gush
Where is that speedo pic
What can you guys tell me about hot plates or power soaks? Why dont more people use them? Do they hurt your amp? I have been curious about these things for some time.
Hot plate/ power soak
- Thread starter gush
- Start date
justmund
Plank Spanker
Using a power soak/attentuator will shorten the life of your tubes, because you're driving them harder for any given volume. People say amps sound better when you crank them, so this is obviously what people are trying to achieve, without making their ears bleed.
They're becoming more and more redundant as amp technology increases, a lot of amps these days have variable power outputs (sometimes 1 or 2, sometimes infinite) and there's also a school of thought that all you need is a master volume control that works properly.
They're becoming more and more redundant as amp technology increases, a lot of amps these days have variable power outputs (sometimes 1 or 2, sometimes infinite) and there's also a school of thought that all you need is a master volume control that works properly.
WEDGE
Zombie five, DFZ
I used a Sholz Power Soak for a long time with a 50 watt 76 Marshall JMP head that didn't have a master volume into a 4x12. I ran the volume of the head on ten and tamed the sound with the Power Soak. I am not sure if it was detrimental to the tubes or not but it sure sounded heavenly to me. I owned it for several years and never re-tubed it, and I played that thing daily. I do now think it would have likely been due for a set of tubes but it was not like I heard any tone loss then.
There are manufacturers that don't recommend power soaks, as I once had an amp whose manufacturer stated that in the manual, but I can't honestly remember which amp that was. So check your manual.
I find that a good master volume sounds as good or better. The master on my HX/DA is incredibly good.
I find that a good master volume sounds as good or better. The master on my HX/DA is incredibly good.
hippietim
Not a new user...
I like the Dr. Trainwreck attenuator clone the best. The THD stuff is good too.
Steph
New Member
LSchefman, can you say the same thing about the master volume on the 2 channel "H"? I'm asking because it is the PRS amp in my price range and I probably won't be able to try one out where I live...
Fbrandw
Mmmm singlecuts..
I run a THD 8ohm unit on my MkV, love how it allows me to really get a good saturated power amp distortion going as I find that the amp really only sounds *great* on the 90 Watt settings and without a power soak I would bloody deaf by now Shorter tube life is totally worth the tone advantages imo.
Shorter tube life is totally worth the tone advantages imo.
John Beef
Opaque
I can turn on the power on my main amp (a very loud 50 watter) but leave the standby off, and the signal still runs through the preamp and out the FX send. So, I just run the FX return back from my pedal board into a 15 watt Egnater Tweaker's FX return. It sounds really good a very low volumes - sleeping baby on the other side of the wall volumes. As soon as I discovered that, I sold off my Weber Mass which was only marginally better than turning the 50 watter down almost all the way.
