To all amp Builders.Why hasnt anyone built an amp with a built in Dummyload/poweramp?

[Quencho092]

Re: To all amp Builders.Why hasnt anyone built an amp with a built in Dummyload/poweramp?

Re: To all amp Builders.Why hasnt anyone built an amp with a built in Dummyload/poweramp?

How low of a volume do you want power tube saturation at?

I usually never play my amp at home, unless I'm out to get kicks from cranking my deluxe. I play 90% of the time unplugged when I'm learning something or practicing, so I'm not too big of a 'cranked power tube' tone snob.

 

[tone?]

Re: To all amp Builders.Why hasnt anyone built an amp with a built in Dummyload/poweramp?

Re: To all amp Builders.Why hasnt anyone built an amp with a built in Dummyload/poweramp?

ScottF

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Weber Mass... and you can use it on all your amps. Stevo had one at the forum jam and his JCM800 sounded killer at ALL levels.

But doesnt an attenuator sound different than putting a dummy load on the amp and running it into a SS power amp?

Thanks Scott for your expertise!

 

[Quencho092]

Re: To all amp Builders.Why hasnt anyone built an amp with a built in Dummyload/poweramp?

Re: To all amp Builders.Why hasnt anyone built an amp with a built in Dummyload/poweramp?

is the Weber Mass footswitchable?

 

[Scott_F]

Re: To all amp Builders.Why hasnt anyone built an amp with a built in Dummyload/poweramp?

Re: To all amp Builders.Why hasnt anyone built an amp with a built in Dummyload/poweramp?

ScottF




But doesnt an attenuator sound different than putting a dummy load on the amp and running it into a SS power amp?

Thanks Scott for your expertise!

Weber makes a speaker "kill" switch box. It's just a small metal box that runs between your speaker and the amp output. I had mine just magnetically mounted to the back of the speaker I was shutting down. Keeps a proper load on the speaker. They are not expensive.

For 2 speaker amps, that's a way to tone them down a bit when you need to. But, I'd stick with the Weber Mass. They work great. Righteous tube tone at bedroom levels. PM Stevo and ask him what he thinks.

 

[tone?]

Re: To all amp Builders.Why hasnt anyone built an amp with a built in Dummyload/poweramp?

Re: To all amp Builders.Why hasnt anyone built an amp with a built in Dummyload/poweramp?

Quencho092

How low of a volume do you want power tube saturation at?

I usually never play my amp at home, unless I'm out to get kicks from cranking my deluxe. I play 90% of the time unplugged when I'm learning something or practicing, so I'm not too big of a 'cranked power tube' tone snob.

well i wouldnt like for the amp to be able to totally fry eggs on it!
you know give it the push it needs to begin to break up and saturate a bit. This depends on the amp which you have.
I guess i am kind of a cranked powertube tone snob! LOL! This may sound arrogant, but its my fricken ears fault. i find it hard to listen to crappy tone.

I just think that at least building in an attenuator into alot of amps would have more of a range of customers buying them.

 

[Scott_F]

Re: To all amp Builders.Why hasnt anyone built an amp with a built in Dummyload/poweramp?

Re: To all amp Builders.Why hasnt anyone built an amp with a built in Dummyload/poweramp?

then buy a tweed champ or a tweed deluxe. or a Matchless Lightning or some other 15 watt type amp (like my Franklin). None of these will let you play at Midnight volumes, but at very reasonable volumes, you'll get incredible saturation.

Or grab one of the many 5 watt single ended amps out there. Dr. Z makes one, Star Nova is another. Bad Cat makes one as well.

 

[PUCKBOY99]

Re: To all amp Builders.Why hasnt anyone built an amp with a built in Dummyload/poweramp?

Re: To all amp Builders.Why hasnt anyone built an amp with a built in Dummyload/poweramp?

+1 on the Weber MASS!

Stevo turned me on to it & it's fantastic.

OR you can get a Maven Peal Ganesha....

1-->100watts of saturated Plexi...so they claim, but they're expensive & are about the size of a truck bed.


JCM800 type amp...transparent OD pedal...Weber MASS........... :32: :32: :32:

 

[Amateur]

Re: To all amp Builders.Why hasnt anyone built an amp with a built in Dummyload/power

I am willing to bet that 95% of the people who have 100W half stacks don't need that kind of power. Hell, I'd bet 75% of the people with 50W amps don't need THAT much power. A small (30W or less) amp is plenty for rehearsing and small gigs, and any large venue will want to mic your amp anyway ... so where is this power requirement coming from???

I need at least a 100 watt amp when I gig on an open stage because the PA speakers will be at both sides of the stage and there is a dead spot in the FOH which required to be filled by my amp.

