Power attenuator for Plexy 1969 Super Lead

[John Stedman]

Another vote for the Rivera Rockcrusher. I have the Recording version and I love it with my Marshall 1959 SLP Reissue. I have a UAD OX too, but it has 6 steps of attenuation, whereas the Rivera can get those late night in-between volumes where the OX might be a little too loud even on it's lowest setting. It gets warm like any attenuater, but possibly due to it being rated for 120 watts, I've never had a problem with it over heating,

 

[neikeel]

There are attenuators and re-ampers at various price points with various features from the most simple resistive loads to multi-impedance reampers with knobs and whistles. I like the look of JohnHs device and will make one as soon as I find time.
I’ve had a THD Hotplate 16 for years. It is simple and effective at shaving output off but you do lose dynamics on heavy attenuation I use this on my bench in conjunction with a tiny 1x12 box for testing. Next I bought a Motherload Elemental that can be used in lieu of a speaker too and has useful studio friendly features. My son has actually stolen it to tame his modded 71 SB monster. My main attenuator that does all I want is the Alex (rights now owned by Scumback as the DBL at around 500 usd). It’s features are simple and very similar to John h device (as far as I can tell).
When playing my vintage amps I want something simple and reliable that will not damage my amp so simple suits me. Never fancied the UA or other reampers myself.
Aracom, Torpedo, Rockcrusher all have their devotees.
I’m sticking with what I have now

 

[junk notes]

My main attenuator that does all I want is the Alex (rights now owned by Scumback

 

[Fil]

I absolutely LOVE my Boss Waza TAE.

 

[sct13]

I have an old Tom Scholz power Soak I haven using for years …

I have been also using a badcat and I just got into an Ox ..

The Tom Sholz is fine but you need to add treble…

 

[playloud]

I absolutely LOVE my Boss Waza TAE.

Much as I love to rag on modern technology, I have to second this. It might be expensive, but on the plus side, you don't have to compete for overpriced small tube combos anymore!

It's ridiculous that they haven't updated the drivers to work with Big Sur yet though. Reminds me of when Avid took years to get 64-bit Pro Tools working.

 

[Fil]

Yeah I'm not a fan of much modern technology when it comes to guitar. I like the old stuff. But the TAE makes old amps shine the way they were meant to. Pushed to the sweet spot without loss of tone. I got mine for $850 on Reverb. It was a demo.

Yeah, they're lacking when it comes to supported platforms. Only Mac and Windows, WTF? I wanted to use a tablet for it so that I could also use it on my mic stand too, but a Windows tablet is so expensive compared to an Android.

Good luck on your quest. And CONGRATS on the Super Lead!! What an amp!

 

[guitarzan2525]

I'm JH, so I can tell you about our attenuator:

Its a project to build yourself, which needs the ability to read a simple schematic and do basic drilling and soldering. Here is the thread:

Simple Attenuators - Design And Testing | MarshallForum.com

Its 90 pages long, mainly due to all the build reports (all have been a success) and development and testing. But everything you need is in post 1 on page 1, which I keep updated.

The current base design is called M2, and you can build it either for 8 or for 16 ohm amp outputs, and each can run into various speaker ohms. There are also versions that can deal with different input ohms. I size the parts to deal with a fully driven 50W amp, but its all scalable if you need larger or smaller.

It is a properly reactive attenuator of a simple but unique design and will maintain the tone and the dynamic feel of your amp throughout the range with no change down to very low volumes.

The cost of parts for the M2 is of the order of $100 depending where you buy them from. If its of interest, I'm happy to discuss on the thread, its a design that can be adapted to different needs.

Thanks JH. I will look into this more..

 

[Torren61]

I'm going to throw the Fryette Power Station in to the ring here. Not only will it attenuate your amp but it does much, much more. You can choose different Ohms depending on amps and speaker cabs used (4, 8 and 16). It has an effects loop so you can insert your effects post input amp. Not only can you make your high power amp quieter but you can make a low power amp louder.

I installed a speaker bypass output jack on my '53 Champ Amp and I can run the output of that amp into the Fryette and crank it to 50 watts. The Power Station is reactive because it's an amp itself with two 6L6 tubes. It also has a direct out so you can go into an audio interface while you're playing through a cabinet. It also has some EQ features.

In addition to the Power Station, I have a Rivera Silent Sister isolation cab that I have in a closet loaded with a Celestion Alnico Gold. It can accommodate two mics and I can dime my '73 JMP if I choose. I also have a Two Notes Torpedo Captor X for direct recording as well as attenuation. I do hate that it's stepped attenuation but it does its job well for what it does.

There are lots of options out there if you can think outside of the box.

 

[proxy]

Boss Tube amp expander

 

[79 2203]

I use a Hotplate at -8db with my stock 71 1987. Very happy with the results. I only turn up the amp till it crunches with a LP(around 4 on the vol) and using the amp EQ and the Deep switch on the Hotplate I haven’t noticed any tone suck. Maybe a little added compression and mids.
Still about reasonable band volumes with a 68 t1221 Greenback quad, but very manageable.

However at -12 the tone suck is noticeable and at -16 I reckon it sounds pretty bad. Will probably get an Ironman eventually but no rush.

