No effects
New member
Poll is geared toward the best attenuator for reducing the volume of a cranked non master volume tube head
POLL: Best Power Attenuator
- Thread starter No effects
- Start date
PUCKBOY99
Irish Flagologist
Re: POLL: Best Power Attenuator
I voted for the Weber MASS because I own one & have had no issues with it.
I have no experience with the others except for the THD Hotplate, which was built into the UniValve I used to have. It seemed pretty compressed & altered the tone at max attenuation, but I suppose most of them do. At 15watts, I really didn't use it a lot, so it's really not a fair evaluation of what it really can do.
The reason I went with the MASS is a fully loaded all options model was less than the Hotplate....least expensive than all of them I think.
I voted for the Weber MASS because I own one & have had no issues with it.
I have no experience with the others except for the THD Hotplate, which was built into the UniValve I used to have. It seemed pretty compressed & altered the tone at max attenuation, but I suppose most of them do. At 15watts, I really didn't use it a lot, so it's really not a fair evaluation of what it really can do.
The reason I went with the MASS is a fully loaded all options model was less than the Hotplate....least expensive than all of them I think.
No effects
New member
Re: POLL: Best Power Attenuator
Have you had a chance to try the Air Brake? I A/B'd it to the Hot Plate and IMO was really a lot better - the Hot Plate seemed to take more tone away than the Z.screamingdaisy said:
some_dude
Raging BB Gunologist
Re: POLL: Best Power Attenuator
I've never seen an airbrake around here to test with.
Generally, I use it to knock down the output by either 4db or 8db, and at those settings I don't notice any loss of amp tone, but I do notice a slight loss in speaker tone at 8db, which will happen with any attenuator.
I've never seen an airbrake around here to test with.
Generally, I use it to knock down the output by either 4db or 8db, and at those settings I don't notice any loss of amp tone, but I do notice a slight loss in speaker tone at 8db, which will happen with any attenuator.
kevlar3000
Bullet Proof Toneologist
Re: POLL: Best Power Attenuator
For price and performance I think the Mass is hands down the choice. Mine has been great for 2 years now.
For price and performance I think the Mass is hands down the choice. Mine has been great for 2 years now.
No effects
New member
Re: POLL: Best Power Attenuator
bump
bump
No effects
New member
Re: POLL: Best Power Attenuator
I think that they are really meant for non MV amps, which get their distortion and distinctive sound from cranked volume/power tubes (i.e., the attenuator allows you to reduce that volume). MV amps rely more on pre amp distortion for their sound, so unless you need to crank your master volume knob to get your sound, then you don't need an attenuator.joelap said:
Fresh_Start
New member
Re: POLL: Best Power Attenuator
My experience with the Weber Mini-Mass for a Blues Jr. seems contrary to this. Sometimes I want pre-amp distortion, and I could get that without the attenuator. However, I couldn't get power tube distortion without the Mini-Mass unless I wanted a visit from the police. Now I can
Chip
P.S. Please forgive me if I'm just ignorant and the Blues Jr. is a "non MV amp"
No effects said:
My experience with the Weber Mini-Mass for a Blues Jr. seems contrary to this. Sometimes I want pre-amp distortion, and I could get that without the attenuator. However, I couldn't get power tube distortion without the Mini-Mass unless I wanted a visit from the police. Now I can
Chip
P.S. Please forgive me if I'm just ignorant and the Blues Jr. is a "non MV amp"
italic zero
New member
Re: POLL: Best Power Attenuator
I noticed that but I didn't notice that pattern. It'd be really interesting/useful if something like that were true.
B2D said:
I noticed that but I didn't notice that pattern. It'd be really interesting/useful if something like that were true.
aleclee
Major General GAS
Re: POLL: Best Power Attenuator
You might find this interesting.
Not necessary but useful. The MV on my (recently sold) Koch really strangled the tone and what I consider "basement" volume. I added a Hotplate so I could turn up the master a bit and it sounded quite a bit better at "reasonable" volume.joelap said:
You might find this interesting.
Last edited:
the guy who invented fire
Fuzzy. Guitars
Re: POLL: Best Power Attenuator
If you use a master volume, the rusulting sound is created by overdriving the PREAMP, while you lower the overall volume...when you use an attenuator, you are able to really crank the amp to get power tube distortion, while the attenuator keeps the volume lower...these are 2 very different type of distortion and create very different tones...
joelap said:
If you use a master volume, the rusulting sound is created by overdriving the PREAMP, while you lower the overall volume...when you use an attenuator, you are able to really crank the amp to get power tube distortion, while the attenuator keeps the volume lower...these are 2 very different type of distortion and create very different tones...
