Power Control?

[Chadman]

Hi, I hoping on some advice; I got a JCM800 and the mofo is loud, dam loud!!! I just got it the other week and I love it! It is one of the newer reissue 2203’s and it’s awesome!! (gotta love that new amp smell at the top vent after a good gig ) I play Metal with an old school twist ( Iron Maiden, BLS) so this dog is perfect for me. I put brand new pre-amp Groove tubes inside and bam!!!! the gain is much more in your face now…….. However, at ear bleeding volumes, which I do love very much but the rest of my band totally hates! So here’s my question: after nosing around on eBay for a “Marshall Power Break” I came across many little boxes Like one was called the “Suck Knob” or the “Volume Box”…anyway they look like just what I need, but I don’t understand when I look at the “Marshall Power Break” it’s HUGE! and it looks like it needs to be to perform this type of work! And the ones on eBay are so small and only cost like $20 bucks??? I guess I trying to ask, are these little ones all you really need? Or will they damage the amp even though they clam they won’t?

 

[stryker59]

i dont trust them little boxes!! and the power brake is a piece of crap!!! get a thd hot plate or a weber mass....dr z makes the airbrake which is good as well!!!!!

 

[Adwex]

Yup.
Hotplate, Weber Mass, Airbrake, Ultimate Attenuator --------> Good

PowerBrake, Power Soak, other small boxes ---------> Bad

 

[Chadman]

Sweet! thanks guys! I had no idea these products were out there.

 

[Chadman]

Out of Curiosity why are the Powerbreak and the Powersoak Bad?

 

[stryker59]

Out of Curiosity why are the Powerbreak and the Powersoak Bad?

i dont have experience w/ the powersoak but the powerbrake makes your tone sound like mush!!!

 

[Chadman]

Hey guys, after looking around on the net, some people clam the THD Hot Plate colors the sound as well, do you know of this to be very drastic or just what you get with this type of product? Also I do realize everyone has there own taste and some change in sound may not bug some too much and it might others?? Has anyone tried one?? It seams to be the best build one to me?

 

[Adwex]

Hey guys, after looking around on the net, some people clam the THD Hot Plate colors the sound as well, do you know of this to be very drastic or just what you get with this type of product? Also I do realize everyone has there own taste and some change in sound may not bug some too much and it might others?? Has anyone tried one?? It seams to be the best build one to me?

I got a Hotplate for my Jubilee, because when we're practicing at low volume (master around 1 or 2), it sounds kinda fizzy and thin. The Hotplate lets me bring the master up to 4 or so, and keep the singer from complaining.

But when we practice with the whole band, I don't use it because I'm able to bring the master up, and it loses a little clarity and dynamics, even on the lowest (least attenuated) setting. I've come to the conclusion that if I can bring the master up past 3 or so, I don't need the Hotplate, but the Jubilee is a different animal than your 800, you might need it.

There are better attenuators, but they get expensive. The Ultimate Attenuator comes to mind. I heard a friend's 100 watt plexi reissue sound great with it, but that's a non master volume amp, he needs it badly.

 

[Chadman]

I got a Hotplate for my Jubilee, because when we're practicing at low volume (master around 1 or 2), it sounds kinda fizzy and thin. The Hotplate lets me bring the master up to 4 or so, and keep the singer from complaining.

But when we practice with the whole band, I don't use it because I'm able to bring the master up, and it loses a little clarity and dynamics, even on the lowest (least attenuated) setting. I've come to the conclusion that if I can bring the master up past 3 or so, I don't need the Hotplate, but the Jubilee is a different animal than your 800, you might need it.

There are better attenuators, but they get expensive. The Ultimate Attenuator comes to mind. I heard a friend's 100 watt plexi reissue sound great with it, but that's a non master volume amp, he needs it badly.

Cool, So guess it does play with your sound if I was to bring it up to 4 or 5 on the master. I wish I could try it before buying it.....The Ultimate ones look great but ya.....dam expensive!!! I'm still paying off the 800! I would say 300 to 350 would be the most I would put out for any kind of attenuator.

thanks man.

