good distortion quiet

oilpit · 07-08-2008, 03:26 PM

I just got a JVM combo.
The problem is in my house, I can't exactly utilize all 100 watts.
Because of this I can't get a really good distorted tone.
Is there any way to get a good distorted tone while the amp isn't too loud?

stryker59 · 07-08-2008, 03:34 PM

yep! get an attenuator! some good ones include, thd hotplate, weber mass, dr.z airbrake, ultimate attenuator...check em out!!
heres a pic of my jvm w/ the thd hotplate:

stock_hippie · 07-08-2008, 06:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by stryker59

yep! get an attenuator! some good ones include, thd hotplate, weber mass, dr.z airbrake, ultimate attenuator...check em out!!
heres a pic of my jvm w/ the thd hotplate:

whats a hotplate...?distotion booster?

stryker59 · 07-08-2008, 08:12 PM

it is an attenuator that is inserted between the amp and the speakers. the amp sees it as a speaker load. the hot plate has different levels of db reduction....0, 4, 8, 12, and 16db reduction. what this does is allow you to crank a tube amp as loud as you want but keep the volume at sane levels. heres a link to the website:
http://www.thdelectronics.com/produc..._hotplate.html

stock_hippie · 07-08-2008, 09:07 PM

[quote=stryker59;6910]it is an attenuator that is inserted between the amp and the speakers. the amp sees it as a speaker load. the hot plate has different levels of db reduction....0, 4, 8, 12, and 16db reduction. what this does is allow you to crank a tube amp as loud as you want but keep the volume at sane levels. heres a link to the website:
THD Electronics[/QUOTETHANKS THANKS AMIGO...

enuenu · 07-09-2008, 10:19 AM

Do the JVMs have the ability to run at lower power like some other amps can? I know some Mesas can be switched down to 5 watts for bedroom use. Any Marshalls do this?

stryker59 · 07-09-2008, 10:24 AM

the jvm does not have the option to power down....they make them in 50 watt and 100 watt versions and thats what you get. there are quite a few people that say the jvm does sound good at lower volume settings and i do agree that it does however there is nothing like the sound of power tube saturation and thats why i use the hot plate!

PaoloJM · 07-09-2008, 10:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by enuenu

Do the JVMs have the ability to run at lower power like some other amps can? I know some Mesas can be switched down to 5 watts for bedroom use. Any Marshalls do this?

I'm not aware of any Marshall that has a 5Watt mode. The lowest power rating I know of is the 1974 series @ 18Watts.
Even 5 Watts is very loud for bedroom use, it's only half as loud as a 50 Watter which in turn is only just lower volume than 100 Watts.
I'd definitley recommend the Hotplate, it's excellent and definitley the way to go with a 100 Watter.

enuenu · 07-09-2008, 10:41 AM

Thanks a lot. Never heard of hotplates but sounds like a great idea that gets an even better result for bedroom strumming than a reduced power setting.

stryker59 · 07-09-2008, 11:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by enuenu

Thanks a lot. Never heard of hotplates but sounds like a great idea that gets an even better result for bedroom strumming than a reduced power setting.

yep!! heres the link to the thd hotplate website again:
THD Electronics

mike sicowitz · 07-09-2008, 02:14 PM

Hi, a great sounding guitar player ahead of his time, who was a freind and died in a car crash a few years ago, used to put his coat over his amp and I swear it sounded fantastic, it is crude and most will think it stupid, but try it once and you may find it works for you.
mike sicowitz

oilpit · 07-09-2008, 06:52 PM

That's awesome, I'm gonna get me one. It works with combos right?

THere is no section on it but does anyone have any good settings for OD1\2 on a JVM?

stryker59 · 07-09-2008, 09:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by oilpit

That's awesome, I'm gonna get me one. It works with combos right?

THere is no section on it but does anyone have any good settings for OD1\2 on a JVM?

yes it works w/ combos, just make sure you get the right impedence
as for settings for the jvm, try this place:
JVM Forum - Index

oilpit · 07-09-2008, 11:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by stryker59

yes it works w/ combos, just make sure you get the right impedence
as for settings for the jvm, try this place:
JVM Forum - Index

100 watts, which impedence?

enuenu · 07-10-2008, 06:20 PM

My mate has got a JCM 900 Mark III High Gain Master Volume head. The manual talks about an output mode switch to switch between 100W and 50W. This changes from triode to pentode whatever that means. Elsewhere in the manual it mentions a PB100 Power attenuator. Is the PB100 an "extra" bit of gear you have to buy or is the PB100 another name for the inbuilt output mode selector?

Furthermore, would an outboard "Hotplate" do a better job than the onboard output mode switch? In other words would it sound better if he ran the head at full power and used an outboard power attenuator rather than just use the output mode switch on the rear panel?

stryker59 · 07-10-2008, 10:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by oilpit

100 watts, which impedence?

the wattage and impedence are two different animals.....according to the THD website, you can use the hotplate up to 180 watts.
the impedence is determined by the ohms of the speakers and how the speakers are wired. it depends on what ohms your speakers are and how they are wired.

stryker59 · 07-10-2008, 10:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by enuenu

My mate has got a JCM 900 Mark III High Gain Master Volume head. The manual talks about an output mode switch to switch between 100W and 50W. This changes from triode to pentode whatever that means. Elsewhere in the manual it mentions a PB100 Power attenuator. Is the PB100 an "extra" bit of gear you have to buy or is the PB100 another name for the inbuilt output mode selector?

