Anyone Using a HotPlate with a Mark IV?

What are your opinions of the HotPlate/Mark IV combo? I put this question here since my Mark is a 2004.


BTW, I'm running it through a vertical recto cab.

Dave

I guess it's just me then. :roll:

I've used the Rockman Power Soak with different amps and am using the Weber MiniMass with my Champ. Don't think I would ever use a tube amp without a attenuator as they sound so good cranked.

Ned

ned said:

I've used the Rockman Power Soak with different amps and am using the Weber MiniMass with my Champ. Don't think I would ever use a tube amp without a attenuator as they sound so good cranked.

Ned

Click to expand...

Wow. Id better look into one in that case!

With and attnuator, is it easier to control the volume, because at low volumes I find that its hard to set an appropriate volume, IE, the vol nob is moved a millimeter, and the volume jumps, whereas it would be good if it gave... more ranges of volume lets say.

Definately easier to control the volume. Think of them as a master volume between the amp and the speakers. The trick is balancing enough volume to move the speaker but still keeping the sound low.

If you look at some of the pics online you will see more people using them, the first rig pic on this board has 2 THD's under the speaker (stereo power amp).

The killer distortion you hear on recordings is due to the power amp distortion which you only get by cranking the volume. The attenuator lets you crank the volume/master volume to get this distortion.

This article has some clips of my Champ cranked with the MiniMass:
http://www.grailtone.com/guitar-reviews/weber-eminimass-review.html

There is a serious comparison of the THD and the Mass on HC. Universally the THD Hotplate is regard as the attenuator but when the eMiniMass was $45 you can't pass on that.

Ned

I use a HotPlate with my Nomad. The only complaint I have is that at extremely low volume, and we're talking baby sleeping in the next room volume, all the headroom is gone and you get more distortion from the amp. On the plus side, it makes it unnecessary to use any gain pedals, as that will just make everything mushy.

With the amp volume up at half, and the HotPlate at -16dbs and its level at half, there is ample clean headroom while still allowing for volume that won't bring the police.

I like the sound of this. Perhaps it will extend the marriage I will have with the f50 :idea:

Cheers.

ps, does anyone have any recordings? particularly with a mkIV?

I always thought a Hotplate would be great for the F50. Plus and EQ.

How much of a difference can an EQ make? I would imagine I would find one very useful, but I havnt tried one.

I have too many things to get now! Well, at least I can scrub the Noise reduction, since they are built into hotplates!

puppetzmaster said:

How much of a difference can an EQ make? I would imagine I would find one very useful, but I havnt tried one.

I have too many things to get now! Well, at least I can scrub the Noise reduction, since they are built into hotplates!

Click to expand...

How much difference can an EQ make? Well, I never liked the Nomad 55, which is without the 5-band graphic, but I ended up buying a Nomad 100 which has one. I used to have a DC-5 combo, so I guess I got used to the graphic EQ onboard.

A good inexpensive rackmount EQ is the dbx 130 or 215....

I'm seriously thinking of getting a hotplate to use with my F50, but just so nervous after reading the odd story about transformers being damaged.
If I could be guaranteed I wouldn't do any long term harm, I'd definately go for one.

The trick is to get a really good speaker cable at the correct gauge to go between the amp and the Hotplate. What happens is people use cheap speaker cable which ends up acting as the attenuator, instead of the Hotplate, and this causes the tranny to blow.

Also, with a Hotplate you are running your amp full out which will cause parts to wear out faster than running at a fraction of the volume setting.

Ned

what d'ya think of this bundle Ned? Decent cable ?


http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=3778716151&ssPageName=STRK:MEWA:IT

I usually make my own cables from Canare cables and connectors but I'm running 2 3 foot pieces of Monster cable between the head, hotplate and cab.

I would ask what gauge the speaker wire is.

Pretty good price as Musicians Friend has the Hot Plate for $279. Of course the difference is only $9 after shipping - MF should have free shipping.

Ned

I use a Hot Plate with my Mark IV, but only as a speaker load when I'm using the Mark IV as a preamp. I don,t like what it does to the tone when used as part of the signal chain.