Adjusting volume in amp section affects tone - anyone know why?

    Based on a tip from the facebook forums, I compared adjusting the volume in the amp section as opposed to the rig volume.


    While the rig volume simply increases volume, increasing volume in the amp section seems to "tighten up" the tone a bit.


    Anyone know why this is? Presumably it's something to do with how the signal feeds into the cab section? Like it "drives" it a bit?


    The manual doesn't explain this, in fact it seems to suggest that the volume in the amp section is no different from the rig volume:

    "This parameter can be used to balance volume gaps between different PROFILEs. The Rig named “Crunch”, which
    is default in all Slots in Performance Mode, could be used as a volume reference."

    However, try it yourself - there's definitely a difference in tone if you boost volume in the amp section.


    Anyway, if it sounds good it sounds good and all, but just curious to know why this volume control affects tone - is it modelling something in particular (i.e. tonal changes in a real cab due to amp-head volume) or is it just an incidental consequence of a digital signal feeding into the amp section?

    Amp volume does not affect tone (or feel). That is a myth. It does the same as rig volume.


    Amp volume is not before the cab.


    Most profiles come with the default 0 db rig volume setting and many sellers / profile maker use the amp volume to balance the volume of different rigs to avoid volume jumps while scrolling through. Or to make them all louder.


    Typically if you want to use certain (already volume balanced) rigs for solo, you can use rig volume too boost them. That way it is more visible, that the rig is louder.


    Neither rig nor amp volume alters the tone.


    How exactly did you compare the settings? There has to be something else, if you can hear a difference.

    Edited 2 times, last by Ibot39 ().

    I would have agreed with you prior to testing it!


    Take a profile, set it's rig volume to +2 (or whatever) - also turn off anything in the effects slots to make sure nothing going on here is distracting.


    Duplicate it, set it's rig volume back to 0, and instead increase the volume in the amp section to +2 (or whatever value you chose previously)


    A/B the two profiles (best way is to loop a short phrase using the looper, and switch back and forth between the profiles)


    I should add that after playing around with amp volume a bit more I'm not sure if moving it away from zero actually benefits the tone/feel in any useful/positive way though, so if anything will probably stay away from adjusting this value!


    But it does sound subtly different from adjusting the rig volume.

    The scaling thing is possible I suppose - no idea if this is the case though.


    All I can say is I don't think it's just my ears playing tricks on me - I was skeptical that the amp volume would be any different to the rig volume, so when I tested it I was expecting there NOT to be a difference - and was surprised to find that there was one! Spent a while checking it too, as my first thought was "oh no, there's another parameter I need to go back and check on all my carefully tweaked profiles"... To be honest though, I shall probably just leave this parameter alone - but thought I'd better just ask on here in case it WAS modelling some sort of interaction between head and cab, and hence might be worth setting carefully when shaping tone.

    This is funny.


    I also feel I experience a difference and I prefer increasing the amp volume.


    Another very interesting thing is that I experience a difference in sound AND feel if I use the Pure Boost to increase the gain in front of a profile compared to just increasing the profile gain. Especially for clean profiles.


    I have discussed both the amp volume issue and the Pure Boost compared to increased gain with Christoph K and he says it doesn't make any difference and that I should not experience any difference.


    But still I do ....


    Cheers,


    Mats N

    Mats_Nermark

    If you set Pure Boost to +2, do we know how much gain we have to increase (with gain knob) to get exactly the same effect? I am not in front of my Kemper, but could be a different scaling thing?


    Or it has to do with the intentional function, that CK implemented, which ensures balanced volume levels in the Kemper.

    Could it be, that when using a very clean amp, the volume of the amp (and volume of pedal before the amp too?) gets automatically reduced to avoid spikes?


    CK recommended using a gain setting above 2.0 (when I remember correctly), if you want the effect of the amp being pushed.

    Quote from Ibot39

    Mats_Nermark

    If you set Pure Boost to +2, do we know how much gain we have to increase (with gain knob) to get exactly the same effect? I am not in front of my Kemper, but could be a different scaling thing?


    Or it has to do with the intentional function, that CK implemented, which ensures balanced volume levels in the Kemper.

    I have no idea about the ratio of the scaling of the two different gains. I did try to set the two gains to match the effect on the sound and feel but either didn't succeed in matching or it is actually different.


    To be honest, I don't really care what is what, I just do it my way and it works for me.


    Cheers,


    Mats N