Light bulb compressor

A

amzavareei

New member
My roomies hooked a lightbulb in series between a guitar amp and the speaker. It definitely acted as a compressor. And the light gets brighter the louder the signal, and the more extreme the compression. I didn't get too into it, but it did sound pretty cool. Anyone have any experience with this?
 
The resistance of a lightbulb filament varies with current, that is probably why you got a compressed signal. However I would be a bit cautious about the effect of highly variable impedance on a power amplifier.
 
amzavareei said:
I was actually thinking about trying to implement something like this on a line level. Any suggestions?
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No poop on you AMZ, but come on!!
All your roomies did was power the lamp with the AC current that was meant for the speaker.
I would imagine that what you heard was not actually compression taking place, but the poor speaker having it's power proportionally reduced/resistance increased as the bulb was taking current....if anything.
There is no point in being anymore technical than that.
Anyways.......Kindest Regards, :)
Superspit.
 
superspit said:
No poop on you AMZ, but come on!!
All your roomies did was power the lamp with the AC current that was meant for the speaker.
I would imagine that what you heard was not actually compression taking place, but the poor speaker having it's power proportionally reduced/resistance increased as the bulb was taking current....if anything.
There is no point in being anymore technical than that.
Anyways.......Kindest Regards, :)
Superspit.
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Isn't that what a compressor is basically? The hotter the signal, the more it's attenuated.
 
amzavareei said:
Isn't that what a compressor is basically? The hotter the signal, the more it's attenuated.
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yes...technically that is a sound statement. (although it can be set to do other things).
Look AMZ, I'm going to give you some good rep, because your question is really cute and innocent, and I'm a believer in asking questions....you know....the only bad question is one that's not asked.
This is not how a comp works in reality....it's like putting an ashtray on a motorcycle...it can be done....but it's next to useless.
Kindest regards to you my friend,
Superspit.
 
How would you know it's next to useless? Have you tried it? I have, and many others have. There's something to it. An elegant simplicity, and an organic tone. And I'm glad you think it's cute and innocent. I'm really flattered.
 
amzavareei said:
How would you know it's next to useless? Have you tried it? I have, and many others have. There's something to it. An elegant simplicity, and an organic tone. And I'm glad you think it's cute and innocent. I'm really flattered.
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woah....take it easy AMZ....just trying to help you.!
You've posted a question for comment, so I am doing so.
I imagine that very few people have actually tried this in a practical sense, but some of us are into electronics AND music...so we may be able to understand the concept.
Is that reasonable amz?
Good day to you sir.
Superspit.
 
That's a trick that has been around for decades. I've known a bunch of guitarists (& played with a few) who have done it. It is basically a reactive load on the amp, so it acts as a power soak. There is probably a little compression effect happening because of the non-linearity of the amp at various load levels, but it's not really a compressor. But that's beside the point - does it sound good? That's the only thing that matters in the end.
 
DigitMus said:
That's a trick that has been around for decades. I've known a bunch of guitarists (& played with a few) who have done it. It is basically a reactive load on the amp, so it acts as a power soak. There is probably a little compression effect happening because of the non-linearity of the amp at various load levels, but it's not really a compressor. But that's beside the point - does it sound good? That's the only thing that matters in the end.
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AMZ did say at the beginning it 'sounded pretty cool.'

Probably not cutesy enough a post to earn any, I guess, but what are rep points anyway?
 
that's only been done for the last 40 yrs or so...it does give a variable impedence load to the amp so ya might want to watch it if you do it too much on a tube amp... also try using a smaller wattage bulb...
 
kojdogg said:
I saw some info on doing this to an Epiphone Valve Junior on the aptly named website: http://www.valvejunior.com/
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Great site, thanks!

robin watson said:
Probably not cutesy enough a post to earn any, I guess, but what are rep points anyway?
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Well, they're what I randomly just gave you. Basically a way for those of us who spend a lot of time in the Cave to feel superior to the rest of you.
 
Light bulbs have been used as speaker protection for quite some time. My Urei 813A monitors had little light bulbs that help stop you from blowing up the tweeters.

My buddy has some PA speakers that have the same thing in them.
 
Older community speakers used to use gas fuses to protect drivers. The cheaper Turbosoind stuff still uses something similar.
 
superspit said:
woah....take it easy AMZ....just trying to help you.!
You've posted a question for comment, so I am doing so.
I imagine that very few people have actually tried this in a practical sense, but some of us are into electronics AND music...so we may be able to understand the concept.
Is that reasonable amz?
Good day to you sir.
Superspit.
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PS....and thanx for the bad rep, really appreciated being called a "Pompous Ass"....
I'm guessing it was AMZ?.....(and I gave you good rep!!)
 
yeah, I went to a friends gig once and they brought their own PA, which they had just bought. They brought these big ass speakers up on stage and started ripping. somewhere in the third song they got really, really loud and the singer was doing some crazy shit with a vocoder, and all of a sudden the speakers momentarily lit up red! I had never seen it before but for the rest of the gig the audience was in shock and awe. partially due to the sheer energy of the music but also they were afraid the system was gonna blow!! turns out they must have been in there to protect from overload, or something.
 
the light bulb acts as a power soak. when you crank a tube amp, the sound becomes more compressed. the light bulb probably isn't doing any compressing itself but allowing the amp to do it at a lower volume. some folks over at ax84 and 18watt have mentioned doing this.
 
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