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Airbrake?
May 3, 2013 21:30:32 GMT -7
via mobile
Post by JoeMo' on May 3, 2013 21:30:32 GMT -7
I'm really digging my antidote, but once again, I'd like to push it harder at gigs without blowing the roof off. I've got a couple of ideas and would like some input.
I've owned a brake lite or 2 and while they do their job, they did something to an amp that just didn't jive with me. They seem to take touch sensitivity away after the first couple clicks and squash the tone a little. It just didn't sound natural to me.
The one amp that I thought sounded the most like itself with a brake lite was the remedy. I didn't get weird vibe with that amp. It made me wonder if different amps react differently with attenuation. So now I'm interested in trying it out again to see if the antidote and attenuation work for me.
My questions. #1. Airbrake or Brake lite? Is there a big difference other than the bedroom switch (which i don't need)? Since the Antidote is right at peak for the the brake lite would it be wise to go up to the Airbrake for more power handling?
#2. I have heard that attenuators can be hard on amplifiers and the output transformer. Thoughts?
The antidote, when pushed to overdrive sounds WAY too good to be used as a pedal platform. That's why I'm asking all of this. Don't get me wrong the cleans are fantastic and she takes the pedals great. But I dream of the day I can plug straight in and rock!
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Post by jammergreg on May 4, 2013 8:41:19 GMT -7
Great question ! Me too? I only used the BL. If it's hard on the amp I'll Stop !!!!!!!
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Post by DRZ on May 4, 2013 9:04:29 GMT -7
Guy's I'm going to do some extensive testing with the Antidote and the Stand Alone Brake Lite. I'll report back my findings.
Z
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Post by JoeMo' on May 4, 2013 9:26:58 GMT -7
Guy's I'm going to do some extensive testing with the Antidote and the Stand Alone Brake Lite. I'll report back my findings. Z Mr. Z you the MAN! Look forward to a report. Thank you.
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Post by jammergreg on May 4, 2013 10:10:55 GMT -7
Guy's I'm going to do some extensive testing with the Antidote and the Stand Alone Brake Lite. I'll report back my findings. Z Great Dr Z ! That is the BL I have. It feels warm after a 3 hour set, but that's it soaking up power?
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Post by Pete aka shouldb on May 4, 2013 10:56:20 GMT -7
Guy's I'm going to do some extensive testing with the Antidote and the Stand Alone Brake Lite. I'll report back my findings. Z Great Dr Z ! That is the BL I have. It feels warm after a 3 hour set, but that's it soaking up power? It'll feel warm all right - mine do/did no matter what amp used. The issue is how hard, if at all, it is on the amp's transformers I guess..........
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Post by DRZ on May 4, 2013 12:31:31 GMT -7
It feels warm after a 3 hour set, but that's it soaking up power? Yes the BL converts the wattage and sound from amp to heat, in simple terms. The BL inclosure is made of Aliuminum and acts like a heat sink. It wicks the heat from the internal componants, and the case radiates the heat out of the unit. DR.Z
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Post by jammergreg on May 4, 2013 22:17:10 GMT -7
Yes the BL converts the wattage and sound from amp to heat, in simple terms. The BL inclosure is made of Aliuminum and acts like a heat sink. It wicks the heat from the internal componants, and the case radiates the heat out of the unit. DR.Z What Dr.Z said.....I bet because it's between the output and speaker ( I'm not electronics guy just guessing) , not hurting the amp....but my BL is rated right at the 45 watt limit w/ the Dote'
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Post by markT on May 5, 2013 6:32:29 GMT -7
I have always preferred the AirBrake to the BrakeLite for flexibility. Sounds great with the Antidote.
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Post by doctorice on May 5, 2013 11:24:36 GMT -7
BL has worked well with the Antidote so far. Only home use, though, to date. Sounds better on 2 than on 4, but even on 4 it's not as squished sounding as, say, the Ghia or Z-28 running into the BL on 4.
I too will await Dr Z's findings.
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Post by mtlrecords on May 5, 2013 13:53:12 GMT -7
I love Dr. Z gear and have purchased lots of it the last few years. That said, I'm currently using a Bad Cat Leash for this purpose. I like the continuous variable control, the fan and the ohm selector on the Leash.
I tried an Air Brake and a SA Brake Lite at Mass Street Music (100 watt Bogner & 40 watt Germino) and found the BL didn't bring things down enough for me and the highest settings on the Air Brake altered my perception of the semi-dirty tone enough that I stuck with the Leash. Also, 3-4 years ago I used an AB w/ a Marshall 100 watt with positive results, although I preferred the tone dirtier when using it.
If you're running the Antidote very dirty, then I imagine either Z attenuator will serve you well. If you need variable control all the way down to nothing, a cooling fan (for 3-hour gigs where heat is a possible issue) and an ohm selector (4-8-16)- I recommend the leash.
