XLR out boost

[Jim Bloomfield]

I use a Steelaire which has an XLR out but no level control. Quilter claims the level out signal is tied to the master volume. In order to get a strong enough usable signal to the board the master volume needs to be really high, making stage volume too loud. The gain knob also seems to play a role because if I turn it down to control stage volume and leave the master volume up the XLR signal is again too weak.
I really like the tone and everything else about this amp. Does anyone know of an affordable XLR line boost or another economical way to fix this problem? I’ve done some searches but haven’t found a tool to fix this. I’ve seen one but it looks like it’s made for a mic/vocals. Not sure if that would work. Interested in hearing some idea. Thanks.

[Nathan Pocock]

A Cloudlifter or one of the many clones is just a preamp that is powered by phantom power from the console. I'm assuming this is the type of device you saw marketed towards microphones. The original Cloudlifter adds 25db of gain. I think some of the clones vary in the amount of gain they add. They are meant to amplify microphone level devices and the Quilter is theoretically a line level out but I have heard so many complaints of low output from the Quilter that I think it must be running quite a bit lower than line level at the settings most people use them at. Anyway the concern would be that the Cloudlifter is going to add too much gain and overload your input.

When you are going out from your quilter are you going into a microphone preamp or a line level input? If you are going into a line input try going into a mic preamp and see if you can get the gain you want without overloading the mic pre and getting crunchy.

[Fred Treece]

You shouldn’t need a boost. The problem is more likely at the board.

The direct out on a Steelaire is mic level. Set your amp gain and master where you want it. They are interactive and the combined signal goes to the line out. At the mixer, set the fader down and turn the gain for your channel up pretty high, like you would for a mic, until the meter goes into the red, then dial the gain knob back into green and turn the fader up.

[Nathan Pocock]

I didn't realize the direct out on the Quilter is mic level. So you definitely need to make sure you're going into a microphone input on the console. A line input is not going to cut it.

[Jim Bloomfield]

Thanks guys. I’ll try some of these ideas and hopefully some others too.

[Dave Grafe]

You shouldn’t need a boost. The problem is more likely at the board.

The direct out on a Steelaire is mic level. Set your amp gain and master where you want it. They are interactive and the combined signal goes to the line out. At the mixer, set the fader down and turn the gain for your channel up pretty high, like you would for a mic, until the meter goes into the red, then dial the gain knob back into green and turn the fader up.

What Fred said. End of story