 

[Adwex]

Cool, So guess it does play with your sound if I was to bring it up to 4 or 5 on the master. I wish I could try it before buying it.....The Ultimate ones look great but ya.....dam expensive!!! I'm still paying off the 800! I would say 300 to 350 would be the most I would put out for any kind of attenuator.

thanks man.

If you're able to bring your master up to 4, you might not need one either. What's the highest you're able to crank it without complaints?

Another reason I stopped using it is because it showed me that it's not just a cranked attenuated amp that sounds good......It HAS to be loud. It's the thunderous kick in the chest that gets me off. The attenuator will smooth out some fizzyness, but if it's not actually loud, it sounds lame anyway...to me, at least.

You might benefit from an overdrive type pedal.

 

[Chadman]

If you're able to bring your master up to 4, you might not need one either. What's the highest you're able to crank it without complaints?

Another reason I stopped using it is because it showed me that it's not just a cranked attenuated amp that sounds good......It HAS to be loud. It's the thunderous kick in the chest that gets me off. The attenuator will smooth out some fizzyness, but if it's not actually loud, it sounds lame anyway...to me, at least.

You might benefit from an overdrive type pedal.

Ya Man, for sure 100%!!! That kick…..oh that big bang Marshall kick in the teeth (that’s why we play them right?)

When I’m at band practice I can sometimes get away with the master at about 5 to 6 not to bad and sounds good! (But I do have a 2nd guitar to fight with, peavey…booo) however when we play shows the first one the sound guy comes to talk to is always me “your going to have to turn that thing down” so I end up with it on like 3 or something but we all know that real tone is just a few more truns away…I do have a Boss SD-1 and it’s great I use it for leads at practice when I’m on 5 or 6 and it’s perfect, when I have to turn it down for all these gay sound guys I have to use it for my main tone, not bad..but not the same. I totally get what you mean when it’s not loud, it’s not loud period, maybe there not for me after all, it would be cool if they did nothing at all to your tone but the job you want them to do, I guess I just need to play bigger venues

 

[Adwex]

The 2203 is a friggin' monster, I tried one once or twice at hourly rehearsal studios. At reasonable volume, it was seriously lacking in the gain department, and I couldn't crank it. Maybe you should consider a 50 watt 2204...it'll get you a little more (not much) drive at comparable volumes. ...or maybe a DSL 50? The JCM2000 line sound ok at lower volume.

Too bad you can't audition a Hotplate without commiting to $300. You could buy one from Musician's Friend (that's where I got mine), they have a pretty good return policy.

Buy THD Hot Plate Attenuator online at Musician's Friend

Holy crap, the price went up. I paid $299 a few months ago.

 

[Chadman]

Monster!! You got that right, but ya know that’s kind of the reason I like it so much, just ‘cause of the sheer power! I just need a whip to tame the lion, Man that blows the price when up,,oh well, not much I can do maybe ebay (sometimes I hate playing other people’s crap, ‘cause you never REALLY know why there getting rid of it) So if I was to get one what ohm’s would you say is the best, I have a 1960a cab I can run it on 4 or 16 ohm’s (no surprise to a Marshall owner) I mean I could buy the 4 or the 16 and be fine with one cab but what if I want to run 2 cabs? ‘cause the ohm’s on the plate has to match the ohm’s coming from you amp right?? I mean sometimes I do run 2 cabs with my amp on 8 and into the 16 ohm inputs on each cab, if I had an 8 ohm plate with the amp on 8 going to two 16’s would that be safe?? Or dose the cabs want 8 as well? And the thing that blows about that is, I could only use that plate for a double cab set up, and I would have to buy a 4 or 16 for a single cab set up….man life gets pricey!

 

[Adwex]

That's the biggest problem with the Hotplate, the impedance is not switchable. The more expensive ones are switchable.

I got the 16, since I never plug into the 4 ohm input on the cab.

I'm fairly sure that you would need an 8 ohm HP to run 2 16 ohm cabs.

You should seriously consider a JCM2000...they sound pretty good at low volume. Playing a 2203 at low volume is like driving a race car in traffic. Some kind of overdrive pedal might give you the gain you need without pissing anyone off.

 

[Chadman]

Sweet, Man thanks for the advice!! Sorry I'm only getting back to you on Monday( I only have a computer to use at work )