Re: [Harp-L] Mic volume and tone

[Greg Heumann <greg@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

(cross post)

Simple answer: no free lunch... but using a VC on the mic DOES allow  
you to
alter the amp's volume control and hence tone.

Note that there are MANY reasons for the tonal change you hear as  
volume is
increased. One many people overlook is called the"Fletcher Munson  
Curve" - which
shows how the human ear's frequency response changes with volume. The  
lower the
volume, the lower your bass and treble perception is - which is why a  
little
louder always sounds better, and why it is really imperative when a/ 
b'ing
systems for tone, you make sure the two volumes are identical,  
preferably with a
sound meter.

Now then - driving an amp's power tube(s) harder changes tone, in a  
way most
people like. And it is true that you could do this by turning the  
volume of the
amp up and a volume control on the mic down. I have done this - if you  
turn a
Kalamazoo all the way to 10 (which requires turning the mic way down)  
you get a
very cool compressed sound.

However there is no free lunch. Turning the volume control down on a  
mic will
change its tone. Better matched volume controls do this less, but they  
will.
Usually this is a rolloff in highs, (which some may consider a good  
thing,) but
this isn't always the case. You may be able to adjust the tone control  
on your
amp (if it has one!!!) to compensate for this. Also, you're always at  
risk of
feedback if you accidentally turn the volume control at the mic up a  
little too
far. So I strive for the best possible tone without feedback when my  
volume
control is all the up, unless I can't find an acceptable tone that way.

The best answer to this question, however, is my standard one: TRY IT!!

You really can't hurt anything by trying mics, volume controls,  
impedance
matchers - anything on the input side of your amp. This is because  
there's no
voltage present coming from the amp (the mic generates current in  
relationship
to sound and this is what the amp sees) - and there's no risk of  
damage if the
input wires to the amp get shorted together. In fact a high impedance  
volume
control does this when the volume is at zero, and so does unplugging  
the cable
entirely. SO TRY IT!

/Greg
http://www.BlowsMeAway.com

From: powerharp@xxxxxxxxx
Date: April 19, 2009 4:27:56 PM PDT
To: harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [Harp-L] Mic volume and tone
Reply-To: powerharp@xxxxxxxxx


I'm just about ready to order an Epiphone Valve Junior combo amp. This  
amp is

basic, with only a volume control. I've read enough reviews so that I  
am now in

the "a little bit of knowledge is dangerous" mode.



On this and many other amps, as the volume and or gain controls are  
boosted,

tone changes. So, lets assume, that a desired tone is attained at a  
volume

level that is too loud for the application. If the volume level of the  
mic is

reduced, will that change the tone or will the desired tone still be  
produced,

but now at the desired volume?



I suppose that I could test this on my big amp, but it would be too  
loud.



Thanks,



Joel

Joel aka Powerharp
www.myspace.com/powerharp