Question about Attenuator or Get Different Amp

[mnnt75]

I have a Mesa Mark V and at this point only playing at home at pretty low levels.
So the problem is I am not getting the sound I really want out of the amp due to the levels being played.

Here are a couple of my thoughts, but I have really only played straight through never really liking pedals and messing with everything.

1. I have never used an attenuator so looking for personal insight, what brand works well for this type of amp...and if I can expect the sound as if it were on 7 vs 1

2. I found the Rivera Metal Shaman which sounds amazing for a pedal and it gives it the bottom end that the mesa is missing at low levels, or is this overkill

3. Otherwise I may have to get another head unit. Either the 5150 or trying to find the Baron Snott Watt to try out but I really want to stick with tubes.

I appreciate any insight and thank you in advance.

 

[RedPlated]

I had the Fryette Power Station. Fantastic attenuator, but to be honest I just didn't care for attenuation on my amps. And really, if you have a great master volume, like my Friedman BE or Bogner Helios, you can get great tone at surprisingly low volume with a 100 watt amp.

Granted, on a NMV Plexi or other NMV amp, the attenuator is the way to go....

 

[blackba]

For an amp like a Mesa Mark v, where most of the tone is from the preamp, not sure you are going to get much out of an attenuator. Keep in mind when you turn up the mark v you not only get the speakers working more, but you get the fletcher Munson curve coming into effect. An attenuator is not going to help with that.

I would post your settings and see if other users can help before you get an attenuator.

I also have a Mesa ta 15 and while it is easier to control at lower volume, the mark Iva I have just sounds bigger at every volume.

I am planning to get a power station once they are available again mid April, but that is for my Vintage amps with no master volume. I also want to try it with my silver jubilee, where I find it has to be on 6 on the master to give up the goods.

 

[midnightlaundry]

I have a MV and a Rivera Rockcrusher. The RC isnt perfect, but its pretty damn good. Ive done plenty of experimenting.

That said, the easiest way to get the best bedroom tones is to just run that amp on 10 watt. Your settings would be slightly different from a live volume, but youll get the tone and feel you want at the low volume you want.

The Class A wiring adds upper harmonics and makes the feel juicier. You might want to back off on the highend a little. Also, the lowend rolls off a bit, but just add it back in to taste. To me the 10 watt mode makes the amp feel like it does at a band volume in the bedroom.

 

[Bxlxaxkxe]

I'm surprised you aren't having success using the 5band eq to compensate for the lower volume. That's one of the things I liked most about the little 25 I had.

 

[mnnt75]

Some good feedback on the attenuator's.
Maybe not the way to go.

I have posted my settings in the pic below.
The bottom definitely gets better the more it is turned up and just trying to get some of that back, maybe the pedal is the way to go, although not preferred.

The settings:
Extreme
Eq on the footswitch
10 watts.
Always use full power vs the variac as that seems to sound better.
There is also a 2nd volume control in the back that is turned way down so I can turn up the front end a bit.

I will try backing off the high end a bit as mentioned.