Author Topic: THD Hot Plates. I Know A Lot Of You Have Em! (Read 17254 times)

dave_mc · « **Reply #30 on:** December 06, 2005, 10:41:48 PM »

sorry to hijack the thread ( I just want to ask this now while this thread is still active), but is there any point in a hotplate for a high gain master volume amp? I've got an engl savage se coming, and any of the engls I've tried have sounded very good at low volumes, but would a hotplate really improve the tone?

I know hotplates/attenuators are primarily used for either non-master volume amps, or master volume amps that still rely heavily on power valve overdrive for their tone (like HJM's JCM800)- would it help a modern high gain tube amp?

Again, I apologise for asking this before I've even got my amp, but I figured it was handier asking now, than having to make my own thread later.

Thanks for any input!

big steve · « **Reply #31 on:** December 06, 2005, 11:32:48 PM »

YJM? HJM?

man, just go london power style and install your own power-scaling kit :D

math2014 · « **Reply #32 on:** December 07, 2005, 01:00:04 AM »

Quote from: dave_mc

sorry to hijack the thread ( I just want to ask this now while this thread is still active), but is there any point in a hotplate for a high gain master volume amp? I've got an engl savage se coming, and any of the engls I've tried have sounded very good at low volumes, but would a hotplate really improve the tone?

I know hotplates/attenuators are primarily used for either non-master volume amps, or master volume amps that still rely heavily on power valve overdrive for their tone (like YJM's JCM800)- would it help a modern high gain tube amp?

Again, I apologise for asking this before I've even got my amp, but I figured it was handier asking now, than having to make my own thread later.

Thanks for any input!

I can tell you this man,

I got an LC30II MV amp, it doesnt sound good with poweramp overdrive imho (maybe its because its classA and 4xel84 or something).

What i can say is, that at around 2 to 2.5/10 on the MV pot, the amp starts to sing... and the hotplate is the only way to have that kind of setting with reasonable home-volume... Basically the hotplate is VERY usefull imho, in order to reach the "sweet spot" of the amp where it sounds more open, more rich etc... for that alone it was worth it.

I would suspect that something similar could be achieved with your Engl.

dave_mc · « **Reply #33 on:** December 07, 2005, 03:19:39 PM »

thanks, math! i'll look into one, depending on how satisfied i am with the tone already.

and steve, yeah, i meant HJM, i think i got my wires crossed there! :oops: