Hot Plate Anttenuator

xtremehardy388

I spelled that wrong, sorry. Anyway, how do these work? Also, can I use this with a combo amp? I'm using my Fender Roc Pro-700 combo amp as my main sound but the line out goes to a Peavey TNT 130 Bass amp. I use that as an adjustable cab to increase or enhance my low end. Also, I'm going to start using a Marshall combo for my dirty channel. If hot plates DO work with combos, will I need to buy THREE?

ianvomsaal

xtremehardy388 wrote:

I spelled that wrong, sorry. Anyway, how do these work? Also, can I use this with a combo amp? I'm using my Fender Roc Pro-700 combo amp as my main sound but the line out goes to a Peavey TNT 130 Bass amp. I use that as an adjustable cab to increase or enhance my low end. Also, I'm going to start using a Marshall combo for my dirty channel. If hot plates DO work with combos, will I need to buy THREE?

- Yeah, I think you did - it's spelled attenuator (no big deal, I do it all the time).
Attenuator's allow you to turn your amp up while absorbing most of the power generated by the amp (turning most of it into heat), but allowing a little of
that power to go to the speaker - this lets you to turn your amp up without feeling the effects associated with it (mucho hearing loss, angry club owners
and bandmates screamaing that you're too loud, etc). Now the "THD Hot Plate" also compensates for lows, mids, and highs that you either gain or loose
(it's a perception to your ears). Your ear's are more sensitive or perceptive to highs & lows with louder sounds, while they're more perceptive to mids with
quieter sounds (not so much to highs and lows with quieter sounds). I hope this answer of mine makes sense - of coarse you need to use a tube amp to
use an attenuator (solid state amp = no worky). Yeah, you can use it with a combo amp or head/cab - as long as it's a tube amp you should be fine.
- Anyhow, here you go (this will tell you all about it from THD's website): click:Hot Plate Attenuator
Cheers . . .

- Ian

xtremehardy388

ianvomsaal wrote:

- Yeah, I think you did - it's spelled attenuator (no big deal, I do it all the time).
Attenuator's allow you to turn your amp up while absorbing most of the power generated by the amp (turning most of it into heat), but allowing a little of
that power to go to the speaker - this lets you to turn your amp up without feeling the effects associated with it (mucho hearing loss, angry club owners
and bandmates screamaing that you're too loud, etc). Now the "THD Hot Plate" also compensates for lows, mids, and highs that you either gain or loose
(it's a perception to your ears). Your ear's are more sensitive or perceptive to highs & lows with louder sounds, while they're more perceptive to mids with
quieter sounds (not so much to highs and lows with quieter sounds). I hope this answer of mine makes sense - of coarse you need to use a tube amp to
use an attenuator (solid state amp = no worky). Yeah, you can use it with a combo amp or head/cab - as long as it's a tube amp you should be fine.
- Anyhow, here you go (this will tell you all about it from THD's website): click:Hot Plate Attenuator
Cheers . . .

- Ian

Will I need to get three since I'm using three different amps? Also, I have a tube hybrid, is that okay? Finally, I have my Peavey going through the Line Out already (on the fender)and sound still comes out of the Fender amp. Is this okay?

xtremehardy388

Also, I'm planning on getting this

http://cgi.ebay.com/THD-Hotplate-Hot-Plate-Attentuator-8-ohm-8ohm_W0QQitemZ230243392473QQihZ013QQcategoryZ43375QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

because my speaker says 8 Ohms. The drive is tube but the clean is not. Will this affect?


OR this...because this one is cheaper AND it seems like it'll be better for my amp since it has that touchy volume knob

http://cgi.ebay.com/GUITAR-AMP-ATTENUATOR-POWER-BRAKE-SOAK-MASS-HOT-PLATE_W0QQitemZ190214663739QQihZ009QQcategoryZ43375QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

exhausted

the roc-pro does not have a tube power amp. therefore, don't use an attentuator with it.

xtremehardy388

exhausted wrote:

the roc-pro does not have a tube power amp. therefore, don't use an attentuator with it.

