Tube amp with headphones ?

[GoofyDawg]

Originally Posted by shogun

100 watts in no way means that you can't play it quiet.

Not cranked you can't. There's so much clean headroom with a 100 Watt amp, to get to where it really grinds is incredibly loud. The OP did say he was going to mainly use it in his bedroom. So to get a cranked tone, you need something that will limit the output power, and that's typically accomplished with an attenuator of some sort. I suppose you could get just pre-amp overdrive by cranking the gain, and turning the MV down, but there's really nothing like the sound of both pre-amp and power tubes driving in concert.

[mindwalker]

So if I'm to install a power soaker, it's much easier to do it with a head and cabinet as the soaker just plugs in the middle right ? No need to open a combo and fiddle inside as it'd be needed with a combo ? Cause I'm really not an electronics techie...

[GoofyDawg]

Originally Posted by mindwalker

So if I'm to install a power soaker, it's much easier to do it with a head and cabinet as the soaker just plugs in the middle right ? No need to open a combo and fiddle inside as it'd be needed with a combo ? Cause I'm really not an electronics techie...

Yes if your combo in question is closed-back (though it still can be done). But it's a pretty simple procedure with an open-back cab so long as your combo has an accessible output jack from the amp to the speaker. Most combos that I know of have this. Only thing that you'll have to get is good speaker cables.

If your speaker hooks up to your amp with a 1/4" plug, you'll have to get a speaker wire that has male/female ends to plug into the attenuator, then a regular male/male to run from the amp to the attenuator.

As far as attenuators go, there are several out there with varying prices. The best ones will run you anywhere from a few hundred dollars to several hundred. Here's a list to check out - from lowest to highest transparency quality (based upon my own and others' observations):

THD Hot Plate (don't really like this, but it's popular)
Ultimate Attenuator (~$300)
Dr. Z Airbrake ($299)
Sequis Motherload Elemental (? - UK product)
Faustine Phantom ($799)
Alex's Attenuator (~$400)
Aracom PRX150-Pro ($649)

I haven't tried out the Sequis, Faustine, or Alex's, but know of people who have, so based upon their comparisons, I've ordered them accordingly. I personally own the Aracom, and it is incredible. It uses a completely different approach to attenuation than the traditional reactive or resistive load attenuators, and not only that, unlike other attenuators, it has both input and output impedance matching, from 2 to 16 ohm.

And no, I don't work for Aracom... But I do know a great product when I use it.

[EL-CeeDee]

Originally Posted by shogun

100 watts in no way means that you can't play it quiet.

What he said

I run a multitude of different LOUD amps in a small room, with neighbours. I prefer the sound of my tube amps at low volume ( without attenuator ) over any amp's headphone out.

Ofcourse a tube will sound better if it's screaming, but practicing at low volumes still yields very useable tone most of the time. I even record at bedroom levels with 50 and 100 watt amps, it's not perfect, but very decent.

Do think about purpose, are you ONLY going to use the amp at home ? Better get the Egnater! But if you're like most of us and use 1 amp for all situations, even a 100 watt amp does the job at low levels.

also remember this: Most speakers in guitar cabs already put out 95 to 99 decibels at ONE watt ( speaker sensitivity ) at one meter.
For every doubling in power, add 3 dB. so at 64 watt that would be 115-120 dB. We percieve 10dB as a doubling in volume so 64 times the wattage only "feels" as 4 times the volume.

[lateralus819]

I have a carvin legacy and a laney GH50L and play them both at home with great results. Best thing to do is get one of these little jems. http://www.amazon.com/M-Audio-US4401.../dp/B00061ZM2Y . plug that in to your computer, run a mic to the XLR jack on the back and your set. Get a perfect low volume tone.

I also have a EQ so that allows me to bring the volume even lower, im able to run the volume lower then a tv so i can play till all hours of the time....this is all without sacrificing tone too.

To many people say tube amps can't sound good at low volumes, its crazy, you just gotta have a little knowledge lol.

I say just get the ENGL, don't let the 100w make you not get your dream amp!

[SoulofSound]

Why buy a 100 watt tube head knowing its insanely loud??

To play how you want you need a 50watt or less..

Especially if you live in a apartment or duplex.. even during the day you will have to crank it to get it humming like it is meant for.. And an attenuator is a must with a tube amp in small spaces..

[mindwalker]

I have been told some guys remove power tubes to decrease the output power of the amp without needing power attenuators ? I was also told this doesn't damage the amp (removing power tubes) although I somehow don't trust it too much

[smooth55]

If you've got an amp that uses 4 tubes, you can usually pull 2 of them (inner pair or outer pair) to half the output power. Halving the output does not equal halving the volume and this will not work with push/pull amps that only have 2 tubes in them. Refer to the amp's manual to see if the manufacturer says not to do this with that particular model, or if it says which tubes can be safely pulled to lower the output.

[racerevlon]

ROCKMAN Power Soak.... 'nuff said.