Final Year Project - Attenuation

[indysmith]

Hi guys, I know I've been pretty absent from the forum for quite a while and for a number of reasons, so this might seem pretty cheeky, so I apologise in advance!

I'm in my third year of uni this year (doing Sound Engineering & Production, as some of you might know), and my final year project is basically building a Marshall 18W circuit and then testing out different ways of making it quieter and thus more suitable for home practise and recording purposes as well as live performance.
As part of this project I'd really like to test out a number of different power attenuators, to see which of the circuits on the market at the moment is the best for these purposes. A clip of guitar will be recorded into a laptop and then re-amped through the amplifier firstly dry and then with varying degrees of attenuation. The attenuated clips will be compared to the original to see which maintains the most accurate frequency response under different levels of attenuation. The best attenuator will be judged as that which retains the most similar tonal characteristics over the largest volume range.
If any of you would be willing to lend or loan me your power attenuation devices for a short period of time towards the end of January for testing I would be most appreciative!
Obviously it is always risky sending out your gear to strangers on the internet, so I'd be willing to put down a deposit on the gear if you so require.
Cheers!
Indy.

[Denim n Leather]

I think that most ppl that own an attenuator can't afford to live without theirs, hence why they own one!

I would be more than happy to loan you my Hot Plate, but there are two caveats: mine is a 16-Ohm model, and I live in the US. If you're still interested, we can work something out. No d/p will be necessary.

[Oli]

Congratulations on getting this far with your course- I know myself that many people drop out of that type of subject before the end is near!

Funnily enough, my project was very similar.... only my tutor wouldn't let me include the practical element (and therefore all the analysis), so my project was theoretical, and ended up focussing on why amplifiers sound like they do, and how to capture that in a simulation.... what I really wanted to do, though, was exactly what you're doing reamping a signal through different systems to see what really goes on!

Alas, I have no attenuator, so I can't help you there, but I wish you the best of luck :)

[Will]

I will jump aboard and say congratulations / well done.
Hope all is well etc. Don't have an attenuator though :P

[Johnny Mac]

Good luck with your project. I do have one Indy but I use it every weekend. You could come down to the studio if you wanted and record it there.

[indysmith]

I think that most ppl that own an attenuator can't afford to live without theirs, hence why they own one!

I would be more than happy to loan you my Hot Plate, but there are two caveats: mine is a 16-Ohm model, and I live in the US. If you're still interested, we can work something out. No d/p will be necessary.

I think you're probably right about people not being able to live without theirs. Nobody seems that up for letting it go. I wouldn't want to trouble you sending it all the way to the UK Ben! Don't worry about it, but thanks so much anyway!

Congratulations on getting this far with your course- I know myself that many people drop out of that type of subject before the end is near!

Funnily enough, my project was very similar.... only my tutor wouldn't let me include the practical element (and therefore all the analysis), so my project was theoretical, and ended up focussing on why amplifiers sound like they do, and how to capture that in a simulation.... what I really wanted to do, though, was exactly what you're doing reamping a signal through different systems to see what really goes on!

Alas, I have no attenuator, so I can't help you there, but I wish you the best of luck :)

Haha yeah you're right, a LOT of people dropped out after the first year and a fair few at the end of the second year as well actually. I think it's the sort of course people sign up for on a whim, thinking there won't be too much science or actual academia behind. I had no idea you'd done something so similar Oli! I'd be interested to read your project if you have a copy of it? (Promise not to plagiarise!)

I will jump aboard and say congratulations / well done.
Hope all is well etc. Don't have an attenuator though :P

Hiya Will, everything is going alright-ish thanks! What're you up to?

Good luck with your project. I do have one Indy but I use it every weekend. You could come down to the studio if you wanted and record it there.

Hi Johnny- I really appreciate the offer, but I really need to test out all of the attenuators with the same equipment and in the same room, so coming down to your studio is a no-go I'm afraid. Hope you're well.