THD Hot Plate (w/ Marshall & Soldano)

  • Thread starter Thread starter SLOgriff
  • Start date Start date
There has been several small changes to the Hot Plate over the years. Some are more transparent than others. The newest version the rotation is much smoother and balanced in the 16ohm setting.

I have a few. They all sound slightly different. Not huge changes.
 
Braciola said:
Whatever works for you :yes:
Click to expand...
Well, I may have to retract my earlier statement! I did some A/B with my Captor X and Hot Plate…and you’re right, the THD does change the amp’s natural character at higher volumes.
The Captor X’s attenuator function sounds GREAT with any amp I use thru it. As limited as the attenuator feature is (volume level wise), it just sounds great regardless.

So, I get it….the THD is not totally transparent. I guess there’s a trade off with any attenuator.

I wish the Captor X had more levels of attention…because it does sound great at any volume.
 
SLOgriff said:
Well, I may have to retract my earlier statement! I did some A/B with my Captor X and Hot Plate…and you’re right, the THD does change the amp’s natural character at higher volumes.
The Captor X’s attenuator function sounds GREAT with any amp I use thru it. As limited as the attenuator feature is (volume level wise), it just sounds great regardless.

So, I get it….the THD is not totally transparent. I guess there’s a trade off with any attenuator.

I wish the Captor X had more levels of attention…because it does sound great at any volume.
Click to expand...
Another way to use the hotplate is to treat it like a speaker cab. Set HP to load, plug it into one of the amp’s speaker jacks, then your actual cab ( same impedance as your hotplate) into the other. Set the amp’s impedance selector like you would if you had two speaker cabs hooked up. 16ohm hotplate with a 16 ohm cab and amp set to 8 ohms etc. It will knock about 3db off.
 
Greazygeo said:
Another way to use the hotplate is to treat it like a speaker cab. Set HP to load, plug it into one of the amp’s speaker jacks, then your actual cab ( same impedance as your hotplate) into the other. Set the amp’s impedance selector like you would if you had two speaker cabs hooked up. 16ohm hotplate with a 16 ohm cab and amp set to 8 ohms etc. It will knock about 3db off.
Click to expand...
Or better yet....

This is what I'm thinking, for recording at home:
Plug my 2 4x12 cabs, one with V30s and one with GBs, into a cab merger.
That'll go to the Hot Plate, into one speaker output on the amp.
The other speaker output will go to a Suhr RL.
So, I'll knock down 3dbs with the SRL, and have it going into a Torpedo Cab M+ for one sound.
Have a couple mics on a V30 & GB. This will give me 3 different sounds into the Macbook.
Control the overall volume with the Hot Plate.
 
LPMojoGL said:
Or better yet....

This is what I'm thinking, for recording at home:
Plug my 2 4x12 cabs, one with V30s and one with GBs, into a cab merger.
That'll go to the Hot Plate, into one speaker output on the amp.
The other speaker output will go to a Suhr RL.
So, I'll knock down 3dbs with the SRL, and have it going into a Torpedo Cab M+ for one sound.
Have a couple mics on a V30 & GB. This will give me 3 different sounds into the Macbook.
Control the overall volume with the Hot Plate.
Click to expand...
Problem with that is you won’t get the amp / cab straight sound attenuated -3db without it being attenuated so to speak.
 
Had the Hot Plate going with the Mezzabarba Mzero this past Saturday. Sounded really good. I could get the volume of the amp up, knock the dbs back down, get some of that compression that makes an amp easier to play. I dig it.
 
LPMojoGL said:
If the HP is turned off?
Click to expand...
You can’t turn the HP off really. To use it as I was describing, it has to be set on load.
Plug the amp’s speaker out into HP input, but amp head’s second speaker out directly to the cabinet input. The HP speaker outs wont be connected to anything.
 
I like my HP. I've tried several other attenuators, including:

Rivera Rockcrusher
Bad Cat Unleashed
Marshall Power Brake
Weber (various)

The Hotplate does kill some high end, but it doesn't really "alter" the tone as much as the others above mentioned.
 
Here's a clip of @scottosan Rocca with the Hot Plate on -8db setting. The HP let's me get the amp into the juicy zone without killing my ears.
335 straight in, thicker cathode bypass cap, 1st diode setting, no bright switch, DM-101 in the loop for that doubling+delay sound. Don't know how to play this yet, learning, struggle bus for real. It's a bitch.

 
Wanted to revisit this one. I have the blue 16 ohm HP and like it a lot. I have a Marshall Power Brake I love, but I keep it at my practice space and ride my motorcycle to band practice, so carry nothing with me. Anyway, I jus got a killer Avatar 2x12 that's 8 ohms. Is it safe to run a big Marshall through my 16 ohm HP into an 8 ohm cab? If not, is anyone selling their 8 ohm HP? I had two Fryette Power Stations and one Alex Attenuator and really prefer the cheaper stuff.
 
Rick Lee said:
Wanted to revisit this one. I have the blue 16 ohm HP and like it a lot. I have a Marshall Power Brake I love, but I keep it at my practice space and ride my motorcycle to band practice, so carry nothing with me. Anyway, I jus got a killer Avatar 2x12 that's 8 ohms. Is it safe to run a big Marshall through my 16 ohm HP into an 8 ohm cab? If not, is anyone selling their 8 ohm HP? I had two Fryette Power Stations and one Alex Attenuator and really prefer the cheaper stuff.
Click to expand...
Yes you can use the blue Hot Plate.
Amp set 8 ohm > 16 ohm Hot Plate > 8 ohm cab
 
That's what I've been doing and no problems so far, but my amp tech said it wouldn't be ideal.
 
Rick Lee said:
That's what I've been doing and no problems so far, but my amp tech said it wouldn't be ideal.
Click to expand...
There is slight changes when using the tone switches. That is what Andy Marshall told me.
The safety is not effected.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top