M-2 model

[derker]

I just spent some time mucking around with the M-2 amp model, A/B-ing it with Petrucci's videos on how to dial in the Mesa Mark V. I know they're not the same amp, but they sound pretty damn similar, both in tone and behavior.

I'm curious about the 'Volume' versus the 'Drive' parameters. It's obvious that these two control the preamp/gain, but what do they actually control? Hoping to get some feedback from the Avid guys...thanks!

Edit: I pulled up some pics of the Mark II, looks like there is indeed a Lead Drive knob along with the Volume. Are they controls for different gain stages? They definitely have their own sound/gain structure/texture.

[guitardom]

drives on the mark series refer to the preamp stage or preamp distortion. the volume is the output, the power tube stage. on boogies you dont get distortion from the power amp stage like you would on some marshalls or fenders.

as examples.
here is a tune that all the guitars are from the mark IIc+ sim in 11.
august failed

and here is a tune with my mark V
trees

neither of these are finished mixes. just posted them up recently and working on mixing the album now, but will give you an idea.

they are a bit different and i have a much easier time getting even the older dream theater sounds w the mark V, but the simplicity and price of the 11r is hard to beat. but i find the controls are not quite the same between the mark and 11r. they both have their purpose and as much as i love the 11r, i could not get rid of my mark v.

[derker]

Thanks for the response, but there are 'volume', 'drive', and 'master' knobs. I know that the master controls the poweramp, I'm most curious about what the drive does compared to the volume, which I'm guessing is a preamp volume/gain.

[Chris Townsend]

Hi derker,

Volume adjusts the gain at the input of the preamp. Drive adjusts the gain after the second preamp tube, if I remember correctly. I tend to like settings with the Volume set high and the Drive set low, but the opposite can work as well.

[derker]

Thanks for the response, Chris. I had a feeling it was something like that. I used to own a JCM900 SL-X that had a similar dual gain knob configuration. Funnily enough, I'm finding that I like the Volume set pretty low, and dial up the drive a little. They are both equally useful, but feel completely different.

For those who haven't seen them, John Petrucci's Mark V videos on youtube were pretty helpful to me in dialing the M-2 in. Once again, the Mark V and Mark II are different amps, but the process to dial them in seems pretty similar. The interaction between the gain and EQ is really interesting and takes some getting used to.

[Karl Houseknecht]

Part 1 of those Petrucci vids here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5kOIx7HbhxQ

[Deny]

I was wondering the same thing, thanks for clarifying Chris. This means the "volume" control in this model is the same as the "gain" control in my Triaxis, which I find extremely useful for matching it with different guitars/pickups. BTW I'd love to see a version of this amp model without the "V" shaped EQ or maybe with an extra control so we could dial it in progressively like in the Triaxis, just a thought.