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DeFrag
Moderator
USA
3409 Posts |
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Laurie
Double Platinum Member
Canada
4854 Posts |
 Posted - 03/08/2008 : 19:53:49
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I've used one I built myself out of high power resistors. I can post the schematic if anyone is interested?
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DarrinPA
Silver Member
USA
221 Posts |
Posted - 03/09/2008 : 04:12:33
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I used the THD Hotplate at the studio. It lowered the volume but it didn't make it sound like a lot more gain. The clean was a little more dirty but I was expecting more attack or "punch". Maybe if I was using distortion it would have been different. If you want to really crankup without too much volume a compressor in the effects loop will work, or even a EQ with the volume down.
So I don't have any desire to buy one after using it. |
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Dr. Bob
Moderator
Australia
6593 Posts |
Posted - 03/09/2008 : 04:27:45
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quote:
Originally posted by lauries2
I've used one I built myself out of high power resistors. I can post the schematic if anyone is interested?
Hi lauries2
Of course we are interested.
Thanks for the offer.
Regards Dr. Bob |
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Laurie
Double Platinum Member
Canada
4854 Posts |
Posted - 03/09/2008 : 08:43:15
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I've used this with an old home-grown tube amp with no problem. I've also used a variation of it to lower the volume of the "tweeter" (compression driver) in a PA system.
It should be noted that some amps don't like this sorrt of load, so try it at very low volume first!! (at yer own risk  ).
I built my version by strapping the 10Watt resistors to a piece of aluminium and soldering the legs together (you need the aluminium if you are going to crank it continuously). Cost about $20 as I recall.
Regards,
Laurie.
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FRANZONI
Double Platinum Member
Ireland
3543 Posts |
Posted - 03/09/2008 : 12:28:26
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There is also a company called ultimate who make attenuators..i've seen doyle bramhall II using them and the guy out of sheryl crows band...... |
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Goran
Double Platinum Member
Sweden
2203 Posts |
Posted - 03/09/2008 : 17:41:27
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For small tube amps (5-10W) I have build myself a Power brake out of a so called L-Pad. This is like a pot who could take up to 100W (but never use this with a 100W guitar amp!!!!) and the output transformer "sees" 8 ohm all the time, but the signal is lowered by the L-Pad.
L-Pads are normally used in hi-fi speakers to regulate the volume of the tweeter.
It works OK as long as you don�t lower the volume too much (then it will not sound very good).
You can bypass some of the treble by using a cap.
An L-Pad costs around US 10$.
The schematic can be found on the net.
Once again: don�t use it with amps over 15W. |
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DeFrag
Moderator
USA
3409 Posts |
Posted - 03/09/2008 : 21:47:00
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quote:
Originally posted by FRANZONI
There is also a company called ultimate who make attenuators..i've seen doyle bramhall II using them and the guy out of sheryl crows band......
Tks, it was listed |
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Dr. Bob
Moderator
Australia
6593 Posts |
Posted - 03/10/2008 : 01:54:38
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Hi DeFrag
I like the BadCat 'The Leash", kind of reminds me of my old Variac.
I did spend a lot of time looking at your links, but the BadCat seems
to be my Technical favorite.
Have you actually used, or listened to one?
The HEAR button on the page goes off to Noddy-land Error 404.
Thanks for the extensive list of links.
BTW do you now what they are charging for "The Leash"?
Regards Dr. Bob |
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DeFrag
Moderator
USA
3409 Posts |
Posted - 03/10/2008 : 03:13:05
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I thought the same thing, hence, it would be my choice as well
It retails for about $350 i think. |
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FRANZONI
Double Platinum Member
Ireland
3543 Posts |
Posted - 03/11/2008 : 14:33:27
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quote:
Originally posted by DeFrag
quote:
Originally posted by FRANZONI
There is also a company called ultimate who make attenuators..i've seen doyle bramhall II using them and the guy out of sheryl crows band......
Tks, it was listed
Doh....!! ..missed it on the list......
I thought about going down this route a couple of years ago for the marshall but there seems to be a lot of conflicting reports about the sound quality not mention that the marshall attenuator had reports of burnt out transformers associated with it,now this could be down to the fact that people used guitar leads rather than speaker leads to hook it up,but it's a chance i didn't want to take on a 30+year old valve amp.... .... one of the points raised was that speaker distortion plays a part in the overall sound and obviously if you use a attenuator your generating it only from the preamp and power amp valves....in the end i went with T.A.D. tonebones pentode version(same as THD yellowjackets) which change the output valves from el34's to el84's as the 84 has a lower output rating 8 watts per valve or in the trimode they reckon about 4 watts per valve..now some people might not like to change an output valve as it changes the tone of the amp but with the marshall as it was a superbass head and i found the original tone a little bit dull for guitar,one of the 'side effects' that i was hoping for was the the 84's would bring some of that vox sparkle to the proceedings as well as lowering the amps volume..i was very pleased with the overall tone of the amp but as i went with a closed back 2x12 with vintage 30's it's still pretty loud but i have some nice clean headroom which is important to me and my needs in an amp...if i ever get the time or my hands on an open back 2x12 i have a couple of 25 watt 'greenbacks' i would like to try to see if there is a huge difference in volume..or i would like to try the trimode tonebones for a laugh but while i think that while they would probably sound excellent going on there pentode brothers,..the associated problems....i.e running delay pedals into a distorting amp,lack of headroom,switching between two diffrent amps,balancing volume levels...would mean it would be a non runner for everyday use on the road as i have to balance my duties as a rythmn as well as lead guitarist....on a side note the groove tubes attenuator has i think a effects loop to add effects between the amp and speakers which is cool but it's pretty pricey......
