O.K. Which attenuator is the best
- Thread starter frtbzz
- Start date
The Golden Boy
Fleecy Sweaterologist
Re: O.K. Which attenuator is the best
I doubt if you'll come to a consensus.
Make sure you work on that "why" part of the question.
I doubt if you'll come to a consensus.
Make sure you work on that "why" part of the question.
Re: O.K. Which attenuator is the best
They're also for gigging musicians who like to have the bartender/club owner not yell at them to turn that effing amp down.
I use an Airbrake and it works great. Preserves tone well, simple to use, compatible with anything from 100W on down... nice little box.
They're also for gigging musicians who like to have the bartender/club owner not yell at them to turn that effing amp down.
I use an Airbrake and it works great. Preserves tone well, simple to use, compatible with anything from 100W on down... nice little box.
Dr.Mavashi
neonderthalotonalogist
Re: O.K. Which attenuator is the best
Dude you should "get a mass and be done with it" (c) The Guy Who Inveted Fire when I asked the same question here 6 months ago. This thing is amazing !!!
https://taweber.powweb.com/weber/masslite.htm
This thing looks fantastic too, may be The Guy Who Inveted Fire and Kevlar3000(who gave a wonderfull second openion to go on and get one) could explain better the benefits of a tone-stack mod, to be honest I am jonesing for one just to find out.
https://taweber.powweb.com/weber/mass.htm
Dude I hope this was a joke, there is no way I can enjoy the tonal heaven of my Laney and not get evicted. And yeah if bartender is an anal hole attenuator will give your amp dimed tone at lower, anal-hole-behind-the-bar approved volume.
Dude you should "get a mass and be done with it" (c) The Guy Who Inveted Fire when I asked the same question here 6 months ago. This thing is amazing !!!
https://taweber.powweb.com/weber/masslite.htm
This thing looks fantastic too, may be The Guy Who Inveted Fire and Kevlar3000(who gave a wonderfull second openion to go on and get one) could explain better the benefits of a tone-stack mod, to be honest I am jonesing for one just to find out.
https://taweber.powweb.com/weber/mass.htm
pixelpusher
New member
Re: O.K. Which attenuator is the best
I had a MASS 100 and i know a lot of people like them but for me it just sucked the mojo right out of the cable on the way to the speakers. My Bogner and Mesa HATED the MASS but then again they both have pretty decent master volumes.
It was OK and just barely OK on my '82 jcm 800 but it stil sucked the air out. I had couple of my non-gearhead friends sitting in my music room doing a totally unscientific "blind" listening test and on all three amps they though the non-attenuated just turned down amp tones sounded more open and alive than when running the power section harder and using the attenuator to bring the volume back to a reasonable level.
Like I said before though some people swear by them so you really pretty much have to buy one and try it to see if it gets the results you want. For what its worth, the Weber MASS was very well built and retained its value well when i sold it on ebay.
I had a MASS 100 and i know a lot of people like them but for me it just sucked the mojo right out of the cable on the way to the speakers. My Bogner and Mesa HATED the MASS but then again they both have pretty decent master volumes.
It was OK and just barely OK on my '82 jcm 800 but it stil sucked the air out. I had couple of my non-gearhead friends sitting in my music room doing a totally unscientific "blind" listening test and on all three amps they though the non-attenuated just turned down amp tones sounded more open and alive than when running the power section harder and using the attenuator to bring the volume back to a reasonable level.
Like I said before though some people swear by them so you really pretty much have to buy one and try it to see if it gets the results you want. For what its worth, the Weber MASS was very well built and retained its value well when i sold it on ebay.
M
MartinSixStringCustoms
Guest
Re: O.K. Which attenuator is the best
Based on Christians recommendation, I got a Weber Mass (150 Watt) to run with my Splawn Quick Rod head. It will be here tomorrow.
Based on Christians recommendation, I got a Weber Mass (150 Watt) to run with my Splawn Quick Rod head. It will be here tomorrow.
