Top 7 | Power Attenuators | Tutorial | Lesson | Thomann

Interesting bits and pieces:
0:00 Introduction
1:22 Attenuators used today
3:20 Setup for today
4:55 Jet City Jettenuator
10:43 Palmer PDI-06
15:28 Koch LB120-II
22:32 Tube Amp Doctor Silencer
34:07 Rivera Rock Crusher Recording
40:18 Two Notes Torpedo Reload
45:24 Fryette Power Station PS2
53:28 Conclusion
54:22 Direct comparison of the attenuated sounds at stage volume

Attenuators in this episode:
Jet City | Jettenuator
Palmer | PDI-06
Koch | LB120-II
Tube Amp Doctor | Silencer
Rivera | Rock Crusher Recording
Two Notes | Torpedo Reload
Fryette | Power Station PS2

Guitar in this episode:

Amp in this episode:

Visit our blogs:

[titanreampingsofficial]

6:50 8:42 Jet City Attenuator
13:09 14:32 Palmer PDI-06
19:30 20:02 20:46 Koch LB120-II
25:39 26:16 26:48 28:38 29:00 29:29 32:30 Tube Amp Doctor Silencer
37:15 38:51 39:07 Rivera RockCrusher Recording
42:25 44:07 44:45 Two Notes Torpedo Reload
50:14 50:40 51:01 Fryette Power Station PS2

[lpel]

54:23 Real deal
54:31 Fryette
54:43 Torpedo
54:55 Riviera
55:06 TAD Silencer
55:18 Koch
55:29 Palmer
55:40 Jet City

[reddoggie]

I absolutely luv this vid! I’m a gigging musician and just need a slight attenuation. It’s like the guys said; ‘the rig I luv but everyone else hates’... This info was perfect 4 my situation. Thank you!

[bbbro]

Great demo. I understand it's a challenge to convey volume drops from a setting that is mic'd on a youtube video, so that visual dB meter is a great addition, and in knowing what the dB level is one can really hear how much the tone is affected, or not affected, at lower volumes.

For those saying: get a bedroom amp. I will speak to my case, I like to record my amps/guitars mic'd, not direct, and I have neighbors and a wife and windows, but want to record an overdriven and true Marshall sound and that is really only achieved at higher volumes, you need to drive those tubes and warm them, an attenuator allows that, most tone degradation with them comes from simply not driving a speaker cabinet that hard as they have an affect on tone as well. It's a perfect solution for folks like me that want that tone, but also wants my building to still be standing and my neighbors to not go about beheading me.

I do like that rock crusher (I do have an older Fender Showman that is 4 ohms so an RC wouldn't work on that), but the stripped down version of it, don't really need the cabinet (eq) simulator, but great if one is going all direct (I'm on an analog reel to reel set up, but could feed it directly into the board)...there's a Weber Mass 200 that is interesting me, but another great one I heard was the Aramco, really transparent, even at very low volumes, but very expensive. $800+ US dollars (680 Euro) new. A bit out of my range, and more than I paid for the amp head itself (got it used). In general, attenuators are really useful and allows one to really explore tone territory they may not have been allowed to otherwise on their amp, and for recording that's huge and pleasant at not playing full volume in a smaller home studio environment. And they're good for live settings too as clubs come in different sizes.

One thing to talk about, which the video did touch on, and it's important, is that your attenuator have enough headroom in wattage terms to handle a load from an amp in the 100 watt range. Which means that you may not want to run a 100watt load into an attenuator that says 100 watt as it may very well burn your amp pretty bad...you need more, amps will often exceed their assigned wattage output when pushed hard or dimed, no less than 150 watts on a 100 watt dimed is where I would start.

Good stuff. Thanks for the demo, helpful for sure.

[gerryjamesedwards]

"this small knob can do alot!" - Yes, that is, indeed, what she said.

[DannyBrooks]

Bought a Fryette power station 2. It does a beautiful job without coloring tone and if your are using an old Amp with no effects loop the Fryette has an effects loop if you want to add a delay. It’s expensive but it’s worth it.

[ERIKNORDLING]

Thank you! Everyone always talks about the two notes torpedo but nothing else. You guys helped me decide.

[gchampi]

Nicely done vid. For me, the star of the show was the Fryette Power Station. All my favorite amps are in the 15-20w range, and while they are fine at rehearsal, at times they are just too small for the gig. The power station is small enough to take to gigs easily, to give that needed extra volume, but it's also usable at home as a very good attenuator. WIN!

[cowbellsuperstar]

I love the fact that you don't waste time. You say the pertinent things and you have personality. Thank you‼️

[JasonHobbsGuitarist]

With headphones on the Koch sounded the best to me... cool video! Thanks for doing it guys, Cheers!

[MCHiphopotamus]

With good headphones, the Fryette stands head and shoulders above the rest. I've had never heard of it. It's insane !

[FernandoLopez-gfsr]

Distortion please. With clean sounds the attenuators sound well always.

[FrancescoLomagno]

Guys, on the TAD Silencer the bite and punch switches don't work on -16dB setting, so there was no difference when you tried pushing back high frequencies. Great demonstration however!

[motorboy]

Hans and Frans and here to pump you up!!!!

[CoenBijpost]

The palmer PDI06 is reactive. The cheapest reactive option, though to have line out or speaker sim you need to add a DI or speaker sim box. Palmer doesn’t advertise it like others do, but if you watch their video on the PDI06, they do mention it.

Btw, you guys only talked about an extreme situation, for a 15-30W amp most of these attenuators go to normal house volume.

[Troybuilt]

What a lot of people don’t realize is that cab is loaded with vintage 30s and they are 100db speakers at 1 WATT 1METER. So it would be extremely hard to ever get that below 90db unless it’s attenuating down to a 1/4 watt. A less efficient speaker at say 97 dB would get you closer to desired bedroom volume. The reality is all of these attenuators are geared toward stage volume and being able to get your amp to a pushed setting without having the sound man and your band mates hating your guts. Lol. If your looking for bedroom volume just get a smaller amp.

[Deadite]

Great video! I have the Jet City attenuator and use it with an original 1987 model marshall amp. I find it sounds best as a full load box, and then I send the line-out to a poweramp. Similar concept to the two-notes, because like you guys said....the jet city loses a bit of it's midrange punch and feel when attenuating. Overall it's a good attenuator for the cheap price, as long as you never use the XLR speaker sim out (it's absolutely terrible sounding)

[volvomaniac]

Just today I ordered an Bugera PS1 attenuator from you guys, to tame a monster 60w 4x10 Blues DeVille

[mykytapanarin]

Guys, yeah! Do a separate video for Torpedo Reload!

[alecc]

There are few reviews with db meters on display but volume is one of the main considerations when purchasing gear.. appreciated