Line Out vs Mic'd amp PA questions, please help

[GrampaBob]

Hi. I'll be shortly playing some live music with a band and I have a second hand amp I've never used with a PA system as of yet and I have a few questions about the best way to get setup for a show.

I have a Marshall VS100 amp that I run with 2 cabs and I also run a boss GT-8 floor processor in the FX loop of the head and an MXR microamp pedal just before the patch into the cabs for solo boosts.

If I'm playing live with a PA, is it better for me to mic the front of the cabs into the PA mixer channel or should I use the Line Out emulated DI jack from the back of my head into the mixer?

Does the power get cut if I use the line out jack and will all my colourized sounds from my FX loop be included into that mix?

The main purpose is I want the sound guy to control my venue volume level leaving the cabs as just stage monitors for myself.

Thanks for any suggestions.

 

[JohnH]

Both can work fine, but usually micing is best, if you have enough mic channels. Today, in our band, we happened to use DI line out out of my amp. and micing for my friend on the other guitar.

John

 

[Adwex]

Yeah, micing will probably be best.

 

[psphill27]

Definately micing, since you get more of an "organic" sound from the break-up characteristics and warmth of you cab. I always hated the line out function since I thought it gives the guitar too much of a "techno" sound. Sorry...couldn't come up with a better word to describe it.

Get you a Shure SM57 for $99 and a decent mic cable and you're on your way.

 

[steelhorse]

I prefer mic'd also and the SM57 is a great reasonably priced mic but I want to add that my given preference aside I do like the fact I can dump the emulated line out into my mac and into pro tools silently with my TSL100.

I mean I can hear it thru my headset but the rest of the neighborhood isn't tipping over!

 

[GrampaBob]

Thnx for the input, mic'd it is.....what I figured anyway

 

[stone temple pinot]

total noob question....but you still (and always) need a speaker load even if you are connecting your amp head to a PA through the "recording compensated line out" jack, correct?

Was just thinking, that if the answer to the above question was "no", then I could haul my JCM900 and hook into a PA without hauling my 4x12 cab. But my guess, given the large warning on the back of the amp, is that you always need a speaker load and thus the answer is probably "yes".

whatcha think?

 

[Adwex]

I believe you can run the amp (preamp) without a speaker load if you keep it in standby.

Can anyone else confirm this?

 

[JohnH]

I believe you can run the amp (preamp) without a speaker load if you keep it in standby.

Can anyone else confirm this?

I think you can do that on some, maybe JVMs, but not on all, such as my DSL401, for axample because the standby cuts HT to the preamp as well as the poweramp. I had a look at some 900 schematics and they seem to be the same.
John

 

[stone temple pinot]

so...sounds like the answer is - make sure you have a speaker load.