Thoughts on power attenuators

[feraledge]

I've got an EVH 5153 and two infants on the way. My volume limits at home are about to drop down drastically. I'm looking for thoughts on attenuators, namely Rivera, THD, and Weber. I'm not looking to crank the amp ridiculously, I just want the low volume to sound more like the low-mid volume.
Thoughts? Experiences?
Thanks!

 

[colimofsmoke]

Post subject: Thoughts on power attenuators: don't use em.

 

[cecilbag]

The only one that looks appealing is the rivera rockcrusher

 

[2tallmusic]

I had a Weber Mass-Lite. Sold it because I did not use it. The only use case that makes sense for me is adding some saturation in smaller venues, everything in the low-volume area sounds IMHO crappier with an attenuator than not using an attenuator.

 

[university81]

I've got an EVH 5153 and two infants on the way. My volume limits at home are about to drop down drastically. I'm looking for thoughts on attenuators, namely Rivera, THD, and Weber. I'm not looking to crank the amp ridiculously, I just want the low volume to sound more like the low-mid volume.
Thoughts? Experiences?
Thanks!

When i had the EVH 5153 at home i'd use one of those passive volume boxes in the FX loop, something like this:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/TUBE-AMP-VOLUME ... 1e6ede389f

it's basically the same thing that scott henderson uses (although priced differently :

http://ews-us.com/item_volumeCtrl.php?item=custom

or an EQ pedal with the level set super low in the FX loop worked great too, might be something to try before splashing out on an attenuator, as it might get you the results/response you need

otherwise for me the Webers were probably the best bang for your buck and more flexible (THD have attenuators set for specific Ohmages)

 

[guitarobert]

I've got an EVH 5153 and two infants on the way. My volume limits at home are about to drop down drastically. I'm looking for thoughts on attenuators, namely Rivera, THD, and Weber. I'm not looking to crank the amp ridiculously, I just want the low volume to sound more like the low-mid volume.
Thoughts? Experiences?
Thanks!

Having young children, I've found attenuators to be a blessing. I've been through a few of them so hopefully this helps.

Of your list, I would go for the Rivera. I haven't tried it, but its features look right. For the THD, I had read negative comments on its ability to model a real speaker's impedance. For the Weber, I had one but sold it because measurements of its impedance looked strange. And I was a bit put off by their claim that it works with any amplifier impedance setting, even though the attenuator itself has no switch to adjust what impedance it expects to see. Every other attenuator in the world has a switch to select the impedance. And I checked by connecting the Weber to different output jacks (4/8/16) on my amp and found they all sounded different. I don't buy their claim and sold it.

I use an Aracom attenuator and love it. I'm recommending the Rivera from your list, because for one reason it looks similar to the Aracom in terms of features. One nice feature is that it can be used as a load box with an unfiltered line out. This is my favorite use of the attenuator now. Disconnect your speaker cabinet entirely. Connect the attenuator to the amp in load mode. Then run the line-out to your PC. In your PC DAW run that signal into an impulse response VST and use any of the great speaker cabinet impulse responses out there, such as the ones by Redwire. Great tones through your desktop speakers!

This for me is the ultimate situation because I'm getting the amp tone at extremely low volume levels, and also can use any number of virtual speaker cabinets and microphones to play it through. The resulting tones are great and the volume level can be whisper quiet. So not only does it reduce the level dramatically, but it opens up a world of new tones. And look into tone matching using Ozone for ways of using your amp to cop existing recorded album guitar tones!

The Aracom is great, but to get an unfiltered line out you need the PRX150-DAG which is almost double the price of the others you are looking at. So without having heard it, I'd go for the Rivera based on its claims of impedance matching and the unfiltered line out. Otherwise look at the Aracom for something that certainly works well for both attenuation and direct recording.

Happy fathering!

