At what volume should I truly judge an amp's tone?

[annostyle]

With high end tube amps, do they just sound awesome when they're really cooking with volume? I shouldn't judge a tube amps tone when its down low low levels I would assume. Its hard to get a good idea sometimes at a music store becuase I feel strange just maxing the volume out.

[Cody Anchor]

I always test the amp at the volume I'll be using it at. Whether that be gig volume or bedroom volume, and sometimes both.

[ChorusCrackpot]

Why do you feel strange?

[GCDEF]

I always test the amp at the volume I'll be using it at. Whether that be gig volume or bedroom volume, and sometimes both.

Seems kind of obvious doesn't it. :hide2

[riffmeister]

The volume at which you plan to use it.

[Blue Strat]

The volume at which you plan to use it.

Right. No other volume is relevant. This will also lead you to an amp with the correct power level for your application rather than one that you won't be able to turn up loud enough to sound good.

[annostyle]

But it is a general rule though that tube amps sound "better" at higher volumes?

[GCDEF]

But it is a general rule though that tube amps sound "better" at higher volumes?

Some do, some don't. You won't get the power tubes distorting till you have it up pretty loud. That's generally desirable, but a lot of amps sound good over a wide range of volumes.

[cram]

amp & speaker combination is important too.
Meaning, If I switch speaker cabs, my "sweetspot" in the drive levels would be different.

[Red_Label]

My Shiva sounds good at low volume (especially if I use my OCD to push it). But it sounds GREAT when it's really purring along (master above 9:00 and preferably closer to noon). That's just a FACT with tube amps. That master's gotta be up enough to actually be working those power tubes -- otherwise the preamp tubes are doing everything in terms of tone and response. Such is the case even with the Tweaker that I bought for practice. Really gets that natural tube compression above noon on the master. Which at 15 watts is louder than hell.

[QRSS]

i like 7. drives the power section enough to see what it's capable of.

[RocksOff]

Get a NMV Marshall. Crank it up! Live like a king!

[TubeeTuberton]

My volume stays a little over noon. Around 7 I would say. I like to use my Timmy to push it into OD. My setup is an Egnater Tweaker btw, and although the natural Od of the amp is good, I prefer to use my Timmy and OCD for actual gain.

[Tone_Terrific]

It's pretty well impossible to test an amp, properly, in a store.
You need to try in your playing circumstances.
The ability of an amp to hang together and deliver, pleasantly, at high volumes separates another group. If you don't use high volume, it won't matter.

[dilznik]

If the store is annoyed that you're testing it too loud, they should've built an amp room. If you're already in the amp room, then they should've built a better amp room. If they want you to buy something, you should be able to try it out.

[diagrammatiks]

knowing how the amp circuit is designed helps a lot.

[Dave_C]

The volume at which you plan to use it.

:agree

[phoenix 7]

Some do, some don't. You won't get the power tubes distorting till you have it up pretty loud. That's generally desirable, but a lot of amps sound good over a wide range of volumes.

+1. Some tube amps I prefer at reasonable volumes clean rather than cranked into break-up. Cranked isn't always necessarily "better."

[Joe Porto]

For power tubes, it also depends on how you bias them. A hotter bias can get the tubes to open up more at lower volumes.

My Bogner Shiva came from the factory biased quite cold (around 8 watts per EL34 tube at idle). I cranked the bias up to 18 watts idle dissipation per tube, and it was day and night difference at lower volume. Of course, the cost of this is shorter tube life.

[Shiny McShine]

With high end tube amps, do they just sound awesome when they're really cooking with volume? I shouldn't judge a tube amps tone when its down low low levels I would assume. Its hard to get a good idea sometimes at a music store because I feel strange just maxing the volume out.

It's a huge advantage to be able to play amps in their sweet spot. There's no substitute for it.

[salvatruco]

If the store is annoyed that you're testing it too loud, they should've built an amp room. If you're already in the amp room, then they should've built a better amp room. If they want you to buy something, you should be able to try it out.

+1000;)

[chervokas]

There's definitely a sweet spot and I would think you would want to crank the amp to that point...you'll know it when you hear it...because you'll want to know what the sweet spot is and if that's a volume that works for you.

But I would think when you're testing an amp you'll want to try it at all kinds of volumes. Does it sound good at low volumes? Does it sound good dimmed? Is there enough clean headroom as you turn it up? Is it stiff and punchy when you hit it hard with chords when cranked, or is it compressed and spongy with lead lines? Where's the sweet spot? How does it sound with single coils, humbuckers? Etc.... To me, when you're testing an amp, you want to check out how it responds in all kinds of circumstances and at all kinds of settings.

[FFTT]

Usually around 10:00 to 1:00

The amp should deliver cleans with a light attack and deliver progressively
more crunch as you dig in with a harder attack.

If the store will not allow you to try the amp at your intended use volume,
then insist on a no hassle return policy if you are not delighted once you try the amp
out at rehearsals.

[Average Joe]

At the levels you intend to use it. That plexi stack might sound heavenly when I crank it but is totally useless for my cafe gigging. If you're just interested in how a particular amp deliver the goods get it up to its sweet spot. For all practical purposes otoh it only makes sense to evaluate an amp with utility in mind and that includes the levels you're going to be using it at

[BobbyRay]

I'm absolutely with those who say:

At the volume you intend to use the amp.

Are you gigging? If so it's a good idea to bring your current amp, set it up at gig volume next to the amp in question for a reference point. Rooms vary so much that I have a hard time getting a handle on what my actual gig volume is without a point of reference. What may be too loud for the room the amp is in, may not be anywhere near what's comfortable when the drummer kicks in.

[DICKIE C]

It's pretty well impossible to test an amp, properly, in a store.
You need to try in your playing circumstances.
The ability of an amp to hang together and deliver, pleasantly, at high volumes separates another group. If you don't use high volume, it won't matter.

Absolutely. I have yet to try an amp at any volume in a store and have it sound the same at home or wherever else. Very annoying.

[DICKIE C]

The volume at which you plan to use it.

This is it, man!

[stoob0t]

Depends entirely on the amp. Personally, I can't really judge what volume I'd use something at live without the rest of my band around me, especially in a music shop where there is tonnes of open space, or REALLY confined space.

Because I generally go for non-MV amps, I normally first off try an amp with the EQ all at 12:00 at one of it's cleanest settings, then on the edge of break up, then with it cooking a little, and then finally with the tubes absolutely cooking once it's warmed up a bit. Usually I'll play around with the guitar volume too just to see how much I can clean it back up.

Really quick answer is that I generally find with amps that have no master volume, 11:00 - 1:00 seems to be where the magic is at.

[greggorypeccary]

Some do, some don't. You won't get the power tubes distorting till you have it up pretty loud. That's generally desirable, but a lot of amps sound good over a wide range of volumes.

And that depends on whether or not you want the tubes to distort and if so, how much. If you want to be loud and relatively clean, you definitely need to turn it up to see if the amp has the headroom you desire.

[Blanket Jackson]

This thread is instructive for me ... I would have said that you'd want to test the amp at 3 volumes - 30%, 60%, and 100%. But, you guys are right -- you should check it at the volume you plan to use it at. I don't know if "no other volumes are relevant" since you don't always know what other venues / gigs may require flexibility, but the posts did remind me that an amp is just a tool, for a specific purpose. It is not more than that.