Cathode Select Switch

[dgadwa]

Curious to know more about the cathode Select switch. I assume that the reason it's internal and not on the control panel of the module is 'cause it would break things if it were toggled while the power was on. True?

 

[gibsonash]

Possible ... Or when you find the right position for you , you forget this switch .

 

[Module]

Short paragraph on the info sheet describes the settings and how each designer picks the one they feel fits the amp. You can of course pick any setting, can change the feel and I think bass response (tightness) of the module. What are you guys using for the 6505 I feel I need to try and change it around to see if I can get that one to suit me. Deliverance is cool might be the only one like that but Fryette engineered it without the switch and just hard wired the setting he felt worked the best. Seems like the more high gain the module they go Fender like stuff 1, Friedman like 2 and SL0 like 3. I haven't really messed with it much but would be interested to see what the 6505 would do on all 1 or 2 if it would help make it more usable. Anyone tried this yet on the 6505?

 

[Module]

Curious to know more about the cathode Select switch. I assume that the reason it's internal and not on the control panel of the module is 'cause it would break things if it were toggled while the power was on. True?

It's actually outside on the very back of the module.
With the module front facing you, it's 1, 2, 3

 

[Module]

Just FYI I would check the switch guys as I found two of mine set on the wrong thing from default out of the box, which is all fine and good if you're experimenting but I had not noticed when they were new they were not set correctly and I have been playing them on an off setting so maybe I would have liked them better who knows. Anyway can't wait to try out the ones that were set wrong maybe I missed their best performance optimum.

 

[dgadwa]

That's a good point @Module. When I got my VH4 (first and only unit for now) I didn't bother to check to see if it was in the factory default position or not. Was just too stoked and wanted to jam on it lol. Got three more mods on the way... SLO, Pitbull, and Savage so I'll line them up properly first. Hell, I was gonna say that "someone" should demo the different positions on the different modules ...not saying that I'm volunteering but it could happen! LOL

 

[eyeball987]

The only module that I have changed the switch settings from stock was the BE. It was just OK in 2 position. Read somewhere that it sounds better in the 3 spot and believe that it does!

Usually I play around with those types of options so I am surprised at myself for not experimenting more with them.

 

[Module]

Yeah would bne nice to actually hear the differences in a demo. I sort of follow the 1 -3 cleaner to dirty scenerio they have followed. I just cannot tell really if I play, unplug it and reinstall be nice if some adventurous soul did a video demo of that. I don't think it can reinvent the wheel and I suspect it's more of a feel thing than gain level or whatnot. It says bass response and feel, god wouldn't a frequency analyzer be a hoot on some of this stuff, man I liked to have that sort of set up.

 

[dgadwa]

Yeah, I finally spent some time playing with it yesterday on my VH4. Subtle differences and I was not able to get the volume up as much as I'd have liked, but in the end, I came to the conclusion that Diezel knows best and position two was the way to go, per the spec sheet. As you said Module, the effect seems to be as much about feel and reaction as it is about the tone.

I'm still curious to know exactly what's going on and came back to this info by Rob Robinette. It pretty quickly gets beyond my experience and comprehension but I'm forcing myself to go further as I finally bought a decent soldering station and have decided that in addition to making my own cables from now on, this is the year that I take on my first small tube amp build.

Voicing an Amp
Cathode Bypass Cap

 

[Module]

I am bloody horrible at soldering myself, I have fits just doing guitar wiring and that is pretty simple. I just have zero talent for DYI stuff. Got all my patch cables from EBS of various lengths, saved me enormous frustration let me tell you. I've made my own in the past and now a days I am just more than glad to have a factory soldered gold cable all nice and flat w small jacks, EBS gold stuff is so nice! I have all the respect in the world for the cats who can render a pedal or let alone an amp. It is beyond my limitations especially now that I can't see for crap and small spaces are not my friends. Bravo the ones who make things for the rest of us saps! It's like painting or something I guess you either have it or you don't. I know I don't, lol.

 

[Module]

One would have to imagine, as they indicate, when the designer picked a setting that was the one they thought best represented the feel and issues of the amp in question or matched the amp. I just set mine to what the sheet indicates. Apparently the type of amp does not matter as I just got a ENGL Savage and it recommends pos 1 the same as my TDLX module which is clean. I get all the feel difference I need either using or not using the SAG. You certainly can't hurt them changing stuff around.
Did anyone know the Herbert has a jumper pin in it that alters high and low gain for either channel or both? Default is red high gain, green low gain, if you move the pin you can get both high gain and if take the jumper block off both channels will be in low gain mode. Which is not really "clean" by any means even the green low gain is pretty gainy on this puppy. I saw that the other day and thought it was interesting. I don't know if any others have that pin jumper, I had not noticed it on anything.

 

[Elric]

One would have to imagine, as they indicate, when the designer picked a setting that was the one they thought best represented the feel and issues of the amp in question or matched the amp. I just set mine to what the sheet indicates. Apparently the type of amp does not matter as I just got a ENGL Savage and it recommends pos 1 the same as my TDLX module which is clean. I get all the feel difference I need either using or not using the SAG. You certainly can't hurt them changing stuff around.
Did anyone know the Herbert has a jumper pin in it that alters high and low gain for either channel or both? Default is red high gain, green low gain, if you move the pin you can get both high gain and if take the jumper block off both channels will be in low gain mode. Which is not really "clean" by any means even the green low gain is pretty gainy on this puppy. I saw that the other day and thought it was interesting. I don't know if any others have that pin jumper, I had not noticed it on anything.

There's a video on YT about the jumper pin. The person who did the vid noted that they actually used the switch so that way they could have two of the same channel and set the 'mid cut' differently on each, which gave him a footswitchable mid cut which he preferred over two different channels.

 

[Module]

Something else to keep any eye on is the numerous lvl switches on the back of he unit, very easy to get a line lvl on instead of a instru lvl. I found a couple of mine not right or at least not the best settings. My cat has done that to me a couple times getting behind the rack and stretching sometimes moving switch or a button. I watch that from now on.

 

[Desertdweller]

Just FYI I would check the switch guys as I found two of mine set on the wrong thing from default out of the box, which is all fine and good if you're experimenting but I had not noticed when they were new they were not set correctly and I have been playing them on an off setting so maybe I would have liked them better who knows. Anyway can't wait to try out the ones that were set wrong maybe I missed their best performance optimum.

This is weird as I just got a Drect and saw this too. The manual sheet that comes with it says the cathode switch should be in position 3, but it's in position 2 out of the box, and I bought it new.