Opinions on tube amp attenuators

[Ibanez_76]

I may try that too with captor x somewhere down the line.

 

[Cirrus]

Attenuators are for babies

 

[SKU]

Those are master volume, preamp gain based amps. They might not even sound better cranked.

The thing you are after is most likely the effect of volume on our perception and there is nothing that can do that except play at louder volume.

For all amps there’s a sweet spot. While it’s true that not all amps benefit from being cranked I think most of the time that sweet spot is louder than comfortable in a regular room...

 

[6CA7-A]

Can have usefull applications in certain scenarios but if you need one everywhere you go you may not have the correct amp for your needs.
Beware of cheap vacuum tubes, attenuators & hookers in that order.

 

[laxu]

For all amps there’s a sweet spot. While it’s true that not all amps benefit from being cranked I think most of the time that sweet spot is louder than comfortable in a regular room...

The amps they are looking at will just get louder until the poweramp starts distorting at some ungodly level. The change they perceive is going to be how the sound bounces in the room and how your ears and brain processes it rather than anything the amp does.

 

[Aelred]

FWIW, I bought an Orange Rocker 15 Terror for the different options for watts (15, 7.5, 1, 0.5) and then bought a Captor X to keep it at 15.

 

[Achilles]

Just scored one of these based on lots of good chatter on forums, a couple recommendations from players I really trust, and this YT shootout.

Reactive Loadbox 8Ohm - Driftwood Amps

Shipping takes 2 weeks after payment received.

driftwoodamps.com

First thoughts @ 7:16
The Verdict @ 18:24

 

[Byrdman]

Here you go!

Simple Attenuators - Design And Testing

Background Passive attenuators are wired between the amp output and the speakers. Their function is to absorb most of the output power of the amp, feeding a smaller amount to the speaker itself. This allows the amp output stage to run at higher power, letting the glorious tone of a good valve...

www.marshallforum.com

 

[LeftyLoungeLizard]

I would either:

A. Slave the main amp using a resistive load line out into a power amp, then speaker. Use power amp to adjust overall volume

or

B. Put a reactive load on the amp, pipe the line out to DAW and use speaker iRs; use your monitors or whatever to adjust overall volume.

In both scenarios, you are essentially "bottling" the main amp tone (cranked or whatever) then passing that signal to another amp; which will now be your volume control.

However, if you have an audio interface, there's a number of killer software solutions (NeuralDSP, NAM, Nembrini, UA, Brainworx, Softube, etc).

 

[Ibanez_76]

I would either:

A. Slave the main amp using a resistive load line out into a power amp, then speaker. Use power amp to adjust overall volume

or

B. Put a reactive load on the amp, pipe the line out to DAW and use speaker iRs; use your monitors or whatever to adjust overall volume.

In both scenarios, you are essentially "bottling" the main amp tone (cranked or whatever) then passing that signal to another amp; which will now be your volume control.

However, if you have an audio interface, there's a number of killer software solutions (NeuralDSP, NAM, Nembrini, UA, Brainworx, Softube, etc).

A sounds like a way to go. Have to buy suhr reactive load as soon as next payday comes

 

[maguchi]

If you get the right size amps that will sound good in the places you're going to play at you won't need no attenuator. And get enough different size and type amps to cover diffrent situations. Nowadays they got great sounding amps all the ways from 1 watt to 100 watt. A good second amp is often cheaper than a good attenuator.

 

[Ibanez_76]

I got dsl1 and sold it. Hated it really.

 

[MirrorProfiles]

Just scored one of these based on lots of good chatter on forums, a couple recommendations from players I really trust, and this YT shootout.

Reactive Loadbox 8Ohm - Driftwood Amps

Shipping takes 2 weeks after payment received.

driftwoodamps.com

First thoughts @ 7:16
The Verdict @ 18:24

I bought one and compared to other loads here with various amps. As soon as I heard the Driftwood I knew I wouldn’t be keeping it, I find it makes amps sound way too dark (and its curve is nothing like a 4x12 cab). Felt quite nice to play though and with the right amp I think it could still make cool sounds.

 

[2dor]

I bought one and compared to other loads here with various amps. As soon as I heard the Driftwood I knew I wouldn’t be keeping it, I find it makes amps sound way too dark (and its curve is nothing like a 4x12 cab). Felt quite nice to play though and with the right amp I think it could still make cool sounds.

I had it on order as well and the moment I saw frequency response plots you did I asked for a refund (they hadn't shipped it out yet).
Funny thing is another member in the NAM Facebook group I was talking to some days before I canceled my order said he had one, A/B-ed with the React:IR and sent the Driftwood back too.

 

[Achilles]

I bought one and compared to other loads here with various amps. As soon as I heard the Driftwood I knew I wouldn’t be keeping it, I find it makes amps sound way too dark (and its curve is nothing like a 4x12 cab). Felt quite nice to play though and with the right amp I think it could still make cool sounds.

Ya, I saw your review but balanced it against a lot of others I read/saw - yours seems to be the outlier.
There's enough polar opposite opinions out there that it's worth checking it out for myself.

NEVER, EVER base a gear opinion based off a single review! ESPECIALLY in the age of YouTube vids.

 

[MirrorProfiles]

Ya, I saw your review but balanced it against a lot of others I read/saw - yours seems to be the outlier.
There's enough polar opposite opinions out there that it's worth checking it out for myself.

NEVER, EVER base a gear opinion based off a single review! ESPECIALLY in the age of YouTube vids.

Oh for sure, there’s no substitute for trying it for yourself and deciding off your own experience. I had a few friends recommend the Driftwood to me and I was convinced I would love it. Was one of those situations where I instantly didn’t like it, and just did the comparison test to validate what I was hearing.

The other thing I made sure to do was test it with several amps, and as well as comparing against other loads, also comparing against cab loads as a kind of benchmark. I’m only really looking for accuracy to a real cab with a load box, I think if you just want something that sounds cool, it could be right up your street

 

[Achilles]

I think if you just want something that sounds cool, it could be right up your street

 

[Alex Kenivel]

Insert bear eating supermodel joke here.

 

[Life Eats Life]

Attenuators are for babies

Most def.
I like to say attenuators are for toads.
Rib’bit..Rib’it..attenuate it, attenuate it = Rib’bit.
Master volumes are so good nowadays.
HOWEVER, if you’re opening up a Non-Master volume amp, it’s either no eyebrows moment on the way or you gotta choke it out.
The clean or cleaner signal coupled with weak back end break up is bullshit.
Word.

 

[PLX]

Most def.
I like to say attenuators are for toads.
Rib’bit..Rib’it..attenuate it, attenuate it = Rib’bit.
Master volumes are so good nowadays.
HOWEVER, if you’re opening up a Non-Master volume amp, it’s either no eyebrows moment on the way or you gotta choke it out.
The clean or cleaner signal coupled with weak back end break up is bullshit.
Word.