Too much of a good thing?

Stage & Studio Valvulator GPDI/IR
1

…probably not :slightly_smiling_face:

IMG_3110
IMG_31102664×2987 1.38 MB

I was expecting the GPDI-IR to be about the size of a SYN-1, it’s much smaller and super convenient that way! No time to try more than a few minutes so far but seems like it fulfills its promises - it’s going to be a lot fun to play at moderate volumes.

I just have a concern about the IR clip light… I could not get it to clip no matter how hot I ran the preamp and amp. Any thoughts on that - could it be faulty, or am I missing something?

Interstingly and after connecting the GPDI-IR as the amp with a SYN-1, I realized that the master volume and dynamics section is pre FX loop. I was expecting the ‘dynamics’ section to apply to the SYN-1 modules but it seems not?

From what I gathered the signal path is preamp > dynamics and MV > FX loop > power amp > reactive load and lines out (and/or speaker out). It would be great to have a block diagram (like the one for the PS2)!

Cheers!

2

You are obviously a threat to society :fire::skull:

The IR clip light will trigger when you drive it hard enough, but it takes a pretty hot signal to do that.

On both units, the sag function is triggered by a sidechain signal that controls the voltage to the tubes.

In the Syn, that trigger signal is post module output. This is not ideal but necessary because the modules have different gain characteristics.

In the GPDI, it’s right off of the input, where it is most effective and responsive to pick attack and PU strength.

That’s why each sag function only operates on its associated circuitry.

Otherwise, you are generally correct about the signal flow.

Dave