Speaker sounds GREAT clean, crappy overdriven

[Gasp100]

I have a Scumback H55 (weber build) that I sent in for repair because it was crackling at medium to high volume. Now that it's back, the cleans sound tremedous even tremendously loud. But ANY overdrive I run through the cab/speaker sounds terrible. Ripping paper, super squashed and tight, just bad. Think of the smallest sounding, tightest G12H30 you can imagine and that's it.
Does this need to be broken in because it was rebuilt, or is something else going on? I already have a lot in this speaker, don't want to invest more cash -- I will just move on.
But I would think if the speaker was still messed up ANY tones would sound bad. The cleans are killer?

 

[LowWatt]

Interesting. What's the wattage of the speaker? What amp are you running into it?

 

[musicman1]

Its kind of happening w/me. Emi Swamp Thang sounds great clean and at any volume. Problem is my od channel now sounds terrible. Now that the spkr has settled in after a few gigs I have found that a TS and Rat sound really good but the Guvenor or any of my Boss od/dist sound terrible. Blues Driver sounds good. It seems to like tranparent ods or ones with a mid boost but not scooped ones.

After several hours of break in, you may need to go on a new od/dist hunt.

 

[Gasp100]

Interesting. What's the wattage of the speaker? What amp are you running into it?

The speaker is 100 watts and I'm running a modeler into one of those EHX Magnum pedal sized power amps (44 watts).

 

[sabby]

Sounds like a tight speaker that needs to break-in.

 

[kimock]

The speaker is 100 watts and I'm running a modeler into one of those EHX Magnum pedal sized power amps (44 watts).

You're getting lousy distortion from a chip?
Must be the speaker.

 

[Leonc]

You're getting lousy distortion from a chip?
Must be the speaker.

 

[BudLite]

You're getting lousy distortion from a chip?
Must be the speaker.

 

[solitaire]

Try running your setup into another speaker as reference. That's a good way of assessing whether it's the amp or the speaker. Though possibly it may just need some breaking in. Give it a week and see if there has been any improvement.

 

[LowWatt]

Try running your setup into another speaker as reference. That's a good way of assessing whether it's the amp or the speaker. Though possibly it may just need some breaking in. Give it a week and see if there has been any improvement.

Or another cab. It could be something about that cab or how the speaker is mounted in it that loses it's **** at volume too. Any way you can record it?

 

[Gasp100]

Or another cab. It could be something about that cab or how the speaker is mounted in it that loses it's **** at volume too. Any way you can record it?

I can try to record it. I don't have another speaker or cab to try, hence posting here because I will have to buy something else if I can't figure it out. Jim is on the case, might be able to help me get this straightened out.
HAHA about the "chip" -- the overdrive KILLS through nearfield monitors and recorded direct so I don't believe it is that... here are some clips recorded direct of the modeler "chip".

AC30 - [SOUNDCLOUD]http://soundcloud.com/gasp100/kemper-ac30-topboost[/SOUNDCLOUD]
Fuchs ODS - [SOUNDCLOUD]http://soundcloud.com/gasp100/kemper-ford-boost-lp[/SOUNDCLOUD]
Marshall AFD - [SOUNDCLOUD]http://soundcloud.com/gasp100/kemper-ga-afd100a[/SOUNDCLOUD]

 

[solitaire]

I don't think it sounds so bad, actually. Distortion adds quite a bit of mids and trebles and we may expect a smaller amp with a single driver to sound like a shrunken dimed full stack, but it won't. Could try some EQ-ing and/ or beam reducing measures to get the tone more managable in mids and trebles.

 

[Gasp100]

I don't think it sounds so bad, actually. Distortion adds quite a bit of mids and trebles and we may expect a smaller amp with a single driver to sound like a shrunken dimed full stack, but it won't. Could try some EQ-ing and/ or beam reducing measures to get the tone more managable in mids and trebles.

LOL... those are the modeler tracks direct to disk to show the "chip" tone.
I have not made a recording of the modeler -> power amp -> cabinet with super tight speaker... I will and post.
Thanks!

 

[soundchaser59]

You're getting lousy distortion from a chip?
Must be the speaker.

(no offense!)

 

[Billion81]

You're getting lousy distortion from a chip?
Must be the speaker.

Awesome.

 

[solitaire]

LOL... those are the modeler tracks direct to disk to show the "chip" tone.
I have not made a recording of the modeler -> power amp -> cabinet with super tight speaker... I will and post.
Thanks!

Oh, that must be my attention deficit kicking in on a monday such as this.

But since I'm posting anyway I'd like to say a few things about my first ever encounter with distortion, which may bear some resemblance to what you describe. Ran a fuzz into an amp with plenty of headroom and it sounded really papery and buzzy in a nasty way. I believe this too was a single driver. Lowering the available headroom took care of it.

 

[Gasp100]

You're getting lousy distortion from a chip?
Must be the speaker.

meh... check out the clips, let me know if you think the distortion "sucks"



The issue is clearly with the distorted tones when I'm running into a power amp + cab. Everything is peachy keen when I record direct or play direct into nearfield monitors.
I should probably just ditch the analog components anyway, they are total drag and a compromise. But, I do have them lying around so I figured I would give it a shot.
It's only a matter of time before the Kemper KPA profiles your beloved Two Rocks

http://kemper-amps.com/page/render/...plifier___Guitar_Amplification_Redefined.html