JVM 205 Plexi Channels

[Bailz]

Any of you JVM users use a compressor pedal with the "Plexi"ish channels? I'd like to make more use of that channel on my 205 but, when playing faster solos, my notes seem to lack a certain stickiness that comes with higher gain. I don't want to add an OD because the rhythm sounds have enough. Just the solos lack the balls of my rhythm playing.

I'm aware this is probably a technique thing, but don't really have the time to dedicate to improving that.

 

[spacerocker]

What are you calling the "Plexi-ish channels? The 205 only has two channels - Clean/Crunch and OD.....

I would have thought the you are using the Crunch Orange or Red modes for your Plexi-ish tone, with the gain quite low? Why not use the OD channel for leads? It has all the gain and compression anyone would need, plus you can get a decent volume boost for leads too!..

 

[Bailz]

True, I was counting the inner modes as channels. I was meaning clean/crunch orange as a Plexi as that's how it's described in the manual. I use clean red as my JCM800 tones.

I'm not overly fond of the overdrive modes as, to my ears, the mids are more modern sounding. I also set OD orange for e.g. Metallica tones.

I am using a volume pedal to facilitate my lead sounds.

 

[Purgasound]

I've experimented with using compressors to try and solve that problem of using the least amount of distortion but still have the sustain. It's a tough balancing act for sure and honestly I gave up going down that route. The compressor ends up raising the noise floor too much so it ends up causing another issue that needs to be solved. Too much work, not enough payoff.
FWIW I don't think there's anything on the JVM that sounds like a Plexi or an 800. What really gives the cranked Suplerleads that nice sustain is the distorting phase inverter. That's also pretty tough to replicate but there are plenty of mods to get a close approximation of that sound although I haven't done any thing like that in a JVM. It may be possible but it's likely in doing so that other channels will be affected as well.