Pulling tubes vs. Power attenuators

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cwh1020

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What do you guys recommend? I'm getting my Randall RM100M this weekend and know that it will definately be too loud to get a good drive out of it for practice. Pull 2 tubes or get a Power attenuator? Thanks.
 
I've tried attenuators in the past. Never really liked using them. And pulling tubes doesn't really make that much difference.

Personally, I think these amps sound perfectly good at practice volume. I don't see a need for anything more than the master volume knob. YMMV :wink:
 
The best part about the MTS amps is you have a 3rd option. JJ 6V6's which will drop your wattage in half as well and sound **** good too.
 
Great! I was sort of bummed thinking I was going to need a $300 Hot Plate to get this baby to sound good at practice volume. Thanks.
 
How are you liking the amp? Did it come in yet?

One thing I love about these amps is really no need for a Hot Plate - at least not for my playing. I like to run my modules typically low in their level and boost the overall volume of the amp head/combo (whichever one I'm playing through) to get more out of the power tubes.

This option with the modules w/ their independent control takes away the need for the attenuator if you are satisfied w/ the tone you get from the above example - like I am.

Others find they like to run the module level higher to get more out of the tubes it has and run the amp power tubes high as well - in that case a Hot Plate would be ideal. By the way - has anyway tried the Weber Mass attenuators over the THD? Curious - on anyone's thoughts there.

So to each their own - I just find I don't need a Hot plate w/ this amp.
 
I think the best idea is to buy an amp that suits your typical volume level--the Mesa 20/20, etc...attenuators are harder on your output transformers than speakers; they have a static load rather than the variable load the speakers provide as the coils move.
 
First of all, in the interest of full disclosure, I've written manuals for THD Electronics, and I'm friends with Ed DeGenaro of THD. I really like the company a lot.

That said, many of the guitarists that I really admire used a Hot Plate, so I bought one (not a freebee, I payed cash money like anyone else). I have also owned a Weber Mass, tried numerous other attenuators, and of course simply used the Master Volume to turn it down.

I do think that the fact that both the Randall amps have both a Master Volume and the individual module Volume makes them far more flexible as far as getting "open" tones at less than blistering volumes. But as anyone who does serious recording will tell you, there is always a point at which the "sweet spot" starts at which you'll get the best tone--any quieter, and the tone is compromised. Sometimes it's when the amp is full up, other times its somewhere in between.

I have found that the sweet spot with my Randall RM100 starts when it's at about Noon (straight up) at the Master Volume. To get a good tone, I need at least the same openness out of the modules. Even with 6V6s or pulling tubes, that is way too loud for my small project studio.

To me, the solution is to dial the amp to the lowest volume it still sings, and then use a Hot Plate tastefully to tame those last few decibels. It also gives me a post power amp line out "tap" that I can send to a mixer or the recording interface if I want (I believe Randall's slave out is pre-power amp).

BTW--I think that's one of the great advantages of the Egnater MOD amps--the low power switch. I'm looking forward to putting 6V6's in my MOD50, and at low power, that reduces it to about 4 watts, no attenuator.

Hope that helps,
Orren
 
Orren said:
First of all, in the interest of full disclosure, I've written manuals for THD Electronics, and I'm friends with Ed DeGenaro of THD. I really like the company a lot.

That said, many of the guitarists that I really admire used a Hot Plate, so I bought one (not a freebee, I payed cash money like anyone else). I have also owned a Weber Mass, tried numerous other attenuators, and of course simply used the Master Volume to turn it down.

I do think that the fact that both the Randall amps have both a Master Volume and the individual module Volume makes them far more flexible as far as getting "open" tones at less than blistering volumes. But as anyone who does serious recording will tell you, there is always a point at which the "sweet spot" starts at which you'll get the best tone--any quieter, and the tone is compromised. Sometimes it's when the amp is full up, other times its somewhere in between.

I have found that the sweet spot with my Randall RM100 starts when it's at about Noon (straight up) at the Master Volume. To get a good tone, I need at least the same openness out of the modules. Even with 6V6s or pulling tubes, that is way too loud for my small project studio.

To me, the solution is to dial the amp to the lowest volume it still sings, and then use a Hot Plate tastefully to tame those last few decibels. It also gives me a post power amp line out "tap" that I can send to a mixer or the recording interface if I want (I believe Randall's slave out is pre-power amp).

BTW--I think that's one of the great advantages of the Egnater MOD amps--the low power switch. I'm looking forward to putting 6V6's in my MOD50, and at low power, that reduces it to about 4 watts, no attenuator.

Hope that helps,
Orren

I use 6v6's and a hotplate at the second from highest setting to get a great tone at low volume. I too keep the master volume on the RM50 at noon or higher. Works great!
 
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