Variacs or attenuators, or Slaving

[MrDowntown]

Which is better for harnessing power and/or volume?
Pros and cons of each?

 

[Stradazone]

Variacs aren't gonna give you much volume reduction, going from 120 to 90 volts, you might get about 3 db, a good attenuator will give you much more volume reduction, you can also try slaving, I think slaving is more transparent and will not suck your tone like some attenuators do

 

[HilltopExplosion]

I have both, and use both. I have a rivera rockcrusher attenuator. If it's late and I don't want to bother anybody, I use an attenuator. I use the variac to push the amp hard without blowing it up, I asked kinda the same questions in to variac or not to variac... that is the question a few months back.. then I did a few samples with the variac at certain volumes and gain... Sometimes I use both.. knock the voltage down to 100 volts, but then only knock -3db off the volume.. believe it or not it makes a big difference. I have also used the attenuator as a load box, used the line out of the attenuator to the return of the fx loop of another amp, and used the attenuator line out volume control for volume.. so there are a lot of different things you can do depending on what you are looking for.. is it just volume reduction? Attenuator..

 

[HilltopExplosion]

Oh yeah, the only cons I can think of are some people say that the attenuator will mess up your amp, I asked the man that built mine and he said no problem with the attenuator I was using. Also having more stuff to lug around if you are gigging. A lot of pros. You find a sweet spot on you amp that's not OH MY GOD MY EARS ARE BLEEDING!! volume, and keep the wife, girlfriend, family, neighbors happy.

 

[MrDowntown]

Ahhh..slaving, yes. That sounds like what I'm after. I'd like to crank my amp(s) up a bit...I sort of know where the sweet spot is, but way too damn loud. ..maybe if I was 15-16 yrs old, it'd be ok.

Anyway...I think I'm missing a "load box" from the equation? I've got, (2) 212 cabs, (2) 50w heads both have efx loops, and a HD500. I'm not sure if the HD500 will suffice as a load box...anyone?

 

[HilltopExplosion]

Ahhh..slaving, yes. That sounds like what I'm after. I'd like to crank my amp(s) up a bit...I sort of know where the sweet spot is, but way too damn loud. ..maybe if I was 15-16 yrs old, it'd be ok.

Anyway...I think I'm missing a "load box" from the equation? I've got, (2) 212 cabs, (2) 50w heads both have efx loops, and a HD500. I'm not sure if the HD500 will suffice as a load box...anyone?

I'm not familiar with it, does it go through the front of the amp or fx loop? It's just an effects rack right? What you might want to look into are the Fryette power station, which pretty much is an attenuator with a built in 50 watt power amp. A lot of guys on here love 'em, or Rockcrusher attenuators, they have several different types.

With the Fryette, you don't need the other amp, just a cab.

Here's a link

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CAGXRDfCF30

The Rockcrusher can be used as an attenuator and a load box, and they have another model that has a speaker simulator, so you can adjust it and go straight to a PA or another power amp.

 

[HilltopExplosion]

And this is from here

viewtopic.php?f=3&t=50970
and
www.rig-talk.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=172906

 

[supersonic]

A Variac will give you a dark squishy tone, an attenuator will not.

 

[MrDowntown]

Ahhh..slaving, yes. That sounds like what I'm after. I'd like to crank my amp(s) up a bit...I sort of know where the sweet spot is, but way too damn loud. ..maybe if I was 15-16 yrs old, it'd be ok.

Anyway...I think I'm missing a "load box" from the equation? I've got, (2) 212 cabs, (2) 50w heads both have efx loops, and a HD500. I'm not sure if the HD500 will suffice as a load box...anyone?

I'm not familiar with it, does it go through the front of the amp or fx loop? It's just an effects rack right? What you might want to look into are the Fryette power station, which pretty much is an attenuator with a built in 50 watt power amp. A lot of guys on here love 'em, or Rockcrusher attenuators, they have several different types.

With the Fryette, you don't need the other amp, just a cab.

Here's a link

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CAGXRDfCF30

The Rockcrusher can be used as an attenuator and a load box, and they have another model that has a speaker simulator, so you can adjust it and go straight to a PA or another power amp.

Yes the HD 500 is an efx pedal, but also an interface, has efx loop, xlr outs, etc.... I was trying find a way to utilize What I already had lying around.

 

[MrDowntown]

Would a THD Hotplate do the trick? An Attenuator, also a load box.

 

[Stradazone]

Would a THD Hotplate do the trick? An Attenuator, also a load box.

The THD is not a bad attenuator when only clicked down a notch or 2, the line out for slaving isn't the cleanest, it's a resistive load not a reactive load, I use to use a Suhr Line out box in conjunction with the THD for slaving, but now I use the Suhr Reactive Load for slaving, load and line out all in one box!

 

[MrDowntown]

Thanks....
I appreciate the help and responses...and apologize at the same time. I realize I'm rehashing some of the SOS!

Honestly never considered attenuation, or slaving, but starting to realize my 45 yo ears are taking a beating

I've read, and will have to continue to read I suppose to get an understanding of slaving (the various methods), attenuation and the different devices...IR's ? :LOL

 

[Racerxrated]

I use the line out on my 2C+ and run it into a Strategy 400 power amp, with an Intellifex in between it sounds killer at any volume. My JCM has the DI out on the back, but that signal is way too low. So I grabbed a Bray line out box for 47, same as the Suhr but the Suhr is 180. Works much better than the DI. You need to have a load hooked up though as others have said. 2C and JCM are combos, so I just leave the speakers hooked up.

 

[Dave L]

Slaving has its pros and cons, but I suppose it could be a good way to have cranked tube tone at lower volumes. It´s most often used to have vintage heads running through a stereo rack. A loadbox/dummyload with linetap (or one loadbox/dummyload and one linetap), a clean high-powered SS poweramp and you´re good to go... nothing mystical about it. No need for an attenuator function, either, unless it´s one of those attenuators that have a silent load mode.

Attenuators work great for taming volume, but not to such a degree that a roaring plexi works for the night session at home. My fave is the Rivera Rockcrusher.