Attenuators on stock SS or hybrid amps?

[Pierre]

I really don't get why this is done... Any particular reasons? Roland does this on their Microcube, but I always thought that when FETs are driven too hard they lose definition but don't OD that much more...

 

[thucydides]

Re: Attenuators on stock SS or hybrid amps?

Tell me more about the anttenuator on the Micro Cube....I wasn't aware of one on that amp. I'm at work, so I can't take a look at mine.

I don't know why a SS amp would have one either.

 

[Pierre]

Re: Attenuators on stock SS or hybrid amps?

Not the Micro cube sorry... but the bigger Roland models I think, sorry about that.

Vox does it on the Valvetronix, whereas they use a 12AX7 as one part of the power amp... And that is not a tube reknowned to OD in a pleasant way either :s

 

[Zerberus]

Re: Attenuators on stock SS or hybrid amps?

I really don't get why this is done... Any particular reasons? Roland does this on their Microcube, but I always thought that when FETs are driven too hard they lose definition but don't OD that much more...

Yerv good question.... IME an attenuator is useless with most SS amps because there´s no notable change in the tone as teh amp gets cranked, at least not until speaker or power amp distortion come into play...

......

Vox does it on the Valvetronix, whereas they use a 12AX7 as one part of the power amp... And that is not a tube reknowned to OD in a pleasant way either :s

???? 12AX7s are very highly regarded for their overdriven tone. That´s why they´re found in almost every tube and hybrid preamp on the market.....

 

[Pierre]

Re: Attenuators on stock SS or hybrid amps?

For high gain, yes. But by itself, a 12AX7 is fairly harsh and cold sounding, for a tube. Hence why they're not often used in clean boost tube pedals for instance, but mostly for Overdrives or distortion, with a preamp behind.