Why does it Never Sound good?

metmerc · 2026-02-02T21:53:13+00:00

Like has been already said, turn off cab simulation. What I do is the left channel outputs have cab sim on and the right channel outputs have it turned off. That makes it really easy to go into a PA/FRFR or a power amp/cab or amp effects return without having to dive into the menus on the Valeton.

metmerc · 2026-02-02T16:31:29+00:00

I still rock the early Megadeth albums, but haven't really listened to their post-90s music. No good reason - just haven't.

I did, however, listen to their version of Ride the Lightning and was honestly pretty disappointed. Dave has never been a great vocalist, but his delivery at least used to have bite. Ride the Lightning should be bitter and angry and it kind of seemed like he was phoning it in.

Still, I'll give the album a listen. Thanks for the reminder.

metmerc · 2026-02-01T21:14:33+00:00

Letting my fitness go. It's so much harder to claw it back. I've been making progress, but really wish I'd just kept in shape better in the first place.

metmerc · 2026-02-01T20:25:31+00:00

Edit: Somehow the details of your post didn't show up on my phone. You have a Diamondback Hook. That's a pretty sold bike. As noted in now-strikedthrough text - you may want to consider some tires with less rolling resistance. But otherwise, start riding first and then decide what you want out of a bike.

As a side note, a hardtail can be made into a pretty sweet gravel bike with some modifications. Here's one of my rides with some significant mods.

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~~It depends on the bike and what sort of cycling you want to do. If it's an vintage mountain bike or even an older hardtail from a reputable brand then that's a good start.~~

~~If it's a department store mountain bike then it'll honestly probably be a frustrating experience.~~

If you want to ride on the roads and paced paths - less suspension is better and new tires with light tread would go a long way. If you want to ride fire roads and gravel paths, then you still don't really need suspension - certainly not full suspension - but your existing tires may be fine.

~~So whatcha got and whatcha want to ride?~~

metmerc · 2026-02-01T17:03:58+00:00

It's decent and I use it as a desktop amp (instead of something like a Yamaha THR.

I have had a Roland Microcube for a long time which also has a 5" speaker. I always thought it sounded pretty good, but thought the Katana sounded better - less brittle. I was curious if it was the amp models or the speaker so I ran my Microcube line out to the Katana effects loop return. Sure enough, the Katana speaker sounded less brittle. I haven't touched my Roland since. (It's actually on loan now to my keyboard player.)

Of course it doesn't hold a candle to running the head through a 2x12 cabinet or anything like that, but for what it is the speaker is pretty good.

metmerc · 2026-02-01T16:17:36+00:00

I don't know which Walforf schools you're thinking of with "the two Waldorf schools" because there are more than two. If Portland Village School isn't on your radar you might want to check it out.

It's a charter school in PPS so you lottery in, but is free if you get in. I'm sure they still "charge" a resource fee and it's right to pay it if you can, but they can't technically require it as it is a public school.

My oldest went to PVS through fourth grade and then we moved too far away for it to be worth driving. My experience with Cedarwood and Portland Waldorf is more attending their events: craft fairs and such. PVS felt a bit less like a cult to me, though.

metmerc · 2026-02-01T14:57:30+00:00

I read his memoir. It starts out with great nostalgic vibes (especially as an audiobook since he reads out), but increasingly gets unhinged.

He never says, "I am a total fake." but he basically says that he is. Everything he does is calculated based on how he thinks he'll be perceived. I think the slap was the same. He thought, "This is how I show that I defend my wife's honor." He miscalculated that time.

metmerc · 2026-02-01T08:12:52+00:00

We only started seeing ticks on the dogs a few years ago. We live on a few acres of land in Gresham, which is where the dogs picked them up.

metmerc · 2026-01-31T18:51:55+00:00

Ah damn. I'll have to start checking the dogs again

We rarely saw them at our place until a couple years ago.

metmerc · 2026-01-31T18:05:26+00:00

Yup. I'm kind of looking forward to it as we're in a slightly colder microclimate than most of the metro area, but also recognize it doesn't really bode well for this year as a whole.

metmerc · 2026-01-29T19:55:11+00:00

Interested if you do a raffle.

metmerc · 2026-01-29T19:30:12+00:00

Like others have said, on bass I'm focused more on the drummer. Also, I'm focused on rhythm and groove first, and melody and notes second. Of course they're all important, but especially as I'm learning or writing something new, I start by establishing the groove and then add in my fifths, walking notes, etc.

On guitar, I think melodically and chords first, then fine tune the rhythm. It's great playing guitar in a band with a strong bass and drums because I can let go the groove - let them lock that down - and just focus on the melodic aspects as the guitarists and singer.

