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attenuators of choice?
http://forum.theobelisk.net/viewtopic.php?f=8&t=595		 Page 1 of 1
Author:  audiodork [ Thu Dec 30, 2010 10:24 am ]
Post subject:  attenuators of choice?
I recently came into possession of an ampeg v-50h, a surprisingly cool little 50 watt-er that's essentially a plexi clone, so no master volume. First amp i've owned that is all gain, no master, so I was curious what you'd recommend as an attenuator for it, as you can imagine it gets loud as fuck fast.
Author:  SoulTrader [ Thu Dec 30, 2010 10:47 am ]
Post subject:  Re: attenuators of choice?
I used to use a THD Hotplate, it was quite good until I overloaded it (my fault, not the product).

Now I'm using a Weber Mass Attenuator.

Webber has 0 to 10 dial but the Hotplate has set db cuts, until you get to -16db, then there's another dial to adjust it manually. That got a tiny bit annoying at times, but the unit was good.
Author:  eyeprod [ Thu Dec 30, 2010 10:49 am ]
Post subject:  Re: attenuators of choice?
my v4 has an input on the back for a master volume. I made a little box with a 10k pot in it and it works great. That in conjunction with a boost pedal and I can get mine super saturated and fuzzy. maybe that amp of yours has a similar input. not sure, but it sounds like a cool amp anyway
Author:  audiodork [ Thu Dec 30, 2010 3:57 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: attenuators of choice?
as usual great suggestions guys, i think i'm going to check out that weber!

I know the volume knob mod is easy enough to do, but there's something kinda cool about just having a gain knob. The amp is very cool and the guy i got it off didn't know what a little gem he had... got it dirt cheap!
Author:  the prole [ Thu Dec 30, 2010 7:48 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: attenuators of choice?
Hey Obelisk!

my first post here. I used to lurk at SR.com so I decided to finally sign up.

Anyway, I use the ultimate and really dig it. Had it for years and has never broken down. Nice having just a knob for volume and not just different settings that jump all over the place.
Author:  Ryan Electrocution [ Fri Dec 31, 2010 4:19 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: attenuators of choice?
I'd used a THD Hotplate, and it was cool, but i've found a few problems in the whole "cranked stack sound but at neighbour friendly volumes", just because I think that when a speaker isn't actually pushing that air in and out, that it's not totally the same thing. To me, you need three parts to get the full cranked stack thing--preamp saturation, power amp saturation, and a speaker going nuts. When you have the load from the attenuator, it's pushing the tubes, but i've found that the attenuation isn't fully the same as a cranked amp--that there's something slightly missing from it. I use a master volume amp with tubes that break up alot--which I prefer to an attenuator. Even amps with master volumes that don't break up quickly and have UL transformers and overbuilt transformers can sound really good that way at lower volumes.

I've had problems with 5 watt amps still being too loud for that sort of thing.....you need it to be 1/10th of a watt or less, and most people think that 5 watts is 1/10th as loud, but it's really half as loud. A 5 watt amp with a 100 watt speaker at full blast is still pretty bloody loud, and I don't really like 8" or smaller speakers because they just don't push enough bass.
Author:  audiodork [ Sat Jan 01, 2011 8:36 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: attenuators of choice?
well, it's not as issue of neighbor friendly volumes so much as it is getting fuller tube saturation at a volume that makes it not suck... contrary to alot of metal/rock lore, amps don't sound good when TOO loud, and sound like shit when you're trying to record them, and a speaker going NUTS sounds like shit. Speakers need to work at their respective optimal conditions, which isn't always getting slammed.
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