JCM800 bedroom volume?

[BluesRocker]

I would go on a limb and say I could gig my 2204 with the volume on 2.5 without a mic.

So bedroom amp.. Yeah

 

[Riffraff]

JCM800 > Attenuator (set to load - line out) > SS Power Amp > Speaker cabinet

That's the way I did it with my Plexi and still do it with my Vintage Modern when I want to control my volume and still have the mojo intact. The VM clip on my Youtube page was recorded with it hooked up that way.

 

[JayCM800]

If you're worried about hearing loss and headaches, you better wear earplugs!

Another thing, a JCM800 half stack in a bedroom is overkill... Yes people do it... like having a pet Tiger... but it's not the nature of the Beast...

 

[Marshall & Moonshine]

As long as you sleep in a stadium, you should be fine.

 

[SmokeyDopey]

If you're worried about hearing loss and headaches, you better wear earplugs!

Another thing, a JCM800 half stack in a bedroom is overkill... Yes people do it... like having a pet Tiger... but it's not the nature of the Beast...

Thats a good comparision! Pet tiger

 

[jammattjam]

If you're worried about hearing loss and headaches, you better wear earplugs!

Another thing, a JCM800 half stack in a bedroom is overkill... Yes people do it... like having a pet Tiger... but it's not the nature of the Beast...

Its true. its straight overkill. thats how i roll. i haul it to practices but theres no way id leave it anywhere. id never leave my tiger at a friends

 

[sccloser]

I've gigged my 2205, un-mic'd, with the volume a little over 1!

 

[treetrunk]

a JCM800 half stack in a bedroom is overkill... Yes people do it... like having a pet Tiger... but it's not the nature of the Beast...

This is quote worthy, or T-shirt worthy!
I might have a T-shirt with this on it

 

[Riffraff]

I used to run my Plexi boosted with an SD1 (volume maxed, drive on zero), jumpered and cranked in a big empty room with a tile floor. Man! My ears would ring for a long time afterward but it that natural slapback echo sure sounded cool.

 

[Guitargearfreak]

There's no attenuator on planet earth that can change a 100 watts cranked monster into a good little practice amp. Do yourself a favor and for the same price, buy a practice amp instead of an attenuator, and play your Marshall with your band. It will sounds 100 times better. I asked the exact same question years ago, now you have my conclusion.

 

[Frankie]

Playing a JCM 800 at bedroom volume is like caging a wild animal. You can do it, but it's just wrong.

 

[John 14:6]

I am considering the JCM800 2203 and I was wondering if it could be played at a lower volume without sacrificing a nice crunch or distortion. I mean can I crank it up to a volume where it's loud with distortion but not hurt my ears?

It would be like buying a dragster to drive around in your living room. That is not what the JCM800 was designed for. The 50 watt version would only be 3db quieter.

 

[schwa]

I just wanted to throw out another opinion that I think is valid, since I do play my 2204 at home as well as out.

I have 3 Marshalls - a class 5 head, a 2061x head, the 2204 and a pretty nice attenuator (Faustine Phantom). The 3 amps have more in common in terms of volume than not, but they don't behave the same with the attenuator.

The attenuator works well with all three, but the two smaller amps don't attenuate down to conversation level as well as the 2204 for some reason. There's something in the relatively more complex circuit of the 2204 (maybe negative feedback, maybe something else) that allows the tone to stay in tact to lower levels.

I prefer all of the amps with less or no attenuation, but that's not practical even in rehearsal or the small club gigs I play.

If it weren't for my specific experience, I would have never believed that the 2204 is my best apartment amp, but it is.

The "tiger for a pet" analagy is apt. It is a little wierd, and non optimal. So is a 2203/2204 at home. At the same time - a pet tiger is pretty cool - and a 2204 at home can be as well.

 

[Frankie]

Right, but you gotta take care of that tiger, can't just leave it in a cage like a conversation piece. I prefer a modeling setup when I gotta play low volume.

 

[John 14:6]

I just wanted to throw out another opinion that I think is valid, since I do play my 2204 at home as well as out.

I have 3 Marshalls - a class 5 head, a 2061x head, the 2204 and a pretty nice attenuator (Faustine Phantom). The 3 amps have more in common in terms of volume than not, but they don't behave the same with the attenuator.

