I just got my PS-100 (used to have a PS-2A) and for now I use it as a power amp. I send the line out of my Quad Cortex or my Kourbis Plexivibe into the Line In of the PS-100 (as I said, here used as power amp) to my Zilla cab via the KHE 8x4.
The issue is that the volume of this setup, relative to my other amps, is quite low. I.e., when the other 100W and 50W amps are at 2/10 I need to set the PS-100 to 8/10 (which is a LOT) to match. This with the line level potentiometer at full at the back of the unit and with Quad Cortex together with a Utility Gain in the end of the signal or the “Master” knob at max on the Plexivibe.
This issue is circuimvented if I use a MXR micro amp inbetween. The sound is awesome then, seriously, but I wonder if this low volume is reasonable. I think not.
The issue here is very unlikely to be the Power Station. It’s the signal level going in to it is too low. You managed to fix this with the MXR pedal. But really you should be looking at the level coming out of the previous stage. You need to make sure that is Line level.
Thanks. To the best of my knowledge, the level sent out to the Fryette unit is line level, at least from the Quad Cortex side. I explicitly use the Line Out 3 or 4 of the Quad Cortex. The other preamp tube pedal by Kourbis is not exactly line level, that I know of.
We have a lot of people using these with a QC. There have been discussions from time to time about what “Line Level” means, but usually there is a setting in the QC that will get you where you want to be.
Meanwhile, try the FX Return on the Power Station. Then you’ll have a choice of two level settings for the FX return. One setting will match the PS Line In level and the other setting has more sensitivity, so you won’t need a booster.