Attenuator Shootout - Weber Mass vs Badcat Unleash vs THD Hotplate

[NYC LP player]

This is the one that will make me rich and famous!!!!

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yF5ZB77aC8o[/ame]



speaker motor vs SS reamper vs resistor based




Vid Info

-- DISCLAIMER & Skip/Jump Times ----

- I am lousy at guitar...I am trying to capture tonal differences not my playing
- I am not great an micing/audio capture
- This is not the EQ I use
- Headphones are a must since differences can be subtle
- Badcat Unleash isn't "suppose" to go to 2 ohm cab
- Better results can be achieved by tuning the amp EQ and/or attenuator settings to the desired tone
- All of them are great and each has its strengths
- You will be happy with any of them
- Zima hasn't been made since the 90s and it scoops mids


Intro + Zima
Clean 1:34
Dirty 3:54


Mic'd speakers are as follows:
Sennheiser mk4 - Eminence Lil Buddy
Shure SM57 - vintage Jensen c10n

1964 Fender Super Reverb

2013 Gibson Les Paul Traditional
ECP Hallowed Ground Set




In person

- The Weber is the most natural sounding with some eq tweaks (I prefer +3db treble always on)
- The THD is the most inexpensive and only suffer with biting tones are high attenuation..some fizz present in dirty audio
- The Unleash can do so much in either direct and has a loop and at louder volumes who knows but it can suffer similar to the THD at extreme attenuation. Who knows what the new V2 will sound like which has increased transparency and a headphone jack

 

[cybermgk]

Needed an un attenuated reference/control to compare to.

But, to me the Unleash was clear winner on both. Most air to the tone, harmonics, range etc. EVEN though you had it adjusted wrong for dirty, as it was clipping (your middle light).

Clean
1. Unleash
2. Weber
3. Hot plate - seemed the deadest by far, less 3d air harmonics

Dirty
1. Unleash
2. Hotplate
3 Weber - it was deadest tone this time. less 3d air harmonics

 

[NYC LP player]

Can't do unattenuated as I live in an apartment. Wish I could and it would make the demo better.

Light is suppose to come on with heavier signal or strumming hard though I don't think played with it much as it was getting late.

Raw audio

[SC]https://soundcloud.com/nyc-lp-player/attenuator-shootout-raw-audio[/SC]

 

[SlyStrat]

Scumback Alex for the win.

 

[NYC LP player]

Scumback Alex for the win.

No Scumbacks in this vid

 

[cvonkanel]

I had a weberass for a day. Couldn't stand it. Turned my gain tone into mud

 

[NYC LP player]

I had a weberass for a day. Couldn't stand it. Turned my gain tone into mud

Weird....I'll have to try it with my Phaez. I do have to re-eq everything as going from 1.5 on the master to whatever does change the output. With the Unleash I use the preamp as my gain know and my normal volume as my saturation knob.

 

[doitforvangogh]

Dug that whole thing. I would have to agree that the Unleash sounded best, but I've heard varied results in a bazillion (yes, a BAZillion) different YT videos and usually the Weber sounds a little "better?".

Your playing is not bad at all. Don't be so hard on yourself.

 

[ryanmichael95]

The Unleash sounded the best. I am biased, as I have one.

 

[frankv]

Thanks for the video, NYC.

I have an Ho Ultimate Attenuator I really enjoy.

I've never had anything to compare it to, so I think it's terrific.

I have had that one too. (Ultimate Attenuator) it really is a fantastic unit. I have compared it to other high end Attenuators.. It's as good or better then all of them. i just didn't like that I had to plug it into power it up.

 

[Matty]

I just got a Fryette Power Station, completely transparent at any volume.

 

[NYC LP player]

One of the things to remember is my situation is unique in that I have people living above and below me. My volume is lower than you would have it if you had a bunch of buddies over to watch "the game." At these levels the speakers are seeing minimal signal so the EQ is affected.

I can truly say that any of these devices if not compared directly would make the owner happy especially if you had less volume limitations.