Anyone using one of these?

[jinker]

This looks like an interesting little thing. Seems like a logical concept. Any of you tube amp gurus want to weigh in or call bs on this thing?

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=3715354055&category=38075

 

[dragonworks]

Its a soaker, I have one factory onboard my Ampeg VL1002, works great.

 

[Ed Dixon]

They can work well, but keep in mind that they wear your amp insides more quickly. Some amps burn tubes more quickly when cranked to max.

I have a similar item and ran into problems with a small Fender amp after a few weeks of use.

Ed

 

[jinker]

They can work well, but keep in mind that they wear your amp insides more quickly. Some amps burn tubes more quickly when cranked to max.

I have a similar item and ran into problems with a small Fender amp after a few weeks of use.

Ed

I have a Laney VC-50 running at 4ohms with the 2x12 extension cab (essentially a 50w head and 4x12.) With the master volume set on 1 it's loud......on 2, it's freaking loud.....on 4, you can barely stand to be in the same room with it ( but Lord! the response, the punch, the harmonics, the feedback.....) Your point is a good one but I wonder if having my VC-50 on 4 (which, much to the chagrin of my neighbors, I do quite often) is bad for the tubes. The sound on 4 is the sweet spot on this amp (IMHO) and if could get that while lowering the decibel level a bit, that would be $20 well spent. I think I'm going to give it a whirl. I let you guys know how it works out.

thanks for the responses

 

[Major Tom]

It is nothing more than a master volume. It is not an attenuator or power soak - it is inserted in the effects loop, which is at the end of the preamp stage, right in front of the power section. It would be useful for an amp with an effects loop and no maser volume, but if your amp already has a master volume it would be redundant.

 

[jinker]

It is nothing more than a master volume. It is not an attenuator or power soak - it is inserted in the effects loop, which is at the end of the preamp stage, right in front of the power section. It would be useful for an amp with an effects loop and no maser volume, but if your amp already has a master volume it would be redundant.

That's an interesting observation. I guess I'll find out, because I just ordered one. You may be right, however, this guy had like 1500 feedbacks on ebay saying that the thing works as advertised. I can't imagine all those people have amps with no master volumes. The only negatives this guy had were for shipping issues. Not one person said the gizmo didn't work. Oh well, if you're right it was only $20........

 

[Ed Dixon]

It depends on how they are connected. The unit I had was a power soak, and connected just before the speakers. The Fender amp in question has no line in/out or preamp in/out connections.

Options for connections prior to the amp output stage are less likely to cause problems as you are driving different parts of the amp more strongly.

Ed

 

[Major Tom]

It depends on how they are connected. The unit I had was a power soak, and connected just before the speakers. The Fender amp in question has no line in/out or preamp in/out connections.

A power soak is a whole different thing.
This one on ebay states that it goes in the effects loop - that is a preamp/line level stage (very little current). A regular potentiomer is all that's needed there. A power soak needs to be able to dissapate like 50 watts - a little 2 watt pot won't work for that, it would burn up in a few seconds. Don't connect it between the amp and speaker.

If you look at schematics of amps, the insertion point of the effects loop is pretty much right before the power amp section, which is where an amp's master volume is too. Yes, it will work on a master vol. amp, but it would be redundant, and will not give a cranked amp tone at low volumes, since the power tubes won't be getting slammed with enough signal to be overdriven. It may change the tone somewhat, you might even like it better. It may possibly allow for more preamp distortion if that's what you want, but that's what it is - a master volume.

 

[Ed Dixon]

Agree completely.

When I first saw the unit referecned, I thought it was a power soak type device. The appearance sitting on top of an amp, that looked quite similar to the one I had problems with, kind of stuck in my mind.

A more careful reading of the text, and the comments from you, clearly showed it was an effect loop device. And, as you said, this is completely different.

Ed