Pulling power tubes in the VHX?

  • Thread starter Thread starter C0UNT3RP01NT
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C0UNT3RP01NT

C0UNT3RP01NT

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So my band space is up in the air for the time being. There's some stuff going on and I'd rather keep my gear at home. But that being said within 300 feet of my house is: a church, a daycare, a birthing center, two lawyers, three doctors offices, a municipal building, a sweet old couple, a family with five kids, and then my own family who say they love having music in the house (...I've heard what they listen to and it fits well in coffee shops). So basically I don't really need 100 watts at the moment.

The VHX does pretty well as is at low volumes, but I liked having it wide open. I know you can usually pull a pair of tubes on an amp to half the wattage, but I don't know if it's the same with all the digital wizardry going on? ...Can I? Two outside tubes and then a rebias (what should I bias it to?)? Or is this a terrible idea?

I know wattage doesn't affect volume significantly, but man coming from a 50 watt amp out of a 112 to this thing out of a 412, it sure does feel like every watt counts.

Thanks!
 
You can always try the Built-In Attenuator on the Preset Manager Page.
The Master Volume Control lowers the output by a full -20db (-10). Still sounds full like a tube amp should,
but low enough to play at home
 
Pulling two tubes will only reduce power by 40W, that means slightly less bass and almost no volume difference!
The embedded attenuator does a better job as it's buffered and let you have your master volume at the sweet spot (9 to 11 clock)
 
Well darn that's an attenuator? I just thought it was an additional MV. I had been ignoring it the whole time, but that changes everything!

Wow you guys really thought of everything in this amp.

Thanks!
 
C0UNT3RP01NT said:
Well darn that's an attenuator? I just thought it was an additional MV. I had been ignoring it the whole time, but that changes everything!

Wow you guys really thought of everything in this amp.

Thanks!
Click to expand...
Yes, it doesn't work if you are seeking for power amp distortion (so not properly an attenuator), but if the overall volume is below PI distortion the tone will be much closer to the one you would get without it, so for your purpose it should work!
 
So funny you asked this as I was just using an attenuator with my VHX yesterday. I recently went on a Boogie craze and got a Mark VII/roadster.

I CANNOT stress this enough.... the Bugera PS-1 Power Soaker is the greatest attenuator I have ever tried. made me sell my Dr. Z Airbrake right away. SOOOOO good and tone is not sucked that much. You can push a little more and have a BETTER volume sweep than what the volume control gives you. Plus inexpensive, you can try it from sweetwater and return if you don't like but wow do I love mine. I use it on every amp
 
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