Peter, questions about VH4 "deep control" and "Master"

[KillDivision]

About the Master control, the manual says:

"The Master Volume
controls the final volume of the Power amplifier(s). The layout of the controls is such that full volume is achieved at the 1:00 o’clock knob setting. Turning the knob further will overdrive the power amp(s) to create power amp distortion for those of you that prefer this sort of thing. We added this feature to round out the distortion sound palette on the extreme end. So you friends of all things vintage can get colorations and distortion textures that only power amp tubes can deliver. Bring your ear plugs, please"

Question 1: If i have the Master Volume control at 3:00 o'clock AND my pre-amp channel 3 volumecontrol very low (let's say at 9:00 o'clock), would i still have poweramp distortion? Or has the preamp volume be very higher?



About the Deep control, the manual says:

"The Deep control is an active bass control for the power amp that adds low end punch to the power amp centered at 80Hz. It does not alter the dynamic behavior of the power amp."

Question 2: Does the Deep control also add mid frequenties? I am 100% sure mine does this, and I love it!!
The added mids makes the sound very present and focused.


Love every minute with my VH4

 

[Peter Diezel]

The only way to distort the power amp is to play loud.
It don´t depends on different volume and master settings.

The deep adds no mid frequencies. Maybe it affects the
lower mids a bit.

 

[KillDivision]

The only way to distort the power amp is to play loud.
It don´t depends on different volume and master settings.

The deep adds no mid frequencies. Maybe it affects the
lower mids a bit.

Okay, so powerampdistortion = playing loud.


And about the Deep.
Was playing at home on a old Marshall 4x12. This cab has no sublows.

Got a Engl 4x12 (V30) today and tried again the Deep control. The added mids (yes, lowmids) is far less than with the Marshall cab.
So i think the inferieur Marshall cab has a resonance that pulls the mid up when adding Deep. The Engl is way better build and plays all the frequencies more balanced.


Thanx Peter for clarifying.

 

[rockridge98]

The only way to distort the power amp is to play loud.
It don´t depends on different volume and master settings.

Hi Peter. I definitely hear the tone as being a little rounder and sweeter (which in my experience I usually equate
with being slightly compressed) on clean tones when the masters are all the way up and the channel volumes
are way down. Do you have any thoughts on what I might be hearing? Maybe thats just what headroom
sounds like.

 

[Lexicon Devil]

And about the Deep.
Was playing at home on a old Marshall 4x12. This cab has no sublows.

Got a Engl 4x12 (V30) today and tried again the Deep control. The added mids (yes, lowmids) is far less than with the Marshall cab.
So i think the inferieur Marshall cab has a resonance that pulls the mid up when adding Deep. The Engl is way better build and plays all the frequencies more balanced.


Thanx Peter for clarifying.

I wouldn't say that the Marshall cab is inferior at all. It was designed by Marshall for Marshall amps. I also play my Diezel through an old Marshall 'B' cab from the mid 70's, and notice the boost in the low midrange as the depth control is dialed in. I don't think it's a particularly bad sound at all. --It does the sleeezy 70's James Williamson/Mick Ronson/Junky Thunders sounds quite well.

 

[KillDivision]

And about the Deep.
Was playing at home on a old Marshall 4x12. This cab has no sublows.

Got a Engl 4x12 (V30) today and tried again the Deep control. The added mids (yes, lowmids) is far less than with the Marshall cab.
So i think the inferieur Marshall cab has a resonance that pulls the mid up when adding Deep. The Engl is way better build and plays all the frequencies more balanced.


Thanx Peter for clarifying.

I wouldn't say that the Marshall cab is inferior at all. It was designed by Marshall for Marshall amps. I also play my Diezel through an old Marshall 'B' cab from the mid 70's, and notice the boost in the low midrange as the depth control is dialed in. I don't think it's a particularly bad sound at all. --It does the sleeezy 70's James Williamson/Mick Ronson/Junky Thunders sounds quite well.

No, it doesn't sound bad at all. But the Engl seems much better build, and of course the V30's sound different.
I'm not sure how old my Marshall cab is, but i bought it in '89 and back then it was already old. The speakers don't have a real number/type.