![]() ![]() WHY NOT JUST USE THE AMP’S MASTER VOLUME? This is about the time the sound guy walks up and asks, “can you turn that down just a bit for me?” And as we all know, turning down the amp will immediately change its tone and touch response.īecause an attenuator comes after the output section of an amp, it allows users to push the amp as hard as they want in order to hit that tonal “sweet-spot," while giving them the option to drop the volume level without affecting that mega rock tone! But by the time an amp gets pushed that hard, it can literally be deafening. This is because when the amp is pushed, the output transformer begins to saturate and the rectifier tube will start to sag when bigger notes are hit these concepts give us that big, barking, compressed, and dynamic tube amp sound we all know and love. ![]() It is commonly accepted that tube amplifiers sound best, and exhibit certain desirable tonal qualities, at higher volumes. ![]() We see them being used a lot with 50-100 Watt amps but the fact is, lower-wattage amps can get surprisingly loud as well. The most common reason a player would use an attenuator is simply because their amplifier is too loud for a given setting. Many will use a coil to convert excess wattage into heat or mechanical energy prior to sending the signal out to the desired location. The attenuator is typically an external device that is connected to the speaker output jack of an amplifier and places the same load on the amplifier that a speaker normally would (provided the impedance of the amp and attenuator are matched). In short, an attenuator works by “bleeding” some of the power coming from the output section of an amplifier, thus reducing the volume level, before sending the signal out to a speaker cabinet. In today’s article, we are going to talk about how attenuators work, and what they can be used for we’ll also be clearing up a few misconceptions about attenuators to try and shake the bad rap they’ve developed over time. But these days, power attenuators are better and more user-friendly than ever you’d be hard-pressed to find one that actually causes dramatic tonal changes or electrical breakdown. Perhaps in the past the market saw a few products whose circuitry inherently altered the tone coming from the amplifier, or whose design was flawed and caused electrical problems in the amp over time. But the general fear is that power attenuators will suck tone or cause problems within the amplifier, ultimately leading to the amp’s demise. There are a number of scenarios in which one might realize the need to decrease their amplifier’s volume level, either by 2dB or by 25dB. While their concept has undergone countless revolutions and refinements over many years, their designers always had one goal in mind: Keep the tone, drop the volume. The best tube amplifiers to buy in 2023 at a glance:Īnyone who has suffered the misfortune of having to load a valve amp into a gig via a narrow and rickety staircase will appreciate the central plank of the St James series – to make proper valve amps that, through some extremely clever engineering, weigh about a third less than traditional tube amps.Power attenuators, in the realm of electric guitars, have been around and on the market since the 80s. If you do have concerns about noise levels, you might want to check out a digital alternative for home practice instead. Without a power attenuator or master volume control, a 15-watt valve amp will likely be too loud for home use – even a five-watt tube amp can be enough to make the neighbours bang on the walls. ![]() It’s not so loud that sound engineers will hate you, but you won’t have difficulties being heard above the drummer. If you are able to mic up your amp through a PA, we’ve found that 15-30 watts is the ‘Goldilocks zone’ for most gigging players. ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |