So it’s not quite New Amp Day, it’s new Attenuator Day - which in many ways is the same thing
Over the past several months, I’ve really not been using my tube amp much as to get the sort of sounds I like from it is really quite difficult at (what my family considers) reasonable volumes, and the introduction of a new puppy has reduced the opportunities for cranking it up further.
I finally bit the bullet and bought an attenuator. You can spend a lot on these if you want to go full ‘Ox Box’, but Bugera do a relatively inexpensive passive (doesn’t need any power) device called the PS1, and I gave it a go.
Really pleased with the results - Obviously you will always miss something that moving large amounts of air gives you, that punch in the gut volume can’t really be replaced, but the sounds are there at anything down to a whisper.
I have wondered about these. I don’t have a tube amp because I was uncertain about getting them to sound more than just clean without some volume. Good to hear the amp sounds about right when attenuated. I have wondered how much of the speaker load and pushing air was important to the sound.
Undoubtedly it makes a difference, and I’m sure the way tone is perceived changes with volume, but I can get very usable fully cranked tones at any volume level which is great.
Cool your getting the tones your looking for at reasonable vol. with the big benefit being the family and fury friends are happy too.
Seems like a win, win to me.
Still think that’s a cool amp ya got there. Very nice.
Right way to go! For me it was a simpler choice, I didn’t have a Tube amp but wanted one so I got the Bugera Infinium 5W head with 1W and 0.1W options, it’s absolutely sonic bliss at 0.1W cranked to 11 , I had almost forgotten how well they responded to the controls on the guitar and picking dynamics, there is nothing else the same!