Rediscovering music gear in general

[wilkinsi]

I recently had my Nebula WR1 put back to stock, with the idea of getting it to sound as powerful as my Warrior Pro which also has the Invader fitted. I also boosted the input attentuation to full on my Roland VS2400 D.A.W to get the pre and post levels equal and between -4 and 0db (not the VS2400's input trims, just the ATT to +6db). Since then, though the signal levels are much higher as I need them to be, and have been editing my Boss GT-10 (using different preamp models and the resonator effect) I've found my guitars to be seemingly weaker in character and my previous sounds somewhat muffled. I've also found myself dropping the level of delay FX too. Even my d-tuned Coral Sea Warrior with 10-46's is now starting to sound weak. So what I previously was happy with soundwise but not levelwise (playing with levels at -10db on the meters results in actual playback of the recording at a pathetic -24db, turning my headphones up), seems to have reversed itself. I also tried hooking up the emulated XLR out of my Marshall JMD1 combo into the VS (no GT-10), and found the the EO to be crap (well, characterless) compared to the sound coming out of the amp's speaker. I guess what I'm saying is I have some fantastic gear and have still yet to learn to use it properly.

[Twitch]

Dont forget not knowing how to explain it properly either, Im waaay lost.

[MakeAJazzNoiseHere]

Just turn all that shit up to 11 and rock out.

[Soap]

I guess what I'm saying is I have some fantastic gear and have still yet to learn to use it properly.

That's the beauty of good gear my friend.
It always performs and seems to always surprise you.
Enjoy and rock on.

[Carbuff]

Just turn all that shit up to 11 and rock out.

[VitaminG]

if cranking the input attenuation on the VS2400 has lead to too high an input signal, a need to adjust your patches on your GT10 and leaves all your guitars sounding weak and crappy, I'd suggest turning the attenuation control back down.

What exactly was the point of maxing the input attenuation? What is that knobs actual purpose? And if it was detrimental to the sound of every other piece of gear you are using, why would you persist with that approach?

[wilkinsi]

The signal is not too high, quite the opposite. The problem is if I play with an input level of say -12db because the attenuator is set at 0db as I did previously, the playback of the recording will be weaker. It also means having to turn up my headphones or speakers. I could also try boosting the mic/line trim controls, which often leads to overloading the inputs. AFAIK, there isn't any company I know who still mods mixer preamps for Roland gear.

[VitaminG]

but again, if you liked the sound you were getting before, and now since turning up that input attenuation (what does it do anyway? I could only find one reference to that control anywhere online, but no description of what it actually does) everything sounds weak, why continue to do it? Get a sound that you actually like and just turn your speakers up. Seems to make more sense to me than turning up some setting to where you hate your sound and then have to start tweaking every other piece of gear, change pickups, etc. to try and make it sound good again

just found the ATT control. Had to locate the Mixer Block Diagram on the Roland site. So you said you need to turn it up to get the pre and post levels equal. The diagram shows that there is a fader between the pre and post. ATT sits before the pre. If the post is that much louder than the pre, why not use the fader to bring the post down to match the pre, instead of maxing the ATT to try and bring the pre up to match the post. Particularly as you've said it has fucked up a sound that you were previously pleased with and made all your guitars sound weak.