Soundclip Ultimate Attenuator w/ Marshall 2061x

[Ulysses]

If you aren't familiar with the Ultimate Attenuator, the name is a bit of a misnomer. It is more of a reamping device than attenuator and the effect is nothing short of remarkable. Now that I'm off the road after 34 years of playing live and loud, I've missed the tone from my old AC30, 50w plexi, etc. because they are just too loud for home use. I'm sure the same thing everyone is going through and I just cannot be satisfied with the compromise of the puny sound of lo-watt boutique amps and especially the mush and fizz from standard attenuators when reduced to "bedroom level".

I've bought boutique amps with power scaling, tried almost all the popular attenuators currently out, master volume amps, etc., no less than five 5-7 watt amps, and nothing feels like my old Marshalls or AC30 and keeps the original characteristics in tact when you attenuate down low enough to play with the family in the house.... until I got this thing. If anyone is used to playing loud for years and frustrated with the feel you get attenuated down to low levels this will change your entire outlook at what amps are available for low volume application. I'm sure this sounds like and ad for this thing but I'm not affiliated nor do I even know the guy that builds these.

You are listening to an Marshall 2061x through a 2x12 Divided By 13 cab loaded with Celestion Golds attenuated down to actual speaking voice level. I made this recording with my entire family asleep in the house. Yes, I could have used a modeling device but listen to the natural room ambience, the muscular mid range, dynamics of pick and finger attack, defined top end, and overall natural sounding live amp signal.

I've made a lot of clips and knowing the characteristics of what happens when, I find it amazing. I also chose a pair of Shure SM-81 small diaphragm condenser mics, usually an absolute no-no for recording guitar. The SM-81's are known for their ice-pick-in-the-ear quality combined with the fact that they are small diaphragm condensers. I wanted to capture the detail of the quick pick attack and finger touch more so than getting a sweet tone. Still, the tone is quite acceptable IMO and surprisingly smooth. Another testament to the UA's amazing ability to maintain an amps character under heavily attenuated circumstances, no fizz and buzz like you would normally get with master volumes, power scaling, and any other attenuator. The sound in the room was big, but very quiet. Not a little bitty sound from a little bitty amp. The notes are firm, muscular, and have well defined top, mids, and lows which you just don't normally hear with an amp attenuated down to bedroom level. I didn't get the gain up too high because I wanted to show how much punch and dynamic range was apparent in the room. It sounds just as phenomenal with an amp in full overdrive.

For the music, you get me on drums, bass, and guitar. I'm not too sure about this riff but I wanted something up-tempo to force the articulation quality of the UA as well. My 1964 Firebird V starts the clip, my 1959 Tele comes in next. The track fades out with the Firebird coming back in on another modern amp with the UA but I didn't like the amp so I faded it out and just let the demo stop there.

Once again, keep in mind that the guitar tracks you hear are at speaking voice level or lower, easily well below what would be considered "bedroom level".


Track time:

0:00 - 0:50 - 1964 Firebird V
0:50 - 1-38 - 1959 Telecaster
1:38 - fade n/a

http://soundclick.com/share?songid=6633726







http://www.soundclick.com/player/sin...d=6633726&q=hi

[sinasl1]

sounds great! Nice playing

[dumbell78]

Great track! I love my UA too, everything you say is spot on. It does a great job of taming my 2555.

[JimH]

Sounds fantastic. I've got a similar amp - wish it sounded that good at low levels.
Great playing too, but there's more to it than that. Very impressive.

[HeeHaw]

I really liked that clip and the way that Marshall sounds.

[Mondoslug]

and with a SM81? Who woulda thunk.

I'd like to check out the UA. Work with any size ohm amp?

[carbz]

I had one when I had my Naylor amp and though it sounded real good from what I remember. To me it wasn't really transparent despite the builders claim though it kind of changed the tone/feel in a good way. The reason I sold it was I was hearing what sounded the sound was coming either through the tubes or tranny at low volumes. It was way annoying and sounded to me like it was damaging the amp. I called the builder and he swore it was safe. I am happy with my hotplate even at highley attenuated levels.

[coolhand78]

sounds great...!

[presence]

I love that playing and that tone...soooo tasty! Thanks!

(Reminds me of Scofield but even cooler.)

[photios]

Clip sounds great.