 

[cnote]

Disconnect your speaker cabinet entirely. Connect the attenuator to the amp in load mode. Then run the line-out to your PC. In your PC DAW run that signal into an impulse response VST and use any of the great speaker cabinet impulse responses out there, such as the ones by Redwire. Great tones through your desktop speakers!

I have one of those Aracom DAGs - never thought to do this. Might be the ultimate solution for blasting amps at home.
What are you using for software?
I'm not technical, so I didn't know what unfiltered meant.

 

[cnote]

Disconnect your speaker cabinet entirely. Connect the attenuator to the amp in load mode. Then run the line-out to your PC. In your PC DAW run that signal into an impulse response VST and use any of the great speaker cabinet impulse responses out there, such as the ones by Redwire. Great tones through your desktop speakers!

I have one of those Aracom DAGs - never thought to do this. Might be the ultimate solution for blasting amps at home.
What are you using for software?
I'm not technical, so I didn't know what unfiltered meant.

 

[8len8]

I think many models are good if you just need a few dB of volume reduction. For big attenuation, like for playing a 100w amp in the bedroom, I found an Ultimate Attenuator (a re-amper, not an attenuator, is the only thing that doesn't impact the amp's tone.

 

[feraledge]

Thank you all for the feedback! I've used the EQ volume in my effects loop before, but didn't really have to with my previous two heads (ENGL and Mesa) since I could jump the master volume up and pull the channel volume way back and that worked out pretty well. That's obviously the easiest solution, but I wasn't sure if the better power soak of an attenuator would give a lot more options for the tone.
It seems like you can get a much better tone, but it costs a ton more if you're looking for the best. So if the volume in the loop isn't doing it, I'll keep my eye out for a used Rivera.
I guess the real problem with attenuators is that by the time you're dropping enough money to make a 100 watt head sound like a 25 watt head, you're paying enough to just buy one.

 

[racerevlon]

Been using ROCKMAN Power Soaks my whole life -- never had any problems.

 

[mjtripper]

I got the rock crusher shortly after they came out and rarely play without it now. It's a great product and I've never had a problem with it.

 

[Enjolras56]

I own the Ho(same as Ultimate) attenuator with dual footswitchable volumes, which for live playing purposes is a life-saver for me.

As for playing my 100 watt 1/2 stack at bedroom volumes- I used to do it with my attenuator, but my purpose for playing late night while the kid is sleeping is more for keeping my chops up, writing, and what not, having that cranked amp tone wasn't worth the wear it put on my tubes to have it attenuated that much.

As for the tone when I did do it- the overall character was still there, but attenuated at bedroom volumes, the dynamics/pick attack sensitivity suffers.

 

[squank]

Attenuators keep amp repair shops in business. ESPECIALLY vintage amps.

 

[guitarobert]

Disconnect your speaker cabinet entirely. Connect the attenuator to the amp in load mode. Then run the line-out to your PC. In your PC DAW run that signal into an impulse response VST and use any of the great speaker cabinet impulse responses out there, such as the ones by Redwire. Great tones through your desktop speakers!

I have one of those Aracom DAGs - never thought to do this. Might be the ultimate solution for blasting amps at home.
What are you using for software?
I'm not technical, so I didn't know what unfiltered meant.

It works well! First off, your DAG has two options for the line out. Filtered and unfiltered. Filtered means a built in cabinet simulation filter in the DAG is applied. You could try just using this and maybe it will sound good.

But I recommend going unfiltered (I think you pull a push-pull knob out for this - check the manual) and use software on your PC to do the cab/mic work.

For software I'm using Reaper as the DAW and Redwire's mixIR as the VST. Setup your amp with the Aracom as a load, highest impedance that your amp supports (16 ohm probably). Also have the Aracom's line out in unfiltered mode. Then run the line out to a line-in on your PC. Be sure it is a line in, not mic in.

