Stage + JHS Little Black Amp Box is okay?

  • Why not use the volume on the monitor out to control the volume? You don’t need another box to do that.

    “Without music, life would be a mistake.” - Friedrich Nietzsche

  • It won’t break anything because it isn’t doing anything meaningful.


    I’ve never understood how JHS could sell a volume knob for $65 😳


    I would be very surprised if there is nothing more than a single pot inside it. Probably less than $5 worth of parts. With a valve amp it doesn’t do what it says as it doesn’t allow the pre amp to push the power amp into overdrive. Rather it just reduces the level being allowed through to the power amp. With a digital solution like the Kemper it seems even less useful. Both the Kemper and the powered speaker already have volume controls so no need to add another between them.

  • Why not use the volume on the monitor out to control the volume? You don’t need another box to do that.

    First thing I tried--volume on monitor out to like -36DB and PA speaker at 1. (Actually, unplugging it makes it really quiet. LOL)


    I had the JHS thing laying around so plugged it in and it did the trick. Just wondering if it will hurt anything.

  • No, it won't hurt anything but lowering the gain knob on the QSC will do the same. Just don't crank the QSC to max. Set the gain about 80% if you are going to use an alternate volume control.

    Larry Mar @ Lonegun Studios. Neither one famous yet.

  • First thing I tried--volume on monitor out to like -36DB and PA speaker at 1. (Actually, unplugging it makes it really quiet. LOL)


    I had the JHS thing laying around so plugged it in and it did the trick. Just wondering if it will hurt anything.

    The Kemper outs are rather hot. Perhaps try one of the main outs, select the -12db pad and see how that does.


    Be certain the amplifier isn't turned way up. I mean...the 200 watt amp I use doesn't even have a volume control on it. The Monitor volume on the Kemper controls what signal it sees - and it can be whisper quiet or ferociously loud.


    It sure sounds like something post-Kemper is turned up.

    “Without music, life would be a mistake.” - Friedrich Nietzsche

  • The K12 also has an input gain level, you might check it and see what it's set at, as Ruefus said above the Kemper has a pretty hot signal to start and if the input gain on the K12 is hot too, well, that = loud. Back it off and that should give you some breathing room.


  • I’ve never understood how JHS could sell a volume knob for $65 😳

    Reminds me of the lyrics from the song Sacred Cowboys

    You can get all the things you never needed

    You can sell people crap and make them eat it

    Think for yourself, or others will think for you wihout thinking of you

    Henry David Thoreau

  • Probably the best sound quality comes with lowering the input gain on the FRFR (in this case the QSC) rather than cutting way down on the Kemper. If the volume control on the kpa is in the digital domain (as I would expect), you lose 6 bits of resolution turning down 36 dB below max volume. Lost resolution means more quantisation noise and less clarity. You may or may not notice with the sort of program material we are putting out with guitar + efx.

  • I’ve never understood how JHS could sell a volume knob for $65 😳


    Dead-simple:


    That said - if you can’t make your own, $65 ain’t much of you need one.


    JHS probably looks at it like a bench fee. “We’re not putting resources in for less than X amount.

    “Without music, life would be a mistake.” - Friedrich Nietzsche