I don's use my UA with any of my rigs anymore, but I still can't bring myself to sell it...it works so perfectly with a loud (100 watt) NMV amp (something that I don't own anymore) Now the insides of it looks like spaghetti...really not pretty, but it works so much better than all the other attenuators I've tried that I'm just keeping hold of it in case I add a loud amp to my stable at some future point. Additionally, mine has dual volume setttings option so that I can switch between for a true lead boost that is really cool. I don't even remember how many clean boost pedals I went thru that didnt work...but the dual volume settings on the UA is perfect for boosts and its purely clean. Its a great design that works as close to perfect as you can get in this world...my only complaint is the build quality which I find a bit sloppy....still, in spite of its sloppy build quality, it hasnt ever given me any trouble (knock on wood) and for preserving the tone and feel of your amp at lower volumes, the UA rules IMO.

I've tried the Weber Mass, THD hotplate, Dr Z Airbrake, Marshall Powerbrake and I've also tried PPI-MV's on amps and I think the UA is best.

[mtlin]

I use a couple of Ho's Attenuators. (I've heard that the UA is a rebranded Ho, but I'm not certain.) They work as well as you say. Power scaling is just as good until you get to bedroom volumes. Then Ho's/UA works the best. Perfectly transparent to my ears.

[AnthonyL]

Originally Posted by mtlin

I use a couple of Ho's Attenuators. (I've heard that the UA is a rebranded Ho, but I'm not certain.) They work as well as you say. Power scaling is just as good until you get to bedroom volumes. Then Ho's/UA works the best. Perfectly transparent to my ears.

Mr. Ho is the inventor/designer/builder of the Ultimate Attenuator. I've been to his shop in Vancouver - I lived there for 2yrs. He sells them to the guy here in the states who simply puts an "Ultimate" sticker on the front and re-sells them. You can buy them direclty from Ho, just no sticker, but a lot cheaper...

[donbarzini]

They are all made by Ho and the one I had looked like a bowl of angel hair pasta inside too. They do make your transformer buzz, Ho said it was normal because you can now hear what your transformer sounds like when your amp is cranked, normally you can't hear that. I didn't feel comfortable using it. If I owned a NMV amp again, I'd probably give it another go around as long as I had a spare transformer on hand.

[Ulysses]

Originally Posted by donbarzini

They are all made by Ho and the one I had looked like a bowl of angel hair pasta inside too. They do make your transformer buzz, Ho said it was normal.....

Well, you got that wrong. A little excess wire length that is tie-wrapped but far from a bowl of spaghetti. The build is beautiful and they aren't a Ho product. He (Magus Inc.) does hide a circuit ala Howard Dumble with some rock-hard resin as you can see. Very nice, clean build, though. This is not the HO version and I think has been much improved from the older versions.


I've read the doom and gloom threads here before about the UA. I'm going to be enjoying my amps instead of keeping them nice and safe in the closet, regardless. I spoke at length with my tech whom everyone here knows and he explained the UA to me like this. (He uses one at home). Your amp does get hot but it's the same as using it on the gig at the level you are attenuating down from. If you are using a vintage amp, you do increase the wear and tear because you are increasing usage. Much like using your old Jaquar coupe as a daily driver. The deal is this. My amps are unusable as they are at home. I can keep them nice and cool sitting in my closet or get them out and enjoy them with the UA until they are used up, then get them repaired and play them again. If I wanted to keep them in my closet I can do it after they blow. I've been playing my 1963 AC30 daily for about 6 weeks now for hours a day w/ the UA and not a peep or trannies buzzing out of the ordinary. That's more enjoyment than I would have gotten out of it in the next 10 years without the UA.

The point is is that it makes your amps that are normally not usable, usable. I'm just not concerned about wearing them out from use. That's why I bought them. I don't want to call out other brands, they are wonderful amps but the the ones I've had with power scaling just have not been acceptable for my tastes at low volumes. I also don't want to be restricted to what amp I play. I've owned and tried, the Hot Plate, Power Soak, Komet Airbrake (my favorite and traveled with it for years), Mini Mass, and a few others that have passed through my studio and none were even close once you get below the first couple of settings. I've used AC30's and Marshalls for 34 years, 150-200 one-nighters a year and I'm very used to the subtleties and delicate, complex harmonics that I get when using them live. This is the first time I've been able to come even close to getting what I'm used to without the the tone turning to mush when brought down to "bedroom levels". Believe me, I've been trying to find something like this for many years and tries just about everything someone has mentioned. Just thought I would share my experience if there are others who have found themselves in a similar situation.

[hogy]

Originally Posted by donbarzini

They do make your transformer buzz, Ho said it was normal because you can now hear what your transformer sounds like when your amp is cranked, normally you can't hear that.

Mr. Ho is correct. The UA does NOT make your transformer buzz. It always buzzes when the amp distorts, you just can't hear it because the volume of the amp drowns it out.