Faustine Phantom DX2 vs Rivera Rock Crusher vs Aracom DAG

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gabaghoul

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Any thoughts on these attenuators? Has anyone compared them side by side? Rivera is half the price but iI can't imagine it could only be half as good. And then there's the Aracom PRX150-DAG somewhere in the middle. Love to hear some thoughts.
 
Have you checked out the Alex attenuator yet?

For me its between the Rockcrusher and the Alex attenuator. The Aracom DAG is out of my price range and the Faustine Phantom has a long wait too boot.
 
I own three (yes, three) Rock Crushers. I have found them to be killer on my less gainy amps like the 100W 12000 series clone and the non-KS 100W Marsha. They are pretty transparent (to me) and can actually figure into the "final sound" ie, how much power section distortion, how compressed, etc, and um, how LOUD the amp is when the RC is inline and attenuating. It has settings (warm, edge) that change the tone curve as well, and they are useful, really adding to the tone controls on the amp. Your settings on the amp may change a bit with the RC engaged, but there is no loss of feel and responsiveness IMHO.

However, on my "new" KS 100W '79 JMP (THANKS J. B.) the RC works best at -3 or -8 db. After that it appears to quash the throaty tone produced by the amp, particularly through the HBE input. It's odd but the RC seems to "genericize" the JMP by subtly altering the tone curve and responsiveness of the amp to your playing. And that's not the best result, given the character of the KS sound. That said, it is still a critical component to me because the master volume goes from off to ON very quickly when using the HBE input and the SAT option. I mean the thing gets loud in a hurry. So with the RC at -3 or -8 I can play to my heart's content without worrying about other family members not hearing the TV or keeping my neighbors awake. And the special, special tone of the HBE/SAT/C45 Friedman JMP is preserved, at least to my ears. This amp sounds like the Olympian Gods roaring in unison, and produces a tonality I have only heard on other KS mods and Marshas. It's too beautiful for words - you must hear one in the flesh to fully understand the sonic nature of these amps.

Honestly, I would have gone with the Faustine but the $1K price tag and the 1 year wait killed that option for me. I see it this way: I saved $1.5K by going with an almost as good alternative, which gives me funds for another head. Which of course means I will have to buy a fourth Rock Crusher.

Matt
 
What amp are you planning on using it with? If it's a Marshall-type design, a PPIMV will sound just as good. If not better. I A/B tested an Aracom and Faustine on my Super Lead that has a PPIMV installed. The PPIMV actually sounded better. If the amp isn't a Marshall design then ignore this post. :)
 
OD100SE+. It would mostly used to record in my home studio or for playing at bedroom volumes. The VSpeaker out of the Faustine sounds pretty damn good IMO. Of course, I've only heard it from YouTube videos, not in person, unfortunately.
 
FourT6and2":341mkpj7 said:
What amp are you planning on using it with? If it's a Marshall-type design, a PPIMV will sound just as good. If not better. I A/B tested an Aracom and Faustine on my Super Lead that has a PPIMV installed. The PPIMV actually sounded better. If the amp isn't a Marshall design then ignore this post. :)
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Yes, this will be true for some PPIMV Marshalls, but I think the value of an attenuator will vary depending on the particular head. My 12000 series clone with a Metro PPI kit definitely sounds better with the Rock Crusher inline, at any attenuation level. I can crank the amp and get power section saturation that I don't get w/o the attenuator, and keep the overall volume at a sane level.

The problem with these boxes is that you almost have to try before you buy, and that isn't possible for many folks who don't live within reach of a retail store that carries "advanced" guitar equipment. I took a leap of faith on the Rock Crusher, but 2 of my 3 units were purchased below retail due to blind luck on my part. Found one on the 'Bay for $350, and got another from Musician's Friend new in the box at a seriously discounted price when they couldn't find the "used" unit that showed as in stock on their Website. They honored the price and sent me a new one. I gotta say that the big sites like MF aren't all bad - I received excellent customer service in this case.

Unfortunately, if you are questioning the value of these boxes, I really recommend that you somehow try before you buy, or be prepared to go through the return process at MF or such if you don't like the results. They are not for everybody - attenuation reduces the contribution of the speaker to the overall sound, particularly when using high levels of volume reduction. And they cause subtle to major changes in tone, depending of course on how you set the thing and above all, the amp itself. The Rock Crusher has limited effectiveness on my KS mod '79 100W JMP - as I mentioned above, higher attenuation levels change the tone too much for my taste.

Matt
 
I have heard great things about the aracom but its giant size puts me off a bit as I would be using it for gigs. I am leaning towards getting the rockcrusher as it seems pretty transparent and well made and is 16 and 8 ohm useable. The faustine sounded nice and I like its size and looks the best also, but I doubt it performs that much better then the rc to justify its corksniffer pricetag and long wait.
 
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