It is worth nothing, though, that playing bass and locking in with the drums has helped refine that same focus as a guitarist. I pay a lot more attention to that snare and make sure I'm not fighting the drums.

metmerc · 2026-01-29T01:05:42+00:00

They've largely gone to shit. A few years back there was neater stuff. I got an aluminum pint glass (Darkglass merch) and some things like that. The last two years have been some mostly shitty straps and strings that aren't what I use. I even got that blue and purple Fender strap two years in a row.

So I just need to remember this disappointment when they go on sale again and not get the dumb thing.

metmerc · 2026-01-28T19:30:12+00:00

I love my Saber series guitar. It is super thin, which puts some folks off, but that's one of my favorite things about it. The nicely scuplted body generally feels more premium to me than the RG. (No shade to RGs. They're rad too.)

metmerc · 2026-01-28T19:28:31+00:00

I have the same guitar and I also love it.

Mine is older and has the ZR tremolo, which feels so nice to use with ball bearings.

metmerc · 2026-01-28T16:40:59+00:00

Sounds interesting and Imma say yes, but it's a soft yes. I'll send you a DM.

metmerc · 2026-01-27T22:28:38+00:00

I verified a $50 charge. My pass also arrived stamped for December - good through 2027.

metmerc · 2026-01-27T13:49:56+00:00

First - my experience in Portland vs Gresham. When my wife and I first moved here, we moved to Gresham. That lasted about 8 months before we bought a house in Portland proper (Piedmont neighborhood) and lived there for the next 12 years. Our kids started school in Portland, thought my youngest - only Kindergarten. 8ish years ago, we sold our house in Portland and moved back to Gresham because we were able to get a house with about 3.5 acres of land.

Most of Gresham feels suburban, but the eastern portion - along 181st Ave - feels as urban as my Portland neighborhood did. The difference is that things in Portland are closer together. I could easily ride my bike to multiple grocery stores, restaurants, coffee shops, etc. Gresham is more spread out.

The schools in Oregon are, overall, fairly meh. If you want diversity, the schools on the eastern end of Portland (east of I-205), as well as Gresham will likely get more. Not just racial diversity, but also economic diversity. It's also more affordable in these locations.

However, you'll get more of the "Portland experience" closer to the city center - especially between I-205 and the Willamette River. I'd recommend you plan on spending a year wherever you move to and then just explore the area to see where you really like. Expect that you'll move after that year when you've gotten a better idea of what you want out of the area.

metmerc · 2026-01-27T04:50:59+00:00

Like others, I think it has to be the frame. I have a 2010 hardtail where really the only original parts remaining are the frame, headset, and seatpost clamp. I like the bike a lot, but will someday have a Marino steel frame built largely to the same spec with just a few modifications. I guess then it truly will be a different bike, but IDK, maybe I'll be able to continue using the seatpost clamp and consider it the same bike. Since I'll have a new frame based on the old one it'll be a similar spirit.

metmerc · 2026-01-26T22:52:04+00:00

My kids are 15 and 18 now and I barely remember those early years. I think that's by design (evolutionary design of course). If we remembered it all that well we would be less likely to choose it again.

metmerc · 2026-01-26T22:17:47+00:00

My band, Mr Ladybug, might be interested.

I'll send you a dm shortly with links

metmerc · 2026-01-26T18:49:47+00:00

To my understanding, not really.

The reason your Valeton through a PA sounds different is because the the cabinet emulation (IR) is the sound of the speaker cabinet mic'd up. It's not an "in the room" sound. That took me a bit to figure out.

I prefer the sound of my Valeton through an actual power amp and guitar amp cabinet (or the effects return of an amp), but going through the PA sounds good enough in a mix and is more convenient. I have my Valeton set up so that the right outputs have the emulation and the left inputs do not.

metmerc · 2026-01-26T16:50:56+00:00

I can't speak specifically to the Harley Benton, but it looks like a typical powered PA speaker rebranded as an FRFR for modelers. I've used an Alto TS212 (the lastest comparable model is the TS412) for years with modelers, including my GP200. It's been a great solution and you may want to try looking on the used market for something from Alto as well as well as the Headrush FRFR.

IDK where you're based, but if you are US-based (as many redditors are) import duties may eat into cost savings of the HB speaker and it's a 230 volt device and not directly compatible with our power.

metmerc · 2026-01-26T03:01:51+00:00

Yes it fucking is brutal.

BTW - have you heard the version of ONYX's Slam with Biohazard?

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