Question:
Greetings.
I have been around the world (literally) via the web on this, and I'm still not putting together the full picture. Seems no one has needed or wanted to do what I wish (I'm sure this isn't true).
Oh- Hi. My first post here. Looking forward to checking it all out. In Cleveland OH. Semi Pro player- on a few albums. Yadda yadda yadda...
Current amp is a modded Epi Valve JR. Pushes about 7.5w / 7.48v when dimed. But...I don't want it dimed. I like 75% for that sweet output tube distortion. But (even dimed) its not loud enough. And when backed off, its SURELY not loud enough. Don't get me wrong, its LOUD. I'm talking specifically for stage volume. So I want to (you may have seen this on AMPTONE) use it as an output tube saturation effect of sorts. I want to fully attenuate the output and send a line level signal to my 31 band EQ and power amp, which will drive my speaker cabs. This solves multiple problems. I can crank the amp and still play quietly, or turn the amp down and still play loudly. Win-Win.
This has then led me to an output tube saturation STOMP BOX, but thats another tale for another day. Might just buy the Weber MICROMass- could attenuate at home for quiet and fully load down on stage/use as dummy.
Anyone else?
Thanks.
JZ
Answer:
I'm not an expert on this but since noone else has replied, I have a few questions. Is this the valve jr combo amp or the head? Have you tried micing the amp? Maj Tom would probably be the guy to ask about the attenuation thing. You could PM him if he doesn't reply to this thread.
Welcome to the board BTW.
Answer:
One or more of the makers of power attenuators have a line level out. Check with Weber, I think they are the least expensive. You'd also have to check to see if the attenuation goes to zero on it, although if not, its lowest setting probably would not be loud enough to be an issue in a live setting.
Doing a direct out like that, you will be missing one guitar amp tone component though, the speaker's contribution. The most noticeable thing is that they have a steep drop in freq response at about 5K; without a speaker or speaker simulator the line out will sound a bit fizzy.
You could also do one of the DIY attenuators using an LPad from partsexpress.com. When you turn those all the way down, its a dummy load - no sound from the speaker. The info for that can be found on this board. There are DIY schemos out there that you can find on the web for adding a line level out to an amp, that is connected to the speaker output, they are a simple circuit - you would put that in front of the power attenuator. Better yet, you can buy units that do that, Behringer makes one, and I think H & K, they also have a cabinet simulator built in I think that's switchable on/off with maybe a couple different options (2x12, 4x12....). That should sound more realistic that just using the direct out thing with out any cabinet simulator.
If it were me, I'd probably try using the power attenuator and mic'ing it first...
Answer:
Did I call myself 'semi-pro'? Give me a break. Must have been on a highhorse when I typed that. Sorry. Anyway...
Major Tom-
Thanks for the reply and the recommendations. Jumping to paragraph 2: not missing the speaker tone. Driving the cabinet(s) with the power amp. Same as the direct output of the Valve Jr would. Just louder (or quieter, really). Output transformer gets worked by a real load (weber MASS type load or an actual speaker) and the mild to moderately driven EL84 tone gets put thru a bigger power amp. I'll still mic the cabinet like I normally would and send to FOH.
Guitar-FX-ValveJR (EL84-OT)-------Load/Speaker
\
\___Line Level-Power Amp-Speakers-mic-etc
After all of this, maybe I'm just going to buy a Weber! But I sure would like to do some DIY.
Alright. Gotta run. American Idol results are on........
(enter one of those cynical eye roller smiley faces here)
JZ
Answer:
First, welcome to the board. Me, I got one of the Major's creations and mic the amp which is the best solution I've found. With a line out, you don't pick up the characteristics of the speaker, only the preamp. Generally, I like to have the PA sound the same as what is on the amp. Of course, that's in the hands of the sound guy.