L
Lewguitar
Guest
Re: O.K. Which attenuator is the best
I dunno about that, but I do have a deluxe version of the Weber Mass and never use it.
It's good for bringing the volume of a cranked 50 watt or 100 watt amp down to moderate but still pretty loud levels.
But if you're hoping to use it with a cranked 50 watt or 100 watt amp and get the same tone at a volume that won't disturb people in the next room or the apartment upstairs, it's not gonna happen.
It'll sound thin and fizzy.
They're OK in a live situation where you want to lose a little volume. But if you want to make a 100 watt amp have the volume of a 2 watt amp forget it.
BTW, a 5 watt amp, like a Champ, is still very loud cranked...you can't talk over it, that's for sure.
Lew
I dunno about that, but I do have a deluxe version of the Weber Mass and never use it.
It's good for bringing the volume of a cranked 50 watt or 100 watt amp down to moderate but still pretty loud levels.
But if you're hoping to use it with a cranked 50 watt or 100 watt amp and get the same tone at a volume that won't disturb people in the next room or the apartment upstairs, it's not gonna happen.
It'll sound thin and fizzy.
They're OK in a live situation where you want to lose a little volume. But if you want to make a 100 watt amp have the volume of a 2 watt amp forget it.
BTW, a 5 watt amp, like a Champ, is still very loud cranked...you can't talk over it, that's for sure.
Lew
Last edited:
Re: O.K. Which attenuator is the best
I actually have one of these I bought during the 70s. From all I read about the attenuators available now it does basically the same thing. I've checked a couple of times on ebay ... always seems to be one out there for about $30. I haven't used mine much since I got the Mesa/Boogie but the Altair does work. Beats the heck out of the $300 price tag I see on attenuators these days.
http://cgi.ebay.com/Vintage-Altair-...ryZ43375QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem
I actually have one of these I bought during the 70s. From all I read about the attenuators available now it does basically the same thing. I've checked a couple of times on ebay ... always seems to be one out there for about $30. I haven't used mine much since I got the Mesa/Boogie but the Altair does work. Beats the heck out of the $300 price tag I see on attenuators these days.
http://cgi.ebay.com/Vintage-Altair-...ryZ43375QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem
Bludave
New member
Re: O.K. Which attenuator is the best
OK first I should say........it was a joke, but the real answer is use the right gear for the right venue. I have a Fender Super Reverb, a Deluxe Reverb, a Marshall 900, Bogner Shiva and a Komet 60. Each of these amps work well for a variety of situations. Some don't work well at all. I could never use my Komet in a small bar, I would blow the walls down (That could be fun though). Out of all the amps I have I would probably use the Deluxe Reverb for bars and small gigs. The Marshall 900 would give me a little more balls, but the Shiva and the Komet are both beautiful sounding amps and I find that Attunuators tend to get in the way of that, so I would prefer to use an amp that has the right sound and volume control for the room.
OK first I should say........it was a joke, but the real answer is use the right gear for the right venue. I have a Fender Super Reverb, a Deluxe Reverb, a Marshall 900, Bogner Shiva and a Komet 60. Each of these amps work well for a variety of situations. Some don't work well at all. I could never use my Komet in a small bar, I would blow the walls down (That could be fun though). Out of all the amps I have I would probably use the Deluxe Reverb for bars and small gigs. The Marshall 900 would give me a little more balls, but the Shiva and the Komet are both beautiful sounding amps and I find that Attunuators tend to get in the way of that, so I would prefer to use an amp that has the right sound and volume control for the room.
kevlar3000
Bullet Proof Toneologist
Re: O.K. Which attenuator is the best
The Mass has done me very well for many years now, I use it for both gigging and recording.
The Mass has done me very well for many years now, I use it for both gigging and recording.
Dr.Mavashi
neonderthalotonalogist
Re: O.K. Which attenuator is the best
Well ..... I don't know about shiva as it is a master volume amp right? But you are right a Komet with attenuator is like doing a Charlize Theron with the thickest lifestyle found ..... it should be outlawed.
