My amp is too piercing!

M

maxdave2010

New member
Hey guys,

This has been driving me mad, but I recently got a Marshall DSL 401, and no matter what I do, it seems like, the overdrive sound is too piercing. Like, slightly painful to listen to. Even with the treble all the way down!

I've tried with a couple of guitars, albeit only at low to low-moderate volumes.

Any ideas what could be wrong? Should I get it looked at?

-Dave
 
Re: My amp is too piercing!

If it's brand new, you may just have to break in the speaker. There are other ways, but playing somewhere you can crank it for a few hours will do the trick. Not sure it this will solve the problem, but it's the only thing that comes to mind. Also, if it's a Vintage 30 speaker, they can be a bit bright.
 
Re: My amp is too piercing!

Ah ha, thanks. I did indeed get it brand new, and it's yet to be cranked. I'll give that a try when I get the chance!
 
Re: My amp is too piercing!

Yea i had one that was stock, but used for a good bit. Definately not the amp. I usually had the treble around 6-8.
 
Re: My amp is too piercing!

When I got a 2x12 marshall cab for my DSL50 at first when I Played through it I had the exact same problem.So I just connected a cd player up to it and cranked that baby for about 7 or 8 hours, and walla!
 
Re: My amp is too piercing!

USe more master and channel volume and less gain. Much deeper. That speaker is like the GT12-75's. They have a good amount of high end. But i find them balanced, depends on the amp.
 
Re: My amp is too piercing!

How long and how high does the volume have to be to break it in?

I have the same shrillness issue, but it loses like.. depth when I turn the treble down. Same speaker (Vintage 30, I believe)
 
Re: My amp is too piercing!

i have always found Marshalls to have that percing high end to them anyways.. I think it's that high end that makes Marshalls always seem louder..... maybe working in the speaker may help you out, but i have always felt that high end LOUDNESS has always been in most stock Marshalls.... Marshalls do hurt my ears a lot.. My 50 watt JCM 800 seems like it is extra loud and percing on the ears.......
 
Re: My amp is too piercing!

Reckless Abandon said:
USe more master and channel volume and less gain. Much deeper. That speaker is like the GT12-75's. They have a good amount of high end. But i find them balanced, depends on the amp.
Click to expand...
no no, its not much like the 75s. I swapped mine out with a 75 that i had, and the treble then sounded very piercing (almost as bad when they were in my Laney). The stock speaker is not a V30 or any widely known one either. It is fairly balanced, but its a little buzzy in the mids if i remember correctly.
 
Re: My amp is too piercing!

People usually estimate that about 15 hours total of high-volume playing is required to break in speakers. A lot of people actually hook up a CD player to their rigs and let them play when they're not home or something in order to break in their speakers. How exactly do you hook up a CD player to your cab anyways?
 
Re: My amp is too piercing!

does anyone else remember reading something about duct tape?? put it on the inside of the grill, it will split those high frequencies so it doesnt hurt as bad or something. i never tried this myself, but i hear it works..


this might not be youre problem though. ive had my amp for a month now, and i still havnt cranked it that much, and i dont think its completely broken in, just gotta do that cd player thing one of thses days.
 
Re: My amp is too piercing!

You might try a 5751 preamp tube in V1. These tubes work miracles in some amps
 
Re: My amp is too piercing!

metallicaxlxl said:
does anyone else remember reading something about duct tape?? put it on the inside of the grill, it will split those high frequencies so it doesnt hurt as bad or something. i never tried this myself, but i hear it works.
Click to expand...

Some speaker company sells beam blockers (I think that's wat they are called). Takes the place of the tape.
 
Re: My amp is too piercing!

yeah but why spend money on beam blockers when you can have it for free and with duct tape haha. no but yeah beam blockers would work much better than duct tape, but i doubt that its youre problem, just play it for a while and itll get better.
 
Re: My amp is too piercing!

I'd try a different brand tube in V1. Preamp tubes are cheap. a JJ might be a good choice, they are smoother than EH tubes. YMMV.
 
Last edited:
Re: My amp is too piercing!

Yea guys, dont compare weber beam blockers to duct tape.. ive tried tape, and now i have two beam blockers installed. NO comparison whatsoever.
 
Re: My amp is too piercing!

baritone said:
People usually estimate that about 15 hours total of high-volume playing is required to break in speakers. A lot of people actually hook up a CD player to their rigs and let them play when they're not home or something in order to break in their speakers. How exactly do you hook up a CD player to your cab anyways?
Click to expand...


Yup, thats what I did, (See previous post)

I gave mine about 8-10 hours of high volume playing and walla!

:EDIT: oh yes, I just plugged my cd player into the input of my amp and let if off on it's own!
 
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