Are Power Attenuators necessary anymore?

[RachelMorgan]

On the 205C. Which jack is the internal speaker plugged into? That's the rating of the hot plate to get for it. You may need a connector speaker cable (female on one end, male on the other) to reach the hot plate, as well as the standard male - male speaker cable.

 

[st.bede]

I also like the fact that there are tone boosts for deep (bass) and bright (treble) and they work quite well.

+1 they can be usefull...

 

[steelhorse]

Definitely like Rachel suggested you'll need to take the cable that's currently connected from the speaker to the out of the amp and connect it instead to the out of the hotplate then run the male/male speaker cable from the in of the hotplate to the speaker out of the amp where the speaker cable had been connected previously.

That was a mouthful but it's hopefully simple enough.

They really should have diagrams for those kinds of things eh?

Anyway, like Rachel also suggested be sure to get the hotplate with the correct impedance rating for your amp, with hotplates that's pretty critical.

If the speakers are 8 ohm to match the amp's 8 ohm you should get the 8 ohm. You could get away with a 16 ohm hotplate going to an 8 ohm but never the other way around.

Worse comes to worse or if you have more questions go here:

THD Electronics

there's a spec sheet you can download as well as their contact info.

 

[Viking62]

For old, vintage amps I realize that power attenuators (like the Marshall Power Break, or the THD Hot Plate) can be a godsend. But do they really serve any purpose anymore with today's Master Volume equipped amps? Doesn't the Master Volume control effectively perform the same function?

Yes I think they do - blokes like me, with a JCM800, SLP1959 & Major, I need an attenuator for these amps and an OCD or Tubescreamer to drive a lead break...

My 20c

 

[assaf110]

Dude, that's a 9 years old thread. I hope he got the attenuator by now...

 

[liontato]

Dude, that's a 9 years old thread. I hope he got the attenuator by now...

 

[El Gringo]

Just turn that Marshall amp up and let the amp breathe and hear that glorious sound

 

[BanditPanda]

Just turn that Marshall amp up and let the amp breathe and hear that glorious sound

Based on the age of this thread breathing may be a moot point !!!

 

[Viking62]

ha ha yeah just typed in Attenuator into the search, still not sure which attenuator to go after.. been using an OCD pedal but really want a solid sound at lower volume to work off..

 

[Jethro Rocker]

I'm getting a Dr. Z Air Brake next week. Just to tame the volume a bit on a JCM800 4010. I'll post here in this ancient, resurrected thread what I think of it. It's doubtful I'll be able to puch the power section but at least get it up some withoit breaking windows.

 

[marshallmellowed]

ha ha yeah just typed in Attenuator into the search, still not sure which attenuator to go after.. been using an OCD pedal but really want a solid sound at lower volume to work off..

I get good results with both the Weber Mass 200 and the Marshall Powerbrake. I did do a simple mod to both of my Powerbrakes, which I found in some post online from years ago. It does make a noticeable difference in the Powerbrake, for the better.

 

[Viking62]

I get good results with both the Weber Mass 200 and the Marshall Powerbrake. I did do a simple mod to both of my Powerbrakes, which I found in some post online from years ago. It does make a noticeable difference in the Powerbrake, for the better.

Yeah I've head the Marshall Powerbrake isn't too good, I'm hearing Webber and THD hotplate are the ones to go for...? funny you'd think 'Marshall being Marshall' would have the best attenuator for their Plexi's...?

 

[zachman]

For old, vintage amps I realize that power attenuators (like the Marshall Power Break, or the THD Hot Plate) can be a godsend. But do they really serve any purpose anymore with today's Master Volume equipped amps? Doesn't the Master Volume control effectively perform the same function?

I believe they are.

Not all amps are equal, and so some while they may sound nice may also have shortcomings like a lame FX Loop design which may not serve the needs of the player.

Example 1.

