software

Okaaaay here it is!

Well it arrived via Fedex yesterday afternoon and I used i last night in rehearsal. I am VERY impressed with this unit, even though i haven't tried other attenuators before.

For those of you who haven't seen it, it's a nondescript black box with two knobs on the top of it, the Z logo and label, as well as the Trainwreck amps label. This was designed by Ken Fischer for Dr. Z. There are only two connection jacks - one input and one output. Thats it. No impedance matching is needed (just make sure you're running a head/cab ohmage match or a quot;safequot; mistmatch like and 8 ohm head into a 16 ohm cab) and it'll handle up to 100w) The first knob is a 6-position selector that selects from attenuation levels 0-4 and the quot;Bedroom Levelquot; mode. 0 turn off the attenuator, and level one is 3 dB of attenuation and then 2-4 is 4.8, 6.6, and 8.4 dB of attenuation. Bedroom level basically encompasses all of those but allows for attenuation quot;down to 1 wattquot;. It puts the attenuator into a mode where you can use the 2nd knob like another Master volume to adjust from anywhere to all-out rage (unattenuated) to bedroom quiet (max attenuation) without losing your tone. But thats it. It's totally idiot-proof and doesn't even need AC and it doesn't even get that hot when you use it! It warms up sure but nothing you couldn't handle comfortably.

Anyways I hooked it up with Planet Waves speaker cables into my Legacy (whcih I'd put on the 100W setting) and my 2x12 cab loaded with Eminence Swamp Thangs. I let the amp warm up, got the amp up to about 5 or 6 so before i started getting dirty looks from the rest of the band... Tis amp is naturally a VERY loud amp. 3 on the master volume in 50W mode seems about equal to 5 on the Mesa/Boogie Rectoverb i used to have. Anyway after putting myself in danger of having a noise complaint filed against me I started playing with the attenuator.

All the good things I've heard about the Airbrake are true. It did NOT alter the tone at all, no matter what level I'd set the thing at. I had the amp up around 5 or 6, like I said, and with maximum attenuation all i had to do to be heard over the amp was talk loudly. It turned the Legacy into a practice amp!

All the tone, saturation, harmonics, and feel of the cranked amp was there. The ONLY tonal alteration was resulting from the speakers not working as hard but even then it was minimal. At first i was concerned about the Airbrake not having a tone stack or anything like that but after playing with it I realized that it sounds so good it doesnt NEED one.

I'd urge anyone whos looking into a great attenuator to look into one of these, or if you have a HotPlate or a MASS and have complaints about tonal alteration at low levels, get oen of these. This is now a permanent quot;dont leave home w/out itquot; addition to my rig.

I wish i had one of these when i had my JCM800 and my MESA. I'd feel real guilty about owning a nice tube amp when I'd rarely get opportunities to crank it up and not get in trouble. So if you've got a nice, LOUD tube amp you wish you played more, this is just what the Dr. ordered.

Plus the bartenders and club owners are gonna love it!!

Nice review. Thanks!

I'm thinking about getting an attenuator to use with my Jubilee. Sounds like I should check this one out.

That's it. I want one. I need one. My neighbors don't really know what they want, but they need one too.

Yah, i just got one too and am happy with it. Very nice attentuator. If you ask me, it definently does color the tone a little bit even when the speakers are working hard. However its important to not that while it does alter the tone a bit DOES NOT kill the amps tone or dynamics unlike some attentuators. With this one, the alteration in tone doesnt really bother you because the amp still feels alive. Where some other attentuators seem to pay more attention to keeping the frequency response more intact quot;technicallyquot; speaking, the Airbrake seems to be designed under the principle that keeping the feel, punch, and soul of the amp intact if that makes sense. Most guitarists i think would agree that this is much more important. That being said, it seems to be much more of a quot;playersquot; attentuator. Highly recommended.

What's the cost on one of those sucka's?


Originally Posted by Jeff_HWhat's the cost on one of those sucka's?

I want to know also since I'm considering buying an attenuator.


Originally Posted by XeromusI want to know also since I'm considering buying an attenuator.same here...i was getting ready to buy a hot plate in the near future. so, how much?*edit* only price i found was $299

hmm i can get a hot plate for $240-$250

now picking one will be tough

-Mike

The Dr. Z goes for $299.95, the Hot Plate is a tad less at $279.95 but I would rather have the Dr. Z...to be completely honest thought I am looking pretty hard at the Weber Mass...it has some cool features and is like $215.00...


Originally Posted by GearjoneserThat's it. I want one. I need one. My neighbors don't really know what they want, but they need one too.