 

[tone?]

Re: To all amp Builders.Why hasnt anyone built an amp with a built in Dummyload/poweramp?

Re: To all amp Builders.Why hasnt anyone built an amp with a built in Dummyload/poweramp?

Thanks again Scott!

I will Definately get a Weber Mass or a Hotplate. Whichever i can get my hands on over here in Greece.

I will Probably buy a VHT that i have my eyes on here. I did talk to Splawn and he said he would ship me and amp to Greece and help me with a bunch of shipping issues etc.. He is an amazing person and i would definately get one of his amps. But i NEED to listen to the amp before buying it. no matter what. So i have to wait till he has a dealer over in europe somewhere. i wont buy the amp yet so if Splawn gets a dealer somewhere here.......( also i am looking to here the new Deliverance from VHT)

The thing is that i have heard the lower power amps but there is a big difference in the sound of EL34's which i love compared to lets say EL84's. That is the reason that i didnt buy the VHT 30watt and save me some money as well. It just doesnt sound the way EL34's do or similar type tubes ( 6l6).

So i definately will go the attenuator way. Which one you think is better? i looked at reviews and they say both the THD hotplate and the Webber mass get 10's.


thanks again!

I still think that almost ALL amps should have some kind of attenuation control on them. Just to get the amp in its sweet spot most of the time. Not neccesarily turning it to meldown volumes!
I bet if amps had them built in people would use the heck out of them! Bet!

One of the coolest features on the THD univalve is turning the amp up alot and attenuating it so that it sustains well. This is where i think so many younger people think they want MORE GAIN where they would like more SUSTAIN instead. (well not all of them !LOL! )

That is why alot of people go and buy 'booster' boxes of some sort to boost the signal in front of the amp so it sustains more and gets more umph!

more built in attenuators in amps!

 

[ratherdashing]

Re: To all amp Builders.Why hasnt anyone built an amp with a built in Dummyload/power

I need at least a 100 watt amp when I gig on an open stage because the PA speakers will be at both sides of the stage and there is a dead spot in the FOH which required to be filled by my amp.

It shouldn't be your job to fill in dead spots. That is up to the venue and the sound tech IMO. Besides, I'm sure your drummer doesn't appreciate your amp blaring away beside him. I could be totally wrong though.

 

[mnbaseball91]

Re: To all amp Builders.Why hasnt anyone built an amp with a built in Dummyload/poweramp?

Re: To all amp Builders.Why hasnt anyone built an amp with a built in Dummyload/poweramp?

^Position the amp ever so slightly in front of the drummer so he can let his monitor do its thing. Plus, just because it isn't our job as guitarists to worry about what the audience hears doesn't mean we don't have to.

 

[Empty Pockets]

Re: To all amp Builders.Why hasnt anyone built an amp with a built in Dummyload/poweramp?

Re: To all amp Builders.Why hasnt anyone built an amp with a built in Dummyload/poweramp?

Quencho092



well i wouldnt like for the amp to be able to totally fry eggs on it!

first person who makes an amp that can fry eggs gets my $2000 for it.

-X

 

[ErikH]

Re: To all amp Builders.Why hasnt anyone built an amp with a built in Dummyload/power

first person who makes an amp that can fry eggs gets my $2000 for it.

-X

Mine was so hot after playing last weekend I probably could have fried eggs and two pieces of bacon. It didn't help that it was hot as hell in the garage either.

 

[tone?]

Re: To all amp Builders.Why hasnt anyone built an amp with a built in Dummyload/poweramp?

Re: To all amp Builders.Why hasnt anyone built an amp with a built in Dummyload/poweramp?

We could make the first Amp/Oven. to save electricity!

who will do the advert for it?

you can put a roast in it and after you get done with the gig it will be done!

goofiness

 

[Davey]

Re: To all amp Builders.Why hasnt anyone built an amp with a built in Dummyload/poweramp?

Re: To all amp Builders.Why hasnt anyone built an amp with a built in Dummyload/poweramp?

just a minor thing to add to the amp + pa thing..

if your amp turned up to it's sweet spot, nevermind the vattage and decibel output, isnt enough, turn the PA volume up.

but never, ever, EVER turn the amp down so, that you can turn the PA louder.

also. IMO, this idea of tone?'s was the start of making modeling amps. to have a vide variety of tube sounds, while still being able to keep it at bedroom levels AND being able to put it through headphones without sacrificing the tone (Vox Valvetronix with the switcheable output wattage comes to mind)

how close modeling amps have come to the REAL sound, is a diferent area entirely and do not confuse it with this issue here.

