Thoughts on power attenuators

  • Thread starter Thread starter feraledge
  • Start date Start date
It seems like attenuators are more likely to be misused than most gear. I've heard enough good things to know that when you use one correctly, you can get great results, but if you don't know anything about Ohms and are trying to play a 100 watt amp on 8 in your bedroom, then you're going to have problems.
I went the easy way and just dropped the volume on my EQ, something simple enough that I felt stupid even asking the question. I got really used to having amps with a master and preamp volume option that I forget that it's an easy fix.
Maybe down the road I'll go the Rivera route and I appreciate the feedback on this. Definitely opened the options up a bit.

That aside, wouldn't the heads with variable watt options be doing something very similar to a power attenuator?
 
When it comes to high gain master volume amps every time I found a setting that sounded good through the attenuator I found I could bypass the attenuator and get pretty much the same sound using the amp's volume control and EQ.
 
You might not even need an attenuator. The 5150 III's master volume is great. You can still get great tones at bedroom volumes with the amp.
 
Poor mans attenuator = Volume pedal in the series loop . Works like a charm and I pretty sure it doesn't affect the amps health at all. Doesn't affect the tone or gain structure if you use it in the series loop. Anybody have ant thoughts on it or more insight please chime in. But I also agree with the last to fellows, A good hign gain amp with a MV usually doesn't need an attenuator.
 
blackba":255lxdou said:
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.
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Reminds me of a drummer I met once. He grew up in a row house and practiced every afternoon from 1 to 3. As soon as he did not play in that time frame the neighbors kindly asked him to because their kids did not fall asleep.
 
last year i bought one of these:

http://www.recycledsound.net/
middle of the page.

i got the 8 ohm version....but, as a side note, i asked him if the 16 ohm version will work with and 8 ohm mono setup and he said he's used the 16 ohm on his amps exclusively, regardless of the amps rating 4/8/16.

i still got the 8 ohm, cause, that's usually what im using my amp on.
i love it, and yes, at higher volumes, you'll see results you didnt see at lower volumes.
imho, they're applicable for gigs if you are trying to saturate your power tubes and get that type of higher volume tone at lower volume levels. bedroom volumes, dont even bother.
 
I think where people blow it is using an attenuator as a load box/dummy load. Not good.
 
Sell all your amps.
Cheap.
Then buy an Axe-FX II.
It has a headphone jack.
It will be your best friend when the baby is asleep.

Cause when the baby finally falls asleep, you really gonna wake it up with any noise!?

I am hating it at home nowadays.
All my main playing has been either through the Axe-FX when people are home, or cranking away when they are not.
It kind of sucks. I know it is just a temporary thing, but having a newborn in the house sucks, when all you want to do is crank the shit out of your amps before work, or when you get home, and such.

I had a Hotplate, and sold it. never used it. sucked tone. so sold it.
 
A attenuator isnt a good option for you.IMHO
But i improved playing and enjoying guitar thru a cheap headphone amp .
I run my effects pedals and delay thru it and get a great rock sound on a $62.00 moen buffolo what a treat it is !
I do have a weber mass lite 50watt attenuator , but why waste the tubes life.
It is 8 ohm load in and 4-8-16 ohm output to the speaker.
In real playing conditions speakers ohms vary quite abit ,the weber is a real speaker coil , so i have less fear of ohm load than a static resistor type.
Besides the weber is designed for 8 ohm in from the amp , the weber speaker out could fail but the amp would be fine.
But a 5150 at nursery volume is a impractical application for a high intensity tube amplifier of this calibre.
Spend wisely .
A guitar thru effects into a cpu microphone input works!
 
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