Way too much treble with an AD50VT!

[gnr_tb]

Hi
My AD50VT has just way too much treble and the sound is really harsh. I'm not talking about an "empty" sound, like a cellphone speakers. The overall tone is reach and great but there's too much treble.
To balance it, I have to put my treble pot on about 9.5 o'clock ! I fell this with all the different distortions and with the cleans as well.
I tried to play with another guitar from a friend (Gibson LP Studio) and it's still very very harsh with treble over 11 o'clock.
If that matters - I set the power selector to full, Master 1-3 o'clock, volume about 9 o'clock (I play only in my bedroom so I can't get higher than that), Mid and bass to about 1.5 o'clock.
Like I said, the overall tone is reach and great so I really don't think it's a bad connection. I also don't experience low distortion or volumes so this also denies the idea of a bad connection.
By the way, my amp sits on the ground, but is titled so the speaker points directly at my head. Also, I play about 2 meters from the amp (about 6 foot ?) if that matters.
Please don't offer me to buy an external EQ because I don't have a lot of time to play now, and I don't think the amp should be so harsh with treble over 11 o'clock - on bedroom levels !!
Thanks !

[Voxman]

An external EQ is only good in the FX loop which you don't have in an AD50VT.

Interesting post as most people (if anything) find the AD50VT too dark rather than too bright.

Master Volume controls tube saturation - make sure that this is between 12 noon - 3pm to get 'tube warmth'. Also, make sure you're raising mids too.

I'm not a fan of the Celestion Seventy Eighty in the AD50VT - you might find a speaker change to something like a Celestion Vintage 30 or a G12M Greenback will add more bottom end and warmth to your tone.

[gnr_tb]

I can't replace the speaker as I'm home only two days every two weeks and don't have incomes.
Anyway I really can't believe the amp should be so harsh when angled to the player, I mean it really really hurts if you sit 5 foot away from it and play in a reasonable overall volume with treble on 12.
Maybe something is faulty with my amp and I can fix it ?

By the way this is totally unrelated but anyway, I experience a lost in my hearing since I started playing with this harsh amp (although I don't play so loud and only in my bedroom). I thought I'll see a doctor but I really don't want to lose my driving license forever for this . As far as I know, the doctor can tell me to avoid high volume and that's it. I don't thing I have an infection or something because both ears perform pretty much the same, so is there a reason for me to see a doctor? And how likely it is for me to lose my driving license for like 10-15% lost of hearing ?
Thanks again

[retrobob]

If that matters - I set the power selector to full, Master 1-3 o'clock, volume about 9 o'clock (I play only in my bedroom so I can't get higher than that)

At those setting your AD50 should be very loud for a bedroom.

I experience a lost in my hearing since I started playing with this harsh amp

Perhaps the hearing loss started before you got the amp and has gotten worse?

I don't thing I have an infection or something because both ears perform pretty much the same, so is there a reason for me to see a doctor?

ARE YOU KIDDING! GO SEE A DOCTOR!!!!!!

[gnr_tb]

Is there anything a doctor can do except confirming I have some lost of hearing ? Can he help me if it isn't an infection or something like that?
And it's not that loud, the volume is very very sensitive and digital with these settings, so if I turn it just a little more until it responds (it works very digitally on low values for some reason) it becomes too loud.

Anyway, can someone help me out here? I play with treble on 9.5 o'clock which is very low and it's still harsh! But any less than 9.5 will sound too bad.

[Voxman]

You're the one who raised concerns with your hearing and asked what to do - and when you're given good advice you question it. Whether you go see a doctor is your call of course.

But ultimately this is a forum to discuss Vox Valvetronix and other gear, and it's not a medical site to discuss health issues. It's not that we don't care, it's just that we're not doctors and we can't do anything about it - only you can! If you're concerned, get yourself properly examined.

Otherwise, please just stay focussed on the gear. Nuff said

Rich

[cosmicrepairdude]

There is a type of hearing loss phenomenon called "recruitment" in which some frequencies sound louder and harsher instead of quieter. Read about it here http://www.hearinglosshelp.com/articles/recruitment.htm
and then get your hearing tested.
As far as your amp goes, what difference does it make if you don't like how it sounds with the treble turned past 11:00? Then don't turn it past 11:00.
A strong case has been made on another thread that all of these amps sound better if you don't turn any of the EQ knobs past around 12:00, and I had come to that conclusion on my own prior to reading that: new-ish-valvetronix-user-s-vt120-impressions-t4063.html

[cosmicrepairdude]

Also, I'd recommend turning down the Power Level to 2:00 -3:00. That will get rid of the background hiss which may be adding to your problem, and the tonal quality will still be good. Then you can turn up the Volume control to compensate. I think the Volume control works better when it's past 9:00, too.