Which hotplate to buy for the VH4?

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edgemeister

edgemeister

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hey guys...

I'd like to run my VH4 with stereo effects and so I was wondering if you could give me some advice...

I'm going to run the output of the VH4 into a THD hotplate, from the line out of the hotplate I'm going to run it into my G-Force. From there its going to go into a stereo rack poweramp into both inputs ont he back of a Mesa Recto 2x12...

I was wondering what Version hotplate I will need? 4, 8 or 16ohm?

Cheers,

John
 
Why use a hotplate?

I prefer a Groove Tubes Emulator II. Ckeck it out on their site; U can ad an effector in stereo, have control over the blend between direct and effect, can send the mixed signal directly to the PA, with speaker simulation and send a mix to a personal system.
I use a VH4S fo this purpose, combined with a Diezel cab 2X12; rather costly but ever so efficient and true tone is what you get...
As it comes to quality and feel, this is what You want, believe me.

Flow chart goes: VH4 -> GT emulater II -> Effect (Eventide in my case) -> PA and to VH4S -> Diezel Cab 2 X 12 front loaded. Nirvana both on stage and the same goes for the Front of The house mixer.

Midi to VH4 via Comumbus, linked to Eventide.

Of couse some added trics remain obscure, but I 'll be glad to share them, if asked.

Greetz,

Leo

PS: Hope if not convinced, might have confused You.
 
I'd guess you can get any of them, you just plug a 4ohm hotplate in the 4ohm out of the Diezel, or an 8ohm in the 8ohm out etc.! If that's the case I'd go with an 8 as it's in the middle and likely to work with any other amps you might want to use it with in the future, such as a 4 or 8ohm only amp, or an 8 or 16ohm only amp.

I'd like a Sequis Motherload as they seem like the dogs bollocks for attenuation, speaker simulation and taking a line out. I guess that doesn't answer your question though! :?
 
After much discussion with Peter concerning hot plates and other attenuator usage with the amps, it has been realized that they suck tone from the amp in a big way.
The suggestion offered above by Lejo is a good one.
I have tried lower gain tubes in the power section and pre amp section with great results on the VH4.

I actually gigged a VH4 for over a year with four Smicz Tads in it with a rating of one watt per power tube. At four watts, the amp was still loud but I could then open up the dials a lot more and get the amp's tone to really come through without fear of being so loud that it was assaulting the audience. We mic'd everything up as well and the stage volume never suffered as a result, but the VH4 sounded incredible.

Try to use the amp without an actual attenuator first by using another method suggested, such as Lejo made.

If you think you want an attenuator, see if you can audition one first to hear what they do to the amp's natural tone. It may save you from buying something you ultimately don't care for.
 
Hi C4...

The reason I want a Hotplate is to make the amp so that I can use stereo effects with it...

Other than buying a VH4s, I'll need to feed the VH4 into a hotplate, hotplate line out to the g-force, stereo out to a stereo poweramp and then to my speakers...

Does anyone have any other ideas on how to do this?

Cheers,

John
 
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edgemeister":e80b3 said:
Hi C4...

The reason I want a Hotplate is to make the amp so that I can use stereo effects with it...

Other than buying a VH4s, I'll need to feed the VH4 into a hotplate, hotplate line out to the g-force, stereo out to a stereo poweramp and then to my speakers...

Does anyone have any other ideas on how to do this?

Cheers,

John
Click to expand...
The Hot Plate is not a bad attenuator. All attenuation units tend to 'colorize' the sound. The ideal would be to to have a mixer too and mix the attenuated signal in parallel with G-Force and then from the mixer's out to the power amp.
But consider this!
Selling your VH4 and getting a VH4s will cost less than buying a power amp, a Hot Plate and a mixer. And the sound will be better. VH4 is capable of playing at low volumes.
 
Another option "may" be to ask Peter if he can convert your current VH4 into a VH4S. I don't forsee that much extra work.
 
Thats a pretty good idea C4...

I might send him a mail about it later on today...

Cheers,

John
 
Hi guys,

converting is actually a lot of work: adding another OT, seperating the four power-tube sockets, installing another bias circuitry, installing another master, presence and deep . . .

As for the HotPlate (or any other attenuator which can act also as a load): I'd use 16Ohm, since this way all wires of the OT would be used.

