|
Post by supernaut on Mar 17, 2013 16:16:43 GMT -7
Hello, Fellow Z'ers. LOVING my MV Monza What are any of your thoughts on swapping out (or adding?? if there is room) the attenuator in the Mini Z and having it replaced with London Power Scaling?
|
|
|
Post by limenine on Mar 17, 2013 17:03:07 GMT -7
While I can't directly answer about the power scaling, I can say that using a Swart Night Light instead of the mini's attenuator (mini set to zero) allows the volume to be dimed at TV watching levels.
Although I have never used one, I expect the bedroom level on the Dr Z airbrake would allow the same low volume fun.
|
|
|
Post by digiTED aka 'Ted' on Mar 17, 2013 17:26:59 GMT -7
I'm w/ Limenine
The Mini Z is such a direct circuit that anything changed makes a big difference (tubes, speaker, etc). My guess is that adding the circuitry for Power Scaling would change a lot about the tone and feel, not just drop the volume.
An attenuator lets your amp do its thing as god and Dr. Z intended!
I say save the money you'd spend on the London Power kit and bench time and pick up a good attenuator. I have the Z Airbrake and Swart Night Light. I love them both but for a smaller amp and TV living room volume, the Swart has an added feature that works great for super low volumes. It can add compression at its lowest output which goes a long way toward improving the feel when way down there.
|
|
|
Post by club327 (aka Ben) on Mar 18, 2013 9:41:43 GMT -7
My understanding is that London Power scaling is not supposed to change the tone per se. I have it in an Allen amp I picked up and I like it. I am not sure this will work as well in the mini because you will probably want to install the two knob version. One knob kind of changes the break-up point on the amp as it lowers volume, so they recommend that you do the second knob if you don't want this. Then you will still have to put something on the back. Does that make sense?
|
|
|
Post by muZician on Mar 18, 2013 10:48:50 GMT -7
I'm w/ Limenine The Mini Z is such a direct circuit that anything changed makes a big difference (tubes, speaker, etc). My guess is that adding the circuitry for Power Scaling would change a lot about the tone and feel, not just drop the volume. An attenuator lets your amp do its thing as god and Dr. Z intended! I say save the money you'd spend on the London Power kit and bench time and pick up a good attenuator. I have the Z Airbrake and Swart Night Light. I love them both but for a smaller amp and TV living room volume, the Swart has an added feature that works great for super low volumes. It can add compression at its lowest output which goes a long way toward improving the feel when way down there. agree 100%: the power scaling circuit will change the feel of the amp. In fact you have a MOSFET is series with the power tube: a semiconductor! do you want that? Airbrakes do the job better. IMHO
|
|
|
Post by limenine on Mar 18, 2013 16:12:38 GMT -7
I recall the Doc explaining not long ago that some amps do well with MV circuits, some like power scaling, and some like neither. IIRC he was explaining why the new Antidote has none of the above.
I have no idea where the mini falls here, but I do know the attenuators work well with it...
|
|
|
Post by muZician on Mar 19, 2013 0:19:37 GMT -7
I think that amps that have been designed for very direct and fast response, with wide dynamic range, with the perfect tone work best without any kind of internal damping circuit (MV or power scaling). Here you use an external attenuator IF you need it. Of course some of the tonal richness gets lost with an attenuator, but ONLY if you need it. Internal solutions are always there. In case of the Mini I guess that its strength is simplicity...so why complicated if simple sounds superb?
|
|
|
Post by doveman on Mar 19, 2013 17:18:48 GMT -7
I was given advice not to mess around with the VVR on my Route 66 here. It would mess up the tone. It works great! Beats an attenuator hands down ... I have a BL attenuator. It was 3X more expensive and did not work for me nearly as well. I like the tone with the VVR plenty ... nothing lost.
|
|
|
Post by supernaut on Mar 21, 2013 19:24:58 GMT -7
Doveman:
I checked out your video. I LIKED IT. COOL too that you play with your son's band! I'm thinking about getting a Laney Lionheart Power Scaled. It's a 5 watter. I want power tube distortion in the bedroom. Opinion, please?
|
|
|
Post by doveman on Mar 22, 2013 14:30:46 GMT -7
Thanks ... my son gets better every day ... on the other hand I've stayed the same for a long time. But when I get a chance we play together. We actually played together at his wedding while his wife sang. Musician families. Maybe I can post something from the two of them on a local TV station. www.carolinanow.tv/video/entry/mike-and-rebekah-dove-performSee if that works. I guess you have cut and paste in browser but I think they did great.
|
|