Master Volume (options for non-MV amps)

exocet

The Rock Crusher was on my list so a little concerned that the volume drops off so severly at the "least attenuated" setting - did I read that correctly I.e one click down from full volume was too quiet in a live situation? I was hoping that this one could be used live

ICBM

If your amp has two parallel speaker outputs you can achieve a smaller amount of attenuation - set the attenuator as a dummy load (marked as such, or the lowest possible setting) and plug it into the other speaker jack as a 'silent cabinet'. Depending on the ratio of impedances of the real speaker and the attenuator it will draw roughly half or two-thirds of the power, giving a 3dB or 5dB reduction. Set the amp to 4 ohms in any case other than a 16-ohm cab and a 16-ohm attenuator, when it should be 8 ohms.

(If you have a 4-ohm attenuator and a 16-ohm cab you can get a 7dB reduction, but 4-ohm attenuators are rare.)