Attenuate me

Fiddlesticks_

Moe_Zambeek said:

If you take the attenuator out and run the amp at the real volume it breaks up at and use the fuzz, does it sound muffled?

That’s a simple test that I didn’t even think to try (mainly because I’m so conscious about turning it up). I just had another mess around and I’m getting some better results now after utilising the 3dB treble boost, who’d have thought it was there for a reason…

Moe_Zambeek

StuartMac290 said:

Moe_Zambeek said:

If you take the attenuator out and run the amp at the real volume it breaks up at and use the fuzz, does it sound muffled?

I’m not really surprised it sounds more muffled though, some fuzzes like having their hard edges smoothed out with a clipping amp but some definitely do not and the whole thing turns to mush.

But in general attenuators do odd things to amps and as mentioned above some sound better with specific amps. 

Out of interest did you ever find anything that worked well with your Matchless?

@StuartMac290 not really - nothing that was better than the master volume anyway, although that was before I was able to try an Ironman. I have a mini now which I tried with my Rift Blackhawk last week and it worked pretty well for bringing it down a tad, provided I was not totally cranking the amp. 

Conversely the Ironman works only OK with my Orange MK but does mess with the treble response a bit, and it really did not like my Audio Kitchen combover much, which became much more gainy when used with it. Bit weird!

I am in a minority who find the Matchless master volume to be good enough, although I’m also in a minority in vastly preferring the ECC83 channel.

StuartMac290

Moe_Zambeek said:

StuartMac290 said:

Moe_Zambeek said:

If you take the attenuator out and run the amp at the real volume it breaks up at and use the fuzz, does it sound muffled?

I’m not really surprised it sounds more muffled though, some fuzzes like having their hard edges smoothed out with a clipping amp but some definitely do not and the whole thing turns to mush.

But in general attenuators do odd things to amps and as mentioned above some sound better with specific amps. 

Out of interest did you ever find anything that worked well with your Matchless?

@StuartMac290 not really - nothing that was better than the master volume anyway, although that was before I was able to try an Ironman. I have a mini now which I tried with my Rift Blackhawk last week and it worked pretty well for bringing it down a tad, provided I was not totally cranking the amp. 

Conversely the Ironman works only OK with my Orange MK but does mess with the treble response a bit, and it really did not like my Audio Kitchen combover much, which became much more gainy when used with it. Bit weird!

I am in a minority who find the Matchless master volume to be good enough, although I’m also in a minority in vastly preferring the ECC83 channel.

I think they might have improved the master somewhere along the way? I got a new HC30 recently and the master is excellent. When I tried it many years ago on an early DC30 I thought it was poor, and the one on my old Bad Cat is crap.

Incidentally I popped a NOS ef86 into the new amp and five minutes later I popped the stock electro harmonix one back in. Just better all round.

soma1975

For anything under 30w the Iron Man Mini 2 is the one to beat. Best guitar-related purchase I have ever made.

Fingers657

When not using the Two Notes Torpedo Captor X My go to is the excellent passive Bugera PS1 Power Soak.
Its a great attenuator that won’t break the bank.

Fiddlesticks_

I’ve ended up returning the Minimass. I don’t think there was a problem with that attenuator, I’m just not sure attenuation was the right solution as I ended up having to take off more volume than I thought I’d need to. Perhaps one of the re-amping load boxes would work for me, but they’re generally more expensive than I’m willing to go.

I think getting my first OD pedal in years is where I’ll be going.

munckee

Generally you need to turn up the treble the more you attenuate I’ve always found. 

Fiddlesticks_

munckee said:

Generally you need to turn up the treble the more you attenuate I’ve always found. 

Turning up the treble on the amp or engaging the treble boost on the attenuator did help a bit, but the dullness imparted on the sound always lingered somehow. This was mostly noticeable when recording, which is where I really didn’t want it.

The cost of it was a big factor as well, I didn’t find having the Minimass was £150 more useful than not having it.

SimonC

Fiddlesticks_ said:

I think getting my first OD pedal in years is where I’ll be going.

Get yourself something like a Mad Professor Sweet Honey, far more useful than an attenuator with a Princeton.