"Fake" load on amp?

[Budweiser]

I've heard this term lately, but I'm not sure how it's done or what it does to alter the amps characteristics?

[Rich_T]

Re: "Fake" load on amp?

Isn't it just another term for attenuator? Thats a fake load, which isnt a speaker cab. Allowing you to crank the power amp without the headaches.

[Budweiser]

Re: "Fake" load on amp?

Isn't it just another term for attenuator? Thats a fake load, which isnt a speaker cab. Allowing you to crank the power amp without the headaches.

Cool, thanks!

[OUTLAW1969]

Re: "Fake" load on amp?

Budweiser, Check www.webervst.com for an indepth description of dummy/fake load. He (Ted Weber) also makes one hell of an attenuator!!!!!

[moog1000]

Re: "Fake" load on amp?

Isn't it just another term for attenuator? Thats a fake load, which isnt a speaker cab. Allowing you to crank the power amp without the headaches.

Not strictly true.

A fake load basicaly means you won't blow your tube amp up if you use it without a speaker attached. The output transformer needs a load to 'work against', if there isn't one it will burn itself out.

An attenuator will apply a fake load to the amp, but then you run a speaker from the attenuator meaning you can crank it to get better tone (like Kyuss said).

People would use just a fake load if they didn't want to attach a speaker and use the amps Line/DI out from the preamp i.e. you need to apply a load to the power section but you don't actually want to use it.