we've had DIY dummy load.. how about DIY Power Soak??

[MetalJonesy]

Hey guise, i've decided im gnna have to get some sort of powersoak to tame the volume levels down from my 6505. When i reamp i usually wait the neighbour is out then its business as usual! However nothing beats jamming thru the halfstack at a semi reasonable level and i was wondering if anyone has built, or knows some plans, on how to build a selectable impedance power soak? either that or a fixed impedance one which i can just modify and make other soaks if i chose.

I used to have the Marshall PB100, but sold it a few years ago back when i thought it was going to be an eternity till i got another tube head.

I dug the PB100 due to the impedances it could deal with. The THD stuff has more options to it (the deep switches etc which i dont want), but are fixed impedance which puts me straight off.

The price of these things is why i can't just go out and buy one, i have other things on my list of wants and needs, and was just wondering if there was a cheaper solution out there? Even if its not adjustable, something i can wire up to cut the power in half or something would do!

So yeah, anyone??

 

[digitaldeath]

Hey guise, i've decided im gnna have to get some sort of powersoak to tame the volume levels down from my 6505. When i reamp i usually wait the neighbour is out then its business as usual! However nothing beats jamming thru the halfstack at a semi reasonable level and i was wondering if anyone has built, or knows some plans, on how to build a selectable impedance power soak? either that or a fixed impedance one which i can just modify and make other soaks if i chose.

I used to have the Marshall PB100, but sold it a few years ago back when i thought it was going to be an eternity till i got another tube head.

I dug the PB100 due to the impedances it could deal with. The THD stuff has more options to it (the deep switches etc which i dont want), but are fixed impedance which puts me straight off.

The price of these things is why i can't just go out and buy one, i have other things on my list of wants and needs, and was just wondering if there was a cheaper solution out there? Even if its not adjustable, something i can wire up to cut the power in half or something would do!

So yeah, anyone??

Freaky, I was actually wondering the same thing! The price of a THD HotPlate is crazy! I need something much cheaper!

I actually want to use the Krank Rev Jr I got off you Mark with impulses without the need to connect it to a cab, is this possible?

 

[MetalJonesy]

Freaky, I was actually wondering the same thing! The price of a THD HotPlate is crazy! I need something much cheaper!

I actually want to use the Krank Rev Jr I got off you Mark with impulses without the need to connect it to a cab, is this possible?

Naill, Just check the dummy load tutorial stickied in this sub forum!! making the Dummy load is easy, a good place to get the power resistors from in the uk is cpc.co.uk

 

[Loren Littlejohn]

The reason the hot plate is so expensive is that it actually mimics a guitar cabs resistance (speakers are not fixed resistance). That and they have tamed the heat better than a lot of DIY I have seen.

IMO, the price is worth it.

 

[ahjteam]

is there an actual difference between then, I thought power soak and dummy load were the same thing?

 

[Norris-wf]

is there an actual difference between then, I thought power soak and dummy load were the same thing?

This was my understanding too, but I'm guessing what he wants to know is how to use the cab connected and vary output volume like a THD? Am I correct?

 

[MetalJonesy]

Yeah you're correct Sean, even if its not selectable, something that maybe has a set attenuation level of say 10 dB or 30dB etc

 

[Norris-wf]

Excellent, I get you now. Well to get the ball rolling on this one, I came across this: http://www.prowessamplifiers.com/schematics/Marshall/powerbrake.pdf

 

[Norris-wf]

It seems there is a custom inductor made for the powerbrake, so there goes that option

 

[digitaldeath]

The reason the hot plate is so expensive is that it actually mimics a guitar cabs resistance (speakers are not fixed resistance). That and they have tamed the heat better than a lot of DIY I have seen.

IMO, the price is worth it.

Can I safely run my amp into it without plugging in a cab?

 

[MetalJonesy]

Can I safely run my amp into it without plugging in a cab?

Yep id have thought so Naill, these power attenuators are also usually a load box at their lowest setting. Not sure on the THD stuff, but the marshall PB was deffo capable of that when i had one!

 

[digitaldeath]

Yep id have thought so Naill, these power attenuators are also usually a load box at their lowest setting. Not sure on the THD stuff, but the marshall PB was deffo capable of that when i had one!

That's actually pretty fuckin sweet Mark, on THD's website they mention that it must still go to a cab! Also, the THD stuff is just as expensive as buying a Harley Benton 4x12 cab off Thomann...!

 

[MetalJonesy]

aye true! haha,

Like i said im not familiar with the THD stuff, however, like i said, the PB100 has a built in load box so you don't need to plug the cab in! well i at least didnt on occasions when i had one with my JCM900

 

[digitaldeath]

aye true! haha,

Like i said im not familiar with the THD stuff, however, like i said, the PB100 has a built in load box so you don't need to plug the cab in! well i at least didnt on occasions when i had one with my JCM900

Cheapest attenuator I've seen yet!
http://www.thetubecube.com/

 

[TravisW]

Did a side-by-side with my 900 a few years back, and once you started attenuating more than about -6db, the THD sounded much more natural than the Marshall.

 

[MetalJonesy]

cheers for the info on that dude!