The amp may not have an fx loop, or the amp's loop may be a parallel loop, and the player may prefer a series loop, or the loop might just sound bad-- for some reason. Well, If you have an attenuator (w/ an adjustable Line out)-- Some amps have a Direct Line out but it's taken off a tap from the preamp section only-- NOT in my experience the best sounding method, ymmv, but it can make one's life easier because on those amps-- Usually the Loop Send signal is affected by how loud you have the Master Volume set. This means that you will potentially be constantly adjusting your gain stages for fx, as a result. IF you have an adjustable Line signal, like from an attenuator, you could run that to your fx Input and return to the amp's loop-- OR

Example 2.

IF using an attenuator w/ an adjustable Line Out (My preference), you can run the amp full out (if that's your thing-- to get to the sweet spot, WITHOUT going deaf and getting fired, by simply setting the attenuator to LOAD, and sending it's Line out signal to a separate amp (Head, or combo), OR a Stereo Power amp allowing you to run a rig architecture not possible just using an amp's fx loop, like (Dual mono-Wet/DRY), or STEREO L/R and then series/parallel routing configurations etc... OR don't use it to attenuate just as an option to switch from STEREO to W/D/W W/ the Amp head or combo running it's DRY Center Image, and that tone feeding your FX Inputs then out of your FX to a separate STEREO Power Amp to Send Stereo FX to L/R cabinets. It can get nuts if you need it to, and imo FUN, when it does.

 

[JohnH]

Ive been making a simple fixed attenuator to take the power down on my 40W and 50W combos. Im going for a power reduction factor of about -7.5 db or about x 1/5th power. This type of thing is simple and cheap to build and very reliable. At this moderate attenuation level, the tone is still sounding good, combined with the ppimv master volumes on the amps.

 

[zachman]

Ive been making a simple fixed attenuator to take the power down on my 40W and 50W combos. Im going for a power reduction factor of about -7.5 db or about x 1/5th power. This type of thing is simple and cheap to build and very reliable. At this moderate attenuation level, the tone is still sounding good, combined with the ppimv master volumes on the amps.

It always sounds skinnier to me doing that even w/ good ppimv amp, then it does re-amping to a separate power amp and cabs.

My $.02

 

[TubeStack]

Dude, that's a 9 years old thread. I hope he got the attenuator by now...

I swear, reading the first few posts I was thinking, "what is is this, like, 2006?"

Was only off by a couple years.

 

[BanditPanda]

ha ha yeah just typed in Attenuator into the search, still not sure which attenuator to go after.. been using an OCD pedal but really want a solid sound at lower volume to work off..

Somebody posted this link but I just can't find the original post.
I don't know about performance ( there are demos and reviews available though ) but he price is right!
http://www.ebay.ca/itm/Power-Plug-6...97acf9e&pid=100033&rk=1&rkt=1&sd=151308056240

 

[marshallmellowed]

Yeah I've head the Marshall Powerbrake isn't too good, I'm hearing Webber and THD hotplate are the ones to go for...? funny you'd think 'Marshall being Marshall' would have the best attenuator for their Plexi's...?

I was ready to sell my Powerbrake, favoring the Weber Mass 200. The Powerbrake was too bass-heavy for my taste, somewhat flubby. Then, I ran across a simple one-wire mod for the Powerbrake which has changed my mind. I now have 2 Powerbrakes (found a 2nd for $99), and am currently favoring the Powerbrake(s).

 

[Gunner64]

What is this mod you speak of?

 

[marshallmellowed]

What is this mod you speak of?

Installing a short across C1. I installed mine right across C1 on the underside of the board (easily accessible after removing the Powerbrake cover.

I also discovered that the transformer has a tendency to vibrate against the metal housing, creating a loud buzzing when using higher levels of attenuation. I applied a piece of Velcro (fuzzy side) to the bottom of the transformer to help isolate the transformer body from the housing, buzzing gone. you could also mount it on rubber spacers, which would probably be better.