Speaker load question

[outoftune]

So recently I have been trying to think of a way to cheaply decrease the amplitude of my amp in order to get more out of the tubes... something many people try to do. I know theres the powerbreak and hotplate but I was thinking about some things myself. First I thought of just replacing one of my two speakers w/ a power resistor w/ equal resistance... then I read this http://www.aikenamps.com/ParallelLoads.html

I'm still thinkin about trying it. Also I'm wondering if even though it may not sound as good, how does it compare to a load in series. Is it still better sounding. I thought of using this if I try it in series: http://www.partsexpress.com/webpage.cfm?did=7&WebPage_ID=3&catid=48&ObjectGroup_ID=196&CFID=1278582&CFTOKEN=57987457

I also have this idea which may be really stupid since I don't really know much about speakers themselves. Would there be a way to simply cut out the cone and whatever else? This would be in order to keep that load inductive/reactive and not resistive... Thanks for any input.

[hasserl]

While using an attenuator in parallel with a speaker load may in some cases sound better than using the same attenuator in series, it is not without its own flaws. There will be a change in the amplifier's tone and feel.

I think this pretty much sums it up. There is a penalty to pay, sometimes it's worth the reduction in volume. Sometimes it may not be, it's pretty subjective. What's that saying? "there's no such thing as a free lunch" You want a reduction in volume, there is no way to achieve it without some kind of drawback. Different people have different opinions on those drawbacks.

Regarding the variable L-Pad's, they can work, but they will effect the tone, no doubt about it, and they will not take a lot of power. Trust me, I've experimented a lot with them, and am still using them in different ways. But you cannot take one of those 50 watt variable L-Pad's and apply 50 watts continuous to it, you will smoke it in just a few minutes. I would keep the L-Pad power rating at least double the rating of the amp, and then be very careful about it, use it judiciously to scrub off just a few db's. And it will effect the tone.

AND, your last thought is pretty much the whole idea behind the Weber VST MASS motor used in their MASS attenuators. You could experiment with developing yuur own, but the problem you'll run across is that the cone is what holds the whole speaker together. Remove the cone and there is nothing to hold the voice coil in place. So then you'll have to develope some way to do that. It'd be easier to buy a MASS motor, if Weber will sell you one. They used to sell them separately, but too many people that didn't know what they were doing bought them and tried to build their own attenuator, then complained after they fried their amp. So they stopped selling them, but I did read a post by Ted that said he was going to release them again. If a guy convinced Ted he knew what he was doing Ted would probably sell the guy one. Otherwise, if you like that technology just buy the attenuator he sells.

[outoftune]

has anyone used any of these weber mass units? i'm thinking about the mass lite. they're cheaper then the hotplate and i feel like they would sound good.