2 channel H seems like sustain/touch is squashed?

[Vexed73]

I received this head in a trade. Like it and have been useing it with a boss ms3 4 cable method. Keep gain on about 1 to 2 o'clock with a sd-1 available to add more. When playing with alot of hammer on, pull offs and slides across the fretboard it seems to fight me.

One thing I love about the amp is the master volumes are after the loop and is easy to bypass preamp and go steaight in with the cosm metal zone built into the ms3. When I do that sustain and touch are great!

Is this just the nature of the H preamp or should I do something that would improve it for my needs? Should I just get an Archon or MT15?

Thanks everyone.

 

[elvis]

The H is not a high gain amp. You can't lean on it for legato the way you can with a highly compressed amp or distortion pedal.

On the other hand, unlike highly compressed amps, it has great tone and lots of dynamics and articulation. I find that if I put the work in at low gain, I can play all that slushy stuff and get a much better result that can be heard and distinguished.

When you play with a band, lots of gain comes out as mush. Then the volume wars begin...

 

[Vexed73]

I find the amp a bit dark/muddy? Anyone do any mods to this? Have a mt15 and love it. The H has a great effects loop and seems to have enough gain but doesn't hace enough clarity or something cant put my finger on it.

 

[Rider1260]

I have EL34s in my H , I play with a bunch of gain but not HI Gain if that makes sense.
I find the H plenty bright in fact I have the Treble down at 11 O'Clock ( Mid a 1 O'Clock bass at 11 O'Clock ) on the gain channel
There is also a Bright switch and the presence control is very powerful ( IHMO )
I would turn up the Presence control run the treble and mid at noon bass 3 0r 4 tune the bright switch on.
and tweak from there !!!

 

[Vexed73]

I dont have a presence control?

 

[elvis]

If you crank the bass, you will find that the treble control adds very little. Conversely, if you crank the table, the bass control has less effect.

So if you want brighter, try dropping the bass, even to zero. Tweak the highs and mids, then add a little bass if need be.

 

[Michael_DK]

Can you record a snippet of your playing to illustrate what you mean, both with and without the ms3?

 

[Vexed73]

Think the alternative 8 in the bridge of my les paul is not the best pickup with this amp.

 

[Rider1260]

I dont have a presence control?

Hmm I do its on the back next to the send and return

 

[Vexed73]

Hmm I do its on the back next to the send and return

That's cool wonder if mine is older?

 

[Vexed73]

Quick little video I made with ms3 and luke. Sounds pretty good to me.

 

[kurtswiz]

Anybody out there had mods done to their H amps by Voodoo Labs ?
I've got an original Sweet 16, a 50 H and a Custom 100w H that I brought to Europe and want to get them switched over to 230V instead of running through a transformer.

 

[Deleted member 5962]

Quick little video I made with ms3 and luke. Sounds pretty good to me.

That sounds great! What speakers in the Carvin cab?

Side note: The guy I sold my Custom 50 too, sold it a month later. I contacted the current owner and asked him how he liked it, and if he'd want to sell it back to me. He said "I had a rocky start with it. I checked the bias and it was set at 97! I had my tech adjust it back to 30-35 as PRS suggested and now it sounds great. Like a whole different amp!"

My multi-meter has been messed up for a while. I never checked it ONLY because I new my meter wasn't accurate. Now I'm wondering if it was that far off when I had it, or if the guy I sold it to had messed with it. In any event, it was very fat/smooth. If it was like that when I had it and would sound like your clip with the bias set correctly, I'd buy it back in a heartbeat!

 

[Vexed73]

Has some cheap celestion vox speakers. Probably from one of their solid state amps. Want to upgrade but not bad enough to make a priority.