ashdown VU meter

[mrhectic]

[b]what does the VU meter on the ashdown amps do?

im i right in saying if it goes into the red, it means to turn it down a bit or the speaker will blow?[/b]

[Marky L]

[quote name='mrhectic' post='277902' date='Sep 5 2008, 03:13 PM'][b]what does the VU meter on the ashdown amps do?

im i right in saying if it goes into the red, it means to turn it down a bit or the speaker will blow?[/b][/quote]

I think the primary objective is to look a bit retro and cool.

I usually like to have my input stage just tipping into the red when I play hard, but I think to be honest if your needle isn't jammed up hard against the red all the time then you'll be fine.

M

[Merton]

[quote name='mrhectic' post='277902' date='Sep 5 2008, 03:13 PM']im i right in saying if it goes into the red, it means to turn it down a bit or the speaker will blow?[/quote]
Nope.

It does f*** all if reports are to be believed. It's meant to help set your input gain at the right level (i.e. just below going into the red). It won't blow your speaker the second it goes into the red but you may get some preamp distortion.

Most people say it's as helpful as a chocolate teapot tho....

[mrhectic]

ahhh i see!

cool, it just that i kept going into the red, and wasnt sure if i was going to be doing damage to the speaker.

[phil_the_bassist]

it looks freakin awesome-cool! I WISH i had a flippy needle thingumy on my Hartke!

A guitard I know had got a load mounted in his computer that read what power's bein used by various gubbins in his CPU...very groovy when they jump around as he's burnin CD's or downloading porn...

[bassmansky]

dont believe eveything you read!the needle should occasionally go into the red but not stay in there.everytime you adjust your eq check the meter as this makes a difference.adjust input control accordingly.you want to see the needle move but not to far to the red.

[alexclaber]

If you like an overdriven sound there is no reason not to have your VU needle almost permanently stuck all the way into the red.

Alex

[Finbar]

It looks pretty ugly though. Its an amp, not a car.

[DirkThrust]

I've always found the Ashdown VU meter to be very useful for setting the input level, certainly easier to use than the normal light arrangement. Just set it so you get the sound you like and don't worry about blowing your speakers. The output level is determined by the knob on the other end of the amp

[Protium]

[quote name='Finbar' post='277993' date='Sep 5 2008, 04:26 PM']It looks pretty ugly though. Its an amp, not a car.[/quote]

Yeah but it screams out "THIS IS AN ASHDOWN AMP" - free advertising

[Tengu]

I was taught at college that VU stood for "virtually useless".

Basically because the needle responds too slowly to give you a true indication of peaks. As a general guide I suppose it does just fine though. A simple clipping LED is far more useful but nowhere near as sexy.

[bassmansky]

[quote name='Tengu' post='278228' date='Sep 5 2008, 09:47 PM']I was taught at college that VU stood for "virtually useless".

Basically because the needle responds too slowly to give you a true indication of peaks. As a general guide I suppose it does just fine though. A simple clipping LED is far more useful but nowhere near as sexy.[/quote]
you hit the string and it moves how fast do you want !

[alexclaber]

[quote name='bassmansky' post='278233' date='Sep 5 2008, 10:00 PM']
you hit the string and it moves how fast do you want ![/quote]

Fast enough to actually catch the transients on slaps. VU meters work rather well when metering signal onto magnetic tape or comparing apparent signal gain after processors. Hopeless for monitoring signal peaks.

Alex

[warwickhunt]

Had one and it is there to bug the f*ck out of you whilst you try to figure out if it is of any practical use... it isn't, ignore it and use your ears.

[tauzero]

I've never yet encountered an Ashdown in a rehearsal studio with a VU meter that actually worked, so your quandary could well be short-lived.

[john_the_bass]

[quote name='Protium' post='278172' date='Sep 5 2008, 08:08 PM']Yeah but it screams out "THIS IS AN ASHDOWN AMP" - free advertising [/quote]

No, the big Ashdown badge on the front does that for mine.

[Machines]

I find mine to work fairly well, if it does clip then I do hear distortion. I try and make sure the hardest I can play a note will just about be under +2dB. Of course it all changes as soon as I change any EQ settings on the head or my bass.

[Protium]

[quote name='john_the_bass' post='278401' date='Sep 6 2008, 07:59 AM']No, the big Ashdown badge on the front does that for mine.[/quote]

Try a gig in the dark

[NeonMig]

I just used it as a general guide when I owned an Ashdown. Useful to making sure output through effects and bypass was the same.

[lowhand_mike]

mine was a bit flaky till i spilt a load of fog mineral oil in the back of my combo head, now it works really well (i am however NOT saying pour mineral oil into your amp ok)
looks cool to me and its very useful when on stage and you get a bit carried away with digging in, quick look at the VU and oooh i better back off a touch, mine tends to flutter around the verticle position. also bare in mind that certain notes will make it move more than others so dont just play one note to check your level on the meter.

[Machines]

The meter on the MAG rises/decays slower than the ABM. End of useless info .

[escholl]

the meter on my ashdown is actually on the [i]output[/i]. and lot more useful, i find.

[Waldo]

[quote name='escholl' post='282218' date='Sep 11 2008, 10:32 PM']the meter on my ashdown is actually on the [i]output[/i]. and lot more useful, i find.[/quote]

Yup same with the one I used to own, but that was a guitar amp though.

[lowhand_mike]

[quote name='escholl' post='282218' date='Sep 11 2008, 10:32 PM']the meter on my ashdown is actually on the [i]output[/i]. and lot more useful, i find.[/quote]
possible marketing ploy could be to have a VU on both the input and output to balance your signal, wether it worked efficiantly enough would have to be seen but a possibilty none the less.

[Machines]

It's 2 stage monitoring, see FAQ 5: [url="http://www.ashdownmusic.com/contact/faq.asp"]http://www.ashdownmusic.com/contact/faq.asp[/url]

[quote]"On the ABM the EQ is a 2 stage circuit, each stage of this circuit is monitored separately to ensure that there is no clipping in either stage.

To allow this to be possible it is not possible to monitor from just one point i.e. after the EQ in/out switching. These monitor points are the most likely parts of the pre-amp to become overloaded and clip and it is essential to monitor both. This also ensures that you do not suddenly decend into distortion when you switch in the EQ because it is monitored all the time. On the ABM this is the most sensible approach for a professional product.

On both the EB and the MAG the VU monitoring is after the switching because of the number of comments we have received about this. On the ABM this is not possible (as outlined above)"[/quote]