 

[Amateur]

Re: To all amp Builders.Why hasnt anyone built an amp with a built in Dummyload/power

It shouldn't be your job to fill in dead spots. That is up to the venue and the sound tech IMO. Besides, I'm sure your drummer doesn't appreciate your amp blaring away beside him. I could be totally wrong though.

On an open stage, my drummer may be about 17 feet behind the singer up on a platform with me about 10 feet on the right side of the singer. Sometimes the drummer may even be 25 feet away to my left. In both cases, our amps will be in line with him pointing towards the front and he won't hear us at all. We actually has to use in-ear monitors to hear what each other is playing. Besides that, the drummer could easily be the loudest guy in the whole band if he really starts pounding. We had to put shields around him when we played in a gym. (Man, I HATE those double bass drums!) I actually wore ear plugs when we practiced in a tight place. Anyways, with a 30 to 40 feet wide stage, you can see that the side PA speakers won't be able to cover the area immediately in front of the stage. Our amps have to fill those dead spots.

 

[amputee]

Re: To all amp Builders.Why hasnt anyone built an amp with a built in Dummyload/poweramp?

Re: To all amp Builders.Why hasnt anyone built an amp with a built in Dummyload/poweramp?

Now I know I am an old fart ... 60 watt Carlsbro twin ( as the fender amps where soooo dear ) and shock a 100 watt pa... The idea for the dummy load way too expensive and they are not making them in China just yet . I did do a mod on a Laney which allowed for the pre-amp to output to the desk and then still have the back line running ..

 

[BornToShred]

Re: To all amp Builders.Why hasnt anyone built an amp with a built in Dummyload/poweramp?

Re: To all amp Builders.Why hasnt anyone built an amp with a built in Dummyload/poweramp?

In order to have an amp that is twice as loud, you need 10x the wattage.

I completely agree with the rest of your post, but you've got your decibels wrong.

It takes 4 times (+12dB) the wattage to give twice (+6dB) the volume. So a 25 watt amp is half as loud as a 100 watter, which is half as loud as a 400 watter.
I study electronics, so i know my dB's and W's.

 

[Zerberus]

Re: To all amp Builders.Why hasnt anyone built an amp with a built in Dummyload/power

....

I am willing to bet that 95% of the people who have 100W half stacks don't need that kind of power. Hell, I'd bet 75% of the people with 50W amps don't need THAT much power. A small (30W or less) amp is plenty for rehearsing and small gigs, and any large venue will want to mic your amp anyway ... so where is this power requirement coming from???

I agree..

but not everybody is a bedroom rockstar or weekend bluesist... Some of us have to play gigs to thousands of people, sometimes open air, and often with a crappy PA.. and that´s exacty where those 100W are sometimes barely enough

BTW, NOT every large venue has a PA, especially not necessarily a good one that can be trusted to amplify a full band without going comatose.... You may want to play a few large venues before making such generalizations... that´s part of why most bands at some time buy their own

I completely agree with the rest of your post, but you've got your decibels wrong.

It takes 4 times (+12dB) the wattage to give twice (+6dB) the volume. So a 25 watt amp is half as loud as a 100 watter, which is half as loud as a 400 watter....

This is correct.

It shouldn't be your job to fill in dead spots. That is up to the venue and the sound tech IMO. Besides, I'm sure your drummer doesn't appreciate your amp blaring away beside him. I could be totally wrong though.

?? You´re kidding, right??? So if YOUR show sounds like ****, andeverybody pisses on you afterwards becasue of it, it´s the soundman´s fault?? This is by far the most umprofessional thing I´ve ever heard short of Ashlee Simpson´s SNL "excuses".... :smack:

It does shed much light on where the original argument about 100w +/- stems. from, though... from people thinking exactly this way instead of like a performer as they should.... this is not a day job on an assembly like where everyone has his job and is trained to do it well and consistently.... this it the music industry, where half of the people you talk to are talking out their ass, another quarter are just plain stupid, and the last 25% know something that ay be of value.... and more importantly where Murphy reigns supreme....

 

[Quencho092]

Re: To all amp Builders.Why hasnt anyone built an amp with a built in Dummyload/poweramp?

Re: To all amp Builders.Why hasnt anyone built an amp with a built in Dummyload/poweramp?

I completely agree with the rest of your post, but you've got your decibels wrong.

It takes 4 times (+12dB) the wattage to give twice (+6dB) the volume. So a 25 watt amp is half as loud as a 100 watter, which is half as loud as a 400 watter.
I study electronics, so i know my dB's and W's.

My bad, i just read that stat on a site a while ago and threw it in without confirming.