It's 2023, is there a good reactive attenuator?

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JSett
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Re: It's 2023, is there a good reactive attenuator?

Post by JSett » Fri Feb 03, 2023 5:52 am

sal paradise wrote:
Fri Feb 03, 2023 2:50 am
Wattage is logarithmic, not linear. 5 isn’t half etc.. is it related to that?
Wattage is linear but dB is logarithmic (I believe). That's why 10x wattage doesn't always equal 10x loud.

The relationship between an amplifiers wattage and it's subsequent output in dB is a complicated relationship...factor that in with an attenuator that has a dummy speaker (often at a fixed ohms and with its own efficiency) that then interplays with the real speakers, and their ohms, efficiency and their relationship with the amp and you end up with a VERY complicated and unpredictable outcome of perceived volume.

I'm sure Tony Balls or Brad or someone can come in here and tell it all better (with numbers and stuff) and with proper education and experience on the subject as I'm just an amateur hobbyist with borrowed and flawed knowledge.
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sal paradise
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Re: It's 2023, is there a good reactive attenuator?

Post by sal paradise » Fri Feb 03, 2023 7:13 am

Ah yes, db to wattage is logarithmic. I don’t know why I’m trying to recall audio electronics knowledge my unfinished degree from 20 years ago :fp:
I have nothing to offer anybody, except my own confusion?

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Re: It's 2023, is there a good reactive attenuator?

Post by DeathJag » Fri Feb 03, 2023 7:51 am

You know, both the SPL and the Weber sounded great at actual bedroom levels. I used it with the Bassman and the clean signal and it also sounded great. I have no idea why I was reluctant to try the Weber, it is great.

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Re: It's 2023, is there a good reactive attenuator?

Post by hulakatt » Fri Feb 03, 2023 10:03 am

johnnysomersett wrote:
Thu Feb 02, 2023 6:52 pm
Every attenuator Ive used seemed to do the same...it think it's down to how ears perceive volume, rather than a logical "it's on 5, surely it should be half as loud?!" mentality.
Pretty accurate and correct
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Re: It's 2023, is there a good reactive attenuator?

Post by wooderson » Wed Feb 22, 2023 3:02 pm

The Power Station and Waza Tube Amp Expander are great in their own ways - reactive reampers, one with a guide to the reactive loads, the other you've just kind of got to figure out the Warm/Deep, Brite/Edge, Presence and Depth for yourself, the TAE has built in IRs for direct recording.

I wound up trading a TAE for a Power Station because I didn't like the Waza needing to be 'on' for the reactive load to function - I didn't want to somehow FUBAR my amp by forgetting to turn the TAE on in advance while I let the amp warm up - and didn't really use the reverb or IRs.

Bonus for the Power Station - good power amp for preamps/modelers. One day I'll find a bargain on the Hilbish Sunn Beta preamp...

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Re: It's 2023, is there a good reactive attenuator?

Post by sal paradise » Tue Feb 28, 2023 12:39 am

Not quite the right place for this, seems to make sense rather than a new thread.

Attenuator with cab sim that doesn’t need speaker connected… a little situation I’m playing with so I could take a lunchbox head to any show & be ok to use it into a cab, or direct to desk if no cabs at venue.

Any experience with two notes torpedo captor? It doesn’t need to be perfect. Just allow me to play cab-less with my head & get some sort of ok sound

Image
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Re: It's 2023, is there a good reactive attenuator?

Post by wooderson » Wed Mar 01, 2023 7:20 pm

sal paradise wrote:
Tue Feb 28, 2023 12:39 am
Not quite the right place for this, seems to make sense rather than a new thread.

Attenuator with cab sim that doesn’t need speaker connected… a little situation I’m playing with so I could take a lunchbox head to any show & be ok to use it into a cab, or direct to desk if no cabs at venue.

Any experience with two notes torpedo captor? It doesn’t need to be perfect. Just allow me to play cab-less with my head & get some sort of ok sound

Image
Playing cab-less you'll need some kind of IR loader/cab sim after the load - Torpedo makes another device with the cab sim built in or there's the Suhr Reactive Load IR.

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Re: It's 2023, is there a good reactive attenuator?

Post by sal paradise » Wed Mar 01, 2023 9:54 pm

wooderson wrote:
Wed Mar 01, 2023 7:20 pm
sal paradise wrote:
Tue Feb 28, 2023 12:39 am
Not quite the right place for this, seems to make sense rather than a new thread.

Attenuator with cab sim that doesn’t need speaker connected… a little situation I’m playing with so I could take a lunchbox head to any show & be ok to use it into a cab, or direct to desk if no cabs at venue.

Any experience with two notes torpedo captor? It doesn’t need to be perfect. Just allow me to play cab-less with my head & get some sort of ok sound

Image
Playing cab-less you'll need some kind of IR loader/cab sim after the load - Torpedo makes another device with the cab sim built in or there's the Suhr Reactive Load IR.
Oh, I thought this had a basic guitar/bass cab sim included. You can’t edit or adjust it like the captor X. The Suhr or the make things pretty expensive.

The Two Notes Cab M cab sim is cool, but you still need a cab connected when using an amp.
I have nothing to offer anybody, except my own confusion?

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Re: It's 2023, is there a good reactive attenuator?

Post by jellodog » Wed Apr 26, 2023 7:19 pm

I'm pretty happy with my Ironman II.

Of course there is a limit to how far you can go, and then of course there's our old Fletcher-Munson... but within those real world constraints it's pretty great.

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Re: It's 2023, is there a good reactive attenuator?

Post by Embenny » Wed Apr 26, 2023 7:29 pm

sal paradise wrote:
Wed Mar 01, 2023 9:54 pm
Oh, I thought this had a basic guitar/bass cab sim included. You can’t edit or adjust it like the captor X. The Suhr or the make things pretty expensive.

The Two Notes Cab M cab sim is cool, but you still need a cab connected when using an amp.
From their product FAQ:
Can I change the built-in analog cab sim?

No, the analog cab sim emulations for Guitar (based on Brit VintC DynIR cabinet with Dyn57 Microphone) and Bass (based on Fridge DynIR cabinet with Cnd87 Microphone) are preset.
So they're not IRs, but there are indeed analog guitar and bass cab sims included. No extra IR loader would be required, assuming you're happy with how it sounds.
The artist formerly known as mbene085.

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