Open the volume up on your modules!

No more of this poppy c_ck balance the volume for the effects loop. The loop is crap, nothing will help that. If it doesn't work well when you open up the volume on the module, then don't use it. Add effects at the board or in your DAW. Anyway, the thick meaty in your face sound comes for me, from opening up the volume to at least 75% on the module and then using the volume on the amp. It does in fact get loud.... loud like my 800 and not bedroom friendly. But that is where the tasty tone is! Personally, I can't run below 3 pm on my modules now. The only way for this amp to compete with my Marshalls , is this way. 3 pm on module volume, 9 pm and up on the randall volume. Bam! fizz goes away at higher volumes. So why keep the volumes so low on the modules themselves??

DISCLAIMER: this public MTS service announcement has been brought to you by my picky ears. Your results may vary but this has made it fun to play my Randall again. Before... too wimpy, too thin, no balls, no mojo.

totally agree. fizz at low levels because it's being throttled. That's why a non master amp sound so kick *** turned up, and clean down low too, but everything sounds better opened up. even my CBR

Totally digging this setup, never experimented the module volumes up that high. Really liking the tone, its a great flavor from how I had it set before, thanks for the suggestion Kapo!
Its like my mods (especially my MarkX) got a new, bigger pair of balls.

Yup, definitely a different sound with module volume high, although it makes the MV even more touch sensitive on my 100 watters....whisper to full blast in a nudge!

I've always ran my modules at about 3 o'clock & MV @ 9 or 10 o'clock - always seemed to give best results! I guess that is why I never understood when folks were complaining about fizzy rm's...?

Same here... I've always had my mod volume around 2 o'clock and then adjusted power amp accordingly. Never had the fizzies .
But a whole new feel is there when you have mod volumes up at 2 or past.

Now just this little adjustment alone makes these amps a total steal... it does make the MV knob jump from whisper to roar though this is true. ..like a real tube amp should. So yeah, to control the fizzies, turn her up. a lot of clips I see on youtube have it set so low. I have no idea why.. anyway no foglifter or other needed for me, I'm good to go.

Yes, it's the way to go. Started doing this after reading Rob's post about it a while back:

http://mtsforum.grailtone.com/viewtopic.php?t=17471

I recall a good chat here a while back - pretty similar in terms of eye opening advice for these mods to sound their best.

Rob at Jaded Faith explained how MTS brings multiple volume points where normal amps typically don't have this structure - the RM4 has module volume, then a master, and then you have the power amp volume, all are points where tone is impacted.

I've been lucky as Mr Wadd in that I haven't had fizzy issues, but I didn't enjoy the flub and lack of definition in my first stock modules (Deluxe and XTC) and had such a great tonal change post modification to the first VybeDeluxe and to Sacred Groove's XTC LE (with all the bells and whistles) I was really happy.

Then getting hip to running module master volumes between noon and 2 on the dial, I was impressed again. There was added fullness and more detail in sound.

Great tip from Kapo here!

Not to stir the pot... I only had one amp at a time until recently. I was very happy with my RM50 and I wasn't even turning up the master past 11 o'clock....
Then I plugged my M4 into my Friedman... HOLY FRIGGIN CRAP! I know this is old news to you guys running M4/RM4s with other power amps. It is absolutely ridiculous. The stock grail was amazing! I know in the future I'll be looking to pickup a power amp.
Maybe for the others unhappy with the sound, one of Rob's custom MTS amps would be a solution. I look forward to here a comparison to the stock ones once they get out in the wild.
Not arguing that turning up module volume makes a huge difference... just saying that if its still not up to par by your standards, another power section is probably your only solution.

For me, I'm going to have a loop put into my Gibson Mercury so I can run an RM4 through it. It has a really great power section, massive transformers and 1965 technology. It will be a beast.

there are a lot of old overlooked amps that will work as well for cheap money.

Get some power tubes running
Sounds amazing
Couple of kt 77s cranking
It's a good thing

I've said this for, what is now, years. You have to drive the amp. The modules, and therefore, the sound take on completely different character when you "turn it up." All those classic sounds came out of amps long before master volumes and overdrive gain stages.

The only downside to doing it this way , is that the effects loop really isn't usable if you found anything to work with it in the first place.

I believe Jaded Faith's S.T.E.P. would take care of the loop problem or the matching box Bruce made.

kc2eeb said:

I believe Jaded Faith's S.T.E.P. would take care of the loop problem or the matching box Bruce made.

Click to expand...

It would.. but i am talking straight in no boxes like that in the loop to assist it.

Understood. I think of the effects loop as a "signal tap" as one would find on a whole bunch of electronic equipment, just a place to get a sample signal out but you're on your own with what to do with it. Ideally, the amp should have something like the S.T.E.P. pedal built in, but the amp would have cost much more. I know that get's into the "bean counter" discussion but, as a rule of thumb, $1 production cost raises the consumer cost $5-$10.

Quality effects units will have an input knob usually to prevent clipping, but also to boost signal from weak preamps or direct guitar signals, and an output knob (to level or even boost the signal to the return jack). The send jack on MTS seems to be able to deliver unusually hot signals when the module MV is above 12 o'clock. If what I read is true, the MTS heads have a flawed effects loop design. Solution: only use quality studio effects in the MTS effects loop, or buy a JF STEP pedal, or even a VOX V941 BUFFER, if you want to keep it "all tube".

kc2eeb said:

Understood. I think of the effects loop as a "signal tap" as one would find on a whole bunch of electronic equipment, just a place to get a sample signal out but you're on your own with what to do with it. Ideally, the amp should have something like the S.T.E.P. pedal built in, but the amp would have cost much more. I know that get's into the "bean counter" discussion but, as a rule of thumb, $1 production cost raises the consumer cost $5-$10.

Click to expand...

I posted this in another part of the forum but not sure if people would see it there. The same post certainly applies to this thread. I gave more detail in the other post if you need.At any rate, When I run my modules over 12:00 on my RM50 there is a clipping going on and a blatty feel. Any ideas where to begin?

thx a heap

ricky said:

I posted this in another part of the forum but not sure if people would see it there. The same post certainly applies to this thread. I gave more detail in the other post if you need.At any rate, When I run my modules over 12:00 on my RM50 there is a clipping going on and a blatty feel. Any ideas where to begin?

thx a heap

Click to expand...

Is there anything in the loop?