i suppose the old skool solution of turning the cab away from the audience or covering it with a duvet or blankets isn't very popular anymore....??.....now were really travelling back into the mists of time...... ..... |
Edited by - FRANZONI on 03/11/2008 14:38:21 |
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Laurie
Double Platinum Member
Canada
4854 Posts |
Posted - 03/13/2008 : 03:48:27
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quote:
Originally posted by FRANZONI
i suppose the old skool solution of turning the cab away from the audience or covering it with a duvet or blankets isn't very popular anymore....??.....now were really travelling back into the mists of time...........
I was doing sound for a band a couple of years ago and asked the lead guitarist to do almost that... He was overwhelming the rest of the band to get his tone, so I asked him to take the amp out of the backline and put it next to his monitor turned away from the audience and angled up towards his head so he could hear it as loud as he wanted, and let me put the guitar into the FOH mix with the board. I was sacked as sound guy...
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FRANZONI
Double Platinum Member
Ireland
3543 Posts |
Posted - 03/13/2008 : 15:32:45
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quote:
Originally posted by lauries2
quote:
Originally posted by FRANZONI
i suppose the old skool solution of turning the cab away from the audience or covering it with a duvet or blankets isn't very popular anymore....??.....now were really travelling back into the mists of time...........
I was doing sound for a band a couple of years ago and asked the lead guitarist to do almost that... He was overwhelming the rest of the band to get his tone, so I asked him to take the amp out of the backline and put it next to his monitor turned away from the audience and angled up towards his head so he could hear it as loud as he wanted, and let me put the guitar into the FOH mix with the board. I was sacked as sound guy...
Were just a pub band..but we have a decent P.A. system with a 16 channel dynacord desk,tops,bins,crossovers,and monitors etc.... we really try to get our sound right each time...over the last while i've been trying to encourage everyone to bring their stage volume down..now most musos like me grew up with shitty P.A. systems so we always relied on having a big amp to be heard but lately i noticed by getting a decent monitor mix and by miking the drums(our drummer is a madman with a few pints of carlsberg in him.... )were getting better reviews off the audience and we seem to be getting called back more for gigs.....nobody likes to be deafened in a small pub or club by a 100 watt marshall gong at full tilt because some egomaniac thiks he needs to to get his 'sound'...get a good overdrive pedal instead....or buy a smaller amp...i've got some good results out of a 15 watt '61 selmer stadium once it's miked right......i wouldn't lose any sleep over it bro' you were only trying to help those guys....their loss..... |
Edited by - FRANZONI on 03/13/2008 15:34:20 |
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DeFrag
Moderator
USA
3409 Posts |
Posted - 03/13/2008 : 20:09:04
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| Getting mates to turn down is one of the toughest things to do in a gigging band. Hell, its hard enough during practice. Instead of turning someone up like the guitarist to be heard over the bass, bring down the levels of everything else (or the bass). |
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FRANZONI
Double Platinum Member
Ireland
3543 Posts |
Posted - 03/13/2008 : 20:19:51
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I know what you mean DeFrag.... sorry if i went a bit off topic...but on the question of attenuators there was some else i wanted to point out...running you valve/tube amp hard to distort and controlling it with a attenuator will shorten the lifespan of the tubes as the amp is fooled into thinking it's driving a full load on the speakers..this could be a expensive way to get overdrive/distortion...i blew/burnt out a couple of el 84's on my little selmer by driving the amp up full in rehearsals a while back(it's only a 15 watt amp but fairly loud)i posted some pics of the internals on one the topics about tube amps,the screen grid resistors took quite a hammering as well as the mains power lead nearly melted inside the amp..... running amps especially valve amps flat out as i said earlier can be expensive in parts and repairs .... |
Edited by - FRANZONI on 03/13/2008 20:28:59 |
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pedals 4 pv
Platinum Member
Canada
1351 Posts |
Posted - 03/13/2008 : 21:13:51
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| I don't see the logic behind spending 3-400 bucks on a device the make a big amp sound like a small amp, when you can just buy a small amp. A Fender Champ is only $299.99 US List. I am probably missing the point, but it makes me wonder. |
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Attenuators
