Let's Talk About Relatively Extreme Attenuation

[Empty Pockets]

Hey Guys.

You might have been following my ongoing saga of acquiring the behemoth dragonslayer amp stack that I've always dreamed about. I'm running a vintage Sunn model T and a reissue Orange OR120... 150w and 120w heads, respectively, into a 4x12 or two each.

Well now I have the tone that I've always wanted, but the volume is insane. The Orange head has no master volume and through my 2x12 it was way too loud for my loud punk band at practice last night. I ended up choking the volume as much as I can and using a distortion pedal... which is a shame because the cranked tone of this amp is the tone I've always wanted.

I've been looking at Jet City's Jettenuator, Bad Cat's Unleash, and the Rivera Rock Crusher. All of them have great features and get good reviews. The problem I keep running into is that they're all 100w attenuators and my amps are more powerful than that. I've read a few stories of OR120's blowing up attenuators, which causes an abrupt change to the impedence and can then damage the transformers. Total nightmare. Do any of you know of any 150w or 200w attenuators that I can run these amp through safely?

I guess my plan B would be to pull two power tubes on each amp so that they run around 80w each, making them safe to run with 100w attenuators, but I also wanted to be able to use them at full power for bass guitar and I don't want to be constantly popping tubes in and out and rebiasing on these old vintage-style fixed-bias monster heads.

Looking for feedback, ideas, opinions, suggestions, etc. Now would also be a good time to post any sarcastic, rude, or tongue-in-cheek remarks about me or my lifestyle or whatever I normally tease you guys about. Thanks in advance!

 

[King IzzO)))]

Re: Let's Talk About Relatively Extreme Attenuation

I'd mod the orange with a master. It's a lifer, do what you want with it. You can probably make it totally reversible too.

Pretty sure that's not what you wanted to hear though.

 

[Empty Pockets]

Re: Let's Talk About Relatively Extreme Attenuation

Yeah that's kind of sat in the back of my mind, I think I had people mention doing that in my other threads, but I don't really want to mod it if I can avoid doing so. Part of the reason I wanted it is because they're pretty hard to find in as good of condition as mine is in and I'd like to be one of the few people with a nice, clean stock one in 20-30 years :smokin:

 

[LReese]

Re: Let's Talk About Relatively Extreme Attenuation

If you can't find one - Should be able to use 2 smaller attenuators.

I'm over the attenuator phase myself.

If I had to have power amp distortion, I'd be inclined to set the attenuators to load and sending a preamp out to a clean power amp. I have everything equipment wise available to do so, but I just don't care to try anymore.

 

[uOpt]

Re: Let's Talk About Relatively Extreme Attenuation

Electrically using two of them in parallel should solve the problem nicely.

 

[DankStar]

Re: Let's Talk About Relatively Extreme Attenuation

What about those baffle things like bonamassa uses?

 

[Empty Pockets]

Re: Let's Talk About Relatively Extreme Attenuation

Jeez I was having a hard time wrapping my head around buying a $400 attenuator for each amp... if I'm gona have to run TWO for each amp I'm just going to get the Hovercraft Dwarvenaut and keep the big guys for bass amps & live use.

Plexiglass baffles have definitely crossed my mind, too, but that seems like a pretty big and awkward solution... I feel like I might as well just point my amp towards a wall or corner if I'm going to do that... and that doesn't look very sexy.

I think running each amp with half the power tubes and the Bad Cat Unleash is the answer... It's got an FX loop and two footswitchable "channels" so even though all of my amps only have one channel, I could set a "rhythm" and "lead." Then if something happens live and I have to use the Micro Terror to finish the set, I the Unleash can BOOST my power if the 20w brick doesn't do it.

Still open to suggestions though...

 

[dystrust]

Re: Let's Talk About Relatively Extreme Attenuation

I'd mod the orange with a master. It's a lifer, do what you want with it. You can probably make it totally reversible too.

Pretty sure that's not what you wanted to hear though.

Yeah that's kind of sat in the back of my mind, I think I had people mention doing that in my other threads, but I don't really want to mod it if I can avoid doing so. Part of the reason I wanted it is because they're pretty hard to find in as good of condition as mine is in and I'd like to be one of the few people with a nice, clean stock one in 20-30 years :smokin:

I did make that recommendation, and it's still the best option IMO. Most amps sound like buzzy crap beyond about 8db of attenuation which is quieter, but may not be enough to be usable with the amp fully-dimed. If you do go that route, be sure to get a post phase inverter master which is exactly what Orange did for their overdrive amps.

 

[LReese]

Re: Let's Talk About Relatively Extreme Attenuation

Weber has 150 and 200 watt attenuators on their website.

Just my opinion, but attenuators do change the tone - even for light attenuation.

 

[BrianS.]

Re: Let's Talk About Relatively Extreme Attenuation

I ended up choking the volume as much as I can and using a distortion pedal...

 

[Empty Pockets]

Re: Let's Talk About Relatively Extreme Attenuation

Weber has 150 and 200 watt attenuators on their website.

Just my opinion, but attenuators do change the tone - even for light attenuation.

Thanks for leading me that way. The MASS 200 actually seems perfect for what I want, and is a good bit cheaper than the Bad Cat...

I expect the attenuator to change the tone a little... but it should still sound more like my amp than a completely different amp would, you know...

 

[Empty Pockets]

Re: Let's Talk About Relatively Extreme Attenuation

View attachment 56333

Actually it was

but you got the color right :smokin:

 

[LReese]

Re: Let's Talk About Relatively Extreme Attenuation

Thanks for leading me that way. The MASS 200 actually seems perfect for what I want, and is a good bit cheaper than the Bad Cat...

I expect the attenuator to change the tone a little... but it should still sound more like my amp than a completely different amp would, you know...

I guess the other caveat to address is you are stressing you tubes and Output transformer harder. The OT can be taken out with the failure of a tube (not to mention other components).

You indicated earlier you wanted to maintain a pristine, stock amp. What's more pristine, an amp with a removed master volume mod (hopefully done professionally) or a replaced output transformer (which the OEM replacement might be unobtanium) ? Just something to think about.

I'm not saying don't do it - just be aware of the risks.

 

[Big Flannel]

Re: Let's Talk About Relatively Extreme Attenuation

Hey, Pockets. Clean out your inbox. I'm tryna send you something.

 

[Empty Pockets]

Re: Let's Talk About Relatively Extreme Attenuation

Inbox nuked. Congrats on your 666th like.

 

[Oinkus]

Re: Let's Talk About Relatively Extreme Attenuation

You point your cabs towards the crowd really ?

 

[mwalluk]

Re: Let's Talk About Relatively Extreme Attenuation

So your current rig is too loud for your band???

GET A LOUDER BAND.

 

[mwalluk]

Re: Let's Talk About Relatively Extreme Attenuation

Seriously though, any chance you can mod/build a custom attenuators?

If not, maybe pickup 2 attenuators or one weber 200 watt attenuator, then use some sort of an ab switch to switch between heads?

 

[Empty Pockets]

Re: Let's Talk About Relatively Extreme Attenuation

I'm going to talk to my amp guy about the master volume mod... But I think the weber mass 200 is in my future.

 

[everdrone]

Re: Let's Talk About Relatively Extreme Attenuation

lol I would get the best attenuator possible and use it for all your amps. but ya no attenuator attenuates extreme volumes and not affect the sound. I would go high end with attenuators so taht the tone is not butchered. also consider a silent sister as a cab to slave out to at gigs. but ya yours are over 100 watts so maybe contact the manufacturer of tone king ironman or another high end attenuator mfr.