Attenuators?

HoraceB

I was wondering how many use one and what recommendations/thoughts you may have.

I've got a Pan Amps PB-1 but was wondering if it's worth the extra expense of moving up to something like a Fryette Power Station?  

SunDevil

Yep :-)

I’ve used 3 types

1) Resistive (Break Lite)
2) Reactive (Rock Crusher)
3) Reactive & Re-amp (Power Station)

All will do the job and the difference between 2 & 3 are small
1 does it’s best work knocking off 3-6db
The Power Station has other toys such as acting as an FX loop

ICBM

It's probably worth mentioning (again) that the Power Station is not an attenuator - it's a dummy load and re-amp system.

They seem to be marketed in a deliberately confusing way sometimes... they can be used for the same purpose, but they don;t work in the same way at all.

ruoma

I’m selling a swart night light if interested..

KLDguitar

HoraceB said:

I was wondering how many use one and what recommendations/thoughts you may have.

I've got a Pan Amps PB-1 but was wondering if it's worth the extra expense of moving up to something like a Fryette Power Station?  

Why you want buy expensive attenuator if you have good and cheaper one? 

shaunm

KLDguitar said:

HoraceB said:

I was wondering how many use one and what recommendations/thoughts you may have.

I've got a Pan Amps PB-1 but was wondering if it's worth the extra expense of moving up to something like a Fryette Power Station?  

Why you want buy expensive attenuator if you have good and cheaper one? 

That is the question he is asking. Is there a point in spending more?

hotpickups

I use an L PAD in the back of my combo. Just as good as a brake lite IMO. Good enough for my needs I.e. Just to knock off volume etc. 

SunDevil

If your gigging, then a resistive attenuator will be fine - you can make one for about £35 (which makes the prices being charged for things like the Radial Headload fairly comical!)

Resistive designs get buzzy at high levels of attenuation, so if your a home player with a powerful amp that you want to drive, then it’s worth spending a bit more to get a reactive one or a re-amp or at least have the ability to beef up the top and the bottom of the frequency spectrum (this gets squeezed more than the mids when you attenuate)

The Power Station is an expensive one box solution based on a re-amp. At £450 (launch price) it was expensive and the price hike for the V2 (which does not really very much more) is insane

You can cheaply buy a load for the amp with a line out and then  re-amplify any line level signal with a stand alone power amp. Add a powered EQ or use a powered mixer to do both jobs and you’ll be quids in on a Power Station

zepp76

I use a Rivera Rockcrusher and it does the job admirably, I don't use it to strangle the amp (studio mode) more to just keep things at a sane level whilst driving the amp but I can attenuate down to quiet levels without suffering too much tone suck if I want to. Not the cheapest option but certainly one of the best.

clarkefan

Palmer PDI06 is 120ish second hand and works great for home attenuation. I considered making a resistive load but for not a stupid amount more I got something that works properly and hasn't burnt or blown up anything.

robgilmo

Would that work with any amp? My Peavey is loud as hell (120 watts) and to use it at home I have the pre gain at full tilt and the post gain at 2.

HoraceB

Thanks for all the replies chaps, plenty of food for thought.