Why do amps "clean up" at higher volumes?

[hippietim]

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

That's a function of your speakers sweet spot and just plain moving some air.

[Newc]

All amps sound different at those two volume levels, however, "better" is subjective. Some folks think a cranked, stage-volume JCM800 doesn't sound good compared to bedroom volume, others think it sounds great and the bedroom-volume sounds like crap.

But, as was stated, the speaker reaction is faster at low volumes, so the tone will be noticeably different than higher volumes, where the speakers are being hammered.


It's also not just the F-M effect, because that's more to do with the perceived EQ curves. At lower volumes you also have more gain saturation (which some folks mistake for "sustain"). Once you turn it up, you lose saturation due to the speaker's impedance (as in, to impede or restrict), and the tone gets grainy/lumpy/farty.

[Robert Burns]

Thats why it's great having a 1/2 power switch on my VHT 2/90/2
I can get huge air moving, at just a loud bedroom level at 45 watts..
Letting the GT-10 control the "volume" overall.

[PowerTube]

At lower volumes you also have more gain saturation (which some folks mistake for "sustain"). Once you turn it up, you lose saturation due to the speaker's impedance (as in, to impede or restrict), and the tone gets grainy/lumpy/farty.

Thanks, Newc. This makes a lot of sense. I usually refer to the higher volume sound as "clunky." No, the sustain doesn't diminish at all, but the "warmth" seems to reduce noticeably. There seems to be a sweet spot between about 3-4 on every amp I've ever owned.

As long as we're on this topic.... I've always seriously wondered if there's a way to take that awesome bedroom-level sound and amplify it to stage volume, or would doing so present the same problem, where instead of the impedence rising on the amp speaker(s), the PA speakers would go "clunky."

[hippietim]

As long as we're on this topic.... I've always seriously wondered if there's a way to take that awesome bedroom-level sound and amplify it to stage volume, or would doing so present the same problem, where instead of the impedence rising on the amp speaker(s), the PA speakers would go "clunky."

You need to play through a better PA.

[PowerTube]

You need to play through a better PA.

I don't have a PA, since I don't play in a band, but a good one would probably solve the problem.

[Foulacy]

as the volume turns up, turn down the gain. even with solid states!