Line Out Level - should it be full on?

[largo]

I have a Markbass MoMark TA800 amp, which has a line out level knob on the front. Should this always be set to full to send to the desk?

[JTUK]

I probably wouldn't myself... I'd set it at half, unless it was really obvious that that level was too low.
But that is a general position I'd take...rather than it being this model specific.

[Merton]

[quote name='JTUK' timestamp='1431250502' post='2769118']
I probably wouldn't myself... I'd set it at half, unless it was really obvious that that level was too low.
But that is a general position I'd take...rather than it being this model specific.
[/quote]

Yup, this.

[chrismuzz]

I always set my LMT800 line out around 11 o clock and never had any complaints about signal level

[largo]

Only ask because our guitarist, come "knows it all" sound guy, says it's normal to run it at full and has asked for this last couple of gigs. I always set it at half myself. He says I should always run my bass volume at full as well Not sure why there's a knob on the volume, maybe I should just get a switch fitted instead.

Thanks again for the replies. At least it's not just me.

[chris_b]

I start with mine running at 3/4 level. If the sound guys want more or less I'll oblige, but usually they are happy with that.

PS I run the volume on my passive bass full up but low on my active bass. I adjust the master volume on the amp.

Edited May 10, 2015 by chris_b

[Dad3353]

[quote name='largo' timestamp='1431252237' post='2769142']
Only ask because our guitarist, come "knows it all" sound guy, says it's normal to run it at full and has asked for this last couple of gigs. I always set it at half myself. He says I should always run my bass volume at full as well Not sure why there's a knob on the volume, maybe I should just get a switch fitted instead.

Thanks again for the replies. At least it's not just me.
[/quote]

Your guitarist has a point, up to a point, though. The higher the signal, the less gain needed afterwards; any added gain will increase extraneous noise, as well as the signal. Ideally, the signal sent should be adjusted to be the optimum required, neither too low nor too high. Obviously impractical most of the time, so it could be held to be best to send as much as possible (ie: full up...) unless that's too much, in which case turn it down until the overload is gone. In practical terms, I'd leave it full up unless asked to reduce; that's the 'fail-safe' option.
The same applies to the instrument. If the bass is turned down, the increased 'gain' in the amp will bring up the level, but bring with it increased noise. The higher level from the instrument, the better, from that point of view.
Just sayin'.

[JTUK]

Depends how hard the pot can run...I'd always go half to 3/4...and hope the levels on the desk were
more 'clinical'..assuming the desk is quality.

[Chienmortbb]

[quote name='Dad3353' timestamp='1431257751' post='2769257']


Your guitarist has a point, up to a point, though. The higher the signal, the less gain needed afterwards; any added gain will increase extraneous noise, as well as the signal. Ideally, the signal sent should be adjusted to be the optimum required, neither too low nor too high. Obviously impractical most of the time, so it could be held to be best to send as much as possible (ie: full up...) unless that's too much, in which case turn it down until the overload is gone. In practical terms, I'd leave it full up unless asked to reduce; that's the 'fail-safe' option.
The same applies to the instrument. If the bass is turned down, the increased 'gain' in the amp will bring up the level, but bring with it increased noise. The higher level from the instrument, the better, from that point of view.
Just sayin'.
[/quote]The higher the signal the better. A good desk will have mic and line inputs and most DIs on amps, even at full output, will be well below the max level for a line input. The headroom on a decent mixer preamp would be 20-30dB and that is massive. Most Amps take the cheap way out and output around -10dB so it makes no sense to reduce that level in any way as it reduces the signal to noise ratio on that chsnnel, If the mixer or sound man can't sort it out, you need a new mixer/sound man.

Edited May 10, 2015 by Chienmortbb

[mcnach]

[quote name='largo' timestamp='1431248160' post='2769088']
I have a Markbass MoMark TA800 amp, which has a line out level knob on the front. Should this always be set to full to send to the desk?
[/quote]

I set the level half-way on the MB heads/combos I've owned... it was always enough and I never had a complaint that it was too quiet or too hot... so that's where it stays

[Lozz196]

[quote name='mcnach' timestamp='1431286125' post='2769671']

I set the level half-way on the MB heads/combos I've owned... it was always enough and I never had a complaint that it was too quiet or too hot... so that's where it stays
[/quote]

Same here, I figured it was better to have some form of control over it at my end should the person on FOH request any alterations, either up or down.