It has tube drive though and there's a tube pre-amp in it.

exhausted

it's the power amp that's the issue. it's a solid state power amp which an attenuator is not designed for.

http://www.thdelectronics.com/pdf/HP%20Manual%20060405.pdf

clearly stated on the second page. even with the tube in the pre-amp, it's a no-no.


the point of an attenuator is generally to allow one to turn up a non-master volume tube amp to the point of overdrive without blowing ones ears out. or even on a really loud, clean amp, for recording or something. generally though, clean tone are clean tones, despite the amp's volume.

as i understand it, you're using the roc-pro for clean with a bass amp for extra low end. neither of which you are trying to overdrive. therefore, an attenuator, even if you could use it, isn't going to do anything for you. just set the volumes as necessary.

maybe on the marshall combo you're going to use for dirty it could be useful. provided again that's it's a tube power amp type unit. you could bring the overall volume in line with your clean channel but still get nice overdrive.

but, from the sounds of what you're working with, don't buy attenuators at this point.

xtremehardy388

exhausted wrote:

it's the power amp that's the issue. it's a solid state power amp which an attenuator is not designed for.

http://www.thdelectronics.com/pdf/HP%20Manual%20060405.pdf

clearly stated on the second page. even with the tube in the pre-amp, it's a no-no.


the point of an attenuator is generally to allow one to turn up a non-master volume tube amp to the point of overdrive without blowing ones ears out. or even on a really loud, clean amp, for recording or something. generally though, clean tone are clean tones, despite the amp's volume.

as i understand it, you're using the roc-pro for clean with a bass amp for extra low end. neither of which you are trying to overdrive. therefore, an attenuator, even if you could use it, isn't going to do anything for you. just set the volumes as necessary.

maybe on the marshall combo you're going to use for dirty it could be useful. provided again that's it's a tube power amp type unit. you could bring the overall volume in line with your clean channel but still get nice overdrive.

but, from the sounds of what you're working with, don't buy attenuators at this point.

Well there's a few hundred saved, thank you!


So now I'm set with a problem. The volume knob on my amp has very little sound and then when you get to about 1.5, the sound comes blasting through. Is there a way to fix this?

ianvomsaal

xtremehardy388 wrote:

The volume knob on my amp has very little sound and then when you get to about 1.5, the sound comes blasting through. Is there a way to fix this?

Well yeah, you could get a different amp
If you were willing to drop $250 on an attenuator I'd say put it into a better amp.
Or perhaps you might just want to get a good Volume Pedal.
I like the idea of the Visual Volume because you can physically see your level.
If you can't afford a different amp a volume pedal a good start.

Just to pound this home:
You don't want to use an attenuator with anything that it's not designed for.
As previously stated - a tube pre-amp but solid state power-amp is NO GOOD.
It's got to be TUBE, not partial tube - a tube pre-amp isn't really a tube amp, it's
a solid state amp with a pre-amp tube or two in it (that honestly don't really do much).

There was a Hot Rod DeVille for sale in your area for $450 (give em a call - it may still be):
http://kalamazoo.craigslist.org/msg/617914805.html
Marshall JCM2000 DSL 100watt head for $850:
http://kalamazoo.craigslist.org/msg/646899018.html
Or the same guy has a Crate 6212 all tube 2x12 combo $300 OBO.
Offer him like $200-$250 - I've seen them regularly in that price range.
Keep you eye on Craigslist - better than FleaBay cause it's local and you can check it out.
Also, this way if something is bad there's more you can do (retaliation) - hey they're local.

exhausted

xtremehardy388 wrote:

Well there's a few hundred saved, thank you!


