JCM800 bedroom volume?

[Blisster]

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.

Yeah, I finally came to that conclusion and bought the 2203KK. I couldn't be happier! I don't give a shit that its a sig model.

 

[LivingTheDream]

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'.

Well, sure, if you want to start getting into semantics and splitting hairs, I guess you would be correct. But there is no substitute for Marshall's new attenuator in the new signature models.

The AFD can be compared to a rodded JCM 800 that can be played at hall levels or at bedroom levels. No, you're not going to get the rich harmonics at .01 db., but you will certainly be happy with the overall package.

Factory attenuation is about 20 years over due, and its finally here in the AFD and YJM models. Hopefully Marshall with include this will all their high end models.

 

[Crunchcity]

I would rather my attenuator be an outboard piece of gear than what marshall is stuffing inside the chassis personally.

That way you are liberated to any Marshall of your choosing rather than having your choice made for you through a narrow range of signature products that are more complicated and not as time proven.

 

[diesect20022000]

for what you're looking for i'd say go with a DSL,JVM, or anything else in their line with a master volume from the 900 series and up.

no 800's going to give you what you want at nominal volumes even with an attenuator imo.

an attenuator will help but, you'll go through power tubes quicker.

maybe check out the bu (boombox)mbox Lead1. it's a 1 watt jcm800 made localy in Ohio. they're hard to find as it's some dude living with his parents making them by hand but, they're killer little amps. I still want one. they run about $350-$450 new. used....well i never see them used.

here you go:
http://www.bumboxamps.com/lead1.html

 

[Guitargearfreak]

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.

A power scaling system is different than an attenuator. I agree that this thing is pretty efficient, not perfect, but good.

Anyway, my advice is to by a 5 watts amps for your home, and play your Marshall live. I love my blackstar HT-5, I paid 300$ for it, and its impossible to make my DSL sounds that good at bedroom volume.

 

[JK1965]

Yeah I currently live in an apartment and my 100 watt half stack is in my living room. Man it looks great too!! Beautiful!!

But it is like having a hot rod car that you can drive, but only in your driveway. You take someone for a ride (in the driveway) and they comment how the car has no balls!!! I actually had a couple frinds over one night and plugged in to play a few riffs etc, and the one guy commented that there's no bottom end!!!

If you heard how low I had the thing you'd laugh too.

It's 100 watts and it's made to blast LOUD!! And it will NEVER sound as it's intended played at low volumes. I'm just getting back into this and all this talk of attenuators etc. is kind of strange to me. We always set up full stacks and cranked them up!! You can't play heavy music otherwise. It won't truly be HEAVEY, but just a toned down facsimile thereof.

 

[LivingTheDream]

A power scaling system is different than an attenuator. I agree that this thing is pretty efficient, not perfect, but good.

Anyway, my advice is to by a 5 watts amps for your home, and play your Marshall live. I love my blackstar HT-5, I paid 300$ for it, and its impossible to make my DSL sounds that good at bedroom volume.

I've also got an HT5, but it's pretty loud in the bedroom, so I put a MXR 10-band eq in the loop and use the volume on the eq to keep the high gain at low volumes. That seemed to solve the problem very well.

 

[HeydudeitsDanny]

jumpin on the thread...

guys, if i turn my bass up, will the cab push more air, thus be perceived as louder?

 

[dcooper830]

I get awesome tone at bedroom volume with my JCM 800 2203X > 1960AV cab.

I push it with a Tubescreamer for higher gain, turn the pre-amp up and the master down.

I'd never dream of wasting my money on an attenuator.

 

[bulldozer1984]

jumpin on the thread...

guys, if i turn my bass up, will the cab push more air, thus be perceived as louder?

Try it.. But yeh, when i play down low, i crank the mids and bass to try and make it sound fuller..

 

[badhabit]

For my 2 cents.. Ive got a 2203 and a 2204. I love them both but with the THD Hotplate Attenuator they are still good, but not the same at all. Even the 50 watt 2204 is not quite the same without those speakers moving. As far as the bedroom I won't lug the 4x12 cabinet that goes with either upstairs! Good luck !

 

[MartyStrat54]

Buy some 16 ohm headphones.

 

[Viking62]

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?

I must be missing something here?
I have had 2 x Master Volume 2203s over the years and bought them for the very reason that I could get the Classic Crunch at lower volumes, no problem.
Ok, so now I have a re-issue JCM800 2203 and use a Fulltone OCD. But still I CAN get a great sound at bedroom volume with no pedal.
I was always under impression that attenuators/power brakes and such were more applicable to Plexi's i.e. the older amps?

ps Havent Marshall stopped making the 2204s?

 

[J. Burns]

I must be missing something here?
I have had 2 x Master Volume 2203s over the years and bought them for the very reason that I could get the Classic Crunch at lower volumes, no problem.
Ok, so now I have a re-issue JCM800 2203 and use a Fulltone OCD. But still I CAN get a great sound at bedroom volume with no pedal.
I was always under impression that attenuators/power brakes and such were more applicable to Plexi's i.e. the older amps?

ps Havent Marshall stopped making the 2204s?

Having owned a 2203 and a 2204 over the years, this has been exactly my experience. Pre-amp up, master down, SD-1 in front. Not it's not going to sound the same as when it's cranked, but nothing will at that volume. What you're hearing when it's cranked is the speakers working and the air moving.

Still sounds pretty good, though. Change your expectations, and you can save $300 by buying a good dirt box instead of an attenuator.

If you really want to spend $300, you can always buy a POD and plug it into your stereo. I'd never gig a POD, but it actually sounds pretty great for solo practice at low volumes.

 

[paul-e-mann]

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.

+1

or get a DSL. Sounds great cranked or bedroom level

 

[TwinACStacks]

I disagree. An 800 is a PERFECT bedroom amp cranked.


You just need a large bedroom, 1200 Sq. Ft. or so will do nicely....

TWIN

 

[Crunchcity]

Life's too short for practice amps, get big iron.

 

[CrispyTone]

When no one is around in my house I crank it anyways and stand in my hallway right outside my bedroom. I still can get a good crunch sound at lower volumes without using a boost of some kind, but a lot of tone is from your fingers.

 

[zachman]

Hmmm..... LOTS of guys telling you you can't, but I disagree. Apparently a lot of guys just aren't willing or able to do what it takes.

You can use an attenuator, set it to load--- and re-amp it through another power amp. I do this w/ my Metro 12xxx plexi 100 Watter and it's GREAT. The neighbors don't even know I'm playing.

100 Watt SLP TV volumes: You can hear the pick raking across the strings, this is sooo soft.

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A3KNzK3oMS4"]Brudda Zach 7-8-09 "Journey Riffs" CBIII Hawaii - YouTube[/ame]

 

[darrylportelli]

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

what overkill??? I cranked mine on TEN when it was in my bedroom!!! (mind you a piece of my bedroom balcony ceiling fell off. if thats not proof of godliness I dont know what is)