From claire_trikes_aust@iprimus.com.au Wed Oct 15 20:50:38 2003
Subject:Re: Nord Electro Crashes on First Date

Mark,
Thank you for your post about your experiences with the Nord Electro. Very
interesting. The crashes don't sound good. Is there anyway of checking
that this is not just a 'dodgy' single unit ?

My background is in electronics but there is a consistent theme on this list
that I do not understand. You mentioned:

> And the low overall output volume
> also drives me bananas. Of course I assume that many of you can afford
an
> additional $400.00 to $800.00 speakeasy with a "barker" to remedy this.
The
> output of the Electro is considerably weaker than my VK7. What kind of
power do
> these people assume we are running ?
> And then

This is what I don't get. And it applies to many comments about the CX3 as
well (low output/weak/ not as 'hot' as others etc.)
Every amp that I've seen has enough gain to drive it to maximum output
power. This of course may happen at a low volume control setting, or, the
control setting may be at max. Irrespective, it's max output power (at the
on-set of clipping(distortion)). Indeed, most amplifier manufacturers make
their amps (both power and pre amps) much more sensitive (more gain) than
they need. This is so that people can say "Wow listen to how loud this is
and its only on '3' !" The fact that full output may be at '4' seems to be
overlooked. Hence amps that go to '11' and all that stuff.

What I don't get is if you have a Nord, in your case, or a CX3 in lots of
other cases, why don't you just wind either the pre-amp or power amp gain
(as appropriate) up a bit ? Perhaps reduce other inputs to maintain
balance. I can't believe that your Nord or (others CX3's) will not take
your amplifier to max output power if all of the gain controls in the chain
are at max.

Please note that this is *quite a different issue* to setting pre-amp
gain/power amp gain to ensure that there is a non-linear component
(producing distortion etc. for 'warmth') early in the chain as I assume is
the case with a Speakeasy etc.

I just can't believe there is so little signal out of a Nord or CX3 that you
couldn't drive almost any preamp, mixer, power-amp to max output power. So
what if the knobs are at '9' ? (Their 'calibration' is entirely arbitrary).

From an engineering perspective each item is a 'gain block'. Effects pedals
are set up to have a gain near unity (so there is little difference in level
with effect/no effect). Pre-amps have lots of voltage gain. Power-amps
have some voltage gain but mainly current gain (resulting in significant
power gain). You need more gain, you turn the knob a bit to the right.
This has the same effect as if the engineer had designed the amp 'hotter'
with say 6dB more gain.

Low output signal source - (Nord, CX3 whatever), put in a say +10dB gain
block - or turn that channel up a bit ! (If there are no other 'channels'
simply get more gain from the pre-amp or power-amp (as appropriate) by
turning the knob a bit..............

Back to your original point:
a) if you just want it to be 'punchier' 'hotter' with your knobs in the
same place get a cheap low cost +10db gain block (or turn your amp up a bit
and everything else down.
b) if you want to *change the sound* spend money on a non-transparent
device such as Speakeasy - Barker etc. that introduces amplitude distortion,
phase distortion, frequency distortion, resonances, non-linear frequency
response and a whole bunch of other (sometimes desirable) non-linearities.

You don't have to spend more money to get more gain. I'd bet your system
already has enough. You do need to spend money to get more output power, or
a different character sound.

Claire