Signal from my pedal board is too hot (?)

[Crowder]

I have a dilemma. I prefer to use multiple stages of light gain....I like being able to boost my signal for solos, and being able to get various levels of dirt in a predictable way. My current signal chain is in my sig for the curious.

My problem is that the signal coming off my board tends to be pretty hot, with quite a bit more than unity gain. This means I end up running my amp a lower than optimal level. It's a DAG15, which is a 15 watt amp with power scaling. For band practices, I'm running the Power Level control at 50% with the volume barely cracked open. If I were to run my guitar straight into the amp it would sound pretty anemic with these settings. However, after the signal has been through the compressor, and at least one of the gain pedals I use, it ends up being pretty loud at the amp. I know I'm not getting the most tone from my amp, but I've got so much signal coming off my board I have to keep the amp low.

Obviously I can adjust the level of each pedal. I don't want any of them to cut the signal strength by any means, and to me it seems like they are all set pretty close to unity gain with the exception of the Boost EQ, which is my solo boost pedal. The compressor is pretty much at unity, as is the Butah. The SexDrive is set for a slight lift with a little grit. I basically use it to level out the volume difference between my Strat and my Les Paul.

One thing I am considering is moving the compressor to the end of the dirt chain (but before the delay and reverb). The EGO Compressor has a blend control so I can probably adjust it to smooth out the changes in output when the different pedals are engaged, without killing those changes completely.

Any suggestions would be welcome.

[Blues Lyne]

I'm not sure what is happening, if the pedals are really set at unity, there shouldn't be a louder signal coming from your board than with the guitar plugged straight in. Is the problem that the amp is too loud, or that the amp is running out of head room and getting dirty with the pedal board?

For what it's worth, I run a Bandmaster Reverb (40 watts or so) with power scaling. The power scaling is at 11:00 and the amps volume is on 7. Some of my dirt pedals are above unity. But, I roll the volume on my guitar down to 8 or so for cleans.

[drbob1]

I don't know what the problem is but it wouldn't be hard to drop a clean boost at the end of the chain and drop it slightly below unity gain to get back to the same volume as the bare guitar...

[Crowder]

thanks and bump for more ideas.

[Agitator]

I don't think you want to put a compressor at the end since it will affect the dynamics and general sound.

You could put a volume pedal at the end, or even one of these things:

http://www.ehx.com/products/signal-pad

Clean boost might work if those also offer "below unity" settings (mine doesn't).

Or just turn down the pre-amp volume on your amp? 8-)

[semi-hollowbody]

I am assuming you mean by "too hot" that you get a volume increase...

I have set ALL my dirt pedals (and any other pedal with a volume knob) to unity...my compressor is set at unity...however
I noticed when I use my compressor and certain dirt pedals together, there is a volume spike...even though by themselves they are at unity

same with stacking some dirt pedals...

stacked (never more than 2 at a time) will increase volume even though by themselves they are at unity...another reason Id rather have a few more dirt pedals than stacking