The attenuator works well with all three, but the two smaller amps don't attenuate down to conversation level as well as the 2204 for some reason. There's something in the relatively more complex circuit of the 2204 (maybe negative feedback, maybe something else) that allows the tone to stay in tact to lower levels.

I prefer all of the amps with less or no attenuation, but that's not practical even in rehearsal or the small club gigs I play.

If it weren't for my specific experience, I would have never believed that the 2204 is my best apartment amp, but it is.

The "tiger for a pet" analagy is apt. It is a little wierd, and non optimal. So is a 2203/2204 at home. At the same time - a pet tiger is pretty cool - and a 2204 at home can be as well.

The downside is that a great and transparent attenuator like the Faustine Phantom is going to cost $800 and it will take months worth of waiting time before it is built and delivered. A cheaper attenuator like a THD Hotplate will cost close to $300 used and it will work pretty well, but it will change your million dollar tone for sure when you try to bump things down to bedroom level.

 

[Frankie]

A JCM 800 + attenuator + cabinet is gonna cost like $1500! Why not just get something smaller like a Haze 15?

 

[schwa]

Right, but you gotta take care of that tiger, can't just leave it in a cage like a conversation piece. I prefer a modeling setup when I gotta play low volume.

I'm a big fan of modelers. For home recording - I've had a good amount of success with them, and it's wonderful to have so many tones available. At home it's also MUCH simpler than playing an amp if anyone is around.

The great thing about modelers is also the worst thing about them. I think they sound alot like a recorded amp, but they don't sound much like a live amp. At the risk of oversimplifying - it comes down to compression. When recording - compression is generally good - when playing live dynamics add a lot to the experience.

I do play my amps with a band, and when I practice I like having the dynamics that I would have with the guys. I have a POD and much prefer the sound of the attenuated amp.

The downside is that a great and transparent attenuator like the Faustine Phantom is going to cost $800 and it will take months worth of waiting time before it is built and delivered. A cheaper attenuator like a THD Hotplate will cost close to $300 used and it will work pretty well, but it will change your million dollar tone for sure when you try to bump things down to bedroom level.

The Faustine is expensive, I have to say the rest of my rig is pretty self indulgent as well. That said, Faustine is working the kinks out of their production issues and in the last couple years there have been more strides made in attenuator tech than in the last 20. I haven't tried them but the Alex attenuator and the Rivera RockCrusher may be good choices for some at half the price of the Faustine.

A JCM 800 + attenuator + cabinet is gonna cost like $1500! Why not just get something smaller like a Haze 15?

Have you played a Haze 15?

I'm not suggesting that Tigers are good pets or that JMP/JCM amps are well suited to the living room. I'm just saying it can work if you are committed and willing to make some compromises. Modelers can work, 1 watt tube amps can work, SS amps can work, it's just a different set of compromises.

 

[LivingTheDream]

There's no attenuator on planet earth that can change a 100 watts cranked monster into a good little practice amp.

Unless, of course, you consider the attenuator that is already built into the AFD100 and the YJM100 Marshall heads. I've got the AFD100 and the attenuation feature (EPA) works wonderfully. I can get brutal, nasty distortion at 100 watts, or a similar amount of gain at levels that won't wake up the family. (Even if they are sleeping in the next room!)

I may never again buy another amp without this feature.

 

[RobS]

Unless, of course, you consider the attenuator that is already built into the AFD100 and the YJM100 Marshall heads. I've got the AFD100 and the attenuation feature (EPA) works wonderfully. I can get brutal, nasty distortion at 100 watts, or a similar amount of gain at levels that won't wake up the family. (Even if they are sleeping in the next room!)

I may never again buy another amp without this feature.

But, speaker movement makes up alot of the sound. I tried my 800 last night attenuated right down, sure it sounded good but once I backed off the attenuation the overall improvement in sound is so much better as the speakers start 'working'.

 

[Jack92CH]

The more I think about the YJM the more I think it might be my next Marshall. I don't care if it's a signature amp when it sounds awesome and is loaded with awesome shit.

As for a JCM 800 at bedroom volume, you'll never get its legendary sound unless it's running full bore. That's just the way they are.