Gone

Minty and monstrous, just not what I'm after at the moment.

- $--- shipped in the CONUS

Pic added.

Are those your settings?

What is not working for you with the D tone?

I understand that some modules just don't work for some people but I have a theory that rings true for myself that I am looking for some back up on.

eyeball987 said:

Are those your settings?

What is not working for you with the D tone?

I understand that some modules just don't work for some people but I have a theory that rings true for myself that I am looking for some back up on.

Click to expand...

If it is the settings you used in the picture, I can totally see not loving that module. The Herbert mode is more scooped. The Deep mode restructures the tones stack, impacting the mids and causing a drop in level that must be compensated for on the Volume. The module really opens up tonally when the Volume is set at 1:00-2:00. Try adjusting it and use your amp master as a volume control. You will have much better results that way.

Jaded Faith said:

eyeball987 said:

Are those your settings?

What is not working for you with the D tone?

I understand that some modules just don't work for some people but I have a theory that rings true for myself that I am looking for some back up on.

Click to expand...

If it is the settings you used in the picture, I can totally see not loving that module. The Herbert mode is more scooped. The Deep mode restructures the tones stack, impacting the mids and causing a drop in level that must be compensated for on the Volume. The module really opens up tonally when the Volume is set at 1:00-2:00. Try adjusting it and use your amp master as a volume control. You will have much better results that way.

Click to expand...

I've tried quite a few different settings (this is just where the dials ended up when I took the photo), but I will give your suggestions a try. I will say that I tend to prefer the sound of most modules with the amp master set high, using the module level as the volume control.

As always, I hope no one takes my rather quick flipping as an indictment of any particular module. I'm just something of a mod "speed dater," with a very specific set of tone and feel requirements. I'm confident the D-Zilla--which indeed has very heavy, very distinctive vibe--will make someone extremely happy.

Eyeball, if you have any more-specific questions, feel free to PM me.

It's all good! I have just found that on the many modules I have had, modded or not, running the gain all the way up makes the tone and feel completely fall apart. That is the backup that I was looking for to tell myself that am not crazy.

Rob probably gave the best advice.

On another note, I have found it rare to be able to go super heavy without using a boost and keeping the module gain lower than 3:00. Usually between noon and 1:30 on the gain knob actually. YMMV.

Edit: I have not played the D-Zilla but would love to try one. I just need to find $300 to by yours!

Bump for an awesome module.

Just got mine yesterday, only had a few minutes with it last night. It definitely fills a different tonal "space", I think it's a keeper for sure.

eyeball987 said:

It's all good! I have just found that on the many modules I have had, modded or not, running the gain all the way up makes the tone and feel completely fall apart. That is the backup that I was looking for to tell myself that am not crazy.

Rob probably gave the best advice.

On another note, I have found it rare to be able to go super heavy without using a boost and keeping the module gain lower than 3:00. Usually between noon and 1:30 on the gain knob actually. YMMV.

Edit: I have not played the D-Zilla but would love to try one. I just need to find $300 to by yours!

Click to expand...

Awesome advice....Couldn't agree more...Especially on lowering gain and using a boost...

+1 on keeping module volume in the 1:00 ballpark...I find some mods are loud and need to be less (Stonerverb Starz) and some need a good bit more volume due to the filtering going on inside (Afterlife) - so you gotta play a bit there but many are around the same output and should sit just fine around 1:00...

Having just switched from using RM50 combos to RM4 preamps, it seems that my module volumes need to be higher to get same output level. Anyone care to comment on this?

Revelations of the Day:

1. Some modules--including the Zilla--do indeed sound much better with the (module) volume up.
2. Others--my HBE, in particular--don't seem to exhibit much of a difference.
3. The difference seems to be less pronounced on the combos than on the head, where it's drastic.
4. Specifically, running the head master higher adds a ton of bass, so turning it down does require a fair amount of compensatory knob twiddling to put the "thump" back. (Turning up the Density control helps a lot.)
5. On the flipside, the clarity improves noticeably with the head master at a lower setting.

Oh, MTS, you are a wily mistress.

audiomidijace said:

Having just switched from using RM50 combos to RM4 preamps, it seems that my module volumes need to be higher to get same output level. Anyone care to comment on this?

Click to expand...

I found when I used an RM4 into the return of a MOD50, the RM4 master volume had to be 100% for its modules to match the volume settings compared to the modules housed in the MOD50. So for the RM4, unity volume was all the way up (this was using a midi switcher to toggle between the MOD50 preamp section and RM4).

Rising Farce said:

Revelations of the Day:

1. Some modules--including the Zilla--do indeed sound much better with the (module) volume up.
2. Others--my HBE, in particular--don't seem to exhibit much of a difference.
3. The difference seems to be less pronounced on the combos than on the head, where it's drastic.
4. Specifically, running the head master higher adds a ton of bass, so turning it down does require a fair amount of compensatory knob twiddling to put the "thump" back. (Turning up the Density control helps a lot.)
5. On the flipside, the clarity improves noticeably with the head master at a lower setting.

Oh, MTS, you are a wily mistress.

Click to expand...

You got that right on all counts!

No one is crazy here (although I have met several of you in person and now second guess that statement...).

There are an incredible number of ways to set the MTS system up. Proper gain staging has everything to do with the response and feel the amp and modules provide. The catch with this system is the large number of user variable points to change the level. You have a gain pot, a module level pot, an effects level, an output pot (on the RM4) and a Master volume on the power amps. With great flexibility comes great potential to ruin or improve the tone and feel.

How high you set the module level can be more important than how loud you set your Master volume on the amp for pushing the power section. Setting it too low will choke or starve the preceding stages. Doubt me? Try this test:

Put your multimeter on DC voltage and place the black probe into the common and the red into any of the bias points. With the amp on play you should have your normal bias setting, say 32mV. Now set your gain on the module at 11:00 and the level at 9:00. Put the amp Master at around 9-10:00. Start chugging a palm muted open E chord. Watch the meter read higher, probably about 49mV.

Now start cranking the module level and keep going up to wide open. Watch the meter as you do it. You will wind up around 160mV easy. This is the impact of the module level in how hard you hit the power amp. The Master on the amp will impact this, but not as easily as the module level. That has a direct impact on feel.

Think of all the times someone complained their MTS amp didn't feel like a "Brand XXX" amp. With less spots to adjust the level (in place of some of our volume pots there are preset resistive divider network in those amps, meaning a choice has already been made for you).

This is also what is impacting those comparing the RM4 module level to the level they would use in a combo or head. There's an additional output level on the RM4 providing another point to alter this balance.

Just FYI: I'm re-posting this info in my section of the forum as a reference. I think it will be useful to many.

Hope that helps,
Rob