attenuation, why no love?

[st.bede]

It seems like people are always looking for bedroom amps. That is great. I have a few low wattage amps that work well at low volumes. I typically only use them on vacation, jamming with a quite friend, and recording.

If I could only afford or if I only wanted one amp, I would just use my THD hot plate. Matter of fact, I do use my hot plate. It is hooked up to my bluesbreaker otherwise I would wake the neighbors up at night. Yes, I do lose a little tone but not too much.

I always wonder why more people do not own a quality attenuator.

(I have found that typically the attenuator that comes on amps to be more of a tone robber than my attenuator).

 

[tenchijin2]

Why not? Ignorance and misinformation.

 

[dspelman]

I ran through several attenuators (still have them, mostly in storage). I was neither ignorant nor misinformed, but I was out a chunk of change.

Really didn't care for any of them as much as I did the Fluxtone speaker. But about the time I was ready to pop for one of those, I started using modelers and relying on tube amps far less. These days most of the tube amps have joined the attenuators in storage and the whole point of attenuators is moot.

 

[st.bede]

Never knew this existed: FluxTone Guitar Speakers

 

[st.bede]

Never knew this existed: FluxTone Guitar Speakers

Scary price... I am not saying that it is not worth it but that is some serious money.

 

[ac/dcfan87]

Because they ruin the sound of your amp.

 

[Big John]

I never got along with attenuators for home recording. Not because of the possibly of the attenuator altering the amp's tone, but because the speakers aren't getting worked. I think you lose something when the speakers aren't contributing their part to the final tone. To do that, they need to be moving air at stage volume. My solution was some homebrew iso-cabs...

 

[CCK]

If the Fluxtone speakers work as they are said to, that is just 'effing amazing!

 

[michaelinokc]

100 watts in a bedroom - why no love?

 

[AxeBuilder]

Even the most expensive attenuators cannot replicate the tone of an amp at higher volumes, for several reasons: what Big John said and because of the human ear's non-linear response.

It's not about how much you spend or how informed you are - it's about how good your ears are!

 

[JMV]

I probably play my 50 watter with Alex attenuator in the bedroom more than any of my other amps.

 

[Ed B]

I haven't met one yet that ruined the tone if my amp. I can either dial out the color using the amp or use an EQ pedal. I'm a big fan.

Currently using Carls Speaker Soak. $40. Killer tone from my 35 watt Phaez at TV levels. It's a late night necessity for me.

Edit: Just noticed the comments about recording. I would skip it for recording.

 

[st.bede]

Yes, they lose some tone but unless I am recording I would rather keep some hearing and be able to be liked by my bandmates.

To get great tone from a low wattage amp at a low volume, you have to be at a wattage rate that makes it a very limited amp.

My ears are well trained to understand frequency range. Loud volumes could have a serious impact on their ability to utilize such training.

Tone perfection as an ideal that is contextual.

 

[Jakeislove]

I love how it sounds when air is really movin' and groovin' but should look at attenuation options.

 

[st.bede]

I never got along with attenuators for home recording. Not because of the possibly of the attenuator altering the amp's tone, but because the speakers aren't getting worked. I think you lose something when the speakers aren't contributing their part to the final tone. To do that, they need to be moving air at stage volume. My solution was some homebrew iso-cabs...

Sweet... how does the mic respond or become colored? I always wanted one of those. Of course a special built amp room would be best. One can always dream.

 

[Big John]

...how does the mic respond or become colored?...

Fine...no artificial colors or sweeteners added.

 

[ac/dcfan87]

The speakers moving is a big part of the equation that many ppl ignore and it be actually so the most vital in producing good tone. That is why attenuators suck your tone out. When the power tubes are overdriving the speakers are getting push and the result is a thicker harmonically rich tone. When you take the speaker movement down too low it's not going to sound the same. Amps are not meant to be choked down. You're fighting a losing battle. Physics always wins. It can't be beaten. Just like gravity. Gravity is always pulling us down and eventually were going to end up in the ground and gravity wins out.

The speaker is as much a part of the tone as your amp, your guitar, your strings, your pickups,and your fingers. That is why I love studying amps and tone so much because there are so many variables. It's a sum of the parts. You can't just extrapolate one piece and ignore something else and expect to get the same result. It's an exercise in futility I'm sorry.

 

[tenchijin2]

Think about this regarding the Fletcher Munson curve (non-linear ear response): If that were the problem, then listening to recordings would also have to be done at very high volume. The fact that we can detect great guitar tone at listenable levels on recordings means that the tone is not dependent on listening volume, at least.
It's not a matter of how good your ears are, it's a matter of what you find useful, appealing, or acceptable. These attenuator threads always go the same way. "Golden ears" posters always tell us how they "ruin" their tonez, and a bunch of other posters describe how they are useful and adequate, and dont' "ruin the tone." You're still left with a bunch of people on the internet offering contradictory opinions, based on whatever experiences or preconceptions they have.

 

[mudfinger]

**** the neighbors if they don't like it. I play my stage rig wherever I want.

Sure, I've met the local police that way a few times, but they've always been cool about it. You know what really pisses them off? Dumb****s who call in a police report on some dude playing guitar, that's what.

 

[JohnnyN]

I love my Palmer PDI06. Best piece of gear I ever bought...according to my wife