Which attenuators?

[Perry]

For convenience, I’ve been gigging a Helix for the past 18 months, but at home I really love playing my LSC - straight in no effects.

Just wondering if anyone uses an attenuator with their Lonestar, or any Mesa for that matter and, if so, which one? There are a lot of choices out there and some are suspiciously cheap in price...

 

[psihiatros]

Hi there,

Have you seen this?

https://mesaboogie.com/tone-tools/attenuators/index.html

I would personally go with BOSS’s Waza Tube Amp Expander though:

https://www.boss.info/global/promos/waza_tube_amp_expander/

 

[Suave Eddie]

For convenience, I’ve been gigging a Helix for the past 18 months, but at home I really love playing my LSC - straight in no effects.

Just wondering if anyone uses an attenuator with their Lonestar, or any Mesa for that matter and, if so, which one? There are a lot of choices out there and some are suspiciously cheap in price...

With a master volume on both channels and a global master volume (output) I'm wondering why you would need an attenuator to play at home at reasonable volumes. I play my Lone Star Classic in my condo with both channels set to 100 watts and it sounds great at any volume.

 

[Perry]

Hi there,

Have you seen this?

https://mesaboogie.com/tone-tools/attenuators/index.html

I would personally go with BOSS’s Waza Tube Amp Expander though:

https://www.boss.info/global/promos/waza_tube_amp_expander/

Yes, both those would be good but they are much more than a simple attenuator. I’m in the UK and the Boss would set me back equivalent of $1405 USD. The Mesa attenuator, I understand, may be a little cheaper when it becomes available, but I’d still be paying for features I’m unlikely to use. That Boss link is a really good read, though

 

[Perry]

With a master volume on both channels and a global master volume (output) I'm wondering why you would need an attenuator to play at home at reasonable volumes. I play my Lone Star Classic in my condo with both channels set to 100 watts and it sounds great at any volume.

I’ve gigged my Lonestar where I was able to really open up the power amp and it sounded huge, full of harmonic overtones and nicely compressed. Playing at home with the amp at low volume, albeit with the pre-amp dimed is certainly passable, but not as inspiring.

 

[psihiatros]

I think your best bet would be the fryette PS-2, as far as tone quality is concerned for the overall attenuated sound coming from your speaker cabinet.
Other than that, it's a rabbit hole..

You could also try the reamp solution.
You can take the signal from your amp (fx send for preamp only sound or line out for preamp & power amp sound) and run it through a smaller rack power amp (tube or solid state) like the mesa dynawatt 20/20 and into a speaker cab. Or 2 smaller cabs like 1x10" and have stereo fx as well. Use a load in your amp's cabinet out, in that case.
But that's complicated.

Just buy a PS-2 and be done with it. Remember, you get what you paid for.