Alternatives to a HotPlate:
Palmer PGA04 (ADIG-LB) 1RU 19" - also speaker emulator
Marshall SE-100 2RU 19" - also speaker emulator

And another tip here: think about a dry/wet rig. Just get a small (but excellent) Lehle Splitter - www.lehle.com - run the VH4 dry, hook the splitter to the send, one way back is the return, the other goes into your G-Force and then the poweramp, just used in mono mode.

Hook the VH4 to one side of the cab, the poweramp to the other side. I guess that you will like what you are hearing . . .
 
thanks for getting back to me...

Am I to assume that I'd Have to have 3 speakers for the dry/wet setup?

I'd like to just use one 2x12...

Cheers,

John
 
You can use just one side of your poweramp (if it has a volume pot for each side). So one side dry (VH4), one side wet (poweramp in mono).
 
so the VH4 poweramp dos say, the left channel and the other poweramp does the right?

Cheers John
 
Ok how about a little education here! I must be very old old school
or something.

Why all of this hot plate/attenuator/speaker emulator stuff needed for in this situation? Will all this sound better live than what I am currently doing???

I have my Herbie, and cabinet with effects that I use live.
cabinet miked BOOM! Recently though I've been playing at lower volumes
which I enjoy so much better.So, I put a V30 16ohm in a floor wedge and I set that in front of me and I mike it with a SM57. Now i have total feedback control, I can play at a comfortable volume and I no longer even need to use my Diezel cab if i want. What are the differences and or advantages to using what Lejo suggested. Eg. palmer speaker emulator and all the other suff he suggested??????? :o :? :hilfe:
 
Well, a hotplate let's you play the Herbie at bedroom levels with the volumes cranked without killing everyone in your immediate neighborhood. It basically makes it possible to crank it to get the tube sound at low volumes.
 
I believe the "tube" sound scottph is referring too is the power tube break up in conjunction with a bit of pre-amp distortion.
To get that from the VH4, simply turn up the global volume past 1 o'clock and back down the channel volumes to desired taste. Add in a bit of gain on each channel as desired.
The VH4 was designed so that all global volume settings past 1 oc'clock will offer this power tube distortion feature. I have used it with great success to get the amp to sound as though it was coming apart at lower volumes.
I only wish this feature had been installed on all of the various Diezel amps. It is one of the best sounds and features I have heard.
 
>|<>QBB<
duesentrieb":99c04 said:
Hi guys,

converting is actually a lot of work: adding another OT, seperating the four power-tube sockets, installing another bias circuitry, installing another master, presence and deep . . .

As for the HotPlate (or any other attenuator which can act also as a load): I'd use 16Ohm, since this way all wires of the OT would be used.

Alternatives to a HotPlate:
Palmer PGA04 (ADIG-LB) 1RU 19" - also speaker emulator
Marshall SE-100 2RU 19" - also speaker emulator

And another tip here: think about a dry/wet rig. Just get a small (but excellent) Lehle Splitter - www.lehle.com - run the VH4 dry, hook the splitter to the send, one way back is the return, the other goes into your G-Force and then the poweramp, just used in mono mode.

Hook the VH4 to one side of the cab, the poweramp to the other side. I guess that you will like what you are hearing . . .
Click to expand...
OLAF, I agree with Peter. An attenuator can suck some of the gain and tone from the VH4, But in moderation can help you bump up the master Volume to get more out of your tone.....
P.S. Like my new Avatar??
 
>|<>QBB<
C-4":d9321 said:
I believe the "tube" sound scottph is referring too is the power tube break up in conjunction with a bit of pre-amp distortion.
To get that from the VH4, simply turn up the global volume past 1 o'clock and back down the channel volumes to desired taste. Add in a bit of gain on each channel as desired.
The VH4 was designed so that all global volume settings past 1 oc'clock will offer this power tube distortion feature. I have used it with great success to get the amp to sound as though it was coming apart at lower volumes.
I only wish this feature had been installed on all of the various Diezel amps. It is one of the best sounds and features I have heard.
Click to expand...

That's what I meant, yeah. The attenuator let's you crank the volume while the output to the cab is still low enough to be able to play at home - even with pissy neighbors. :)
 
I have always been leary of putting anything BUT a speaker cable between my head and cabinet. God forbid the hotplate were to take a dump and do serious damage to either the head or cab. I play a Herbert and get pretty good sounds at lower volumes. Just my .02
 
Nothing will happen if the Hotplate dies, besides a sudden increase in volume.
 
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