Guest HRB853370 Posted March 12, 2011 Share Posted March 12, 2011 What is an attenuater and why would I need one? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
koula901 Posted March 12, 2011 Share Posted March 12, 2011 I can't tell you what it *is*, but I think I can tell you what it *does*. It makes it so that you can get your overdriven tube sounds at a lower volume. You can buy attenuators, or you can buy amps that have power scaling - such as the Suhr Badger and the Tone King Metropolitan. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Assumer Posted March 12, 2011 Share Posted March 12, 2011 Don't know what brand but now they have speakers that you can turn a knob and it acts as an attenuator. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest HRB853370 Posted March 14, 2011 Share Posted March 14, 2011 I can't tell you what it *is*, but I think I can tell you what it *does*. It makes it so that you can get your overdriven tube sounds at a lower volume. You can buy attenuators, or you can buy amps that have power scaling - such as the Suhr Badger and the Tone King Metropolitan. Well if thats true then I am glad I have the Blackstar 5 watter coming. From the reviews that I read, it provides a great British or American amp tone, depending on which way you turn the infinite shape knob, and at lower volume levels. That is what I am looking for. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kbp810 Posted March 14, 2011 Share Posted March 14, 2011 There are a few different types of attenuators... but for the most part, it's something that would go between the output of the amp and the speaker. They syphon off some of the power and turn it into something else (disipated as heat, or in some cases power a light bulb, coil, etc...) whats left over goes to the speaker with the same over driven sound, just a lot less loud. There is also variac's which lower the power level in the amp circuit itself (drops B+), but I don't recommend those as they can damage the tubes and output transformer. I've only ever played around with a handful of attenuators; but in my opinion, I still think a 5 watter cranked sounds better than 50 watts cranked and attenuated (though the best is still 50 watts cranked, period!) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Assumer Posted March 15, 2011 Share Posted March 15, 2011 Just found it. This months guitar player with Jeff Beck on the cover. Eminence Red Coat speakers. They have a knob on the back of the magnet you can turn for varying levels of attenuation. Goes up to 9db. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest HRB853370 Posted March 15, 2011 Share Posted March 15, 2011 There is also variac's which lower the power level in the amp circuit itself (drops B+), but I don't recommend those as they can damage the tubes and output transformer. KB, per your comment above, are you referring to amps that have a triode and diode mode, such as my Gibby GA40? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kbp810 Posted March 15, 2011 Share Posted March 15, 2011 There is also variac's which lower the power level in the amp circuit itself (drops B+), but I don't recommend those as they can damage the tubes and output transformer. KB, per your comment above, are you referring to amps that have a triode and diode mode, such as my Gibby GA40? Nope, though I'm also not a big fan of that method either In a nutshell that basically just turns off half of the power tube Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
212Mavguy Posted March 15, 2011 Share Posted March 15, 2011 http://www.tedweber.com/atten.htm I have a 100 watt Weber MASS attenuator with a balanced line out, volume, treb/mid/bass tone stack for that line out, the footswitch for attenuation on/off, headphone jack, and wall wart power input for the footswitch. I love it. Besides knocking down the volume of a cranked up amp to usable gig levels, mine eliminated the need to mic my amp in the studio or playing out, period. In addition, I control the tone and line out volume to the board instead of depending on the sound man to do it. If your amp has a bit of hum at loud levels, the attenuator kills that hum as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mooonpi Posted March 15, 2011 Share Posted March 15, 2011 I built one from a schematic in a Guitar Player column...it was within the last couple years. It works fine, but it hasn't become a necessity. Attenuators do affect the sound of the amp too, not just the volume. I usually am able match an amp to the situation. I have several lower powered amps. home brew tweed champ, or deluxe, if that don't work up to the 18watter etc etc Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NoNameBand Posted March 15, 2011 Share Posted March 15, 2011 You need one because you play too dern loud. The attenuator allows you to play and get the sound you like (typically, tube saturation/distortion) at a volume everyone else likes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest HRB853370 Posted March 15, 2011 Share Posted March 15, 2011 You need one because you play too dern loud. The attenuator allows you to play and get the sound you like (typically, tube saturation/distortion) at a volume everyone else likes. Huh? What did you say Mark? I can't hear ya, I got my Fender Twin cranked up to 7 with my ACSB H-150... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NoNameBand Posted March 15, 2011 Share Posted March 15, 2011 Huh? What did you say Mark? I can't hear ya, I got my Fender Twin cranked up to 7 with my ACSB H-150... Rock on... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pressure Posted March 15, 2011 Share Posted March 15, 2011 Go to The Tone King site, they have a new attenuator offered. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
H Posted March 15, 2011 Share Posted March 15, 2011 Be careful when buying one that it matches the ohm rating for the output of your amp/speaker(s). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kbp810 Posted March 15, 2011 Share Posted March 15, 2011 Huh? What did you say Mark? I can't hear ya, I got my Fender Twin cranked up to 7 with my ACSB H-150... Now that's what I'm talking about Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steiner Posted March 16, 2011 Share Posted March 16, 2011 Huh? What did you say Mark? I can't hear ya, I got my Fender Twin cranked up to 7 with my ACSB H-150... Have at thee! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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