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Question re attenuator and impedance


wiggy

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I've got a Weber Mini Mass which I use to keep the noise police from the door. It's also got a headphone tap and a line out so I can crank the BC30 with impunity and also go straight into my Yamaha AW16G recorder.

 

One thing has had me wondering (and as I'm writing this it occurs to me simply to try it :- ) but I'd like your more technical opinions anyway.

 

Would I get the best effect (signal/noise ratio, etc) using the amp's 16O, 8O or 4O output with the appropriate setting on the attenuator or would it make no difference.

 

Edit - obviously this would only be when used without the speaker attached and at 100% attenuation.

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I'm with lay on this. The most you can really attenuate an amp before you really start to mangle the tone is -6 to -8db. Anything beyond that is seriously degrading to the tone. Whatever you've got at 100% attenuation isn't going to be salvaged or harmed any more by using a different tap.

 

That said, just try them all and see what you think sounds best. I can't imagine any of them sound that good, or that you'll hear much of a difference, if any at all, but you never know until you try.

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Now please correct me if I'm wrong on this but if the line out tap in the attenuator is before the dummy load then wouldn't there be no effect on tone as the amp at that point wouldn't be seeing the attenuation.

 

I've also got to say that, with 3db of treble boost switched in there seems to be very little difference in tone between 0 and 100% attenuation with the Mini Mass. Some I will agree but nowhere as much as I'd expected from what people say about attenuators.

 

In my original question though I wasn't so much thinking about tone but rather signal/Noise ratios etc e.g would you get a cleaner signal using a 4 ohm tap than say a 16 ohm tap or doesn't it make any difference?

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Now please correct me if I'm wrong on this but if the line out tap in the attenuator is before the dummy load then wouldn't there be no effect on tone as the amp at that point wouldn't be seeing the attenuation.

 

I've also got to say that' date=' with 3db of treble boost switched in there seems to be very little difference in tone between 0 and 100% attenuation with the Mini Mass. Some I will agree but nowhere as much as I'd expected from what people say about attenuators.

 

In my original question though I wasn't so much thinking about tone but rather signal/Noise ratios etc e.g would you get a cleaner signal using a 4 ohm tap than say a 16 ohm tap or doesn't it make any difference?

 

 

[/quote']

The answer to your original question: don't think anyone will be able to answer that one, just try 'em all...

 

And of course it's not as bad as what you'd expect, because it's not a normal attenuator... http://www.tedweber.com/atten.htm

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