Well ..... I don't know about shiva as it is a master volume amp right? But you are right a Komet with attenuator is like doing a Charlize Theron with the thickest lifestyle found ..... it should be outlawed.
Dr.Mavashi
neonderthalotonalogist
Re: O.K. Which attenuator is the best
But yeah, you've got to have a collection of gear. I am just not there yet, I do wanna get a Laney VH, Supergroup, and another AOR, Soldano SLO, Celtic Edana, Vox AC30, Engl Invader, Komet 60, Roland Jazz Chorus(I know its a sin), Marshall Major and maybe 5150, so that I can be relaxed about the venue and my tone.
But yeah, you've got to have a collection of gear. I am just not there yet, I do wanna get a Laney VH, Supergroup, and another AOR, Soldano SLO, Celtic Edana, Vox AC30, Engl Invader, Komet 60, Roland Jazz Chorus(I know its a sin), Marshall Major and maybe 5150, so that I can be relaxed about the venue and my tone.
L
Lewguitar
Guest
Re: O.K. Which attenuator is the best
Complete agreement...as usual! lol! I have 40 watt and 50 watt amps but gig with my Deluxe Reverb 90% of the time and still get told I'm to loud sometimes.
But getting back to the Mass: it's a good unit for bringing a really loud amp down to gigging volume to please bar owners and the like. But for playing a 50 watt amp at bedroom or apartment levels I found that the tone was fizzy and not very inspiring when I used it to bring my 50 watt Marshall down to bedroom levels. Didn't like what it did to my Deluxe Reverb either. Lew
Complete agreement...as usual! lol! I have 40 watt and 50 watt amps but gig with my Deluxe Reverb 90% of the time and still get told I'm to loud sometimes.
But getting back to the Mass: it's a good unit for bringing a really loud amp down to gigging volume to please bar owners and the like. But for playing a 50 watt amp at bedroom or apartment levels I found that the tone was fizzy and not very inspiring when I used it to bring my 50 watt Marshall down to bedroom levels. Didn't like what it did to my Deluxe Reverb either. Lew
Dr.Mavashi
neonderthalotonalogist
Re: O.K. Which attenuator is the best
Well Lew, the thing is, that AOR has push/pull feature on all three EQ knobs when you pull the bass and treble you have the thickness that otherwise does go away if your EQ is pushed in, however, even when I crank up, i still pull Bass and treble and sometimes mids too just because it goes from hard rock to Uber Metal ....
Well Lew, the thing is, that AOR has push/pull feature on all three EQ knobs when you pull the bass and treble you have the thickness that otherwise does go away if your EQ is pushed in, however, even when I crank up, i still pull Bass and treble and sometimes mids too just because it goes from hard rock to Uber Metal ....
BGtelecaster
New member
Re: O.K. Which attenuator is the best
just wondering, how much do these guys affect your tone. My dream amp is a DR Z Carmen Ghia 1x12 combo. Ever since I heard this amp and played it I can not wait to get one, and probably would be my last amp purchase ever just way too expensive for me right now. Anywho These bad boys sound awesome cranked but are wayyyy to loud.
just wondering, how much do these guys affect your tone. My dream amp is a DR Z Carmen Ghia 1x12 combo. Ever since I heard this amp and played it I can not wait to get one, and probably would be my last amp purchase ever just way too expensive for me right now. Anywho These bad boys sound awesome cranked but are wayyyy to loud.
Virtual Kevorkian
New member
Re: O.K. Which attenuator is the best
I've got a Mass 150 and love the thing.
I've got a Mass 150 and love the thing.
Dr.Mavashi
neonderthalotonalogist
Re: O.K. Which attenuator is the best
Awesome, so maybe you will eloborate a bit more on the whole Tone Stack set of knobs???
Virtual Kevorkian
New member
Re: O.K. Which attenuator is the best
It's like having a separate attenuation knob for the low end/low mids and the high mids/high end. I usually set the highs down a bit compared to the lows.
It's like having a separate attenuation knob for the low end/low mids and the high mids/high end. I usually set the highs down a bit compared to the lows.