On the PC make a new track and add the mixIR VST as the effect. Then you load your selected impulse response file. The impulse file is the snapshot of the cabinet, mic and mic position. Redwire has them for dozens of cabs, each with a dozen mics in many mic positions. And you can mix several cabinet impulses together meaning its like running your amp through multiple speaker cabinets and mics! They include ambient room mics as well so you can mix in those too.

Once you have this setup you can move on to snatching tones from existing guitar tracks, if they were played on an amp similar to the one you have. It works well also.

But just using the impulses out there such as Redwire opens up so many tonal possibilities. I often end up enjoying playing through those more than my cabinet itself, especially for low volume playing.

 

[jkkkjkhk]

I have the rockcrusher as well and love it, although I've used it as a load box with my amp cranked but didn't like the tone much. Could have been the interface I was using (HD500), could be it colors the tone too much, who knows. But I mostly use it for the direct out so I can use redwirez, I still have a cab hooked up at low volumes. Pretty much everything rivera advertises is why I bought it. I looked at every attenuator made first and have used many but very happy I picked this.

 

[8len8]

Attenuators keep amp repair shops in business. ESPECIALLY vintage amps.

I'd have to disagree. I've been successfully using an Attenuator with my 59 Plexi for years. Like any tool, damage can occur if it is misused (amp turned up too loud or Attenuator used with amps with output stages that can't tolerate it). I don't think generic statements can be made about attenuators damaging most or all amps.

 

[blackba]

First off congrats on being an expecting parent.

I think attenuators are best used if you want to knock a few dB down. Trying to make a 5150III a bedroom amp, you may not be as happy with the results. I do have an attenuator on my wish list, but its not to play quieter, its to allow me to crank a few of my amps that sound better cranked a bit more (Vox AC50 and Marshall 2553).

Also, not sure your living situation, but I thought when I was going to be a parent, that I would need to worry about volume. What I found is that kids get used to the volume and the sound upstairs (my music room is in the basement), never woke either of my kids up. The one thing you always run into when trying to play soft, is that at some point, you are might as well play the electric unplugged. So there is a limit to how soft you can get without using headphones.

 

[squank]

Attenuators keep amp repair shops in business. ESPECIALLY vintage amps.

I'd have to disagree. I've been successfully using an Attenuator with my 59 Plexi for years. Like any tool, damage can occur if it is misused (amp turned up too loud or Attenuator used with amps with output stages that can't tolerate it). I don't think generic statements can be made about attenuators damaging most or all amps.

I'm quoting amp repair guys. And several well-known amp builders.

The biggest problem with many attenuators (aside from the fact that they rarely perform as advertised), is that the impedance that the amp sees often increases dramatically as the attenuation level increases. This is undisclosed by most makers of attenuators, so users have no idea that they are damaging their amps when they use significant attenuation.

The new Rivera attenuator says it has tight impedance tolerances, and if that's true, it is a HUGE improvement. They also claim to overbuild the component contacts to prevent intermittent contact over usage. Again, if true, that is a big step forward for attenuators.

 

[mjtripper]

Attenuators keep amp repair shops in business. ESPECIALLY vintage amps.

I'd have to disagree. I've been successfully using an Attenuator with my 59 Plexi for years. Like any tool, damage can occur if it is misused (amp turned up too loud or Attenuator used with amps with output stages that can't tolerate it). I don't think generic statements can be made about attenuators damaging most or all amps.

I'm quoting amp repair guys. And several well-known amp builders.

The biggest problem with many attenuators (aside from the fact that they rarely perform as advertised), is that the impedance that the amp sees often increases dramatically as the attenuation level increases. This is undisclosed by most makers of attenuators, so users have no idea that they are damaging their amps when they use significant attenuation.

It's been said by rivera and in many reviews of theirs that they do not suffer from this affliction. While it true that some do have this problem not all do. When you have a good attenuator that works as it should and you dime an amp which results in it blowing up that amp would most likely have blown up without the attenuator if it was dimed.