THD Hot Plate (w/ Marshall & Soldano)

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SLOgriff

SLOgriff

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I’m a PICKY player! ….I can hear and feel the tiniest of variations in tubes, voltage’s etc….I’m blown away with the clarity and tonal versatility of the THD Hot Plates! I always heard they sucked tone…so I never tried one.

I recently acquired a ‘73 JMP 50 and a ‘73 Super Lead. Over the past year I’ve tried the Tone King Ironman (diminished the highs), and Fryette PS100, which also changes the tone (not in a good way) to my ears. Both were quickly boxed up and returned!

I also have and LOVE the Two Notes Captor X…the Attenuator feature IS LIMITED, but just does something to the tone that actually improves the feel and tone of my ‘73 Marshall’s! But, only has two attenuation levels.

Anyway, recently bought a new THD Hot Plate and super stoked with the tone. It’s MORE transparent (to my ears) than any of the TOP attenuator’s. I just bought another used one and super pleased!

ALSO, if you’ve not looked into or tried a voltage regulator like a (Brown Box), it’s worth the money and tone difference. Our wall voltage runs 123-126 volts at times and it DOES effect amps performance. Dropping it down to around 114 seems to be the ideal voltage for the tones I’m trying achieve!
 
I liked the Hot Plate with some amps that had big lows and harsh highs. I can see a JMP or Super Lead fitting that description. The THD kind of lops off the outer frequencies the more you attenuate, which helps those unruly amps. The Alex attenuator was my fav of all I tried. Totally agree about the Fryette and Tone King.
 
I used a Bad Cat Leash (the older version, NOT the unleash) with my Plexi and 4x12 and I thought it was mediocre. I bought it over the THD unit thinking it was more versatile since it had ohms selectable instead of being ohms dedicated like THD. I should've went THD. I sold the unit. I had a bandmate that used a THD with a music man and he got a great tone but he was still loud, lol.
 
glpg80 said:
Any opinion on the rocktron rockcrusher?
Click to expand...
Haven't tried that one, but read a lot of great things.


Thanks, OP. I tracked down a Hot Plate, incoming. Figured why not try it again with a different group of amps. Herd? A different herd of amps in the stable?


Any word on the new Joe Holmes, Farmikos stuff?
 
LPMojoGL said:
Haven't tried that one, but read a lot of great things.


Thanks, OP. I tracked down a Hot Plate, incoming. Figured why not try it again with a different group of amps. Herd? A different herd of amps in the stable?


Any word on the new Joe Holmes, Farmikos stuff?
Click to expand...
I’ll be curious what you think of the Hot Plate!

No, I haven’t talked to Joe in a couple months. The album is done…He was supposed to be talking to a couple possible managers to partner up with last he said.
 
I have had a 8 ohm hotplate for years, never had any problem with it.
Mostly use it as a load for slaving or line out for amp captures in the QC.
 
Plan to use a Harley Benton PA-100 with my new 1959HW. Concerned with a rating of 100W it's not gonna handle the 100W+ of the amp.

May get the HB PA-250 if needed
 
I own two THD Hot Plates and a Fryette Power Station PS100. I find what one I use or don't use any attenuator depends on the amp and what I am trying to do. Really depends on the entire rig. One isn't better. They are just different.

The Hot Plate sound is excellent. It does tend to compress the sound. That can be useful at times.

You can use the Hot Plate like the Power Station. Set the Hot Plate to load. Use the Hot Plate line out to a other power amp - cab. As mentioned above.
 
glpg80 said:
Any opinion on the rocktron rockcrusher?
Click to expand...
Do you mean Rivera Rockcrusher?
I’ve had one a while back and it was great. Had it permanently hooked up to a nmv plexi. I’ve since sold it because I had a master volume installed.
Really great attenuator, built like a tank.
marshall rivera.jpeg
 
I don't know if THD made any design changes for the new run of hotplates but my old 16 ohm hotplate has been running fine for years to take about -8 DB off the volume without any major changes to tone and I use it regularly for load when servicing my amps, it's been an invaluable piece of equipment for me. It's when you get below -8 DB is where the Fletcher/Munson curve start to take effect where I notice a tone change plus you are not driving the speakers as hard as well.

