Does a Marshall Power Brake sound/work better than a Hotplate?

[ReiGnMaN]

Like the title says.

I know the hot plates are very popular but how well does the power brake work?

Are the power brakes switchable from 4-8-16 or just one setting?

 

[purpledc]

I think it really depends on your requirements. Remember the marshall is only rated for 100 watts which is standard marshall fair. Now Im not sure how much you can push one of those things. Most new peaveys are rated at 120 watts but according to the manual they push more than that on average. So the marshall would not be well suited for things like a blackstar series one 200. Some people would choose neither and go for something else. In my experience though most people prefer the hotplate over a PB. The only thing i dont like about a hotplate is they are ohms specific and they are not switchable. Also check out the tubecube. Ive heard good things about that and they are cheaper.

 

[ReiGnMaN]

I think it really depends on your requirements. Remember the marshall is only rated for 100 watts which is standard marshall fair. Now Im not sure how much you can push one of those things. Most new peaveys are rated at 120 watts but according to the manual they push more than that on average. So the marshall would not be well suited for things like a blackstar series one 200. Some people would choose neither and go for something else. In my experience though most people prefer the hotplate over a PB. The only thing i dont like about a hotplate is they are ohms specific and they are not switchable. Also check out the tubecube. Ive heard good things about that and they are cheaper.

All I own (that need to be tamed) are 50 watt marshalls. Plexi/2204/2205.

MAY be obtaining a 2210 here shortly.

 

[redscott131]

Marshall Power breaks sound like crap. There is better stuff out there for a lot less like the Weber MASS Attenuators.

THD Hotplates sound great and really seem to excell, in the tone department, when combined with older Marshall PLEXI (non master volume) amps. The only problem is the Hot Plates come in a fixed ohm type, so you have to know your setup (you're going to stick with) before you buy one.

 

[LPMarshall hack]

Power Brakes are switchable between 8 and 16 ohms. Although I don't use it anymore, I still own and have used a PB for years. Never colored the tone and it sounded great. I've never owned a Hot Plate, but a friend has one. His rig sounds good when he uses that too.

 

[Michael1987xl]

Power Brakes are switchable between 8 and 16 ohms. Although I don't use it anymore, I still own and have used a PB for years. Never colored the tone and it sounded great. I've never owned a Hot Plate, but a friend has one. His rig sounds good when he uses that too.

I have to +1 that. With a 50 watt head, the Power Brake is hard to beat, especially for the price you can get a really good one for on e-bay these days.

Again, though, you've got to be reasonable with the thing. I've yet to hear any attenuator, regardless of how pricey the thing is, that sounds great with the amp cranked up to Kingdom Come and the attenuator turned down to the next-to-last click. But if you're looking to get the amp into its sweet spot and then just take the edge off the volume so you don't blast the first three rows (and yourself) into Never Never Land, the Power Brake (or any of them really) will get you there with a minimum of fuss.

 

[SlyStrat]

Buy an Alex Attenuator. He's on The Gear Page.
Better tone than Hot Plate, Weber, Aracom, Dr.Z, Ultimate attenuators.

 

[Ken]

Buy an Alex Attenuator. He's on The Gear Page.
Better tone than Hot Plate, Weber, Aracom, Dr.Z, Ultimate attenuators.

This sounds like a commercial! You've used all of the above in a professional setting and can say the Alex is best? Could you expand on this opinion please?

Ken

 

[sonnyksac]

Im very curious about this too. I have a 50 watt plexi, that can be 100 watt too...and a few JCM800 2203s which are also a 100 watt. WHat should I get?

 

[Michael. L.]

Hey Man,
I too have a pb and run 100 watt plexi through it
Built like a proverbial battleship and mine has been flawless!!!
2 x ohm possibilities
The sound is great, especially when considering your initial purpose of needing an attenuator-is for home practice, recording, or neighbours complaining
Anyway, I also have a 50 watt plexi re issue from around 1997-pre effects loop and it works/sounds great with that also

Hope this sheds some light
Cheers, Mick from OZ!!!