$15 amp attentuator?

006

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Jan 10, 2005
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$15 thingy

Just found it on eBay after sifting around on there. I wonder if it actually works and how it would compare to something like the uber-expensive THD Hot-Plate attentuator. And obviously this can be a DIY thing, so I'm wondering if anyone that knows their stuff would know how to make one, I've got the skills, but don't know what to use/how to put it together. :)

~006
 
Hmm, I figured this much as I did some research. Thanks though. So how could one make one using RadioShack? What materials are needed and where does everything go? I would love to make one myself to try on any of my amps. My friend had a THD Hot-Plate that I have borrowed/rented for bands to use here at the studio and it's a very useful tool, cranked ass tone at very low volumes, hehe. Saved lives of many mics here :). Plus when you must use a condensor it really shines.

~006
 
So I've gathered some info from RadioShack's online store, one 250k ohm potentiometer, and two 1/4" jacks. What wires do I need and where to the go??? Anyone care to lend their electronics savvy (EtherForBreakfast)? :)

~006
 
Wouldn't lowering the input to the poweramp change the tone in a bad way? I'm not a tube amp expert by any stretch of the imagination, the thought just came to mind...
 
true, thinking about it now mike, if you used one of them it means you'd be feeding a small signal to the poweramp, instead of the thd feeding a small signal to the speaker, depends how high you normally have the poweramp vol set i suppose, but then again like bart i dont really know, i have a tube rack setup, so i suppose i could try it by turning down the output on my preamp and cranking the poweramp
 
DSS3 said:
Same thing as having a master volume ;).

Exactly. Certainly nothing like a hotplate. Depends on the amp but it wouldn't sound much different than just turning down your post gain.....
The whole point of hotplate type devices is that you are driving the poweramp.
 
yeah, just realised it's the same thing as me cranking the input and turning down the output on my intellifex since it's between my preamp and poweramp, and that sounds kinda nasty lol. also how many people here like poweramp saturation? i've heard people say it seems to muddy up the tone
 
Running your power section hot in and of itself isn't going to be of benefit if the signal coming from the preamp is weakened with that potentiometer. The power section needs to be hit with a strong signal along with cranking the power section, which means you need a hot plate or similar device.