Tiny Terror + Attenuator?

[lean]

I've got a Tiny Terror amp, which I'm using mostly for recording hard rock/heavy/metal sounds.

I'm very happy with it, except for the fact that even though it's "only" 7/15 watts, it's still loud as hell when you turn it up. Loud enough for neighbors to get pissed and call the cops, unfortunately.

So basically, I've not been able to experiment much with the amp at very high volume settings. I usually have the gain maxed out and the master volume set to about nine or ten o'clock.

This sounds pretty great to me, but because I'm not really able to play with it at higher volumes, I wonder if I'm missing out on any "crunch" or anything else interesting that happens to the sound when the amplifier is pushed all the way.
I've considered picking up an attenuator like the Dr. Z Airbrake, but these are pretty costly to just buy on a lark.

So, any feedback? Should I just continue on or am I missing out on some nice sound by not getting an attenuator so I can play this thing cranked at bedroom volume?

[nedorama]

You're missing out - have a Brake Lite and it's great, especially for cranking up and getting that power tube breakup.

An alternative (costly as well) would be a speaker load box like the Palmer PDI-03, but it turns any amp head into a silent recording head. Record a Tiny Terror or a Dual Rectifier at searing volume levels that won't get you evicted.

[tvanveen]

I think you're missing out ( a bit ) but an attenuator won't fix it. The attenuator isn't much different from your master volume. It's different, but not what you're missing.

[jimcroisdale]

I think at some point, to get what Slipperman calls 'cone excursion' and 'cabinet involvement' you have just got to turn the volume up.

Jim

[nedorama]

Originally Posted by tvanveen

I think you're missing out ( a bit ) but an attenuator won't fix it. The attenuator isn't much different from your master volume. It's different, but not what you're missing.

Actually, they're very different.

On a solid state amp, you'd be right - master volume has no change on your tone. However on a full tube amp, turning down your master volume means that you're only really using your preamp tubes, which in a good tube amp is only part of the tonal equation.

By having an attenuator/silent load box, you can crank the master volume on the amp which gets your power tubes working, and gives you a much better tone. Whether or not that's lost on a Tiny Terror is debatable, but the difference between a master volume and an attenuator on a tube amp is not.

[nedorama]

Originally Posted by jimcroisdale

I think at some point, to get what Slipperman calls 'cone excursion' and 'cabinet involvement' you have just got to turn the volume up.

Jim

True - the best tone is usually from a mic in front of speakers being really driven and I prefer that anyday; however this isn't always practical - either from playing at home and not annoying family/neighbors, or playing live where your volume needs to be in check to not overwhelm the rest of the band and the FOH reinforcement.

[tvanveen]

Originally Posted by nedorama

Actually, they're very different.

On a solid state amp, you'd be right - master volume has no change on your tone. However on a full tube amp, turning down your master volume means that you're only really using your preamp tubes, which in a good tube amp is only part of the tonal equation.

By having an attenuator/silent load box, you can crank the master volume on the amp which gets your power tubes working, and gives you a much better tone. Whether or not that's lost on a Tiny Terror is debatable, but the difference between a master volume and an attenuator on a tube amp is not.

Thanks, I understand the difference between an attenuator and master volume. I'd still argue it's not the same thing as cranking an amp and letting it rip.

[nedorama]

Not disagreeing, but when you can't crank an amp and let it rip (ie most people in most houses/apartments), you need to figure out how to get as close to that cranked sound without getting evicted.

Reread the OP's post - his Tiny Terror is getting noise complaints, so cranking the amp is obviously not the answer for him.

[lean]

Guess not everybody understands the whole attenuator on tube amp concept.

Maybe they just have nicer neighbors.

Still would love to hear from someone who's tried this on a TT. At the moment I'm not sure if it'd be worth the cash. I'd only lay it out for "better" sound, not "different".

Ned, stuff like the Palmer sounds like a cool concept, but from samples I've heard I don't think it'd suit what I'm doing (often high-gain metal.)

[nedorama]

No problem.

Don't be too quick to dismiss the Palmer - if you've ever listened to a Joe Satriani album, all of his amps are recorded direct through the Palmer. Live, this is what Eddie Van Halen uses, Def Leppard uses, also the Stones, etc. So it can handle a wide variety of genres of sound.

[lean]

I'd definitely like to at least try out the Palmer sometime.

Any opinions on PDI-03 vs PGA-04?

Originally Posted by nedorama

No problem.

Don't be too quick to dismiss the Palmer - if you've ever listened to a Joe Satriani album, all of his amps are recorded direct through the Palmer. Live, this is what Eddie Van Halen uses, Def Leppard uses, also the Stones, etc. So it can handle a wide variety of genres of sound.

[McPhaul]

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