Mic Clipping on Genz Benz .... help please

[Antz_Marchin]

I use a Genz Benz Shen 2 channel amp to play my acoustic gigs and I've been noticing some clipping on the mic once in a while during a louder part in a song. I've never had the issue with the guitar but I will notice a slight instant of distortion and when singing a loud part and sure enough when I do it again and look back, the red clip light flashes. I do back off the mic when increasing the volume mostly but for the dynamics of the song, at some parts, I don't want to normalize the level of the vocals throughout.

I've never really used amps much other than with my electrics when I was younger and am not sure what I should be doing to avoid this and clean up the output. It is a 200W amp and I am only on like 2.5 - 3 on the master and have the channel volume up 3/4ths of the way with some reverb on it.

[TRW1]

I'll jump in first here, I guess. Turn your Master Volume up and your Channel Volume down. Channel volume should never be set higher than the master volume or else distortion can occur. If you set the master volume higher you give yourself more headroom for the channels and will have much cleaner sound. Try it and post how it turns out.

[rmyAddison]

The channel volume should never be 3/4, thats too high a gain, same thing with PA's. Typical starter channel volume is 12 o'clock to one o'clock, after that adjust the Master volume as recommended.

I have a Genz Benz Shenandoah Pro, also 200 watts. My mike channel volume is at 12 o'clock, master volume is a 10 o'clock and I use those setting in a banquest room of 100 seats, plenty loud. I use a Shure Beta 87A condensor for vocals, wonderful mike.

I disagree that Master volume should always be higher than channel volume, I've played and also done sound since 1970. You want enough gain to have a clean signal at the channel input level throughout the balance of the signal chain.

Say you hypothetically get the same output with channel volume at 9 o'clock and Master at 12' o'clock, as you do with channel at 12 o'clock and master at 9 o'clock, what's the difference? The first setting, lower channel volume with higher master volume gives you more headroom. The second setting, higher channel volume with lower master volume gives you a stronger signal with less chance of "noise".

Neither is absolutley right or wrong but too low a channel volume provides a weak signal (noise) and too high a channel volume can clip and distort, you haven't even gotten to the master volume stage and the damage is done.

Your mike will have some effect but try the channel volume near 12-1 o'clock, no higher, then increase the master volume to the output level you need. If you still clip lower the channel volume to 10 o'clock and increase the master. Genz Benz's make great amp/PA's you just need to dial it in, good luck.

[Antz_Marchin]

Thanks so much guys, will be using my amp again Saturday but will have a PA that night for vocals. I'll give the settings a try on Sunday at my solo acoustic gig and will let ya know how it worked out.

[sdelsolray]

Gain/attenuation staging is a black art (just kidding). That "red" light is a basic clipping indicator, set to light up at some preset level (perhaps 3dB before clipping). If the input source has a wide dynamic range (as vocals often do), there are several things you can do:

1) Adjust the preamp input gain stage so that the loudest input level barely lights up the overload indicator. As long as you don't subsequently pass a higher level signal, you're good to go for the night.

2) Adjust the input level of your vocal by backing away from the mic a few inches (or turn your head a bit to the side) everytime you sing the loudest. The signal that arrives at the preamp will be naturally attenuated by this technique, yet it will have the perceived intensity of your vocal "belting".

3) If your preamp has inserts, you can insert a compressor which can handle loud spikes, although this won't stop an overload of the input stage of the preamp, just the output stage.

[Antz_Marchin]

Played tonight and last night with the amp......Cranked the master almost halfway and played with my channel volumes at less than 1/4th. Worked like a charm. Plenty of headroom, no clipping and perfectly clean. Thanks for the advice everybody.

[rmyAddison]

Congratulations, more than one way to set up channel/master volumes, no clipping yet a strong enough signal is the answer. The 200 watt Shen 2 and Pro are great amps, and fantastic PA's with an extension cabinet.

What mike do you use, I have a Shure Beta 87A for vocals and a Beta 57 for the songs I use my D-18 GE on, main stage guitar is a OMC Aura. What's your rig?

[TRW1]

Glad to hear it worked out well for you. I had gone through the same issue with my old Shen 85 and used the same 'cure' to fix the problem.