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Post by screenresistor on Jul 18, 2019 20:46:49 GMT -7
Kennys AirBrake is a Unicorn.
We love it but it has paved the path to new horizons.
Reactive load is the new road to all things controlled.
Get on the train or pull one its up to you!
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Post by dcarver on Jul 18, 2019 21:16:56 GMT -7
Uhh ... who's Kenny ?
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Post by purpletele on Jul 18, 2019 21:28:51 GMT -7
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Post by dcarver on Jul 18, 2019 21:49:03 GMT -7
Oh ... OK.
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Post by Maddog on Jul 19, 2019 8:28:49 GMT -7
Kennys AirBrake is a Unicorn. We love it but it has paved the path to new horizons. Reactive load is the new road to all things controlled. Get on the train or pull one its up to you! What is your point here?
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Post by John on Jul 19, 2019 9:06:12 GMT -7
I owned the reactive load model from Weber. I A/B'd it against the airbrake. Airbrake wins by a mile for my tastes.
Weber= compressed (but still sounded good) and massive volume reduction upon insertion in the chain. You couldn't take off just a little bit. Airbrake= Wonderfully percussive.
And there was a third in the test in case you were wondering:
Marshall Airbrake= Pile of sh!t. Massive change in tone. Scooped out all the mids.
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Post by lowbudget on Jul 19, 2019 9:54:59 GMT -7
PUI maybe?
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Post by Mark (Basement Enthusiast) on Jul 19, 2019 10:00:10 GMT -7
Yeah, whatever on the unicorn/dinosaur thing. I've owned the Airbrake, Brake Lite, Aracom (both Pro & DAG units), Weber MiniMASS, and Alex/Scumback attenuators. The "simple"/resistive-load Dr. Z ones work perfectly fine with his own products. Just as good--and better in most cases--than all the others I mentioned (which are also all very good).
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Post by purpletele on Jul 19, 2019 12:05:41 GMT -7
I have a Fryette Power Station VI, and it is definitely a different beast. It is a variable Reactive Load with an FX Loop and a few other things. It has been a wonderful tool for me. Currently it sits on top on my Mark Fowler High Gain Plexi Monster that I built and it works very well.
I had the Airbrake and the smaller one and I needed something different for my home playing. I haven't played the Airbrake under a live situation with a cranked amp, but it seems that is where the device shines.
The Boss Tube Amp Expander is very appealing to me, but I don't have an immediate need.
The Suhr PT-15 is also very intriguing, but I am not into to the recording and editing so much, but I don't want to miss out on the technology, I am just catching up.
BV
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Post by Chilly Gibbons (Todd T.) on Jul 19, 2019 12:18:44 GMT -7
Is this the OP’s very strange way of saying he burned up an AirBrake? Or is he moving on to reactive attenuation?
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Post by KeithA on Jul 19, 2019 12:46:36 GMT -7
Is this the OP’s very strange way of saying he burned up an AirBrake? Or is he moving on to reactive attenuation? Lol, the OP has clearly stated in the past that he likes to stir the pot when things get stale so there's that 😎 On that note, I believe the OP is saying that Ken & the Airbrake technology are a thing of the past. The new reactive load tech is where it's at. First off, the Airbrake tech goes back to the 90s. It's good tech but somebody will always try to build a better mousetrap. It does not mean that the Airbrake-style gear is bad, it just means that the newer tech may be better. That's fair. However, you also have to weigh people's needs. I'm pretty sure Doc would contend that the Airbarke, or derivative thereof, is best at knocking a few dbs off a cooking amp in a live situation. I'm sure the Airbrake nails that. I'm sure the new stuff does as well but not everyone wants to spend $800 to $1,000 on a 'new-fangled' rig that does this, maybe marginally better, with IRs, etc. Im sure the new tech may be better at taking a 100 watt monster and squishing it down to bedroom levels. I'm guilty of that at I have a Rockcrusher on a 100-watt Bogner. Works great. However, that doesn't diminish the prior tech. Hell, this is guitar gear and most of us are still married to 1950s technology. so, while I agree that the new mousetraps may be 'better', that doesn't mean that the old tech isn't still good. I have 3 attenuators and I'm not throwing those out for the new girl in town 😉
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Post by Chilly Gibbons (Todd T.) on Jul 19, 2019 13:12:22 GMT -7
Agree. I have an old TW labeled AirBrake that gets used often. Also have a RockCrusher, mini mass, Swart NightLight, and some others I built - rounding out my resistive troop. All still great devices. Also have the Power Station II that does not see much action due the fact that it needs power (has to be turned on/off) and whatnot. It also uses tubes in the attenuation circuit somehow, so there’s that as well. Sometimes simpler gets the nod, with me that’s +90% of the time.
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Post by mudman on Jul 19, 2019 15:41:03 GMT -7
I like my brake light, has its place. I’ve been using a swart nightlight for when I need super quiet. I prefer the tone of the brake light.
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Post by j4gitr (John) on Jul 19, 2019 17:27:40 GMT -7
I have an airbrake and a brakelight. The airbrake stays at home, and the brakelight is my traveling tool of preference. I'm not quick to change from what is working for me. I guess I'm just destined to pull the train. Sometimes if it ain't broke, then there's just no need to fix it.
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Post by KeithA on Jul 19, 2019 17:43:41 GMT -7
Kennys AirBrake is a Unicorn. We love it but it has paved the path to new horizons. Reactive load is the new road to all things controlled. Get on the train or pull one its up to you! Just curious, what reactive load unit do you own that got you to this place? Looks like I have two 'reactive' attenuators and didn't know until I just looked it up I have a Tone King iron Man & Rivera Rockcrusher (along with an Airbrake). The Iron Man is great but not really worlds apart from the Airbrake (I just bought it because I liked the design (transformer-coupling that allows impedance matching). The Rockcrusher I bought to handle the big amps. The Rockcrusher works good for that. However, if I just wanted to shave a few dbs off I'm sure I can't tell the difference. I do like the Rockcrusher for squeezing the big amps, though.
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Post by screenresistor on Jul 19, 2019 21:56:58 GMT -7
Hey guys
get your history straight
I'm not dissing Dr Z or Ken Fischer but the good Dr is using Kenny's old tech for the Brake Ken is dead there is no getting around that.
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Post by premiumplus (Dave) on Jul 20, 2019 4:27:58 GMT -7
Hey guys get your history straight I'm not dissing Dr Z or Ken Fischer but the good Dr is using Kenny's old tech for the Brake Ken is dead there is no getting around that. Yeah, and you use old tech every time you strap on a Stratocaster or a Les Paul and plug into a tube amp. I always appreciate your comments and respect your view, it fulfills my day. Thank you for enlightening us.
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Post by KeithA on Jul 20, 2019 4:37:01 GMT -7
Hey guys get your history straight I'm not dissing Dr Z or Ken Fischer but the good Dr is using Kenny's old tech for the Brake Ken is dead there is no getting around that.
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Post by Chilly Gibbons (Todd T.) on Jul 20, 2019 4:47:02 GMT -7
Hey guys get your history straight I'm not dissing Dr Z or Ken Fischer but the good Dr is using Kenny's old tech for the Brake Ken is dead there is no getting around that. I give up (palm to forehead)....
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Post by Mark (Basement Enthusiast) on Jul 20, 2019 7:17:11 GMT -7
Hey guys get your history straight I'm not dissing Dr Z or Ken Fischer but the good Dr is using Kenny's old tech for the Brake Ken is dead there is no getting around that. You know that Dr. Z worked WITH Ken Fischer before releasing this (and the Z-Wreck, of course), and would send Kenny cash for all the stuff that got sold, right? That's the only proper way to do things--I can't see the problem here.
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Post by "Z" Steve on Jul 20, 2019 8:14:09 GMT -7
Hey guys get your history straight I'm not dissing Dr Z or Ken Fischer but the good Dr is using Kenny's old tech for the Brake Ken is dead there is no getting around that. You know that Dr. Z worked WITH Ken Fischer before releasing this (and the Z-Wreck, of course), and would send Kenny cash for all the stuff that got sold, right? That's the only proper way to do things-- I can't see the problem here.I think I do, and it isn't re the topic.
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Post by sharkboy on Jul 20, 2019 8:23:55 GMT -7
I’ve had several attenuators dating back to the original Tom Scholz one in the 70s. I’m still very happy with the Weber ones that are reactive, though I do seem to detect some compression- but it isn’t a lot. I found that simple, resistive ones I tried were a bit gritty/trebly.
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Post by Maddog on Jul 20, 2019 11:12:26 GMT -7
Have you ever been in a crowd and thought, "Gee, I just don't think I "fit in" very well here?"
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Post by GuitarZ on Jul 20, 2019 16:12:19 GMT -7
Ah! Everything's a tool. You've got to have the right tool in your toolbox for your situation. My Airbrake is a very nice tool. I have an UA Ox. It adds some coloration in terms of speaker attenuation although the speaker simulation is fantastic. So, if I'm gigging, I'll take my toolkit with my Airbrake. It made my Maz Jr become a new amp when I connected the ole Airbrake. Rock & Roll!!!!
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