Anybody use an attenuator?

[mowens]

Does anyone have any experience using an attenuator with their guitar amp?

I think my amp sounds best when played quite loud (pretty common for tube amps I think). I was thinking about trying one so I can get the sound without so much volume.

As Jimmy Pop says in The Bad Touch, I appreciate the input.

[TylerBeer]

Yep - I have a Weber mass and I've built a couple of my own. The Weber mass is great, has an actual speaker coil and giant cement mass for load in it which makes sense to me. That said, by the time that all gets set up, and at the cost of tubes - I have about as much fun playing my 15w vox pathfinder when it comes to low volume.
Part of why I like the big amp I wanted to attentuate was that 'bigness' of the volume as well.

But yeah many master volume circuits don't do a great job and your amp doesn't sound as well. that said, a well done master volume can sound 80-90% as good as a good attenuator.

[mowens]

My blues junior had a master volume but I was never satisfied with the sound.
My current deluxe reverb doesn't have one. It's only 22 watts but it gets pretty loud in my living room.

I know what you mean though. My 5 watt Champ still sounds pretty darn good. But it's hard to compare an 8 inch speaker to a 12 inch.

[TylerBeer]

Fair - Weber mass is my suggestion.

[mowens]

Thanks! I will take a look.