Why do amps "clean up" at higher volumes?

[PowerTube]

I asked this a few years ago on here and a couple of brave souls tried to explain it. This isn't a new development, as every single amp I've ever owned has done this. I'll get the exact tone I want at bedroom volumes, but when I turn it up to, say, small club volume, it loses the warmth and sustain I'm used to. I can re-EQ and somewhat get in the ballpark again, but it's never quite the same.

Any of you experience this? If so, what's your solution?

[Chad]

Fletcher-Munson?

[Racerx2k]

ROY Munson?

[charvel750]

What kind of amps are you using? Every amp I've had gets the tone the louder you go. But those are all tube amps...

[PowerTube]

What kind of amps are you using? Every amp I've had gets the tone the louder you go. But those are all tube amps...

Currently, it's a Line 6 Vetta II HD head. However, my Marshall JCM800 2210 also does the same thing. Of course, this is with a distortion box of some sort in front of the Marshall. I suppose if I relied strictly on the internal overdrive channel, the effect might be opposite, but who can possibly play at that volume in the bedroom?

But every single amp I've had has given me the same problem.

[Rich#6]

My marshall 8100 doesn't sound good until I hit 4 or higher. I wish I had your problem

[Ben...]

My goal for an amp is the precise opposite of you. I want a good tone at bedroom levels. I'm not in a band or anything and I get yelled at if my amp's too loud.

[Axewielder]

Yeah this is the opposite of the way it "should be", but my Marshall JCM2000 100 watt was kind of like that. It just got to be a lumbering unresponsive wah-like nasal mess the louder it got. I wouldn't say it "cleaned up", though...

[Dreamland_Rebel]

Fletcher-Munson?

+1

this applies to everything we hear. the human ear is naturally tuned to hear mid frequencies with little power or amplitude for things like hearing a baby cry.

not until a sound gets to about 80dB does the eq start to flatten out in terms of the power it takes for high and low frequencies to equal the power of mid frequencies.

this is what the "Loudness" button on car stereos was build for - to even out what we hear at low volumes because of the naturally occuring Fletcher-Munson curve. (it boosts the highs and lows to make them appear even with the mid frequencies at low volumes.)

[hippietim]

I have never played an amp that didn't sound better at higher volumes. Some amps don't take well to being completely dimed but even that is usually the speakers rather than the amp. You simply cannot dial in a tone at bedroom volume and just turn up and expect it to hold up at band volume. I've never seen that work either.

Even modelers won't behave the same. It's about moving air. Your tone changes considerably just changing volume. And of course the speakers play a huge role in this - some break up early and flub at too much volume, some break up late, some have so much headroom they never warm up.

[markD]

+1

that was one of the problems i had with the boogie mk IV. i could not bond with it at stage volume. i tried a bunch of speakers to try to fix the "flubbiness" i percieved. i loved it at low volume, but couldn't get a sound i liked cranked.....

[axeman81]

well The Rule Of The Thumb is this:

* Solid state amps sound best at low to medium levels
* Tube amps sound best at medium to high levels

[Rich#6]

what about hybrids. my valvestate sound much better at at least 4

[Tim_B]

Fletcher-Munson

fantastic, thankyou !
I knew this, understood it, experienced it, but had no idea it was so well documented !
I suppose I should have looked for it ! :ROTF:

[scott.court]

Wow, the people here are more knowledgable that the geeks of any Microsoft site! This place never ceases to amaze me. You guys ROCK