So now I'm set with a problem. The volume knob on my amp has very little sound and then when you get to about 1.5, the sound comes blasting through. Is there a way to fix this?

does this amp have an effects loop? put a volume pedal in it if so.

you can change the volume pot in the amp to change the ramp but that's a hassle if you can't diy?

xtremehardy388

exhausted wrote:

does this amp have an effects loop? put a volume pedal in it if so.

you can change the volume pot in the amp to change the ramp but that's a hassle if you can't diy?

I can use a volume pedal with the effects loop? Wow, I never thought of that. I think I might try that because Even when we're playing live shows, I love driving the tone but it's just too loud for our setting. Thanks, a lot!

Is this volume pedal idea pretty much the same as an attenuator? Also, will this affect my tone?

xtremehardy388

ianvomsaal wrote:

Well yeah, you could get a different amp
If you were willing to drop $250 on an attenuator I'd say put it into a better amp.
Or perhaps you might just want to get a good Volume Pedal.
I like the idea of the Visual Volume because you can physically see your level.
If you can't afford a different amp a volume pedal a good start.

Just to pound this home:
You don't want to use an attenuator with anything that it's not designed for.
As previously stated - a tube pre-amp but solid state power-amp is NO GOOD.
It's got to be TUBE, not partial tube - a tube pre-amp isn't really a tube amp, it's
a solid state amp with a pre-amp tube or two in it (that honestly don't really do much).

There was a Hot Rod DeVille for sale in your area for $450 (give em a call - it may still be):
http://kalamazoo.craigslist.org/msg/617914805.html
Marshall JCM2000 DSL 100watt head for $850:
http://kalamazoo.craigslist.org/msg/646899018.html
Or the same guy has a Crate 6212 all tube 2x12 combo $300 OBO.
Offer him like $200-$250 - I've seen them regularly in that price range.
Keep you eye on Craigslist - better than FleaBay cause it's local and you can check it out.
Also, this way if something is bad there's more you can do (retaliation) - hey they're local.

Thanks, Ian. I'm heavy into the Roc Pro just because if it's sound though. I also like the clean channel because it doesn't get distorted after playing for a while like a tube amp usually does. That was the problem with the ones I've played before though I still want a Hot Rod Deluxe, one day.

ianvomsaal

xtremehardy388 wrote:

Is this volume pedal idea pretty much the same as an attenuator? Not at all
Also, will this affect my tone? Not to much

You may really want to read up on attenuator’s again if this seems at all confusing .
Try to remember that the Hot Plate is a tuned network of capacitors, resistors and
inductors which adjusts the overall EQ as the volume is turned down to compensate
for the human ear's frequency response (remember that the THD Hot Plate is the only
attenuator that compensates for lows, mids, and highs that you either gain or loose).

xtremehardy388

ianvomsaal wrote:

You may really want to read up on attenuator’s again if this seems at all confusing .
Try to remember that the Hot Plate is a tuned network of capacitors, resistors and
inductors which adjusts the overall EQ as the volume is turned down to compensate
for the human ear's frequency response (remember that the THD Hot Plate is the only
attenuator that compensates for lows, mids, and highs that you either gain or loose).

Yeah, I got that it compensates but I just figured it basically sucked heat power and only let a bit into the speaker. That's what I got from the article, at least. I'll check it again.

xtremehardy388

exhausted wrote:

does this amp have an effects loop? put a volume pedal in it if so.

you can change the volume pot in the amp to change the ramp but that's a hassle if you can't diy?

That volume pedal idea is AMAZING, thanks!

ianvomsaal

xtremehardy388 wrote:

That volume pedal idea is AMAZING, thanks!

Yup, a good Volume Pedal can work wonders - as I said . . .

ianvomsaal wrote:

Or perhaps you might just want to get a good Volume Pedal.
I like the idea of the Visual Volume because you can physically see your level.
If you can't afford a different amp a volume pedal a good start.

xtremehardy388

Thanks, Ian. You're always out there with good ideas to help when I'm in a jam!