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Post by mitch8686 on Mar 22, 2009 13:42:34 GMT -7
I recently purchased a Brake Lite for my RXJR and noticed that at higher levels of attenuation (3-4) the distortion gets fuzzy. This is usually when the amp is just on the edge of breakup or already has a little hair on it. Is this normal? This is my first experience with an attenuator......... I just want to make sure it's not a tube going or something. Thanks in advance for your input.
Mitch
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Post by El Gato Blackie on Mar 22, 2009 14:57:16 GMT -7
From what people have mentioned it seems normal. I just got one yesterday and settings 1 and 2 sound great but experienced the same fuzzy thing on 3 and 4.
It bugs me that those two settings are not usable.
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Post by mitch8686 on Mar 22, 2009 16:19:16 GMT -7
That's kinda what I was thinking. I wonder if it's inherent to all attenuators or just the Brake Lite and an el84 amp? Don't get me wrong, I like what it does; I just wasn't expecting this side-effect. Again, this is my first experience with an attenuator. Hmmmmm.......
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Post by benttop (Steve) on Mar 22, 2009 16:46:09 GMT -7
It's really more to do with the level of distortion you're using, combined with the change in volume. Both the Brake Lite and the Airbrake are perfect all the way down on a clean guitar, but when you introduce some distortion, some people feel it causes some fizziness. I've never had much trouble with either, but everyone listens differently. But here's the deal: You have to remember that as volume goes down, your perceptions change. Bass drops off significantly faster than treble, for example. That can mean that it sounds as if the treble got stronger. Which can explain why it may sound more fizzy. I suggest you play with the tone controls, as well as the controls you're using to get saturation. I'm betting that you'll find a combination that is more pleasing than what you're hearing right now.
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Post by "Z" Steve on Mar 22, 2009 17:00:43 GMT -7
I have an RxJr as well and I do not use the Brake Lite on it because of a thread I read here. Here is a copy of it, but it says that the Master Volume in the back functions as an attenuator more than just a Master Volume "Is the Master Volume a MV or an Attenuator? Yes Post Phase Inverter Dual Ganged Master Volume, one of the Trainwreck MV's. It does sound/ work like an Airbrake."
I have had great success in getting cranked sounds by treating the Master Volume as an attenuator - especially with the Overdose left on. Good luck, "a" Steve
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Post by mitch8686 on Mar 22, 2009 18:13:13 GMT -7
It's really more to do with the level of distortion you're using, combined with the change in volume. Both the Brake Lite and the Airbrake are perfect all the way down on a clean guitar, but when you introduce some distortion, some people feel it causes some fizziness. I've never had much trouble with either, but everyone listens differently. But here's the deal: You have to remember that as volume goes down, your perceptions change. Bass drops off significantly faster than treble, for example. That can mean that it sounds as if the treble got stronger. Which can explain why it may sound more fizzy. I suggest you play with the tone controls, as well as the controls you're using to get saturation. I'm betting that you'll find a combination that is more pleasing than what you're hearing right now. OOOOk, that explanation makes sense. So, the drop in volume (and perceived drop in the lower frequencies) unmasks some of the "fizziness" that was always there, just unheard. If that's all, then I can live with that. I just want to make sure that I don' t have a problem somewhere else in my rig. Thanks "the Steve"
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Post by dickenscpa on Mar 22, 2009 18:25:28 GMT -7
In one aspect I got a completely different scenario. I also have an EVJr that rarely even gets turned on. The EVJr gets fizzy and buzzy at around 11 o'clock on the volume knob. For grins and giggles I put the BL on it and turned the volume up to 3 o'clock and put the BL on 4. What a sweet tone that was and it removed the fizziness of the amp.
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Post by El Gato Blackie on Mar 22, 2009 19:30:48 GMT -7
I will say that for $169 it just may be worth it because the drop in dB on 1 and 2 is noticeably better for my ears and I'm using more of the amps tones.
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Post by bustertheboy on Mar 22, 2009 23:20:46 GMT -7
There's also the fact that the output transformer is affected by the load of an attenuator and this is increased as the amount of attenuation is increased- that also seems to increase the amount of distortion. Ted Weber told me this and I think he'd have a pretty good grasp of this sort of thing. Brett
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Post by mitch8686 on Mar 23, 2009 6:17:30 GMT -7
Thanks everyone for the info. It's definitely a keeper. I think it'll be handy for those master volume dimed situations when I want to knock the volume down a click or two; and for home use when I don't want all the pictures on the wall vibrating....... Thanks again for all of the insight!!
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Post by Norrin Radd on Mar 25, 2009 14:33:58 GMT -7
Cool thread! I just keep on learning the more I lurk here. What a cool place!
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Post by uncleebeneezer on Apr 30, 2009 12:22:21 GMT -7
I had never noticed this at home on levels 3-4, but last night at a gig in a very small space I did notice a slight flubby sound on level 3. When I switched to level 2 and adjusted my vols accordingly it sounded MUCH nicer. Seems like 2 is the best rehearsal/volume-sensitive gig level setting.
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