just purchased a 400+ and the club I play is not real big in size and I was wondering is there a way to cut output power? It seems like I really cant turn it up to get the "GOOD TUBE TONES" without over powering everybody else.
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400+ ????
- Thread starter TONYTHOMAS1956
- Start date
1. Turn it up until you get the "GOOD TUBE TONES" (you will be momentarily way loud) .
2. Give your drummer a hammer.
3. While you're playing have have him reach around and smash out some of those twelve power tubes until the volume is right.
2. Give your drummer a hammer.
3. While you're playing have have him reach around and smash out some of those twelve power tubes until the volume is right.
:scowl:
THD Hot plate or something similar. kind of a pretty penny, but does exactly what you're wanting. or like someone else said, get a smaller cab or maybe a very inefficient one
Im using a single Avatar 410 neo now!!!!!!!
I havent had the need to hook both 410's together yet. But when the day comes I get a chance to use both..............
you need to get a hot plate or some other kind of brake like that. there is a mod someone posted on here to shut down pairs of tubs safely. it wasn't my cup of tea. if i ever get a tube head again, it will be a CL.
Attenuators are controversial - some say they are bad for the amp. In any case they tend to be only 100 watts or so. Maybe a 2X10? The 400+ does loud better than quiet. I owned one for years, I know the volume goes from "too low" to "skull crushing" instantly, somewhere around 2. How do you have your volumes set? You should seldom if ever need to have the Master above 5, per the instruction manual. I used to set channel 1 around 2, channel 2 around 4, and the master from 3-5. 3 was loud. I never found it to be more than slightly distorted.
Yes, here's a thread about a cathode lift mod I did on my 400+:
http://www.talkbass.com/forum/showthread.php?t=238662
I instaled 5 tube-lift switches on mine, but we discovered the safest results for the amp would be installing just one toggle switch to shut down 6 tubes and cut the amp to half power.
Note:
At 1/2 power you should use the speaker outputs labeled at 1/2 of your cabs actual ohm load... You'd use your amps 4 ohm outputs for 8 ohm cab load / 2 ohm outputs for a 4 ohm cab load.
A simple and easy to try solution is PsychoBassGuy's 12AUZ preamp driver tube mod. Simply replace the 12AX7 driver tube (the closest to the left side looking at it from the front - that is the furtherest away from where you plug in your 'guitar cable) with a 12AU7. I cannot speak highly enough of this mod - you may feel you have less power (which is is a way what you are asking for), but the tone is there from quiet to loud. I would try this first before anything else, I htink it may solve your problem in one easy hit - there is a huge thread here on it.
Thanks for all the replies. Im amazed at all the knowledge thats on this site. My question now is what brand 12au7 should I use. And Is this a typo?
"PsychoBassGuy's 12AUZ preamp driver tube mod. Simply replace the 12AX7 driver tube (the closest to the left side looking at it from the front - that is the furtherest away from where you plug in your 'guitar cable) with a 12AU7"
Is there a 12AUZ tube?
"PsychoBassGuy's 12AUZ preamp driver tube mod. Simply replace the 12AX7 driver tube (the closest to the left side looking at it from the front - that is the furtherest away from where you plug in your 'guitar cable) with a 12AU7"
Is there a 12AUZ tube?
Remember, anything you read on the 'net is fact! 
Im using a single Avatar 410 neo now!!!!!!!
I havent had the need to hook both 410's together yet. But when the day comes I get a chance to use both..............
A smaller cab then... 1x12 or 2x10...
"Is it a typo?" Yes it was - my bad. Should have read 12AU7. Do try this tube swap first. I use JJ tubes which are readily available, the JJ equivalent is called ECC82. Basically for an initial tryout any 12AU7 or ECC82 tube would do, I think. Maybe PschoBG himself will chime in on this as I do not profess to be an expert on electronics, but I do know that everyone on this board who tried it seemed to stick with the swap.
The 12AU7 has considerably less gain than the 12AX7 but handles more power. I wonder what would happen if we put some sort of switching circuit in the SCREEN supply to drop the screen voltage on the final tubes. This would also lower the gain, but of the final not the preamp... I dont believe it would cause distortion either. Could peal 150 Watts right off the top. ***Another option plug in an additional cab and put it out in the snow. BOB
Hi.
I'm one of those people who dislikes power attenuators, tube resellers however love them.
The 12AU7 mod is a start, but I doubt that It'll get You nowhere near the results you're aiming for.
All the tube related power-cutting methods have one huge drawback. As the stress to the OT reduces, the IMHO/IME biggest contribution to the tube sound -OT saturation & distortion- is lost. It's more pronounced with guitar amps, but has its effects with bass/organ amplification as well.
If You're more of the cleanish tube sound type of a guy, then it obviously won't matter one bit
.
The best bet would be a super inefficient cab. I've been planning a 4*8" cab, using car audio speakers, sensivity around 80dB. That should do the trick. Ans I'm only taming a 200W (actual power) amp.
Regards
Sam
I'm one of those people who dislikes power attenuators, tube resellers however love them.
The 12AU7 mod is a start, but I doubt that It'll get You nowhere near the results you're aiming for.
All the tube related power-cutting methods have one huge drawback. As the stress to the OT reduces, the IMHO/IME biggest contribution to the tube sound -OT saturation & distortion- is lost. It's more pronounced with guitar amps, but has its effects with bass/organ amplification as well.
If You're more of the cleanish tube sound type of a guy, then it obviously won't matter one bit
.The best bet would be a super inefficient cab. I've been planning a 4*8" cab, using car audio speakers, sensivity around 80dB. That should do the trick. Ans I'm only taming a 200W (actual power) amp.
Regards
Sam
Chef
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