DT25 Power Amp Configuration Dependent

Output Levels (& hidden Power Amp Controls)

Using a simple power amp only test tone (preamp in path A drives power amp settings, but path A
muted in mixer, path B is used to pass unprocessed input signal, mixed to center and routed to the power
amp) one can observe the volume and any sound impact of the power amp voicing/class/tube configuration (and other HD parameters) may have on the DT25 power amp section with an SPL meter recording
RMS and peak levels.
There are 6 voicing-class-pentode combinations used by the available HD preamp models, but the SPL
levels indicate that there are 8 (groups of) preamps producing different power amp output levels and 4
more can be selected when the voicing-class configurations are extended to use combinations not selected
by the existing HD preamp models.
Below are the identified (groups of) preamps listed from quietest to loudest on the basis of A weighted
SPL RMS measurements using a medium fast repeated single guitar tone (JTV-69 Spank 4) as input:
Group
Type

Voicing
Class

Adjust
Level

I, A/B

I, A

I, A/B

III, A/B

II, A

II, A/B

IV, A/B

I, A

III, A

10

III, A/B

11

IV, A

-15.0 dB Group 6 with class changed to A (not selected by any preamp)

12

III, A

-19.0 dB Gibtone 185, Class A-30TB

(List of) Preamps selecting the this voicing/class configuration

0.0 dB Blackface Dbl & Lux, Flip Top, Hiway 100, Solo-100, Line 6 Epic
-5.0 dB Group 1 with class changed to A (not selected by any preamp)
-6.0 dB PhD Motorway, Line 6 Doom
-6.0 dB Class A-15 with class changed to A/B (not selected by any preamp)
-7.0 dB Super O
-9.5 dB Tweed B-Man, Plexi Lead 100, Brit J-45, Brit P-75, Brit J-800
-10.5 dB Angel F-Ball
-11.5 dB Group 3 with class changed to A (not selected by any preamp)
-12.0 dB Class A-15
-13.0 dB Divide 9/15, Bomber Uber Treadplate, Line 6 Electrik

The table does not cover the power amp configurations using a triode setting which will add up to 12
more variations for a grand total of up to possibly 24 HD500 selectable power amp configurations, which
is 50% more than the 16 one would think of when looking at just voicing I-IV, class A and A/B, and pentode and triode combinations.

But there is more power amp stage control through the PRES dial on the HD500. While checking amp
settings I noticed that the PRES dial does have some unexpected impact on the power amp behavior for
all voicing types except III. The magnitude of PRES settings on output level is amp configuration dependent and observable starting around PRES values > 50% and gets stronger in non-linear fashion with increasing PRES values (the effect does not exist for type III voicing configurations). My measurements
confirm that DRIVE, BASS, MID, TREBLE, CH VOL, ER, microphone, cabinet and cabinet parameter
settings have no impact on the power amp stage output level or tone as far as I can tell.
To summarize, the HD500 and DT25 (and probably the DT50) seem to support at least 2 undocumented
power amp control features that are (and thus can be ) indirectly selected with the HD500 by choosing
select amp models and PRES setting above 50% (for all but type III preamp voicing types).
My averaged peak signal and RMS amplification level measurement results for all preamp model groups
and PRES settings from quietest to loudest at 50% and 100% PRES settings are as follows:
Group Voicing
Type
Class

50% PRES

100% PRES

Peak

RMS

Peak

HD preamp model selection

RMS (see full preamp list per group in table above)
-31.0 Blackface and other I, A/B preamps

I, A/B

-20.0

-34.0

-15.0

I, A

-15.0

-29.0

-9.0

-26.0 Group 1 preamps changed to I, A

I, A/B

-14.0

-28.0

-9.0

-25.0 PHD Motorway & L6 Doom

III, A/B

-13.0

-28.0

no change

II, A

-14.0

-27.0

-8.5

-24.0 Super O

II, A/B

-12.0

-24.5

-7.0

-22.5 Brit and other II, A/B preamps

IV, A/B

-10.0

-23.0

-7.5

-22.5 Angel F-Ball

I, A

-9.0

-22.5

-4.0

-20.0 PhD Motorway & L6 Doom changed to I, A

III, A

-7.0

-22.0

no change

Class A-15A

10

III, A/B

-5.5

-21.0

no change

All III, A/B preamps

11

IV, A

-6.0

-19.0

-3.0

12

III, A

0.0

-15.0

no change

Class A-15A changed to III, A/B

-18.0 Angel F-Ball changed to IV, A

Class A-30TB & Gibtone 185

Notes: SPL meter not calibrated (should not matter much because only relative difference maters)
All measurements taken with a loop of medium fast repeating single notes (JTV-69 Spank 4)
Repeat measurements varied < 0.5 dB for same loop material
Typically measured 3+ times, averaged, and rounded to next 1/2 dB
Used different loops over several months of checking (results are a mix of measurements)

The order of lowest to highest peak SPL signal levels does not quite match the order of quietest to loudest
RMS signal levels, and the order is changing depending on the selected PRES values, i.e., the table above
is just a starting point for adjustments to correct for different amplification levels.
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