Doyle Marshall Book, Attenuators

[joey]

IN The History of Marshall by Mike Doyle on page 196, Curcuit Diagrams it said "Caution due to unique output curcuit used on Marshall amps,the use of ANY "Power Attenuator" could cause Severe damage to output stage,therefor voiding the units warranty" Then they show on p. 72 the SE100 and the Power Brake PB100 and how great both are...Maybe some of you guys in the UK know...Why would they sell you some thing that blows up you amp

Standard Liability clause. They do not want to accept liability for damaged cause by a product that isn't theirs. Since use of a power attenuator has been know to put higher stress on an amplifier, and Marshall sometimes have enough problems on their own with out use of one (for a number of reasons) It would make perfect sense to not accept liability for this, and can be part of the misuse clause.

Now if it's their own product that caused damage to their own amps, things change drastically

[tsma]

The only one I saw get higher reviews was the Tone King Attenuator and just barely for the feel, but both ranking equal otherwise. Alex was almost half the price. Toneking is Transformer coupled like M erren used to talk about.

Whoa!

Never heard of the Tone King Iron Man!

But now I'm intrigued. Anybody 'round here ever try one?


-bryan

[mightymike]

Really... Suprisingly they have them on Sweetwater and Musician's Enemy now. Who ever is behind Tone King's amp designs is a genius. I found about them searching for shootouts between Attenuators. The reviews were so close with it and the Alex running neck and neck that I couldn't justify a near doubling of the price. Even so, I still almost did because IIRC is has mulitple speaker and amp impedance settings...4, 8, and 16 ohm. Years ago Chris M erren would tell me about his homemade Attenuator that was basicly a dial ( no steps) from zero to max, and I believe it was transformer coupled attenuator, and had a transformer coupled line out. . As did the line out on the Cameron load box. It's been many years, but whenever I hear transformer coupled my ears perk up.

That being said, there is a load box thread here, where guys on this forum have incorperated a TC coupled line out using a Jensen Tranny. So what I think I may try is just building that separate, and pluging that into my Alex line out. I paid extra to have a Dummy load on the Alex.

This way I will still be hundreds cheaper

[mightymike]

I was just informed me that the Alex has a Toroidal Transformer in it. So I guess that means it is transformer coupled as well. I didn't know that before.

This has me thinking about the theory of workings of the tranny in a Tone King type setup where you have switchable primaries and secondaries. Is it basicly like a PT with 3 taps (4, 8, and 16 ohm) on the secondary for the speaker outs that goes to a 3 position rotary like on a marshall OT , but then also have 3 taps on the primaries that are 4, 8, and 16 ohm, with the same kind of switch? Is this tranny enough to handle the power drop, or do you have to run power resisters in parallel or series for the load.

Am I understanding this in principle?

It would be interesting to hear what Classic Tone, Heyboer, Joey, or Larry would have to say on a tranny spec'd for a project like this.

Ps: Forgive me if this is stupid question, but could a tranny like this be spec'd to have 4, 8, and 16 ohm taps on the primaries and secondaries, and then have another tap for a transformer coupled line out for an all in one solution?

[Scumback Speakers]

Since it's NAMM, I guess an announcement is in order.

Scumback Speakers & Cabs, Inc. has bought the marketing, design, and production rights to the Alex Attenuator from Alex Ortner.

I always felt this attenuator was a solid design, with a very transparent tone when used, and I own one myself, and used it in my demo room.

When Alex decided to move on to do other things (car engine related development, I believe), I asked him what he wanted to do with the design, and we struck a deal on Scumback taking over production.

I have ordered a first production run of chassis, and the parts to build them are on order as well. I expect these will all arrive around the end of February, early March.

Upcoming enhancements will be a 2nd speaker jack standard, and a new faceplate and name for the attenuator. Beyond that, the unit works so well, I really haven't explored other upgrades or options, but I will keep an open mind on that for the future.

I do have a waiting list started for clients, feel free to email me to get on it, and I will contact you when the units are built and ready to ship. I am not going to take deposits, I will only ship them as they're available.

I am also going to run a poll on what the new name of the attenuator will be, so you creative types get your ideas together for that. I will be announcing that as well in the next couple of days.

If anyone has any questions, just email sales at scumbackspeakers.com and put Alex Attenuator in the subject line, OK?

Glad to be able to offer this fine product again.

Jim

[demonufo]

Let me know when you're ready Jimbo, and if you're willing to sell to the UK.

[neikeel]

Getting CE for Europe might be an issue, having said that very happy with my Alex, could import on a 'sample' basis?

I would be tempted to still call it the ALEX (maybe Mk II or the like) it has a name and a reputation that would be worth perpetuating.

Only thing I would have liked would be multiple output tap facility.

I suggested that ALex sold the name and product (with strict clauses to avoid making it cheap and nasty) to a firm like Behringer etc who could make zillions of them with low overheads and small (but lots of) margins for a small cut.

Should see the motors he is building tho'

[bobtec]

I have a PS Systems Power Tool that I bought as a demo in 1993 for $600.00 It works really good and has all the out puts, Line levels balanced lines 1/4 in outs and a 50 watt power amp..They only made them for a few years,Aspen Pittman and Marshall made them stop (I think) Everything is high end inside.If you go to www. EB100S.com click the upper right under power tool..Or look in a 1992-94 guitar player

[demonufo]

It's also a reamping device rather than an actual attenuator. On par with the Ultimate Attenuator.

[jape88]

I still think the Powerbrake is a good attenuator for the money, the resistor should of been bigger and I've heard the rotary dial is an open circuit between notches. The one wire mod imo does make a difference to the flubbyness.
I've had quite few attenuators and some work better with different types of amps but to date my Aracom 150 DAG is my fave, amazing build quality.

I have to say the STFU just looks like a rebadged Faustine from what I can see

[rgorke]

Great news Jim, Glad to hear his product will live on!!

[yngwie308]

I have a PS Systems Power Tool that I bought as a demo in 1993 for $600.00 It works really good and has all the out puts, Line levels balanced lines 1/4 in outs and a 50 watt power amp..They only made them for a few years,Aspen Pittman and Marshall made them stop (I think) Everything is high end inside.If you go to www. EB100S.com click the upper right under power tool..Or look in a 1992-94 guitar player

I bought one of these new back in the day. I burned up one of the heavy heat sunk resistors and had it fixed under warranty, I remember selling it as I was somewhat dissapointed I remember.
yngwie308