bigchungusstuckinmymouth
Member
if you have distortion pedals and eq pedal?
ZEN Amps
Well-known member
If the amp’s power section is running fairly clean, then no. Sounds like that’s probably the case for you.
bigchungusstuckinmymouth
Member
i dont have the amp yet but im planning on getting jmc800 2203 100w
ZEN Amps
Well-known member
Great amp, and chances are an attenuator will be unnecessary.
SFW
Well-known member
It depends on the tone you are after. If you want to get the power section cooking, then yes, and attentator will help keep the amp and a reasonable volume. I personally like the Weber MASS 200. I've also found that the TwoNotes Captor X works well with Marshall style circuits.
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Hack
The only time i have used an "attenuator" was using the powerstation II with my fifty watt amp through the 100 watt power section to make it louder and give it more headroom
bigchungusstuckinmymouth
Member
aight chill out tough guy
rsm
Well-known member
I'd wait and see after you get the amp and cab; if preamp gain does it for you, or a dirt pedal in front gets the sound you want, then you won't need an attenuator.
I purchased one of these, and never used it. But I play my 100W Marshalls loud, with the power amp a key part of the sound (MV @ 7+)
https://www.thomannmusic.com/harley_benton_pa_250_power_attenuator.htm
Of course, it's your responsibility to make sure it does what you need with your amp, not mine. Like I said, I have one, and it's still in the sealed box because I've never used it. I just play loud, with the power amp, and wear earplugs.
I purchased one of these, and never used it. But I play my 100W Marshalls loud, with the power amp a key part of the sound (MV @ 7+)
https://www.thomannmusic.com/harley_benton_pa_250_power_attenuator.htm
Of course, it's your responsibility to make sure it does what you need with your amp, not mine. Like I said, I have one, and it's still in the sealed box because I've never used it. I just play loud, with the power amp, and wear earplugs.
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Hack
Seriously, I wouldn't bother with an attenuator unless you are dealing with a non master volume amp.
When i first got into it, i believed people that said that a 100 watt amp and 4x12 were too loud. So i went out of my way to get an amp that wouldn't be too powerful. Even if you get a 150 watt amp, it has a master, and while it will sound best about halfway up, you can play them at any volume
SoooRad
Well-known member
This is a weird thread. It feels like an AI asking for human opinion.
Do you have any other amps? While its not "needed", having some poweramp girth underneath the pedal base would be nice, and you aren't going to get that out of an 800 without killing the local townsfolk or using attenuation of some sort.
Do you have any other amps? While its not "needed", having some poweramp girth underneath the pedal base would be nice, and you aren't going to get that out of an 800 without killing the local townsfolk or using attenuation of some sort.
HellraiserJohnny
Active member
2 schools of thought here . . .
1 - There are line level "Effects Loop Attenuator" that connect to your FX loop to keep your volume low such as a bedroom or small club. With this you would crank your pedals to scream (+1 or 2) then turn it down at the loop.
2 - Then there are "speaker attenuators" that allow you to crank your 100 watt upto 11 and not kill any small furry animals in the area, These have to be matched to the amps output (50 or100 Watt) and speaker impedance (8 or 16 Ohm) an most give you 15 Db of volume reduction but most will say don't dime and amp and expect the unit to cut that much.
Me. . . I record all the time and have a few stereo tube amps that can blow the paint off the walls. I had Stami's Customs (Reverb) build me a stereo 50 watt\16 Ohm box so I can crank the amp to get that edge of hellfire tone and then suck it down to recording levels. Stops me from overloading the mics and really makes the amp sing.
This is what you can do . . . . Need? Depends on when people speak to you . . . you reply . . . . "What"?!?!?!?!?!?
1 - There are line level "Effects Loop Attenuator" that connect to your FX loop to keep your volume low such as a bedroom or small club. With this you would crank your pedals to scream (+1 or 2) then turn it down at the loop.
2 - Then there are "speaker attenuators" that allow you to crank your 100 watt upto 11 and not kill any small furry animals in the area, These have to be matched to the amps output (50 or100 Watt) and speaker impedance (8 or 16 Ohm) an most give you 15 Db of volume reduction but most will say don't dime and amp and expect the unit to cut that much.
Me. . . I record all the time and have a few stereo tube amps that can blow the paint off the walls. I had Stami's Customs (Reverb) build me a stereo 50 watt\16 Ohm box so I can crank the amp to get that edge of hellfire tone and then suck it down to recording levels. Stops me from overloading the mics and really makes the amp sing.
This is what you can do . . . . Need? Depends on when people speak to you . . . you reply . . . . "What"?!?!?!?!?!?
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H
Humbucking
Member
S
shar-vell Dan
Well-known member
I have a couple don't really use them. Maybe once in a very great while.
I was jamming a few feet from a 100 watt stack yesterday on "2". I prefer to let the puppies breathe.
I would say at least wait and get the amp first B4 trying to mute it premeditaded.
The hardly benton & bOOgera stuff is garbage much better choices if you value your amp.
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Hack
I bought a mic pad to drop the decibels so I don't have to turn my amp down.
S̷͖͑m̵͎͂á̵̺s̸͚̈́h̴̬̑
Hack
^
Face the dial on the master towards the sky and the sound you get is heavenly
bigchungusstuckinmymouth
Member
"A 4x12 only sounds good when it's pushing air. AKA Loud... At low volume it will sound constipated and fizzy. You do not need a 4x12 in your dorm room.” how true is this
MadAsAHatter
Well-known member
I guess it really depends on what you want to do with it. To me a 2203 benefits from cranking the volume and pushing the power section, but that's not always necessary. And if you're getting distortion from pedals you may not want any power amp saturation.
My suggestion would be to try it out as is before getting an attenuator and see if it does what you want. If you need a little more oomph then look into an attenuator so you can push the power section more with keeping the volume manageable. If this ends up being the case check out a power station. It's very transparent and will give you the added benefit of an FX loop.
My suggestion would be to try it out as is before getting an attenuator and see if it does what you want. If you need a little more oomph then look into an attenuator so you can push the power section more with keeping the volume manageable. If this ends up being the case check out a power station. It's very transparent and will give you the added benefit of an FX loop.
S̷͖͑m̵͎͂á̵̺s̸͚̈́h̴̬̑
Hack
Dorm room not great idea. Or apartment. But if you live in a house, and not with your parents...absolutely get a 4x12 and play as loud as you want.
I play at 107-112 dbs
112 is around what you hear in front of stage at concert. It is too loud for sustained playing if standing in front of cab. If you can stand parallel to cab (or diagonal) to where it isn't blasting you in the face, this is perfectly ok.
