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A Guitarist’s Guide to Using Guitar Amps on a Silent Stage
Friday December 27, 2024. 04:00 PM , from Sweetwater inSync
Why Use a Guitar Amp on a Silent Stage? Acoustic Isolation Solutions Features to Consider in Electronic Sound Reduction What Works with Your Amp? Attenuator vs. Load Box Amp Wattage Rating Outputs Headphone Outputs IRs & Modeling Effects & EQ Effects Loop In/Out App Control Footswitch Output Impedance Selection Attenuators: Notch Down the Noise Load Boxes: Hear Only Church Mice Why Use a Guitar Amp on a Silent Stage? It may seem counterintuitive at first glance, but using a guitar amp on a silent stage provides several advantages. It’s a great help if the sound technician is late or if you want to warm up while the PA or IEM system is being set up. It gives you options if the house PA or backline isn’t the greatest and needs a boost. Although many pros have switched to modelers for gigging and even recording, you may be concerned about sacrificing the inspiration that the tubes in your amp provide. Or you simply may not have time to learn to work with unfamiliar gear. Besides, some sound engineers prefer to have low volume on the platform during softer songs to hide distracting stage sounds such as drumstick strikes on electronic drum pads. These solutions allow you to shred your guitar, not your cochleas! Acoustic Isolation Solutions ClearSonic ClearSonic provides three levels of portable isolation to rein in the volume of your tube amplifier without compromising your tone or hindering your access to its controls. Keep your amp’s visual impact with the AmpPac 10’s combination of acrylic panels and proprietary Sorber baffles. The AmpPac 21 amp isolation package steps it up with additional Sorber baffles to encircle your amp while keeping control-panel access and mic placement easy. For speedy absorption, quiet your amp with ClearSonic’s portable gobo — fold it in half to double its thickness or combine multiple units with the included hook-and-loop straps. The built-in hand strap makes transportation easy, and the unit can be reversed to create a livelier sound. Add to cartLearn MoreAdd to list Add to cartLearn MoreAdd to list Add to cartLearn MoreAdd to list Auralex GRAMMA v2 Prevent your amp’s low-frequency waves from traveling through the floor with the GRAMMA v2 isolation riser. With a tighter low end, your speaker will sound less muddy so you can keep the volume lower. Add to cartLearn MoreAdd to list Rivera Silent Sister Rivera’s vented Silent Sister isolation cabinets cut your volume by approximately 30 decibels, isolate your guitar mic from outside sound, and allow your speaker to breathe and behave as if in an open room. Each model comes with mic clips, goosenecks, and XLR outputs. Choose from speakerless (so you can add your amp’s speaker), a preinstalled 12-inch Celestion Vintage 30, or a preinstalled Celestion G12T-75 speaker. Add to cartLearn MoreAdd to list Add to cartLearn MoreAdd to list Add to cartLearn MoreAdd to list Features to Consider in Electronic Sound Reduction What Works with Your Amp? You can use an attenuator with most amp heads and some combo amps. Insert the attenuator between the amp’s speaker output and the speaker’s input. On a combo amp with hard-wired speakers, you can still use an attenuator by having a Sweetwater technician install a speaker jack on the amp. Whether you have a combo or a head, if your attenuator has a load box feature, then you do not need to connect the speaker. This is very helpful for amp head use because you no longer need to lug a speaker cabinet to the gig. All the models in this list are attenuators, so you’ll be able to get your tube amp’s full crunch character at quiet or silent levels. Some models reduce that level incrementally, and others give you a knob to dial the stage level you want. Some models are also load boxes, which means they supply a load to your amp so that the speaker doesn’t need to be connected. Some models include such helpful bonus features that you may use the unit even when you don’t need attenuation. Attenuator vs. Load Box An attenuator reduces the output level of a tube amp between the power section and the speaker. This allows you to fully drive a tube amp’s preamp and power sections to get all that glorious saturation at a comfortable listening level through your amp speakers. A load box enables a tube amp to operate without damage while disconnected from a speaker. Some hybrid models function as both an attenuator and a load box. Amp Wattage Rating An attenuator or load box power rating must meet or exceed the tube amp’s peak output, including when it’s overdriven into saturation. Play it safe with an attenuator or load box rating that’s higher than your amp’s nominal power. Outputs All attenuators — including the ones listed here — insert between your amp and speaker. But for a silent stage, you need an output that can connect to your sound console either directly or through a snake, DI, pedal, or other unit. Some models on this list provide extra outputs