If you are running a 100 watt plexi that can put out 150 watt's plus at transient peaks the Rivera Rockcrusher would be more robust has been my main attenuator for a few years and it also quite transparent down to -8 maybe -12 DB about the same as the THD and possibly maybe a tad more transparent IMHO. The Rivera is built extremely heavy duty with huge resistors in the circuit versus the THD plus the Rivera has a variable 8-16 ohm impedance selector switch on it for about $200 more in current pricing. My Rockcrusher doesn't even break a sweat or even get warm when I use it for my 68 plexi but mind you I am varaicing down to 80-90 ACV and I also pull two power tubes as well. But even when I have run a 100 Watter with all the tubes the Rivera it never really got warm then.
 
Last edited:
I don’t use the hot plate… but I do use a brown box. My wall voltage has been as high as 126 volts. I knock it back to between 113 and 115. I’ve always been curious how the heater voltages change when dropping or increasing wall voltages.
 
psychodave said:
I don’t use the hot plate… but I do use a brown box. My wall voltage has been as high as 126 volts. I knock it back to between 113 and 115. I’ve always been curious how the heater voltages change when dropping or increasing wall voltages.
Click to expand...
Any reason to use a brown box vs a variac?
 
Braciola said:
One or two clicks down on a HotPlate sounds good, but to claim a Hotplate is more transparent than the Ironman or Power Station is absurd, especially at bedroom vol.
Click to expand...

Absurd…ha! You must like darker tones with reduced highs.
With my stock (4-hole) Marshall’s, the Ironman reduced the high end too much and took away from the amp’s original tone(s). The PS100 also changed the tone…so much that I couldn’t justify keeping it.

The Hot Plate is more transparent and able to add back low end and brightness with the switches…or not even using the bright or deep at all (at low bedroom volumes). Just is…
 
SLOgriff said:
Absurd…ha! You must like darker tones with reduced highs.
With my stock (4-hole) Marshall’s, the Ironman reduced the high end too much and took away from the amp’s original tone(s). The PS100 also changed the tone…so much that I couldn’t justify keeping it.

The Hot Plate is more transparent and able to add back low end and brightness with the switches…or not even using the bright or deep at all (at low bedroom volumes). Just is…
Click to expand...
Whatever works for you :yes:
 
SLOgriff said:
View attachment 266802

I’m a PICKY player! ….I can hear and feel the tiniest of variations in tubes, voltage’s etc….I’m blown away with the clarity and tonal versatility of the THD Hot Plates! I always heard they sucked tone…so I never tried one.

I recently acquired a ‘73 JMP 50 and a ‘73 Super Lead. Over the past year I’ve tried the Tone King Ironman (diminished the highs), and Fryette PS100, which also changes the tone (not in a good way) to my ears. Both were quickly boxed up and returned!

I also have and LOVE the Two Notes Captor X…the Attenuator feature IS LIMITED, but just does something to the tone that actually improves the feel and tone of my ‘73 Marshall’s! But, only has two attenuation levels.

Anyway, recently bought a new THD Hot Plate and super stoked with the tone. It’s MORE transparent (to my ears) than any of the TOP attenuator’s. I just bought another used one and super pleased!

ALSO, if you’ve not looked into or tried a voltage regulator like a (Brown Box), it’s worth the money and tone difference. Our wall voltage runs 123-126 volts at times and it DOES effect amps performance. Dropping it down to around 114 seems to be the ideal voltage for the tones I’m trying achieve!
Click to expand...
I’m with you on the voltage regulator. My power is similar to yours, 123-126.
Mines that little box next to the PS2.
Amp Maniac
 

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