How can I make my ad30 slightly louder?

[tommygunn]

Yesterday while practicing with my band, I have noticed that my ad30 for an optimal sound had to be slightly louder: the master of both channels is on full and the gain on the edge of break up, then I drive the front end with a clean booster (catalinbread scp) or a fuzz (big muff triangle clone). I have changed the power tubes probably like 3 months ago (jj). If the bias value would be increased than will I have this little volume increase?
Ps I'm pairing the ad30 with a sh*tty peavey 4x12 cab, for my other band I use an orange cab clone 2x12 with a v30 and a greenback, and sound muuuuuuch better than the peavey but I don't need to be loud there.
Cheers!

[Les Paul Lover]

Yesterday while practicing with my band, I have noticed that my ad30 for an optimal sound had to be slightly louder: the master of both channels is on full and the gain on the edge of break up, then I drive the front end with a clean booster (catalinbread scp) or a fuzz (big muff triangle clone). I have changed the power tubes probably like 3 months ago (jj). If the bias value would be increased than will I have this little volume increase?
Ps I'm pairing the ad30 with a sh*tty peavey 4x12 cab, for my other band I use an orange cab clone 2x12 with a v30 and a greenback, and sound muuuuuuch better than the peavey but I don't need to be loud there.
Cheers!

The cab / speakers are your best option for extra volume.

Look into your current speakers and their rated efficiency.
The V30 speaker is extremely efficient at 100db/1w and is louder than most speakers on the market. 2 V30 will sound louder than 4 other speakers rated at 97db.
Try and bring your PPC212 next time and see how well it does - my guess is that it'll be perfect.

I play similarly to you with my AD15...... and with a single V30 it's been enough with our drummer. Actually, I've rarely used with the master volume beyond 11 o'clock.......

[tommygunn]

15 watts not beyond 11 o'clock? I hope you a quiet genre like jazz or I start thinking there's something wrong with the power section in my amp
I dont't think so (hopefully) because is plenty loud for almost all my needs, I have just thought that maybe in some parts of our music it has to be slightly louder but it's not a big deal, just wondering if there is a way. Anyways a couple of weeks ago I put a 12at7 (jj) in V1 and I have noticed that actually the headroom is more than I expected. If I put another in PI will I have more headroom? Maybe with less gain the amp will be more present in the mix

[misterfolkertsma]

http://www.fryette.com/power-station-in ... amplifier/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

This is also an option, albeit not the cheapest one.

[Boy_Narf]

My question to you is,

Do you need more volume? Or do you need more cut? Back in the day when I had a RV100 through a ppc412, it had to be CRANKED to be heard. The issue was with the directional nature of the PPC412 and the lack cut from the amp itself. I find a lot of the time it's not about volume, it's just that your guitar is getting lost in the mix so you compensate by cranking the volume. Perhaps try a different EQ curve. In my experience a guitar tone that sits well in a mix usually sounds like crap on it's own. Try experiencing with the EQ to see if it helps you come through better.

Have you tried running both cabs at the same time? I really don't see how you are struggling with volume, especially with a clean boost hitting the front end. Perhaps you could try telling your band to play quieter? hahaha. Do you guys run through a PA at practice? What about micing up your guitar amp and running it through the PA system? Doing this you could probably even turn down your amp a bit. Then you could use your quieter 212 cab as you said it sounds much better.

[fiveightandten]

1) Use your Orange cab, or another cab with more efficient speakers.
2) Get the lower gain tubes out of the amp.
3) Dump the clean boost. Set the amp for overdrive and kick back the volume with a volume pedal or by using your volume knob to clean it up. The amp is already quite compressed. Ramming the front end with a boost will compress it even more. I would bet that some of your perceived volume issue is from your ears wanting to hear transients, as opposed to the actual SPL being inadequate.


I don't know of any drummer that can acoustically drown out an AD30 through efficient speakers. I'm playing with a hard hitting drummer and another guitar player that uses a 100W head, and I have plenty of power with my AD30.

