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on the original then PRESENCE will be an added control on our model. This
time though, the “neutral” position is when the control is all the way off (turned
fully counterclockwise). The two models this applies to are BLACK 2x12 and
TWEED 1x12.
IMPORTANT NOTE: As you’ll discover when you read their descriptions, in the
case of the AC15, AC15TB, AC30 and AC30TB models, we’ve utilized the PRES-
ENCE control to mimic the TOP CUT control - whether it was present on the origi-
nal or not.
About the Gain and Volume knobs
Your ToneLab is equipped with 3 programmable Gain or Volume type controls
– GAIN, VR GAIN and CHANNEL VOLUME. These controls do specific jobs,
and how these are set up, with each different model, will make dramatic differ-
ences to your sound. As some of you will know, most vintage amps only have
one VOLUME control to set up the sound, whilst more modern amps usually
have two types of level controls – GAIN (or sometimes PREAMP VOLUME)
that controls the input level of the preamp section, and MASTER VOLUME that
controls how much signal is (and how loud it is going to be) passed from the
preamp to the power amp. With many vintage amps there is no MASTER VOL-
UME, the preamp feeds directly into the power amp without any type of control.
The ToneLab’s controls are designed to cover all these points:
ToneLab GAIN: On vintage type models that do not have a master volume (i.e.,
AC15, AC15TB, AC30, AC30TB, UK BLUES, UK 68P, BLACK 2x12, TWEED
1x12, TWEED 4x10), the GAIN control works like the VOLUME of the original
amp. On other model amps that do have a master volume, the GAIN control
works like GAIN or PREAMP VOLUME.
ToneLab VR GAIN: MASTER VOLUME that controls how much preamp signal
level is passed to the power amp, which in our case is the VALVE REACTOR
stage. (Your ToneLab works like a real amp.)
ToneLab CH VOLUME: For want of a better way of putting it, this is like a
power attenuator that you would add between the output of your amp and the
input of your speaker cabinet. This controls the level of the final mix and allows
you to balance all your programmed amp sounds to each other.
As in how the original amps work, we have made the relationship between
preamp and power amp work in the same way. Therefore to obtain truly
authentic tones please use the VR GAIN control in the same way, i.e. with VIN-
TAGE type models that do not have Master Volume control’s, turn the VR GAIN
control up to maximum. With modern Master type amp models, use the VR
GAIN as you would the Master Volume on the original – at low settings you will
hear more of a preamp type distortion, on higher settings you will hear the
preamp start to push the Valve Reactor to clip and add its own distortion and
warmth.
Lastly, if an original amp features a unique switch or control we make sure that
we cover it! Such things will be revealed in the model descriptions that follow
shortly...