastic about these Suhr pedals...I have their fuzz on my radar in addition to what's already on the board.
 
Well, I sure hope you like it, then!

Here's what I use it for - at low settings, it adds a nice sheen, fullness, and detail to the sound. So I set it to just push the front of the amp a little bit, so clean becomes "edge of grit" and overdriven gets pushed into additional fatness, or at lower guitar volumes, it just rounds out the clean tone and makes it thicker and more hi fi. I find that it works well with all of my amps equally, and that's rare in my experience for any pedal.

I don't often use the mid-boost except with the HXDA, because I got pretty addicted to the fuller, less EQ'd tone. But in any case, I think it's a slick pedal.

This is the first time in a long time I've done without an overdrive pedal, because I like what this thing does to push an amp into a more natural OD. But if you check the pedalboard picture above, you'll see that I use it very moderately, just a a couple of db of boost. I'm sure it can do way more than I do with it, but that's my sweet spot.

Warning: You may become a bit enthusiastic about these Suhr pedals...I have their fuzz on my radar in addition to what's already on the board.

Thanks for the pointers. Im looking forward to getting it. Ordered an Xotic Wah to go along with it. They should both be here Saturday or Monday, depending on what the post office feels like doing.

Not happy to hear about the Suhr addiction. I was just getting ready to put the checkbook away. C'est la vie...
 
Not happy to hear about the Suhr addiction. I was just getting ready to put the checkbook away. C'est la vie...

It's funny, I respect their guitars, but they're not my thing. Their amps are winners for lots of folks, but I like different kinds of tones for the most part.

But the pedals...whoever's designing those pedals said "Let's build some stuff Les likes." ;)

The buffer? Best I've used. The Koko Boost? I like it much better than my Xotic boosts. The compressor? Love it. Most transparent, yet effective, compressor pedal I've tried. I have the tremolo pedal, too. I like it even better than the Fulltones I used for years.

I'm not using overdrives these days, but I do want their fuzz.

"How often do you use a fuzz on ad tracks, Les?"

"Never."

"Then why do you want one?"

"So I can channel the dead gods of psychedelic rock."

"Will your clients let you do that in your work?"

"No. But a man's gotta have some fun every now and then." ;)
 
Sooo...with the cables I ordered installed (one 25 footer from PRS, one more short Van den Hul interconnect from Lava), I was able to finish the pedalboard, put the Mesa switch pedal in a better spot, and wire all three amps to the board. I can switch between them instantly with the blue Lehle pedal.



Here's a shot of the amps, miked up for recording (I'm only recording two amps for this part of my project); SM57 on the HXDA, Rode NTR Ribbon on the Mesa:



Everything works, there's no tone suck, it's a very convenient setup for working alone in the studio. The HXDA is sitting on that printer cart to prevent the slight tube rattle that was occurring when it was on the 1x12.
 
Thanks, guys! Once I get this ad project done, I want to do a better job recording some clips with the 20th PS guitar through the 3 amps.

The original clips I posted truly sucked, and I felt a little embarrassed.

Also, I've decided that I'm not buying another amp, ever!

Setting this whole thing up was way too much of a pain, literally! I somehow managed to pull a groin muscle moving amps and furniture, and destroyed my back. So what's there, is what's there forever or until I kick the bucket, whichever comes first. ;)

Post scriptum...

I showed the pic of the pedalboard to my son who said, "Looks awesome, but you're obsessed!"

Well, yes. Yes I am!
 
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Thanks, guys! Once I get this ad project done, I want to do a better job recording some clips with the 20th PS guitar through the 3 amps.

The original clips I posted truly sucked, and I felt a little embarrassed.

Also, I've decided that I'm not buying another amp, ever!

Setting this whole thing up was way too much of a pain, literally! I somehow managed to pull a groin muscle moving amps and furniture, and destroyed my back. So what's there, is what's there forever or until I kick the bucket, whichever comes first. ;)

Post scriptum...

I showed the pic of the pedalboard to my son who said, "Looks awesome, but you're obsessed!"

Well, yes. Yes I am!

Never getting another amp? I'll blow the BS horn on that one!

As for being obsessed...like that's a bad thing?
 
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