If you want cut on channel 1, roll the bass back slightly (to 4 or so). On either channel, keep the mids between 4 and 7. If you're scooping the mids, no amp will ever be loud enough.

Hope that helps.

-Nick

[tommygunn]

My question to you is,

Do you need more volume? Or do you need more cut? Back in the day when I had a RV100 through a ppc412, it had to be CRANKED to be heard. The issue was with the directional nature of the PPC412 and the lack cut from the amp itself. I find a lot of the time it's not about volume, it's just that your guitar is getting lost in the mix so you compensate by cranking the volume. Perhaps try a different EQ curve. In my experience a guitar tone that sits well in a mix usually sounds like crap on it's own. Try experiencing with the EQ to see if it helps you come through better.

Have you tried running both cabs at the same time? I really don't see how you are struggling with volume, especially with a clean boost hitting the front end. Perhaps you could try telling your band to play quieter? hahaha. Do you guys run through a PA at practice? What about micing up your guitar amp and running it through the PA system? Doing this you could probably even turn down your amp a bit. Then you could use your quieter 212 cab as you said it sounds much better.

I would like to be louder in some parts, I can hear almost perfectly my guitar, but I will definetely try some new equing.
I can't run both cabs together since one is 8 ohm while the other 16. With the band we should definetely cooperate more when soundchecking, eq wise. We don't have a PA unfortunately but the singer has a loud voice

Just kidding we play instrumental music, 2 guitars, bass and drums, so all we have is our own gear

[tommygunn]

1) Use your Orange cab, or another cab with more efficient speakers.
2) Get the lower gain tubes out of the amp.
3) Dump the clean boost. Set the amp for overdrive and kick back the volume with a volume pedal or by using your volume knob to clean it up. The amp is already quite compressed. Ramming the front end with a boost will compress it even more. I would bet that some of your perceived volume issue is from your ears wanting to hear transients, as opposed to the actual SPL being inadequate.


I don't know of any drummer that can acoustically drown out an AD30 through efficient speakers. I'm playing with a hard hitting drummer and another guitar player that uses a 100W head, and I have plenty of power with my AD30.

If you want cut on channel 1, roll the bass back slightly (to 4 or so). On either channel, keep the mids between 4 and 7. If you're scooping the mids, no amp will ever be loud enough.

Hope that helps.

-Nick

1) Yeah I wish I could always use the Orange cab, but I play in 2 different bands with 2 different practice rooms, I should buy another decent cab
2) Why? I actually enjoyed the different tone and the little increase of headroom, I will compare the 'ax7 and 'at7 more carefully
3) When I play harder my amp is actually already overdriven by the power tubes (we don't play uber distorted), I just clean it by both playing softer or rolling back the volume knob. I actually like the sound I can get from the SCP. The fat switch is always on when I engage the pedal and as the switch is called that's the sound I get: Fat and really sustained. Anyways I will definetely try what you wrote, maybe it works better.

ps. What does SPL stands for? Sorry but as you can tell from what and how I write I am not a native english speaker

[tommygunn]

http://www.fryette.com/power-station-in ... amplifier/

This is also an option, albeit not the cheapest one.

It is pretty expensive Have you ever tried one? If so, does it alterate the of the amp?

[Les Paul Lover]

1) Use your Orange cab, or another cab with more efficient speakers.
2) Get the lower gain tubes out of the amp.
3) Dump the clean boost. Set the amp for overdrive and kick back the volume with a volume pedal or by using your volume knob to clean it up. The amp is already quite compressed. Ramming the front end with a boost will compress it even more. I would bet that some of your perceived volume issue is from your ears wanting to hear transients, as opposed to the actual SPL being inadequate.


I don't know of any drummer that can acoustically drown out an AD30 through efficient speakers. I'm playing with a hard hitting drummer and another guitar player that uses a 100W head, and I have plenty of power with my AD30.

