Mark IV Combo/Amp Attenuator

Hey guy`s I need some advice on amp attenuator`s.I`am only a basement player right now and love my Mark IV combo but I can`t push the tube`s without pissing off the neighbors.I have heard mixed review`s that attenuator`s do damage to amp`s over longer period`s of use and change your tone which I new(any input please).If that is true I may buy a smaller amp untill I start to gig but I love my Mark IV which I will never sell.

I use a THD Hot Plate with my MarkIV. It's a little pricy, but worth it. A real attenuator like the hot plate is EXACTLY like a speaker to your amp, so no damage is any more likely with or without one. I'd avoid those $20 volume boxes that go in the effects loop. Those are NOT attenuators and will not do what an attenuator does.

And the Hot Plate sounds great and doesn't lose any tone except at the most extreme attenuation settings. It's a great tool.

I use a THD Hotplate with my mark IV 100% of the time I use it.
No problems so far ( this is going on for over a year now and it's an "A" version)

I'm thinking about getting a Weber MASS Lite for my III. The Webers have by far the best reviews anywhere, with minimal tone-suckage due to the employment of an actual speaker motor. It's also the cheapest one out there.

i've been using a Weber Mass Lite with my 60w Mark2b for about 2 years now.

i run it HARD....

and not even a peep of complaint.

Thank`s guy`s.I`am going to order a Weber this weekend.You have to work to work those tube`s for the tone I love out of my Mark Iv combo.

i like the speaker motor models, NOT the pure resistive load models.
those are like the THD hotplate, i feel that the speaker motor models feel more natural.


make sure you match (over match) the wattage.

there are several levels of attenuators available for each wattage level..
if you're not sure what to order, call or email them.


i use a 100 watter for my 60 watt boogie. i do occasionally dime the amp, so that's why, plus, never go under the wattage.

if you dime your amp all the time, YOU WILL WEAR YOUR POWER TUBES OUT faster.
plain and simple.

when they fail while being dimed, they will do what they do the same way if you were on a big stage, at full volume.




the best way to use the attenuator, is to tame your levels somewhere in the middle of your typical playing volume, and a bit quieter for more laid back gigs.

if you want to play at bedroom volume, get a new amp, with 1-5 watts max, and possible a master volume or built in wattage knob.



for a 100 watt, if you're going to run it hard (like, dimed) i'd suggest going for the 150 watt model.



http://www.tedweber.com/atten.htm