Attenuator!!!

[ibanez4life SZ!]

Hey guys!

I'm going to have my dual recto in about 25 days now, which will be played through an avatar 4x12 loaded with V30's.....

Now, I need this amp to play alot at bedroom volumes, as I play guitar all the time......

So, it seems like an attenuator will be necessary....I will not decide until I get a feel for the amp, but I want to get some ideas thrown at me....

So, what would you recommend for me? I've heard very good things about the THD hotplate (keep in mind I do not need the noise reduction option on it, I have a great noise supressor pedal)......I've also seen a DR. Z attenuator....

So what would you guys recommend? Thanks alot!

 

[Bobbypols]

This topic has been debated extensivly on this forum so use the "search" and you shall recieve what you wish. With that said...you wont get good bedroom levels with a attenuater...you ll just get bedroom levels. An attenuater and all for that matter, server really to "shave" a few decibels off the top so it is manageable. I have thd and its pretty good but not as good as playing it unadulterated.

 

[ibanez4life SZ!]

So is there anything I can do to slightly add to the tone at bedroom levels? I know it won't shine like it does cranked, but anything that I can do?

 

[CudBucket]

People always make the mistake in thinking an attenuator is what you need to play at low volumes. It isn't. The best piece of gear for real bedroom levels? A modeller. If you don't want to play through headphones or your PC, get one of those tiney Line 6 spyders for playing in your room at night. Save the tube amp for when you can crank it.

 

[jbird]

People always make the mistake in thinking an attenuator is what you need to play at low volumes. It isn't. The best piece of gear for real bedroom levels? A modeller. If you don't want to play through headphones or your PC, get one of those tiney Line 6 spyders for playing in your room at night. Save the tube amp for when you can crank it.

+1

 

[TheRazMeister]

Or better yet a Vox valvetronix which has a 12AX7 to simulate a tube amp. The 15 and 30 watt versions are inexpensive and put out great tone. Tommi Inkila has some clips of his AD15VT here:
http://www.scenerychannel.com/broadcast/Tommi%20and%20Pasi%20-%20Some%20Solo%20Sections.mp3
He normally plays an F-50 (and very well I might add!)

People always make the mistake in thinking an attenuator is what you need to play at low volumes. It isn't. The best piece of gear for real bedroom levels? A modeller. If you don't want to play through headphones or your PC, get one of those tiney Line 6 spyders for playing in your room at night. Save the tube amp for when you can crank it.

 

[Marshall_Fascist]

No thank you. I will take my tube amp over a modular.

 

[timmerel]

Recommend a Sequis Motherload or Palmer speaker emulator - amp can be cranked, you can record direct and decent tone at bedroom volumes. They aren't cheap, but the Motherload in particular is amazing.

http://www.motherload.co.uk/

 

[ibanez4life SZ!]

Ok....let me restate....I don't need it THAT quiet.....I have no neighbors that I'm worrying to bother, and the family is very tolerant....

I just need it at a good private practive volume, so I don't go deaf in a few years......

And I don't really want to buy another amp either, as I paid $1700 for the Mesa to be able to play it all the time!

 

[jbird]

So maybe you should get a couple of 2/12 cabs instead! One cab for home, two cabs for rehearsals/shows :!: :idea: :?:

 

[Platypus]

Read my PM on this matter

 

[ibanez4life SZ!]

The PM was very helpful! Thank you!

I was considering the multiple 2x12's, but it is actually a bit pricier than just a 4x12.....and requires some extra wires and everything, so it looks like a 4x12 and attenuator is going to be the way out for me!

 

[satriani]

Platypus: To bad you wrote a PM on this matter... I was rather curious to your answer.. Could you post it here as well?

 

[Platypus]

Platypus: To bad you wrote a PM on this matter... I was rather curious to your answer.. Could you post it here as well?

Sure:

Basically you have to remember 2 things with a power soak (attenuator):

1) It WILL suck some tone if you play at low volumes with it
2) There is no substitution for moving cones

If you acknowledge these things and accept the minor setback then you will be extremely happy with your attenuator. It's not the real thing but it's the best thing next to cranking it. I get great performance with my DR and the THD hotplate.

I have found however that it doesn't work as well with my stiletto that I'm trying out.. it's ok in 100watt mode but in 50 it lacks all balls completely. You won't have this issue since the DR is 100 watt, and I think it sounds pretty **** good for the level.

You may consider using the 'bright' switch on this attenuator because as I said earlier, it kind of sucks a bit of tone. Some people compensate by cranking the presence or treble more but the switch does a good job and it lets you keep your 'stock' settings.

I think it's a smart investment, I'd do it again if I had to. It's truly the only way short of cranking the hell out of it to get power tube distortion and for the price of having almost perfect tone at modest tolerable bedroom levels I think it's great.

You will read a lot of BS from people on harmony central saying how terrible it sucks tone and how it makes it sound awful, and you will read the opposite. As a non-biased reviewer of the product, as I said before I think it's an acceptable consequence. You have to remember some of the people out there are so obsessed with their tone that they forget to actually play their guitars.

As far as the Dr. Z, I saw your thread but didn't reply simply because I don't have experience with that product. It may be better than the THD, I'm not sure.. perhaps a user on this forum owns one and can give you a more intimate explanation.

p

 

[hazer]

I totally agree with CudBucket...Really...if you want to play at bedroom levels you should consider the Roland Cubes (They're all pretty decent) or one of the Line 6 and Vox offerings. All these you can buy for a little more than the price of a decent attenuator, and you can dial in some pretty good tones. Also, there are some lower priced tube amps that are low wattage, like the Crate V-Series, Epiphone Valve series, and Fender Pro/Blues Jr's. These Class A dynamos are great too, cause you can crank them right into power tube saturation before the neighbours call the cops.

As for using the DR with a Hot Plate, that's just too friggin much for a practice amp. A puny F-30 112 with a Hot Plate is too friggin much for bedroom use, in fact.

Hope this helps

Hazer

 

[Click 30 Hum BLAST]

Basically you have to remember 2 things with a power soak (attenuator):

1) It WILL suck some tone if you play at low volumes with it
2) There is no substitution for moving cones

If you acknowledge these things and accept the minor setback then you will be extremely happy with your attenuator. It's not the real thing but it's the best thing next to cranking it. I get great performance with my DR and the THD hotplate.

p[/quote]

BUMP. I use a THD hotplate with my Nomad 55 and its great. They have limitations at really low volumes but on the whole they work really well. It certainly allows me to practice at reasonable volumes (ones where myself, children, pets etc don't go deaf) and not draw noise control heat.

Go for it!

 

[mcmanus]

Agreed. You won't be able to tell the difference between a good modeler and a tube amp at low volumes. In fact, often times the modeler will sound better.

If all you're really interested in doing is practicing and must have your tube amp, then my suggestion is to either keep the volume low and don't worry about it, or use ear plugs. Also, FYI, I dunno about the Marks, but my 2:90 has a "1/2-drive mode" that is obtained through using an extra 12AX7 that knocks the volume down a bit, and sounds alright for lower volumes.

 

[LesCarr]

I use a Fender Blues Jr occasionally for practice and it is great for practice amp. I also practice through my MK-IV at low output level. I can't crank it up too high for many reasons and the first is it is too loud for my small office.
P.S. Anybody here use Snake Oil strings?