If you want cut on channel 1, roll the bass back slightly (to 4 or so). On either channel, keep the mids between 4 and 7. If you're scooping the mids, no amp will ever be loud enough.

Hope that helps.

-Nick

1) Yeah I wish I could always use the Orange cab, but I play in 2 different bands with 2 different practice rooms, I should buy another decent cab
2) Why? I actually enjoyed the different tone and the little increase of headroom, I will compare the 'ax7 and 'at7 more carefully
3) When I play harder my amp is actually already overdriven by the power tubes (we don't play uber distorted), I just clean it by both playing softer or rolling back the volume knob. I actually like the sound I can get from the SCP. The fat switch is always on when I engage the pedal and as the switch is called that's the sound I get: Fat and really sustained. Anyways I will definetely try what you wrote, maybe it works better.

ps. What does SPL stands for? Sorry but as you can tell from what and how I write I am not a native english speaker

With regards to 2) above, you aren't enjoying increased headroom. You are enjoying less preamp gain. Your headroom is limited by the EL84. You can reach as loud clean tones with 12ax7 valves, it's just your volume)gain knobs will be set lower.

The 12at7 are lower gain valves - not valves with increased headroom.

[bclaire]

I don't know of any drummer that can acoustically drown out an AD30 through efficient speakers. I'm playing with a hard hitting drummer and another guitar player that uses a 100W head, and I have plenty of power with my AD30.
-Nick

You never played with Ronnie Stewart - he could drown out my Marshall Superlead. He used to play with the Joe Perry Project. Here's a great track featuring Ronnie's drumming:
https://youtu.be/VkCk0DCMIMk" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[mj6thbuif]

Yesterday while practicing with my band, I have noticed that my ad30 for an optimal sound had to be slightly louder: the master of both channels is on full and the gain on the edge of break up, then I drive the front end with a clean booster (catalinbread scp) or a fuzz (big muff triangle clone). I have changed the power tubes probably like 3 months ago (jj). If the bias value would be increased than will I have this little volume increase?
Ps I'm pairing the ad30 with a sh*tty peavey 4x12 cab, for my other band I use an orange cab clone 2x12 with a v30 and a greenback, and sound muuuuuuch better than the peavey but I don't need to be loud there.
Cheers!

I heard the Fryette Power Station can do this. No first-hand experience though.

[Ronnie Robinson]

Yesterday while practicing with my band, I have noticed that my ad30 for an optimal sound had to be slightly louder: the master of both channels is on full and the gain on the edge of break up, then I drive the front end with a clean booster (catalinbread scp) or a fuzz (big muff triangle clone). I have changed the power tubes probably like 3 months ago (jj). If the bias value would be increased than will I have this little volume increase?
Ps I'm pairing the ad30 with a sh*tty peavey 4x12 cab, for my other band I use an orange cab clone 2x12 with a v30 and a greenback, and sound muuuuuuch better than the peavey but I don't need to be loud there.
Cheers!

Master volumes on full and still not loud enough!! ....Crikey. I play one of these ,with a loud drummer channel one with volume and gain at 12 o'clock and there's plenty volume. Don't over think it with with preamp tubes ....I don't see how these are helping with your volume issues just get a decent cab with efficient speakers. Greenbacks sound good but so do V30s and they are much louder. You get what you pay for and that's also the case with cabs.

[bclaire]

I didn't really address the original issue. That amp should be more than loud enough. Mine is and my drummer is really loud. This isn't an amp that wants the gain low - try turning the gain up louder than you think you like it for a change. To be honest, you're choking the amp back so far that it's probably never going to be loud enough for you. This is an amp that needs to have the gain up higher to be louder....

[thejay]

I didn't really address the original issue. That amp should be more than loud enough. Mine is and my drummer is really loud. This isn't an amp that wants the gain low - try turning the gain up louder than you think you like it for a change. To be honest, you're choking the amp back so far that it's probably never going to be loud enough for you. This is an amp that needs to have the gain up higher to be louder....

Agreed