Marshall Code 100 Combo, difference between gain and volume and master volume
0

votes

A few of you may scoff at my quesion. But what's with the Gain, Volume and Master Volume on the code.

I can appreciate having a gain and master volume, or a volume and master volume, but why all three?

I can't seem to differentiate any discernable reason for this. Any ideas people?

Look at it this way, turn the volume up and the master down to get a more distorted sound at a lower level, but there's the gain for that? See what I mean?

asked 04 Sep 2018 at 06:45 PM

Chris Davies (12)
Answers: 3
2

votes

Gain -> emulation of preamp -> Volume -> emulation of power amp -> mixer -> master volume -> real power amp

Gain - level of signal from your guitar incoming to preamp. Even when you use clean praemp, setting this level to high results in distorted sound. In a case of crunch or overdrive you can set amount of distortion. 

Volume - level of signal outcoming form preamp, incoming to power amp. It does not influence the amount of distortion. 

Mixer - the place, where signal from your guitar is mixed with a backing track from aux input or bluetooth input.

Master volume - overall level of sound in loudspeaker.

An example: if you play with backing track from any external device, and your guitar is not loud enough, you can increase the level of the guitar with volume pot to the desired proportion, and then set master volume to the level acceptable by you neighbous and family... :-)

answered 04 Sep 2018 at 08:43 PM

Jacek Klimkiewicz (234)
very helpful thank you. but wasn't asking about mixer :) - Chris Davies 05 Sep 2018 at 07:04 PM
1

vote

Hey Chris.

Dunno if you're still around or monitoring this thread but I saw the above answer some time ago and was wondering if anybody else going to chime in here but obviously not so here goes.

The Gain controls the input level to the preamp. section and here you can dial in some distortion without using the prefx. e.g. distortion or overdrive.

The Volume controls the output level of the preset in use (and if you're recording via USB it also controls the output level being sent to your audio device).

The Master Volume controls the overall output of the amp. (either out of the cab. or out of the headphone / line out socket).

That's the reason for all three.

Regards,

Dale.

 

 

answered 20 Sep 2018 at 04:18 PM

Dale Paterson (105)
Ok thanks for the answers guys, so in your opionion, what do you think is better, cranking the volume but having the master volume set lower or vice versa? - Chris Davies 08 Oct 2018 at 06:21 PM
0

votes

Hi Chris.

Personal opinion is to have the preset volumes high to max. and the master volume as low or as high as needed.  There is a (very) slight difference in tone between high to max. and low volumes for individual presets.

For the record though: this is not to be confused with valve amps. that have seperate (pre amp) gain and master volume controls (the idea being that you can drive the valves and get distortion / breakup at lower / manageable levels).  This doesn't apply to the CODE range as they are solid state modelling amps.

Regards,

Dale.

answered 08 Oct 2018 at 07:12 PM

Dale Paterson (105)
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