Attenuators

  • Thread starter Thread starter Hard&Heavy
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Hard&Heavy

Hard&Heavy

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What is a good attenuator that doesn’t color your tone?
 
Freyette PS2 or PS100. I love my PS2 and many others have favorable reviews. Everyone hears things differently though and I don't have a lot of experience with other attenuators so YMMV. Honestly though, the PS's have been getting a lot of love over the past year or so.
 
I have been looking at the fryette’s . Pete Thorn seems to really like the pa 100
 
Love my Ps100. Let's me live with my Jcm 800 and modded Superleads in my living room :)
 
I'm still using the original Fryette Powerstation; amazing piece of gear in my opinion and much more than just an attenuator
 
The fryette powerstation is really a no brainer to your attenuation needs. It hurts the pocket but it fires up your musical inspirations totally.
 
Rivera Rockcrusher and Tone King Iron Man are good passive alternatives, and sound great.
 
Fryette PS2 or PS-100 seem to be the way to go, but good luck finding one right now. They've been backordered for a while. I put my order in for a PS-100 back during November and I'm still waiting. I checked just now and GC/MF has an open box PS2 available online if you don't mind that.
 
PS2 is the TITS. i use it for an attenuator on big amps and a power amp for my Kemper.
 
Used Dr Z or Alessandro if you just need a basic attenuator for a third of the new fangle stuff.
 
There is always a trade off between tone loss and tone gain. Which means more?? Getting the amp up to volume offsets the tonal loss from running through attenuation.

Also, the fletcher munson effect that low sources don't seem as good as loud. Make sure you mic the attentuated signal and listen to it off the mic preamp. That will give you a better idea of how it sounds in a mix and in general when you can turn the attenuator up. I have my Reload down below half and it sounds like garbagge in the room. Sounds great off a mic though!
 
I've used hot plates, air brakes, Dr. Z attentuators etc. I didn't find enough appreciable positive tone difference by using them to justify the expense or keeping them. A good master volume sounds better to my ears...
 
MadAsAHatter said:
Fryette PS2 or PS-100 seem to be the way to go, but good luck finding one right now. They've been backordered for a while. I put my order in for a PS-100 back during November and I'm still waiting. I checked just now and GC/MF has an open box PS2 available online if you don't mind that.
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Chuck Levins, LA Vintage and Killerburst all list them in stock at this point (if you're in the US)

Eric
 
GOHOINC said:
I've used hot plates, air brakes, Dr. Z attentuators etc. I didn't find enough appreciable positive tone difference by using them to justify the expense or keeping them. A good master volume sounds better to my ears...
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That is also worth thinking about. What type of player are you and what type of amp you have. Some people actually like a tighter more preamp driven tone. Others want that big huge vintage breakup. Lots of variables.
 
GOHOINC said:
I've used hot plates, air brakes, Dr. Z attentuators etc. I didn't find enough appreciable positive tone difference by using them to justify the expense or keeping them. A good master volume sounds better to my ears...
Click to expand...

I've been in that mindset for years. . But the ALEX attenuator (I have the original one) and the cheapie Bugera PS1 sound better than those you mentioned. . To me , a lot better. . If someone could definitely tell me the Fryette's were better sounding with NMV and MV amps than those 2 I'd probably look into them, but for now, the ones I mention are a lot better sounding than many others . .

Eric
 
Hard&Heavy said:
What is a good attenuator that doesn’t color your tone?
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Doesn't exist. They all change tone...for obvious reasons like NO speaker compression. That's the one thing that cannot be substituted. Without that your tone just doesn't sound right.
I had a PS100; does a lot of things and is a great buy for attenuation, slaving, adding an FX loop.....but I already have a W/D/W setup, and if I'm honest, the inexpensive Jettenuator clone I have sounds just as good as an attenuator for 1/6th the price.
 
I tried a bunch and never found one I liked, and the same thing goes for amps with power scaling. That said, it has been years since I tried an attenuator. I know Dave Friedman loves the Fryette.
 
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