Danger of unpluging the speaker of a tube amp...

[Sly_D]

I use a Behringer Ultra-G direct box to record. I get out of the Send jack (which is also a preamp out) of my Traynor YCV40 amp into the direct box for recording. I thus do not need the speaker for this application and it's tempting to unplug it but I heard this is dangerous.

Can this be done and if not, is there a way to create a dummy load that would allow me to make silent recordings?

This is my first tube amp and I really don't have a clue about this.

Thanks!

 

[the guy who invented fire]

Re: Danger of unpluging the speaker of a tube amp...

you will need another amp if you run it without a speaker!!! You can buy a dummy load...this fools the amp into thinking that there is a speaker, I am unsure where to get one right now, but they are out there. Please take my word for it...it will fry your amp in a matter on minutes to run it with no speaker.

 

[Scott_F]

Re: Danger of unpluging the speaker of a tube amp...

do not run any amp without it's speaker, just dont' do it. you'll kill it off. UNLESS, the designer has specifically employed a dummy load into it.

 

[Stevo]

Re: Danger of unpluging the speaker of a tube amp...

You definitely want a load on your tube amp. Yes you can blow it up with no load. Tubes generate high voltage and it needs to feed a load.
Weber makes a load dump for a reasonable price.
www.webervst.com

 

[seafoamer]

Re: Danger of unpluging the speaker of a tube amp...

u'll shoot u'r eye out!

 

[Sly_D]

Re: Danger of unpluging the speaker of a tube amp...

Thanks guys, I knew this was a no-no...

And thanks for the link Stevo, I'll look into attenuators then.

 

[lastwinj]

Re: Danger of unpluging the speaker of a tube amp...

actually it can be done. does the amp have a high voltage fuse? if so, you need to find out if traynor/yorkville fused the entire high voltage line or just the center tap on the output transformer. if the latter, you can take the fuse out, and still run the preamp out. could possibly be a problem, due to voltage rise in the high voltage (could over voltage some power supply caps). good luck!!!

germ