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Post by jammergreg on May 5, 2013 15:10:23 GMT -7
BL has worked well with the Antidote so far. Only home use, though, to date. Sounds better on 2 than on 4, but even on 4 it's not as squished sounding as, say, the Ghia or Z-28 running into the BL on 4. I too will await Dr Z's findings. I noticed that too. Antidote w/BL is much better than the Z28 or Rem on 3 or 4 clicks.
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Post by jammergreg on May 5, 2013 15:15:15 GMT -7
I love Dr. Z gear and have purchased lots of it the last few years. That said, I'm currently using a Bad Cat Leash for this purpose. I like the continuous variable control, the fan and the ohm selector on the Leash. I tried an Air Brake and a SA Brake Lite at Mass Street Music (100 watt Bogner & 40 watt Germino) and found the BL didn't bring things down enough for me and the highest settings on the Air Brake altered my perception of the semi-dirty tone enough that I stuck with the Leash. Also, 3-4 years ago I used an AB w/ a Marshall 100 watt with positive results, although I preferred the tone dirtier when using it. If you're running the Antidote very dirty, then I imagine either Z attenuator will serve you well. If you need variable control all the way down to nothing, a cooling fan (for 3-hour gigs where heat is a possible issue) and an ohm selector (4-8-16)- I recommend the leash. The Leash sounds cool. It could bring the Dote' up to 100 watts, OMG! No ! just for going Down for me. When I saw it for the first time I said, that will be GREAT if it works. Sounds like it's working for your.
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Post by DRZ on May 7, 2013 15:16:02 GMT -7
Guy's I'm going to do some extensive testing with the Antidote and the Stand Alone Brake Lite. I'll report back my findings. Z OK two days of extensive testing of a Antidote head, Brake lite Stand Alone, 8 ohm speaker load, and a white noise generator. Amp and BL worked and stood up fine. After 3 hours of White noise BL at pos. 4 , and amp at 3/4 Volume the BL was warm but not HOT, the Amp was not hot at all, just slightly over room temp. My hand is still bandaged and typeing is a bit troublesome, but here's some points: 1) Makesure BL is in open area with plenty of ventalation. 2) BL is loaded with two 50 watt power componants which equal 100 watts of total disapation, so I safely rate it at slightly less then 1/2 it's max disapation. 3) I rate it at 45 watts because 90% of my products are 45 watts or less. 4) Use short heavy gauge high quality SPEAKER CABLES (ala PCNS) to interconnect Amp to BL to speaker. 5) The highest stress is when you use one click and max amp Volume, at one click one one PC is in useage at 50 watts. Not sure why you would run it this way as you could get same results from just turning the amp down . 6) As Steve states set the BL to the max setting you would use, then turn on the amp and adjust it to taste. Don't adjust amp with BL on 0 then start clicking, you will have much better results the other way. DR.Z
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Post by DRZ on May 7, 2013 15:16:23 GMT -7
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Post by jammergreg on May 7, 2013 15:37:31 GMT -7
Guy's I'm going to do some extensive testing with the Antidote and the Stand Alone Brake Lite. I'll report back my findings. Z OK two days of extensive testing of a Antidote head, Brake lite Stand Alone, 8 ohm speaker load, and a white noise generator. Amp and BL worked and stood up fine. After 3 hours of White noise BL at pos. 4 , and amp at 3/4 Volume the BL was warm but not HOT, the Amp was not hot at all, just slightly over room temp. My hand is still bandaged and typeing is a bit troublesome, but here's some points: 1) Makesure BL is in open area with plenty of ventalation. 2) BL is loaded with two 50 watt power componants which equal 100 watts of total disapation, so I safely rate it at slightly less then 1/2 it's max disapation. 3) I rate it at 45 watts because 90% of my products are 45 watts or less. 4) Use short heavy gauge high quality SPEAKER CABLES (ala PCNS) to interconnect Amp to BL to speaker. 5) The highest stress is when you use one click and max amp Volume, at one click one one PC is in useage at 50 watts. Not sure why you would run it this way as you could get same results from just turning the amp down . 6) As Steve states set the BL to the max setting you would use, then turn on the amp and adjust it to taste. Don't adjust amp with BL on 0 then start clicking, you will have much better results the other way. DR.Z Thanks Dr Z I'll try that at a Wednesday night venue.
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Airbrake?
May 7, 2013 19:10:32 GMT -7
via mobile
Post by JoeMo' on May 7, 2013 19:10:32 GMT -7
Sounds good. I may give the BL another shot. Thanks for putting in some time to answer questions! I'm not sure but I don't think you would get that from other amp makers. Thanks again.
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Post by doctorice on May 8, 2013 4:56:13 GMT -7
Thanks for the "official word", Dr. Z.
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