Boost Question

Roysterdoyster

I might be doing something completely wrong here but I’m a bit puzzled. I just added a ThorpyFX Heavy Water boost to my board, which follows a compressor and 2 gain pedals. But when I engage the boost, the volume is so high that I can’t use it, even when the gain setting is as low as it will go, it’s too much. Even when I have the heavy water just running on it’s own, off the board, and at the lowest setting possible, it’s adding a lot of volume. Is that normal? Or am I missing something? I can adjust gain pedal settings and amp volume so that it sounds ok, however when I then turn the boost off, the volume levels are far too low. Confused

Whistler

I can't quite firgure out what's up with your setup but I have one suggestion as I like the sound: try the boost in front of the compressor.

NPP

have you watched the video at the bottom of the product page and tried some of the settings? Here: https://thorpyfx.com/products/heavy-water-double-booster

Do you have both sides on at the same time?

soma1975

Either have the amp closer to overdriving or put the boost before one of your drives. Boost into clean amp results in volume boost. 

Kittyfrisk

Never could get on with a Boost. 
Topic on the other hand or maybe a Double Decker, sorted  

ben666shan

Roysterdoyster said:

I might be doing something completely wrong here but I’m a bit puzzled. I just added a ThorpyFX Heavy Water boost to my board, which follows a compressor and 2 gain pedals. But when I engage the boost, the volume is so high that I can’t use it, even when the gain setting is as low as it will go, it’s too much. Even when I have the heavy water just running on it’s own, off the board, and at the lowest setting possible, it’s adding a lot of volume. Is that normal? Or am I missing something? I can adjust gain pedal settings and amp volume so that it sounds ok, however when I then turn the boost off, the volume levels are far too low. Confused

First off, the boost should be on the left side of your board (after the gain), try that... if that fails, try sticking it in the fx loop mate; i found when running mine into the front of the amp that it would boost the clean channel rather than the drive pedals, now it boosts the whole signal completely while in the fx loop.

Hope this helps.
ben

viz

Yep, fx loop. Right at the end of everything else. So it will be exactly like a master vol. 

Johnnyseven

What are you trying to use the boost for? If to drive your dirt pedals for more gain it should be before your dirt pedals in your chain. If to drive your amp to get more gain it should be in your pedal chain going into the input of your amp. If trying to increase output volume of your amp it should be in the fx loop or possibly at the end of your pedal chain if you have an amp with a lot of headroom.

What amp are you using?

Roysterdoyster

Thanks guys.....I’ve tried a few things, putting before the gain pedals and trying it in the effects loop. Perhaps a bit better, but not perfect. I’m using a fender blues deluxe. What do I want to achieve? I want to boost lead parts and also fatten up my strat for some clean stuff. Ultimately I can do this but it seems the heavy waters “base line” volume boost is maybe just a bit high for my liking. When I turn it on, even when the gain is at “zero” there is still a significant volume increase, so I have start adjusting the volume on the guitar to much which I’d rather avoid. 

Can anyone tell me that with whatever boost they use, when the volume/gain knob is at its lowest does it still produce a volume boost? I would have assumed (perhaps wrongly) that it would be the same as having it turned off? 

Hope that’s not too waffly! 

JohnPerry

My RC Booster V2 produces no sound with volume off. Great two-stage boost, that

Danny1969

I use my own design Antiboost which attenuates and makes your signal quieter ..... which might seem the opposite of what a boost should do ....  but when the you hit the switch the light comes on,  and the attenuation is bypassed and this  results in a volume boost ... the amount set by the  knob. 

So simple, contains no electronics other than the LED, doesn't even need power except to light the LED and adds no noise at all. If you use a clean amp and get all your drive from pedals this is the most effective way of boosting for solo's as it works in exactly the same way as someone turning up your amps volume control 

RonnieHotdogs

Other than reverb and tuner, the Mesa Tone Boost is the only pedal I use in my band,  sits in front of my 63 AC30 top boost, and gives me anything from  a clean volume lift to a nice crunchy overdrive, the pedal is dead quiet. I love it, never gets mentioned on the web, I leave Level about 11 o clock on the pedal and dial in the Gain to suit.  

p90fool

Danny1969 said:

I use my own design Antiboost which attenuates and makes your signal quieter ..... which might seem the opposite of what a boost should do ....  but when the you hit the switch the light comes on,  and the attenuation is bypassed and this  results in a volume boost ... the amount set by the  knob. 

So simple, contains no electronics other than the LED, doesn't even need power except to light the LED and adds no noise at all. If you use a clean amp and get all your drive from pedals this is the most effective way of boosting for solo's as it works in exactly the same way as someone turning up your amps volume control 

This is exactly what I built, with the only difference being that I can adjust the volume with my foot if I need to, and unlike a rocker volume pedal I can see exactly where it's set. 

The most complicated part of the build is trying to avoid googling "big knob". 

clarkefan

Almost literally PMSL!