DR: OT @ 2 Ohms/ 10" spkr Q.

[eschertron]

A champ - 5F1, yes? - should always be played with the amp's volume control at max. That's only my rule, not to be taken as absolute gospel. With the attenuator on it, and rolled to a near-minimum position, the amp should be shreddingly distorted, but quiet enough to talk over.

Try the amps and the attenuator at extreme knob combinations to see just where the operating limits are. If the attenuator doesn't make the amp Quiet (with capital 'Q') even at high gains, then the attenuator may need another going over. It's not working as designed.

edit: To use the attenuator properly, the amp should be taken to the point of distortion desired, and then the attenuator can affect the overall volume. The attenuator should not in any significant way affect the amount or quality of distortion produced. Especially true with the DR and the 8-Ohm to 8-Ohm match on the attenuator.

[Sea Chief]

Well this Champ sounds unbalanced after vol 8, you can barely discern the top end at all its just a mush of baritone & bassy distortion. Pretty brown sure, but pretty unplayable really. I guess thats the caveat of attenuators (and what I was expecting).

Im happy with the Champ at vol 8. Ive tried different combos of vol knobs with both at max, turning down the att vol a bit and maxing the Champ (too loud), etc etc. Max att vol and amp vol 8 sounds the way I expected the amp to have sounded up till now and there's some distortion, so Ive reached a goal Ive been after for decades even if its a piddly amp I rarely play. I dont think attempting fate and expecting anything more is worth it (I wasnt expecting anyway) theres no way on earth Im going to get this DR into distortion. How the rule of 'DR breaks up at vol 4-5' is meant to be when I cant hear a thing at vol 6 I will for the life of me I'll never understand. I cant spend any more time trying to find this infuriatingly elusive OD. Its time for a MV amp- sell the SG to fund one (& if that doesnt work thats it/ end of the line).

Thanks, SC

[Chuck H]

Thats all rather patronising Chuck. I've enough knowledge & I've enough experience too. You imply its me, the guitar, everything but the amp. How many times does it need me to say that its not me, I can play pretty well (32 years) & I know perfectly well how to set up a gtr absolutely fine .

Lot's of guys can play pretty well and even set up a guitar, but still have no clue how their signal is working through the amplifier. A very good example of your lack of awareness (notice I didn't say inexperience) is this:

The DR tho, as I said for some reason wont OD even right up at vol 6 with the attenuator. Not a hint. At 6.5 theres a hint/ it starts yes. But by this stage its too loud to be reachable.

If you can reach clipping at all, keep turning it up! It won't get much louder at all BECAUSE IT"S CLIPPING!!! The amount of voltage the signal can swing has been clamped. Once you reach audible clipping the amp is at full power. So there's not much to fear increasing the volume from 6.5 to 10. It may seem a little louder, but not much. Mostly it will seem horrifyingly aggressive, BUT THAT"S THE POINT!

If the attenuator isn't getting the DR quiet enough try soldering a jumper wire across the 1R resistor. The rheostat may act a little hitchy at the bottom, but the amp will be safe and you can conceivably get the volume to zero this way. I say conceivably because that would be in a perfect world. And that rheostat isn't perfect

Let's just ignore the SG then.

[Sea Chief]

I am perfectly aware the amp wont get alot louder past (7 in fact) thanks. but saying 'just turn it up!' isn't the most helpful advice when I said I cant turn it past 6 (& it does get louder anyway pasr 6: 7ish is max but thats a dollop louder than 6: from 7-10 it doesnt get louder no).

Apparantly a DR is meant to break up as early as vol 4-5. Relatively early. This is one reason I built it and another reason why Ive spent so much investment in time & sourcing bits and asking etc further to your idea of the attenuator. If Id known this amp just doesnt f**king bother to/ or break up only just out of reach @ 7 or so instead, like all my other f**king amps dont either.. then Id not have built it or tried this attenuator idea. Christ I f**king hate f**king amps!!!!

[g1]

Do you have a guitar that you consider high output?
If so, what is it? And I mean something other than the SG.

[John_H]

...If Id known this amp just doesnt f**king bother to/ or break up only just out of reach @ 7 or so instead, like all my other f**king amps dont either.. then Id not have built it or tried this attenuator idea. Christ I f**king hate f**king amps!!!!...

