How does a clean boost stay clean while driving a tube amp?

[Ringwraith]

OK this is probably a REAL dumb question but as the title says...
how does a clean boost stay clean while driving a tube amp?
If you pump up the single in front of a tube amp, won't it "drive" it more causing it to distort??
I assume a clean boost doesn't have any clipping in itself like a fuzz or distortion but does it
some how stay clean or is it like turning your guitar volume up higher, hitting your amp harder?
I'd like a boost that raises the volume without adding distortion but my brain tells me it won't actually work like that.

Thanks
Sean

[NaBo]

"clean boost"  refers to just amplifying signal without "coloring" it...  so if it cuts bass or treble for instance, its not clean... if it clips by itself, it certainly isnt clean.

but like you said, a "clean boost" can certainly slam a preamp to create a "dirty sound"  :wink:

It depends on a lot though... the output level of your pickups, the gain the booster has, and the headroom of the amp...  It's definitely possible to add some volume without the signal clipping.

Of course, the other alternative is to cut your normal playing volume a bit.  Something like Paul Marossy's Solo Pro would be good for that, just switching between two pots with preset volume levels.

[bwanasonic]

Your intuition is correct. "Clean" in this context means the boost provides no clipping and usually little tonal coloring. How much it distorts the input of your tube amp depends a lot on which amp you're using and at what volume. A higher wattage amp with a lot of clean headroom (ex. Silverface Twin) will behave differently than say, a Marshall 18 watt.

Kerry M