Attenuator ?

[jagon31]

does anybody know if the dyne has a built in attenuator?

 

[primal]

Nope!

 

[kfinkel1966]

It does not - it doesn't need one. In 45 watt mode I can get fantastic tones (clean or dirty) at a very low volume. Before I had the Electra Dyne, I had an Express 5:25. I could not get that thing to sound good at a low volume no matter what I tried (Dr Z Air Brake/ZVEX Box of Rock) Even though it was 5 watts, it was a very loud 5 watts. When I plugged into the 'Dyne I had instantly satisfying tones at TV sound level volumes. I have no idea how or why a 45 watt amp sounds so much better than a 5 watt amp at lower volumes, but it just does.

 

[andyman95023]

It does not - it doesn't need one. In 45 watt mode I can get fantastic tones (clean or dirty) at a very low volume. Before I had the Electra Dyne, I had an Express 5:25. I could not get that thing to sound good at a low volume no matter what I tried (Dr Z Air Brake/ZVEX Box of Rock) Even though it was 5 watts, it was a very loud 5 watts. When I plugged into the 'Dyne I had instantly satisfying tones at TV sound level volumes. I have no idea how or why a 45 watt amp sounds so much better than a 5 watt amp at lower volumes, but it just does.

Now that is making this sound even better. I've heard the demo's and it sounds fantastic but being minimual 45 watts seemed to be to loud for practicing and I have to practice at a low volume first and LOUD second. Practicing scales and modes LOUD just doesnt work in my house.
Does anyone have TV level sound demo's

Thanks
Andyman95023

 

[pixelchemist]

I am using a THD Hot Plate with mine with great results. It doesn't need it really though it sounds fantastic at low volume. The hot plate is great though for smoothing out the Vintage High mode... roll back the volume a but and juice the power amp... ads yet another tonal possibility to an already stellar amp.

 

[primal]

I am using a THD Hot Plate with mine with great results. It doesn't need it really though it sounds fantastic at low volume. The hot plate is great though for smoothing out the Vintage High mode... roll back the volume a but and juice the power amp... ads yet another tonal possibility to an already stellar amp.

Ironically I came here to start a thread asking if anyone was using the an attenuator.

I have been having some fun with my Mark IV overdriving R1, so I was going to pick an attenuator up. Si I wanted to see who had tried one with the ED.

Funny thing is this. With my Mark IV, when I can really get it to break up at loud but not earth shattering volumes when I go triode, class A, tweed, which I think either puts at at 30 watts or 15. Not sure.

But man, when I tried pushing the ED hard in 45 watt mode, it just got to loud and wouldn't start breaking up at a volume I was comfortable setting it to. When I finally did get it to start breaking up, I had to turn it down cause I was worried I was bothering the neighbors, and I am in a house.

The ED is one of the loudest amps I have ever had. Seems louder then my other 90 watt amops, even if it is just my imagination

 

[primal]

Let me just also add that one reason I would like to use an attenuator with the ED is that I noticed it seems darker at low volumes, especially LO.

It's not till I give it some juice (soft enough to practice with the wife and daughter during the day, but to loud when the wife and daughter go to bed) that it brightens up.

It sounds great at low volume, but I think like any tube amp it shines when you give it some juice. I'm not talking power amp overdrive, just enough juice so that it fills out if you know what I mean.

 

[tubby_cosmos]

It does not - it doesn't need one. In 45 watt mode I can get fantastic tones (clean or dirty) at a very low volume. Before I had the Electra Dyne, I had an Express 5:25. I could not get that thing to sound good at a low volume no matter what I tried (Dr Z Air Brake/ZVEX Box of Rock) Even though it was 5 watts, it was a very loud 5 watts. When I plugged into the 'Dyne I had instantly satisfying tones at TV sound level volumes. I have no idea how or why a 45 watt amp sounds so much better than a 5 watt amp at lower volumes, but it just does.

Now that is making this sound even better. I've heard the demo's and it sounds fantastic but being minimual 45 watts seemed to be to loud for practicing and I have to practice at a low volume first and LOUD second. Practicing scales and modes LOUD just doesnt work in my house.
Does anyone have TV level sound demo's

Thanks
Andyman95023

Hey I did a demo at just above TV levels. Maybe TV levels if you turned it up a bit for a movie. Right here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oklfZSn5O-w

There's a bit of talking you might wanna skip if you've read up on it, but I've tried to play a variety of styles to show what the amp can do.

 

[Laskyman]

I have had several Mesa amps (power amps, Roadster, Stiletto Deuce) and the ED is by far louder than any amp I have owned.

 

[primal]

Ordered a hot plate today. Primarily for my Mark IV. Mark IV sounds great at low volumes just like the ED, but the Mark IV breaks up real nice as well as you get it loud.

Not sure if the ED does. It is so **** loud, the only time I did get it to break up I immediately turned it back down cause I was scared the neighbors were going to complain. Can't wait to try it on the ED.

Course it looks like they are on back order so it may be a while before I get it.

 

[primal]

Got my attenuator today. THD hotplate 8ohm. I had originally ordered it from Guitar Center, but they were on back order, and when the back order date got close, they moved it to January 29th (On the website it say 1/29/2009, I'm thinking the 2009 part was the typo. ir maybe the 1 was suppose to be a 12? I don't know)

Anyway I got p!ssed, looked on Ebay and there was one for sale with buy it now 160$. So I did?

SO if you look on Ebay at the completed listings on hotplates and see 160$, that was me

Anyway, first impressions. All at bedroom level since I can't crank it this late.

1. thing the attenuator does real well is get rid of the volume jump. If I set it to -8db, I can control the master nicely without that quick jump from to soft to too loud. I assume mine isn't the only ED that does this. There is no audible tone loss to my ears at -8db.

2. It is a nice power soak for silent playing. I have tried it in full load mode where no sound goes to the speaker. I can then take either the line out from the hotplate or the slave out from the ED, run it into my digitech RP250. The pedal has a cabinet simulator and does a real nice job getting turning the slave out into a good sounding guitar tone. I prefered the slave out sound to the hotplate line out. No, it will not replace an SM57 on the cab. But it sounds better then any of the amp models on the pedal.

If I crank the attenuation I can tell that if you really start to crank the volume, you will start getting some breakup around 12:00 on 45 watt mode. What sounded like it might sound nice is using low mode with maybe a tad less gain then you want, but then cranking the output volume so as to make up the difference with a little power tube saturation. At the ultra low volumes it still sounds good, but you really need to push the speaker more to hear what it really is going to sasound like. I know many say attenuators degrade the tone. I think a lot of that is due to the fact that your just not pushing the speeaker enough

Overall first impression wihtout being able to crank it. The ED doesn't need an attenuator. And I'm not sure this one really improves the tone in any way at all. But getting rid of the volume hump is nice. And I do plan getting the palmer PDI-09, so I will need the power soak.

Plus, I got it for a steal

 

[gplex]

I agree with you on the need to push a speaker. Attenuators seem to work best for non master amps that NEED to be run at full tilt to sound right, or to shave off 4 Db's but at a loud volume and already driving the speakers some. Like when the club owner says your too loud. The speakers and their breakup is 1/3 of the equasion. I cant really see an attenuator helping the ED, it seems to sound as good as a larger wattage, (or any wattage for that matter) tube amp could at low volumes.

The idea of cranking your amp up to 10 and lowering the speaker volume with a magical box to super low volume sounds like an amazing idea, until you actually try it.

Maybe I should try some other attenuators. I have tried the Z break lite and the THD products. On master volume or amps capable of enough gain on their own, they have not helped me at all at home.

 

[primal]

I have had my hot plate for a week, and it's a cool little tool. In the end though, it seems the ED doesn't need it other then maybe for a little extra control with the volume jump if you are trying to play quit.

I have been mainly using it as a loadbox so there would be no volume going to the speaker. From there I just run the slave out to my Digitech RP250 as it has some cabinet simulators. It sounds pretty cool. I find the ED slave sounds better then the hotplate lineout. Now, none of this sounds near as good as an SM57 on the cab, but it does sound better then the amp models in the pedal.

I got mine for a killer deal and simply for the silent playing I will keep it. Where it not for that I wouldn't bother with it. It doesn't improve the tone at all. ED sounds great at any volume.

 

[specialed]

I commented in another post about the THD hotplate not being needed but for the hell of it I hooked it back up today. Here's just a LIL somethin to try if you get a chance. I was in High Gain and had the vol at 3:00, the treb at 3:00, the Mid at 1:00, the Bass at 11:00, the presence at 1:00, and the most important part was the master at 10:00. The THD was at -12 db with both of the tone knobs engaged. I was using a Charvel So-Cal with the bridge pickup (a tone zone) and I just can't explain it. It was the tone I chased for many years in the 80's that just wreaks of Hair Metal. Grant it this was still very loud but I'm on vacation and my neighbors are not. I tried to duplicate this without the Hotplate and it just can't be done. This amp just leaves all other amps laying beaten and battered alone in a ditch. The ED just plain rulz.

 

[MusicManJP6]

Kevin Eubanks, Jay Leno's guitarist, uses an ED with a HotPlate sitting on top. His tone is always awesome IMO! Just watch the show at 10PM and you'll see/hear it.

 

[primal]

I'd be curious what Kevin Eubanks settings where because I have yet to find a single setting with the hotplate that improves the tone on the ED. I'm almost wondering if perhaps it is one of those things he has used for years and has just become accustomed to.

I'm gonna try specialed's settings once I get the house to myself as it will no doubt still be very loud

 

[specialed]

Hey primal, that is not a setting I would stay at, but for a brief time it was a lot a fun and brought back a lot of cool 80's shred memories. To be honest my hands are still hurting. I just don't play today like I played back then. It's the perfect setting if you play in a RATT tribute band. Have fun with it.

 

[primal]

It does have a slightly different vibe. I sort of liked what it did to the midrange but felt it robbed the low end a little. You got the combo or the head and cab?

I don't know that it is better, but it is different. I did have to turn off the bright switch, atleast with my guitar it sounded better with the bright switch off. that may be because I wired my pickup with a 500K pot rather then the 250K that was recommended.

 

[specialed]

I have a head run through a recto 2X12 with "EXTREMELY" broke in V30's. At that volume on the master it really outshines the 1 yr. old recto 4X12 I have. So much so that the 4X12 is on the "soon to be gone" list. I can't imagine ever needing more than my 2X12. I have also been setting my cab on some really dense foam to ease the bass off a bit in whatever room I'm in. That way I can run the bass a LiL higher which to me fills out the sound. Without the foam I have to dial the bass back quite a lot or fight my bass player. I'm 5'-7" and he's 6' -4" so thats a no brainer for me. He'd snap me in half like a twig.