Furthermore, would an outboard "Hotplate" do a better job than the onboard output mode switch? In other words would it sound better if he ran the head at full power and used an outboard power attenuator rather than just use the output mode switch on the rear panel?

i think the pb100 is the marshall powerbrake.....imo its a peice of crap.
as for the output switch the hotplate will be great for either wattage.....itll still let you turn the amp up but keep the overdriven tube sound cuz 50 watts is still loud when cranked. i personally like the sound of the 100 watt amps over their 50 watt brethren but thats my opinion!

steelhorse · 07-11-2008, 07:54 AM

Yep, get the THD Hotplate. I have them and they work great in the home or the club.

07-08-2008, 03:26 PM	#1 (permalink)
oilpit Junior Member Join Date: May 2008 Posts: 13	good distortion quiet I just got a JVM combo. The problem is in my house, I can't exactly utilize all 100 watts. Because of this I can't get a really good distorted tone. Is there any way to get a good distorted tone while the amp isn't too loud?

07-08-2008, 03:34 PM	#2 (permalink)
stryker59 Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: staunton, va Posts: 624	Re: good distortion quiet yep! get an attenuator! some good ones include, thd hotplate, weber mass, dr.z airbrake, ultimate attenuator...check em out!! heres a pic of my jvm w/ the thd hotplate: __________________ *you've been weighed, measured, and found wanting!*

07-08-2008, 08:12 PM	#4 (permalink)
stryker59 Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: staunton, va Posts: 624	Re: good distortion quiet it is an attenuator that is inserted between the amp and the speakers. the amp sees it as a speaker load. the hot plate has different levels of db reduction....0, 4, 8, 12, and 16db reduction. what this does is allow you to crank a tube amp as loud as you want but keep the volume at sane levels. heres a link to the website: http://www.thdelectronics.com/produc..._hotplate.html __________________ *you've been weighed, measured, and found wanting!*

07-08-2008, 09:07 PM	#5 (permalink)
stock_hippie Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Posts: 266	Re: good distortion quiet [quote=stryker59;6910]it is an attenuator that is inserted between the amp and the speakers. the amp sees it as a speaker load. the hot plate has different levels of db reduction....0, 4, 8, 12, and 16db reduction. what this does is allow you to crank a tube amp as loud as you want but keep the volume at sane levels. heres a link to the website: THD Electronics[/QUOTETHANKS THANKS AMIGO...

07-09-2008, 10:19 AM	#6 (permalink)
enuenu Junior Member Join Date: Jul 2008 Posts: 11	Re: good distortion quiet Do the JVMs have the ability to run at lower power like some other amps can? I know some Mesas can be switched down to 5 watts for bedroom use. Any Marshalls do this?

07-09-2008, 10:24 AM	#7 (permalink)
stryker59 Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: staunton, va Posts: 624	Re: good distortion quiet the jvm does not have the option to power down....they make them in 50 watt and 100 watt versions and thats what you get. there are quite a few people that say the jvm does sound good at lower volume settings and i do agree that it does however there is nothing like the sound of power tube saturation and thats why i use the hot plate! __________________ *you've been weighed, measured, and found wanting!*

07-09-2008, 10:41 AM	#9 (permalink)
enuenu Junior Member Join Date: Jul 2008 Posts: 11	Re: good distortion quiet Thanks a lot. Never heard of hotplates but sounds like a great idea that gets an even better result for bedroom strumming than a reduced power setting.

07-09-2008, 02:14 PM	#11 (permalink)
mike sicowitz Member Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: wauwatosa, wisconsin Posts: 44	Re: good distortion quiet Hi, a great sounding guitar player ahead of his time, who was a freind and died in a car crash a few years ago, used to put his coat over his amp and I swear it sounded fantastic, it is crude and most will think it stupid, but try it once and you may find it works for you. mike sicowitz

07-09-2008, 06:52 PM	#12 (permalink)
oilpit Junior Member Join Date: May 2008 Posts: 13	Re: good distortion quiet That's awesome, I'm gonna get me one. It works with combos right? THere is no section on it but does anyone have any good settings for OD1\2 on a JVM?

07-10-2008, 06:20 PM	#15 (permalink)
enuenu Junior Member Join Date: Jul 2008 Posts: 11	Re: good distortion quiet My mate has got a JCM 900 Mark III High Gain Master Volume head. The manual talks about an output mode switch to switch between 100W and 50W. This changes from triode to pentode whatever that means. Elsewhere in the manual it mentions a PB100 Power attenuator. Is the PB100 an "extra" bit of gear you have to buy or is the PB100 another name for the inbuilt output mode selector? Furthermore, would an outboard "Hotplate" do a better job than the onboard output mode switch? In other words would it sound better if he ran the head at full power and used an outboard power attenuator rather than just use the output mode switch on the rear panel?

07-11-2008, 07:54 AM	#18 (permalink)
steelhorse Senior Member Join Date: May 2008 Posts: 1,512	Re: good distortion quiet Yep, get the THD Hotplate. I have them and they work great in the home or the club.

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