Main Channel I ( and ) voicing controls respond differently than those of
MainChannelII.Inconsequence,Isuggestthatyoustartbydialinginsettingsbetween
12and3o'clock,tweakingeachtotasteandcomparingthedifferences.Again,Iopted
for passive tone controls, which puts each knob's control range at about 10 dB. As
you're experimenting with modifying settings, you may notice that when the Crunch
or Lead channels are in Classic mode and you are pushing the preamp hard, the EQ
seemsslightlylessassertivethaninModernmode.
The Tube Driver circuit is in effect an excellent auxiliary channel: T. D. EQ's dedicated
voicing section lets you set up an alternative Clean channel with a totally different
tone. For instance, you could dial in lots of high-end for one channel (with the Clean
channelbeingpredestinedforthisbecauseitstwoBrightsound-shapingbuttonsoffer
tremendous top-end reserves) for crisp, spanky clean sounds, and roll back
treble for a darker, throatier tone, say for, jazz comping. For even more variety, you
can dial in different power amp Presence settings and mix and match them with the
withand without EQ, thereby multiplying thenumberofsubtlevariations
in sound at your disposal. Try this on for size: To get a very midsy tone that colors but
does not mask the given pickup's characteristic sound, send the Tube Driver signal
directly to the power amp (bypassing its EQ). This yields some very distinctive sonic
flavors that depending on personal preference and musical genre, may well ring your
bell. What's more, the fundamental tone of the Tube Driver circuit with EQ is not
synonymous with the Clean channel's basic sound. The differences between the two
aremostprominentinlow-endandmidrangefrequencies.
All these options harbor vast and musically meaningful sonic potential. I'm confident
that the Gain knobs, tone controls and sound-shaping buttons will let you conjure all
the sounds you have in mind and that you'll discover a world of tones while you're
tweaking.
On top of all that, with and , you have two voicing options for every
preamp channel: Particularly in the high-gain channels, these give you two very
distinctive distorted sounds for each channel. The contrast between the two sonic
flavors is not merely a matter of different gain levels. The structures of the saturated
signals differ, and each is fine-tuned to work its tonal magic with a specific genre.
packsamightylow-endthumpandboaststruckloadsofgainthat'sthewayto
gotoforheavy-duty,powerchordriffingtypicalofcontemporarystyles.
Note that you can tighten up and focus Lead channel tones using the two sound-
shapingbuttons and .Tweakedforafatter,warmersound,
adds a healthy help of mids around the 500-hertz mark. The three parameters
(preamptonecontrol), (powerampsound-shapingbutton)and
(preamp sound-shaping button) put a remarkable array of low-end tweaking
options at your fingertips. The two sound-shaping buttons are programmable,
providinginstantMIDIaccesstoahostofsonicconfigurations.
In addition, I made a point of tuning the two Lead channels to respond slightly
differently: responseis a bitmore aggressive, fasterand morepreciseit allbut
lunges when you attack strings. , on the other hand, is not quite as testy. Its
response is not as rabid, and with an extra sprinkling of low end added to the sonic
recipe, it also delivers warmer tone. demands rather precise technique, while
the more forgiving is easier to handle. In comparison to the E660 predecessor
model, thisrevamped version gives you two more voicing optionsfor each of the two
Clean Crunch
T.D.EQ's
TubeDriver
Modern Classic
Modern
Contour MidEdge Contour
Bass
DepthBoost MegaLo
Punch
LeadI's
Lead II
Lead II
Lead I
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