I can't believe you still get people to play along.

[Sea Chief]

I can't believe you still get people to play along.

&I cant believe yr such a waster you read the thread then feel the need to reply like so. what a fkn weasel.

[Sea Chief]

Do you have a guitar that you consider high output?
If so, what is it? And I mean something other than the SG.

Alas not- strat, tele. Im pleased the Champ has woken up somehow thanks to the attenuator, and only £35 so a definite result I must be happy about. Playing at 8 is a sound Ive not experienced since late 80's when someone leant me a Vibrochamp in the band I was in. I thought it 'sounded knarly/ wrong above 8'! I was 16 you see. Proper sound -at last.

[John_H]

&I cant believe yr such a waster you read the thread then feel the need to reply like so. what a fkn weasel.

C'mon Man. Sooner or later the last few here that still respond to your narcissistic ploys for attention will realize that you're a troll.

[Dave H]

Ive reached a goal Ive been after for decades even if its a piddly amp I rarely play.

If you are still playing the Champ through its piddly little speaker in its piddly litle box try it through the DR 12" speaker in its bigger box then it won't sound as piddly And that Champ circuit lets too much bass through. If you don't want to change a cap in the Champ to reduce the bass try a graphic EQ pedal and turn the bass down with that. The EQ could also be used to compensate for loss of treble with attenuatnion and even boost the signal for more OD.

[Sea Chief]

C'mon Man. Sooner or later the last few here that still respond to your narcissistic ploys for attention will realize that you're a troll.

Ive rarely known such idiocy frankly if -you- are being the perfect example of a troll with yr 2 banal personal replies: youre an utter prick.

[Sea Chief]

If you are still playing the Champ through its piddly little speaker in its piddly litle box try it through the DR 12" speaker in its bigger box then it won't sound as piddly And that Champ circuit lets too much bass through. If you don't want to change a cap in the Champ to reduce the bass try a graphic EQ pedal and turn the bass down with that. The EQ could also be used to compensate for loss of treble with attenuatnion and even boost the signal for more OD.

Hi Dave H. I thought the attenuator by nature causes significant treble loss though? don't most have some sort of treble boost to compensate, and surely the basic idea of this rheostat + a few fat R's is similar?

Which cap to reduce bass then? I mighthave a look.. maybe thats a better idea than the 600pf bright cap Ive got on the vol pot.

[John_H]

If Id known this amp just doesnt f**king bother to/ or break up only just out of reach @ 7 or so instead, like all my other f**king amps dont either.. then Id not have built it or tried this attenuator idea. Christ I f**king hate f**king amps!!!!

Your true character is easy to spot. This message board would be a better place without you.

[eschertron]

If you are still playing the Champ through its piddly little speaker in its piddly litle box try it through the DR 12" speaker in its bigger box then it won't sound as piddly And that Champ circuit lets too much bass through. If you don't want to change a cap in the Champ to reduce the bass try a graphic EQ pedal and turn the bass down with that. The EQ could also be used to compensate for loss of treble with attenuatnion and even boost the signal for more OD.

I can +1 to Dave's recommendation. I play my champ(s) through a 2x12 set for 4 Ohms. Big sound! And yes, I've taken some bass out by lightening up the coupling cap between the 2nd gain stage and the 6V6 (try 1/2 to 1/5 the current value). Works wonders for the low E string, and especially anything with HBs.

[Sea Chief]

I can +1 to Dave's recommendation. I play my champ(s) through a 2x12 set for 4 Ohms. Big sound! And yes, I've taken some bass out by lightening up the coupling cap between the 2nd gain stage and the 6V6 (try 1/2 to 1/5 the current value). Works wonders for the low E string, and especially anything with HBs.

But I dont have two 12" speakers. I might try the cap if I can ID it.. but its clearly the attenuator sucking the treble away rather than the bass being ott though.

Tried the SG into the DR with bass on 1, vol 6.5 (attenuator maxed).. yes theres a bit more OD going on, defo on the point of breaking up: but its just still way too loud so I cant strum a chord firmly for eg. IThe attenuator is just not going to be of any use with the DR, unless I can get its max further (Ill try bypassing the 1R see if that does anything). It will come in handy for the Champ on a rainy day, to remind me what Im missing out on if nothing else!

Thanks, SC