 

[Marcomel79]

I have built the JohnH attenuator and it works beautifully. It retains tone and feel of the amp even at high attenuation. I strongly recommend it!

 

[FleshOnGear]

I have the Ironman II, and I love it. Except for any speaker distortion, it sounds exactly the same from -3dB all the way down to max attenuation. It says it handles 100W RMS, so I don’t know if it can take a cranked Super Lead. I play 50 watters, so it’s not an issue for me.

 

[Seven]

Why don't you build a JH attenuator from here on the forum? They seem to be the very best

I have experience with the Rivera Rockcrusher, the THD Hotplate, and the Tone King Ironman 100. I'd recommend any of them. My personal favorite is the Tone King, but it is also the most expensive. Remember that you're hooking the OT up to this thing, and my advice would be don't skimp out on a load box for a vintage amp - especially one that is somewhat unique like a super trem. Spend the money and get the Iron Man...

I'm still in the research phase with attenuators and so far the Ironman series seems to get favorable comments about tone results. Tone is subjective however. We invest serious dollars in amps and other gear to get good tone, so that would be my number one criteria.

The other criteria is when/if they fail. A mass produced budget attenuator could potentially take-out the amp. To what degree I don't know or even how true that is, but we all know you can't run an amp without some type of resistive load, like a speaker, etc. If a budget attenuator (resistive dummy load) fails when your hammering the amp, it could ruin your day.

Budget attenuators are enticing, but is a $120.00 box worth trashing a $2,000.00 head or more for the vintage stuff ?

I think the answer is somewhere in the middle or downsize the amp. It's a cake or eat it situation.

 

[AR999]

I tried almost every attenuator below $1000, I thought the Rivera Rockcrusher worked pretty well for me but the best solution I found( for me) was pulling two tubes out reducing my 1959 SLP to 50 watts and then finally breaking down and adding a master volume, it’s the tone I have always wanted and all of it is easily fully reversible to stock if needed, no reason to have a great amp that you can’t use.

 

[Suttondrive]

Hello. I have a 1969 Marshall Plexy Super Lead and a 1969 Marshall Super tremolo. I'm looking for a good volume attenuator/power soak ? I have the Bugera power soak (for max 100W) but it became very hot within 10m minute....and go out of work.....
I usually use the plexy at volume 8 to get the natural gain. So I need a good machine!
I get info for Weber but seems that not work with the head at volume over 5....
Thanks for your help.

https://www.tedweber.com/mass-200/ the 200W version for those heads

 

[Dean Swindell]

Hello. I have a 1969 Marshall Plexy Super Lead and a 1969 Marshall Super tremolo. I'm looking for a good volume attenuator/power soak ? I have the Bugera power soak (for max 100W) but it became very hot within 10m minute....and go out of work.....
I usually use the plexy at volume 8 to get the natural gain. So I need a good machine!
I get info for Weber but seems that not work with the head at volume over 5....
Thanks for your help.

I had a Weber that was designed to do 200 watts with the speaker parts inside, but they don't make that one anymore. I used it on a 2204 and it was fine. The more you choke down the amp the more heat you will generate, no matter what kind you have. That energy has to go somewhere, that's why most are ventilated all over their enclosures, it's expected. But you should always use an over rated one. I suggest you exchange a few emails with Weber about it or just go straight for the Mass 200. They should have something for you.

 

[Kevin Kascak]

Hello. I have a 1969 Marshall Plexy Super Lead and a 1969 Marshall Super tremolo. I'm looking for a good volume attenuator/power soak ? I have the Bugera power soak (for max 100W) but it became very hot within 10m minute....and go out of work.....
I usually use the plexy at volume 8 to get the natural gain. So I need a good machine!
I get info for Weber but seems that not work with the head at volume over 5....
Thanks for your help.

These have been around for a while and you can have it built with or without features you do or don't need. The Mass 200 handles 100 watt amps. There are others for less powerful amps too.

tedweber.com/mass-200/

 

[acromarmot]

I have built the JohnH attenuator and it works beautifully. It retains tone and feel of the amp even at high attenuation. I strongly recommend it

+1 for the @JohnH ...awesome.

 

[woodsrock]

Hello. I have a 1969 Marshall Plexy Super Lead and a 1969 Marshall Super tremolo. I'm looking for a good volume attenuator/power soak ? I have the Bugera power soak (for max 100W) but it became very hot within 10m minute....and go out of work.....
I usually use the plexy at volume 8 to get the natural gain. So I need a good machine!
I get info for Weber but seems that not work with the head at volume over 5....
Thanks for your help.

Are you playing stadium gigs? Clubs and bars, festivals you don't need that much power, everything is mixed no days, with Microphones, To get that beast to break up you have to Dime them out. That's freaking to load, the soundman can't do anything with that. I have a 5/20 Watt Plexi, plenty of volumes and it breaks up nicely, let the soundman do the Volume in the monitors and in front of the house, and even better in ears. If I walked into a club and heard your amp at 8 I would walk out. If you are playing clubs and you have your amp on 8 the soundman can't do anything with that. this is my amp and cab, plenty of power, Power soakers are hard on amps unless they are built into the amp. I use one of those Bearinger power soakers, and put it right back in the box.