so you can connect your amp to a speaker, DAW, pedal, secondary amp, or other gear. Some models feature dual wet/dry outs, and a couple units include stereo outputs. Headphone Outputs Some models provide a headphone output. This is handy for checking your signal, troubleshooting, or warming up before a gig. IRs & Modeling Some of these models offer you different digital or analog cabinet-modeling options. Many allow you to pick from multiple impulse responses (IRs) or even add third-party IRs. Some models offer virtual microphone selection, mic placement, and room ambience. Effects & EQ Some models provide reverb, compression, boost, doubler, gate, or other onboard effects. Some models additionally offer presence knobs or an EQ to shape your sound at one or multiple points in the signal path. Effects Loop In/Out Some tube amps lack an effects loop. Attenuators with this feature allow you to insert pedals between your amp’s preamp and speakers, even when not attenuating the volume. This is a great way to add ambient, wet effects such as reverb and delay. App Control Some models allow you to use an app to make recallable deep-dive adjustments to your settings. Connection options vary between using a cable or Bluetooth wireless. Footswitch Output Some units have a jack for a footswitch or controller. Impedance Selection Your amp or cabinet could be damaged if your attenuator does not match your amp speaker’s impedance rating (4 ohms, 8 ohms, 16 ohms). Certain models output only a single impedance (ohm) rating, but others allow you to switch between multiple impedance levels. Additionally, a few models allow you to input and output at different impedances, which enables you to use the unit as a transformer between mismatched amps and speakers. Attenuators: Notch Down the Noise Do you need just enough stage volume to cover ambient noise such as stick strikes on electronic drum pads or squeaky piano pedals? Check out these power-soak attenuators. Keep all the dialed-in tube tone of your miked amp while bringing down stage volume to a manageable whisper! Dr. Z Brake-Lite Standalone 45-watt Attenuator For tube amps up to 45 watts, the single-knob, set-and-forget Brake-Lite may provide a perfectly simple solution. Insert the Brake-Lite between your amp and cab. Then select from five levels of attenuation — setting it to silent is like having a handy mute switch at your fingertips. You can input 4-, 8-, or 16-ohm loads and run multiple 4-ohm (or greater) cabs simultaneously. The Brake-Lite is an easy answer for cranking out great tone through the PA without ruffling feathers onstage! Add to cartLearn MoreAdd to list SPL Reducer Passive Power Soak SPL’s tonally transparent Reducer addresses one challenge really well. Crank out all the meticulously crafted drive you can muster from your amplifier — up to 200 watts* — and the Reducer outputs only the volume you need to your 4-, 8-, or 16-ohm cabinet without breaking a sweat. Plus, because this little workhorse is completely passive, no additional power supply is needed. *Up to 200 watts at 4 or 8 ohms; up to 120 watts at 16 ohms. Add to cartLearn MoreAdd to list Rivera Attenuators & Load Boxes Tame your volume without defanging your tone by selecting one of these options from Rivera. The RockCrusher and RockCrusher Gold Face handle amplifiers up to 120 watts at 8 or 16 ohms and drastically reduce your speaker cabinet’s volume. In addition to outputting to one or two cabinets, you can send to your sound console through the XLR out or to a pedalboard or computer interface through the unbalanced output. Add to cartLearn MoreAdd to list Add to cartLearn MoreAdd to list Load Boxes: Hear Only Church Mice Need to keep your cranked tone without any stage volume? Check out these models that you can run silently. Universal Audio OX The Universal Audio OX reactive amp attenuator provides a solution that silent-stage tube-amp players will appreciate. Plug in an amp that outputs up to 150 watts of peak power and dial down the volume to a whisper or nothing at all. The OX is also a load box, so your cabinet can skip church and sleep in. Shape your tone by accessing dozens of included UA microphone and guitar-cabinet emulations. Load up to six of your favorite rig presets and add multiple onboard EQs as well as compression, delay, and reverb effects. There’s footswitch control, available with the latest firmware, and ambience control for an in-the-room feel. If you use a cab, then the OX supports 4-, 8-, or 16-ohm speaker outputs as well as a plethora of outputs for mono and stereo use, including a headphone jack. It’s no wonder the OX remains a popular problem solver for many Sweetwater customers. Add to cartLearn MoreAdd to list Two Notes Torpedo Captor X The Two Notes Torpedo Captor X reactive load box DI and attenuator comes in both 8-ohm and 16-ohm models and handles up to 100 watts of peak amp power. Switch between three levels of output: quiet, half volume, and full volume. Sweetwater customers appreciate the small footprint, third-party-IR support, remote control, and ground lift. Shape