I'm literally LOLing at this because that quot;I used to feel guilty about owning a nice tube amp and not cranking itquot; line was directly targeting you after I read that you dont crank up the Bogner like you should.

Shot fired.. damage sighted!

Seriously whats $300 next to $2K . Just get one. You'll thank me later.Originally Posted by Maximusgordon 2.0Yah, i just got one too and am happy with it. Very nice attentuator. If you ask me, it definently does color the tone a little bit even when the speakers are working hard. However its important to not that while it does alter the tone a bit DOES NOT kill the amps tone or dynamics unlike some attentuators. With this one, the alteration in tone doesnt really bother you because the amp still feels alive. Where some other attentuators seem to pay more attention to keeping the frequency response more intact quot;technicallyquot; speaking, the Airbrake seems to be designed under the principle that keeping the feel, punch, and soul of the amp intact if that makes sense. Most guitarists i think would agree that this is much more important. That being said, it seems to be much more of a quot;playersquot; attentuator. Highly recommended.

I totally agree 100%. Granted total transparency is impossible but this thing alters the tone so miminally its negligible in a live setting.
Originally Posted by Jeff_HWhat's the cost on one of those sucka's?
I got mine used for $225 plus shipping off a guy on thegearpage.net

As far as pricing issues... yeah the Z is the more expensive model with the least options but it sounds so good and does its job so damn well you dont NEED the options. You also dont have to buy ohm-specific models, meaning no switching attenuators when you switch rigs, like the Hotplate requires. It will handle anything up to 100W. It doesn't get too hot to handle immediately after use. It doesn't need external AC power...

shall I go on? With attenuators it seems like you get what you pay for. Trust me, I can't imagine a better one than this. Plus a lot of HotPlate users that complain of tone issues LOVE these and switch to them.

Wow you sound very convincing, I think you just talked me into it!

Good review B

I'm on my 2nd MASS (sold the first one to buy a stereo model).......just a lot of features for the cost.

My only knock on the Hotplate is separate models are needed if you have cabs of different impedence ratings. And I hear they're really bad at high levels of attenuation.

There's one for sale on HC for $225 shipped, I think.

i think you may have sold me on the airbrake over the hot plate. i just stuck a soldano hot mod in my JMP today and now i NEED one of the two so i can crank it but not piss off the whole house and neighbors lol.

-Mike

I shot the Dr. a few emails about more breakup and less voluem, and he recommended the airbrake. I wanted to see what outside sources said about it first though. Brendan you make it sound awesome, and the fact that you don't need external power is a major benefit.

Luke

I haven't ever tried a HotPlate so I can't compare it but i cant imagine an attenuator being simpler, easier, or sounding better than this.

That quot;bedroomquot; mode, is described very accurately in the GP Mag review... i dont know exactly how much decibel-wise its working but one things for sure... it does NOt sound bad. It does alter the tone a teensy bit due to extreme attenuation but its still a killer sound.

And Luke... you're gonna NEED one of these if you pick up that JMP.

Thanx for this review! I had asked a couple months back about this attentuator here, and no-one had any experience. I have a Marshall Powerbrake, and frankly, it blows. HUGE tone killer. I tried a hot-plate through another Rivera Chubster 40, and I wasn't happy with the attentuation to low volumes.

After F$%^ing around with this damn digital crap on and off for the past 11 months, I've completely had it. I bought a reactor as a quot;last stabquot;, and it's just not working out at all...sounds like a big Rockman

I plugged into the Chubster tonight...even w/ the master on 1 and just pre-amp gain, it was THERE....

NOTHING = a good tube amp...no comparison...modellers are getting closer but they just are not there yet...the dynamics...the volume rolloff, feel under your fingers, warmth, and the lush 3 dimensional sound of tubes ,IME cannot be duplicated or simulated....

This Airbrake is my next purchase...I'm sick of all this hi-tech crap...a few good peds, a good axe, and a good tube amp served me very well for most of my playing life so far...guess I'm a tone/tube snob...so be it, cos thats the best way I've found yet...

Thanks again for the review..and sorry for my tirade

No man i totally dig what you're saying. Ever since i got to the point where I could afford good tube amps I've just been totally enjoying the pure tone of the guitar and the amp instead of trying to satisfy myself with noisemakers. Granted I still like 'em when used correctly and there's 1 or 2 that have become an essential part of my style.

But more often than not lately I find myself plugged into the clean channel of my legacy just enjoying the tone it has. A delay pedal with a mod delay setting just makes it go into outer space. Just listening to the subtel harmonics shift and smolder as notes bloom and decay is something that digital amps will NEVER do.