Attenuating in a series effects loop - no more than a Master Volume?

jaymenon · July 2023

As per the title really - on an amp with a decent existing master volume is there any point putting an attenuating device in the effects loop - does it do any more than the Master Volume?

Nerine · July 2023

Can sometimes be useful on an amp that’s got a particularly “touchy” master volume control as you can use it to reduce the volume of the amp and therefore limit the “touchiness” of the touchy master volume.

Basically helps stop an amp going from whisper quiet to FUCKING DEAFENING in a gnats cock of volume pot travel.

Nerine · July 2023

Should add, in answer to your question it just acts like another master volume, yeah. But not in the same way an actual attenuator that would be placed between the amp and speaker would.

BillDL · July 2023

Calling @Danny1969 - The Doctor Watson Lion Tamer.

p90fool · July 2023

Depends on the amp. On an HRD the Lion Tamer lets you run the clean channel flat out which brings in a fair bit of compression and some mild distortion, presumably from the preamp/PI section.

It's obviously nothing like attenuated full power amp distortion, but it's actually nicer and a bit more natural sounding than that, which was an unexpected bonus.

I must get around to trying a volume pedal in the loop of some of my other amps just to see what happens.

viz · July 2023

p90fool said:

I must get around to trying a volume pedal in the loop of some of my other amps just to see what happens.

Or a boost pedal turned down. It’s great.

Danny1969 · July 2023

A volume pot in the loop with many amps will just lower the audio voltage before it hits the power amp, just like master volume does (assuming that's where the amp maker has put the master volume ... just before the power amp)

But it depends on the amp.
Master volume on the Fender HRD / Blues D doesn't control the clean channel so Lion Tamer very handy for those.

Some amps have non unity gain loops and reeling it back a bit before it hits the power amp changes the sound.
Some amps, like the BS HT5 sound better if you boost the volume in the loop before it hits the master volume

I have an adjustable model of Lion tamer that gets used all over the world in the loops of all kinds of amps, including a lot of SS amps. I'm not sure why it's useful in a lot of those but folk seem to find it useful.

Oh, and using something in the loop prevents the loop sockets causing problems through lack of use.

ICBM · July 2023

p90fool said:

On an HRD the Lion Tamer lets you run the clean channel flat out which brings in a fair bit of compression and some mild distortion, presumably from the preamp/PI section.

From the second and third stage of the preamp - the phase inverter is after the loop. (Always, as otherwise you would need dual parallel loops!)

Grumpyrocker · July 2023

I've got a volume pot I often put in an effects loop. So many amps have terrible master volumes. (Not my Orange Supercrush though, that has a great MV).

I would often use the volume pot with my HT5 MK2, which didn't have an MV. But the volume pot also allowed me to really slam the preamp in a way I couldn't with amp's own volume controls. For example I could get a great breakup tone with the clean channel at low volume, impossible otherwise.

p90fool · July 2023

ICBM said:

p90fool said:

On an HRD the Lion Tamer lets you run the clean channel flat out which brings in a fair bit of compression and some mild distortion, presumably from the preamp/PI section.

From the second and third stage of the preamp - the phase inverter is after the loop. (Always, as otherwise you would need dual parallel loops!)

Haha, good point!

Howdy, Stranger!

Categories

In this Discussion

Become a Subscriber!

Attenuating in a series effects loop - no more than a Master Volume?

Comments