attenuation and silent recording rig talk. Go.

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V2a

V2a

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I'd like to lower the live, in-room volume of my amps, and I'd like to get into this whole new world of silent recording with IRs.

It looks like some gear might do it all (perhaps including Two Notes Reload, Radial HeadLoad). But I am not opposed to configuring a rig from the best components (probably starting with an attenuator).

The Two Notes C.A.B. seems pretty cool to me, since I could start building preamps and just skip the need for a power amp. [I could start making Blades rip-off preamps for only $2k!]

And for recording of my regular (pre+power) amps, I could stick a Suhr Reactive Load in front of the C.A.B..

But I guess I would still need an attenuator in this rig. So could I do this: Guitar-->Amp-->Unleash-->SuhrRL-->C.A.B.

I'm guessing there are many, many options for what I want to do. I'm also guessing there are many threads on this topic already, so feel free to point me to an existing thread.
 
Have you tried power scaling? Works good for bringing down the volume. It comes from a Kevin O'Conner book. It's like a little built in variac, only it varies the dc to the output tubes.
 
Check out the Fryette Power Station. It does all that and more.
 
PatF":37lt9xvk said:
Have you tried power scaling? Works good for bringing down the volume. It comes from a Kevin O'Conner book. It's like a little built in variac, only it varies the dc to the output tubes.
Click to expand...

Yes, I've incorporated an earlier version of Kevin's PS into a cathode-biased amp previously, and I plan to add it to my (10W-20W) fixed-bias amps in the future.
 
Webb":3r9bib7s said:
Check out the Fryette Power Station. It does all that and more.
Click to expand...

It boosts lunchbox amps, but those amps still have power sections. Can it also take input from a preamp like the Two Notes C.A.B.?
 
Hi V2a,

Reload + Torpedo CAB do exactly what you want, but of course there are plenty of other good options out there.

If you just want an attenuator, please remember that passive ones tend to kill the high frequencies when pushed hard.
 
guillaume_pille":2qijjasl said:
Hi V2a,

Reload + Torpedo CAB do exactly what you want, but of course there are plenty of other good options out there.

If you just want an attenuator, please remember that passive ones tend to kill the high frequencies when pushed hard.
Click to expand...

Thanks for your input. And this pairing can be used 'live' (that is, independently of a computer) if one just wants good, attenuated live tone. Correct?

And to confirm: Can the Reload take a preamp as input rather than a regular amp? Could it essentially be used as a power amp like the Fryette Power Station?
 
I play a 5150 III 50 watt and ordered the Fryette Powerstation with hopes of getting superior tones at bedroom volumes. I have tried a couple other attenuators (THD Hotplate, Rivera Rockcrusher) and feel the Powerstation offered the most transparency/best tone...

However, when A/Bing my amp simply turned down vs attenuated via the Powerstation, I still liked guitar straight into amp better. It was fun to crank my EVH and turn it down via the Powerstation. It gave me that pushed tone that only comes out of a cranked amp, but there was also that "blanket over the cab" sound. Definitely subtle, but apparent to my ears. And while simply using the master volume to lower the volume of the amp lost that pushed tone, it was far clearer and ultimately more inspiring. So I returned the Powerstation.

Ultimately I think it's going to depend on how functional the master volume on your amp is, and how picky you are about the tone.
 
Fryette Power Station 2. It does it all. I cannot express enough how incredible this unit is. I have good MV amps and still run it thru the PS2 to get the power tubes cooking and wow...so much better than low volume on the MV. It also does silent recording great. I run it into a ADA GCS-3 then into my PC/DAW.
 
Thanks for your input. And this pairing can be used 'live' (that is, independently of a computer) if one just wants good, attenuated live tone. Correct?
Click to expand...

Yes.

And to confirm: Can the Reload take a preamp as input rather than a regular amp? Could it essentially be used as a power amp like the Fryette Power Station?
Click to expand...

Nope if you need to power a preamp I think the Fryette and the Badcat will do it. Or you just go preamp-> Torpedo CAB and right into the PA.
 
I am going through this now myself. I am new to the modern gear stuff. I bought a reload a torpedo cab and a PS2 on black friday to give em a try knowing i could return any or all of them.

I am sending back the reload and keeping the PS2 and Tcab. It seems it gives you the best of all worlds and most flexibility. I am inspired to start playing because i don't have to murder myself to get great tones.

As an attenuator, no question the ps2 blew the reload away for me personally. felt better warmer and the bypass switch is awesome to a/b to tweak the eq if desired. not to mention the effects loop and it has both balanced and unbalanced outs. No contest PS2 FTW!!

The Torpedo CAB is super cool because you can use as a stand alone unit without a computer and more flexible than a rack mount.

I am still in the rudimentary stages of the learning curve of all this but as a total newb to recording in the digital age, thats my .02
 
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