your tone with a collection of 128 presets, 32 virtual cabinets, eight mic combinations, and eight room simulations. Effects include a stereo doubler, stereo reverb, aural enhancer, voicing controls, and a noise gate. Output your signal with one of three routing options: stereo, dual mono, or dry/wet. And, yes, the Torpedo Captor X has you covered with a headphone jack! Add to cartLearn MoreAdd to list Add to cartLearn MoreAdd to list Tone King Ironman II Don’t be fooled by the simple faceplate controls on the Tone King Ironman II. In addition to handling up to 100 watts of peak input power with tone-preserving, transistor-based attenuation, there are switches for overall attenuation, microphone placement, and ground-lift selection. You can go speakerless or plug into the dual mono speaker outputs. Tube purists will love the fully analog cab simulation and footswitch control. You can switch the impedance of the input and output separately in 4-, 8-, or 16-ohm modes, and the transformer-coupled circuit mimics the speaker load at each different setting. For its utility and tone, the Ironman II regularly gets high marks from Sweetwater customers! Add to cartLearn MoreAdd to list BOSS WAZA Tube Amp Expander The BOSS WAZA Tube Amp Expander amplifier attenuator boasts a bevy of abilities with three game-changing twists. To start, the WAZA Tube Amp Expander lets you run mono or stereo signals from your tube amp (up to 150 watts) to your sound console, computer interface, pedals, or other gear. That’s after you color the sound to your heart’s content with the seven recallable onboard cab sims, 10 BOSS stereo effects, five virtual mic types, and up to four third-party IRs. It outputs to 4-, 8-, or 16-ohm speakers and has a headphone jack on the rear panel. Now for the twists. Twist one: It’s also a USB hub for controlling MIDI-compatible effects and footswitches. Twist two: It can add a whopping 100 watts of Class A/B output to boost your amp setup when you need massive stage volume. Twist three: It adds an effects loop to your circuit so you can insert effect pedals to your signal whether driving speakers or running silently. If you want to step into the modern MIDI world with your tube amp, upgrade your tube amp with an effects loop, or add extra oomph when it’s time to turn the speakers back on, then the WAZA Tube Amp Expander may be the perfect modern solution for you! Add to cartLearn MoreAdd to list Suhr Reactive Load Models Suhr offers two levels of reactive load options. The economical Suhr Reactive Load is a straightforward silent-stage solution for 8-ohm tube amps that output up to 100 watts peak. If you want to connect a speaker, then it offers an optional throughput — this is great for checking your signal or warming up before the PA is ready for your direct input. The Reactive Load IR stacks on additional features including 16 onboard Suhr cab IRs, third-party-IR functionality, a headphone jack, a hi-cut switch, an auxiliary in, and a 6dB gain boost. Both models make speaker use optional, so you can leave your cabinet at home. Your back will thank you! Add to cartLearn MoreAdd to list Add to cartLearn MoreAdd to list Mesa/Boogie Reactive Load Models Mesa/Boogie offers two levels of reactive load models. Each handles tube amps up to 150 watts; is available in 4-, 8-, or 16-ohm configurations; and can be operated without a speaker. The CabClone IR provides 16 factory-loaded cabinet IRs, third-party-IR functionality, MIDI in/thru, a presence control, a ground lift, and a polarity switch. Add to cartLearn MoreAdd to list Add to cartLearn MoreAdd to list Add to cartLearn MoreAdd to list For even more capacity, the CabClone IR+ steps things up with an attenuation switch and level control for when you want to dial in the perfect level for your speaker. Add to cartLearn MoreAdd to list Add to cartLearn MoreAdd to list Add to cartLearn MoreAdd to list Rivera RockCrusher Recording All-analog fans will love the tonal warmth and cabinet emulation of the Rivera RockCrusher Recording. It can easily handle amplifiers up to 120 watts at 8 or 16 ohms while you dial in the exact tone you want using the onboard 11-band graphic EQ. The rugged, tour-grade welded steel chassis makes this a great mobile option for gigging or heading into the studio. You get two speaker-cabinet outputs, an unbalanced output for pedals, and a balanced XLR line out for your sound console. It’s no wonder the RockCrusher Recording earns high ratings from Sweetwater customers who want to leave their cabs at home! Add to cartLearn MoreAdd to list Now Hear This Still unsure which option will give you the best edge? Reach out to your knowledgeable Sweetwater Sales Engineer for personalized recommendations tailored to your tube amp’s specifications and your unique silent-stage needs. Call (800) 222-4700 to get started today! The post A Guitarist’s Guide to Using Guitar Amps on a Silent Stage appeared first on InSync.
https://www.sweetwater.com/insync/a-guitarists-guide-to-using-guitar-amps-on-a-silent-stage/
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