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I've discovered the Secret to Low Volume Tone

3K views 30 replies 13 participants last post by  GentleHands McCoy 
#1 ·
So I've had this problem for a while where I really like my guitar sound, but I hate tracking with headphones on and being tethered by a cord.

The problem is, with a 412 cab in the room, even with a mic with a discerning rejection pattern like an e609, the level of spill from the monitors gets picked up by the cab mic. Feedback loops. All that nasty shit. Couldn't monitor through speakers. Headphones are the only options.

But this is 2020, we have access to technology.

So here's what I did.

I AB'd a bunch of plugins, but couldn't find the secret with what I already had.

So I went to Neural's site. Because a lot of people really like them and speak highly of them.

And I went and looked at the options, and this looked really good.



Sonic possibilities. I'm all about sonic possibilities.



Purest distillations are my second favorite thing. The only thing I like better are elegantly developed purest distillations.

Some of you aren't going to like where this is going, I will warn you. This is uncharted territory, you gotta be open minded.

Luckily I'm an open minded dude, so I was willing to do something I've never done.

After some discerning perusing of all of the technologically advanced options for high tech low volume tone out there.....

.....I was pretty set on Neural.....

........But I was conflicted. What about a Cab Clone? Two notes? Mesa captor? Torpedo? U-boat? Nautilus?

There are a lot of good youtube channels out there. I listened to a lot of comparisons. Some really dynamic personalities on there. Crisp video. Tasteful interior decorating. Mid to high end futons from ikea. Are those neutral colored walls? Damn. Framed inoffensive landscapes from renowned purveyors of hotel art? Standardized youtube tech metal studio aesthetic. Standardized youtube tech metal studio personalities. I'm all about those youtube comparison videos.

But I can't compete with these guys setups. Where do I even find a framed inoffensive landscape for my neutral colored walls that will appear as a fitting backdrop to my HD cab alternative comparison videos?

So I went to my saw.



And I got some wood.



.........

........

........

........

And I built a miniature deck for my cabinet adjacent to to room the monitors are in.



Because it turns out the secret to good low volume tone is just taking the high volume and putting it somewhere else.

WIP. I'm still waiting on wood for the canopy and other materials. Actually started it last week. Originally it was going to be mostly wall mounted, but I ended up going with heavy duty pylons as well. The unpainted wood is there to keep the cab contained, since it's on casters I don't want it rolling off.
 
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#5 ·
Nah, that's an old 80s Carvin front loader.

I love front loaded cabs. Ones with removable rear panels are cool too, but I love front loaders. Metal grilled ones especially.

Best cab I've ever had in its current state.

Heavily modified though. Obviously refinished, the speakers are replaced with a quad of K100s, Mesa track locks, added some interior bracing, all the hardware replaced, etc. etc. etc.

I ditched my oversized Mesas for it. I just don't like the OS boomy sound anymore. If I was getting a 412 from scratch. I would dig a Stiletto 412 though. Either that or a Bogner Ubercab or an avatar.

The Carvin was bought off Seanbabs, who doesn't post here much anymore, for $100. But all of the modifications put it in approximately the same territory where I could have just bought one of those other cabs. Nice cabs though, Carvin does make nice stuff.
 
#24 ·
Great story with a happy end. :yesway:

Been thinking of putting my V30s back in my Carvin cab and just grab some monitors for messing around on the computer/models etc, still have the cab and its mint.

View attachment 27610
I would say go with something other than V30s.

V30s kinda suck in a room, super unpleasant and fatiguing, and there are a billion high quality impulses and products out there that can give you a better v30 impulse response recorded in a professional studio than any of us could produce with a real v30.

Legendary speaker for sure. But it's legendary qualities are all due to the sound it brings to an entire musical performance with other instruments. I've never got the people who enjoy listening to a v30 cab on its own. I would take a bunch of speakers over it. Greenbacks especially.
 
#29 ·
Just buy an AxeFX.


----------------------------------

Pretty cool, though. I was running into the same issues in the OP when I was tracking with my XXX into a 2x12. My studio is 14x14 (possibly smaller) and filled with stuff. Even though one can get a usable tone at a low volume with the XXX, there was a fizzy-ness that went away when the speakers moved some air. I'd basically put headphones on just to hear the click/drums. That said, I do take a more old school approach when I track stuff, in that I'll leave some mistakes in and rarely care about perfection.

I made a wood frame out of some 2x4's that I covered in U-Haul blankets, the frame was even with the top and sides of the 2x12 so I could cut back on volume in the room. I should have taken pictures of it. I took it apart after getting the AxeFX because it took up too much room. It was also a pain in the ass to change mic positions.
 
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