PeeMonkey Posted September 12, 2004 Share Posted September 12, 2004 Ive had my fun with my peavey 5150 combo and now after moving it to the apartment it is a monster, I used to play it in the garage, now I am thinking of selling it maybe and find an alternative, probably just a good small amp with a bunch of pedals I guess. I know ive had it for a week but the thing is a monster, too monstrous for my apartment. What should i do!?! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EmptinesOf Youth Posted September 12, 2004 Share Posted September 12, 2004 ship it to: 2932 Trenton Ave. Winthrop Harbor IL, 60096 ill even cover shipping honestly thought if your never gonna use it to its full potential, ex. your in a band..., i would sell it. Get a really nice small amp and youll have plenty of cash left over.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeeMonkey Posted September 12, 2004 Author Share Posted September 12, 2004 I was thinking of buying a Les Paul with the extra cash I have left, haha, I think its just something to keep myself happy for having to part with such a great amp... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Werewolf by Night Posted September 12, 2004 Share Posted September 12, 2004 Peemonkey, dude, if I steered you wrong, I'm sorry! You can't get the "master" volume low enough to play in your apartment? I know it doesn't sound quite the same at lower volumes, but a lot of that amp's sound comes from the preamp section; I'd think that a good enough tone for playing at home could be gotten with the pre-gain cranked up and the master down low... If it's 'cause of your neighbors, maybe if you get it up off the floor and somewhat isolated from it, it wouldn't be as audible to them? MAYBE- just maybe- you might benefit from some kind of "atenuator"... maybe... If you can hang with headphones, some atenuators will feed 'em. Check the GT Electronics (Groove Tubes) Speaker Emulator; gives you a line-level output converted direct from the amp's speaker jack thjat sounds like a vintage Marshall 4x12 cab close-mic'ed with a Sure SM57, with or without any "real" speakers attached; it's all-analog, all-"reative" loading that uses a real voice-coil like that of a vintage Celestion. It also does a few levels of attenuation for your "real" speakers. You can feed a PA, mixer, recording console, headphone amp, effects processors, whatever with it. Ask yourself- What Would Ren and Stimpy Do? ~ Caevan James-Michael Miller-O'Shite ~ _ ___ _ Leprechaun, Esquire _ ___ _ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeeMonkey Posted September 12, 2004 Author Share Posted September 12, 2004 hehe its not ur fault caevan, in my garage it didnt sound as loud because its a big space, its basically a 3 car garage with no cars parked in it. But now since im in the apartment that thing screams, Ive had one complaint from my neighbor already. Hmm maybe I can buy a bunch of egg cartons off ebay and try to make the room "sound proof" haha, im not sure anymore. I think the only option I have is to sell it off and just practice more. How exactly do attenuators work? Ive never tried them before. If those can go to my headphones at least that will be better since the Combo has no headphone output haha. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Werewolf by Night Posted September 12, 2004 Share Posted September 12, 2004 Well, they're not cheap, but attenuators plug in between your amp and speakers, in series. They tap off some of the energy going to the speakers so that the amp's tubes and transformers can still be cranked up to get 'em overdriven, but at lower volume levels from the speakers. Some sound great, some not as great. Do a few searches on this Guitar Forum for "attenuator", "attenuaors, "power soak", etc. They've been discussed at great length here already! Maybe a cheaper alternative would be to still keep your amp- you never know when you may need it- but also get some kind of headphone-friendly modeler device, like those by Line 6 (Pod, Pod XT, etc.), Johnson (J-Station), Digitech (GNX series), Korg (Pandora), Vox (Valvetronix series), etc. I love my Johnson J-Station, and Pods are cool, too. I really lust for the Digitech GNX and Vox Valvetronix stuff! Ask yourself- What Would Ren and Stimpy Do? ~ Caevan James-Michael Miller-O'Shite ~ _ ___ _ Leprechaun, Esquire _ ___ _ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeeMonkey Posted September 12, 2004 Author Share Posted September 12, 2004 With those modelers, do they work as simple as hooking it up to your guitar and hooking up headphones to it? Or will I also have to use an amp too? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Philip OKeefe Posted September 12, 2004 Share Posted September 12, 2004 Originally posted by Peemonkey: With those modelers, do they work as simple as hooking it up to your guitar and hooking up headphones to it? Or will I also have to use an amp too?They have headphone jacks. I use them occasionally for practice, but I prefer the sound when it is coming through my studio monitors - but when you have a $5,000 set of ADAM monitors and a control room with nice acoustics and great soundproofing (the foam isn't going to be good enough to do that), you rarely want to use headphones. But yes, they'll work fine with headphones and don't sound too bad that way. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tedster Posted September 12, 2004 Share Posted September 12, 2004 Don't sell it. Hang on to it. You'll kick yerself in yer rear end later if you do... "Cisco Kid, was a friend of mine" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeeMonkey Posted September 12, 2004 Author Share Posted September 12, 2004 I cranked the preamp to max already and the volume still seems a little too loud to play in the apartment, and the master volume for the lead is under 1 too, I also cant get that heavy distortion in without the guitars volume cranked up, I can get a pretty nice clean tone out of it though at low volumes. Hmmm, I think ill just purchase a bunch of egg cartons off ebay, haha do these really work? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave da Dude Posted September 12, 2004 Share Posted September 12, 2004 Originally posted by Tedster: Don't sell it. Hang on to it. You'll kick yerself in yer rear end later if you do... You could always get new neighbors Seriously don't sell it. Instead do like Caevan suggested, but also get some kind of headphone-friendly modeler device, like those by Line 6 (Pod, Pod XT, etc.), Johnson (J-Station), Digitech (GNX series), Korg (Pandora), Vox (Valvetronix series), etc. You won't always live in an apartment. Besides, more gear is better Gotta' geetar... got the amp. There must be SOMEthing else I... "need". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeeMonkey Posted September 12, 2004 Author Share Posted September 12, 2004 Is it really worth it to keep the amp if its going to be too loud to play through it? I dont want it to just sit there for a whole year untouched thats why im having trouble deciding. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Teahead Posted September 12, 2004 Share Posted September 12, 2004 How about something like the Boss DS1 distortion pedal to give you searing, harmonic crunch all of its own, so you don't need to have the preamp of the 5150 cranked? Should be quieter and will most likely sound fuller than the amp when choked by master volume. There is no substitute for speakers "moving air" as they say, but you might find a useable sound at lesser volumes. Having said that, a 5150 in an appartment does read like overkill and only you can decide if you'r going to get sufficent use and enjoyment out of that amp to justify keeping it. Should you decide to sell it... Pay a visit to www.zvex.com and have a look at the Quicktime movie for the Z Vex Nano Head. You've probably heard of them, it's a tiny little tube amp that has loads of glorious crunch and gain, but very little clean headroom. Hooked up to a 1x12 or 2x12 speaker cab (8 or 16ohms) you will get all the feel that comes from pushing your amp, without pushing your neighbours! Good luck! Tea. Pedal Clips Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tedster Posted September 12, 2004 Share Posted September 12, 2004 Originally posted by Peemonkey: I cranked the preamp to max already and the volume still seems a little too loud to play in the apartment, and the master volume for the lead is under 1 too, I also cant get that heavy distortion in without the guitars volume cranked up, I can get a pretty nice clean tone out of it though at low volumes. Hmmm, I think ill just purchase a bunch of egg cartons off ebay, haha do these really work?Don't put egg cartons on the walls...that'll just screw up your rent deposit... Just try and save up for the modeler. Yeah...man, if I had all the gear I've stupidly sold over the years... "Cisco Kid, was a friend of mine" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shoes Posted September 12, 2004 Share Posted September 12, 2004 I told ya to get a 100 Marshall and a Power Brake! So now just go and get a Power Brake or Power Soak or any of those things that leach off power. You may want to look at having the circuitry modified to provide you with a line level output that you can feed your stereo or headphones. It's not likely to devalue or undermine this amp in any way provided it's done right. I think you should keep this long enough to know what you've got before you send it packin' I still think guitars are like shoes, but louder. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Werewolf by Night Posted September 12, 2004 Share Posted September 12, 2004 If you get rid of this 60-watt 2x12 combo, you'll wind up wishing you still had it someday when you want to do the band or jam things! I am surprised that you can't get the master volume low enough- even with the guitar's volume fully up- to play it audibly in your apartment, at "TV"-volumes... sure, it doesn't sound "the same", but it beats most so-called "practice amps", doesn't it? Up off the floor, it should transmit less sound to your neighbors, too. Line 6 Pods and Johnson J-Stations can be found pretty damn cheap nowadays, and would easily be plenty good enough for you. (Clonk on my signature if you wanna hear a couple of J-Station direct-recorded tones that I did.) They make killer little headphone guitar amps; they've got plenty of built-in effects, too. Did I mention they can be had for cheap? If you really want the same (or very close to the same) sound from your amp but with heaphones, and can spend a little mo' money, the GT Electronics Speaker Emulator is really hard to beat. (Myles Rose owns and uses several, and I don't think he'll sell his- that should say enough!) You'd need to connect it between your amp's speaker output and something that'll drive headphones (maybe the new ones will drive a pair of 'phones, I don't know, I have a very early model), but the reactive speaker voice-coil technology they use is perfect and totally analog and old-school. AND totally safe for your amp, not to mention your tone! I mean no disrespect to 'shoes', but the GT Speaker Emu' will do a totally superior job for turning that beast (or any tube-amp, up to 100-watts) into a seriously toneful preamp! I haven't tried the Palmer Speaker Simulator models, but they're a lot more expensive yet! Ask yourself- What Would Ren and Stimpy Do? ~ Caevan James-Michael Miller-O'Shite ~ _ ___ _ Leprechaun, Esquire _ ___ _ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
michael saulnier Posted September 12, 2004 Share Posted September 12, 2004 Myles also has recommended and Lee Flier is using a Dr Z Airbrake. I know Lee is pretty happy with the sound she gets, even with fairly heavy attenuation. I have a THD UniValve that has a built in THD Hot Plate attenuator. I use it almost all the time when I play in my home studio environment. I also have a Randall Iso Cab. This has the advantage of have a closed, airtight lid that let's me play reasonably loud, yet... controls the volume a lot. Of course, you would have to "monitor" the sound of the mic'd cab using a recording device or something. Sadly, "great sound at low volumes" is an almost impossible problem to resolve, because part of what's GOOD about a cranked amp at volume is the "feel" that it provides. Plus, Fletcher-Munson curves tell us that you perceive sound differently when the volume is increased, (basically you get more high and low end as it gets louder, so you have to compensate for the loss of it at lower volume... thus the "loudness" button on many stereos). I recently got a PODxt, and with the upgrade and "model packs"... I think it's WAY better than previous versions of this product. I really can get some decent sounds from it... and it can be TOTALLY quiet when you want. If you sell your 5150 and buy another amp, you're going to find that to get the sound you really like from your NEW amp, you still have to crank it up pretty good. I'd suggest both getting an airbrake, or a similar attenuator, to get lower volume when you can have SOME volume, AND something like a PODxt for those times when you want to play, but can't make ANY volume. guitplayer I'm still "guitplayer"! Check out my music if you like... http://www.michaelsaulnier.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeeMonkey Posted September 12, 2004 Author Share Posted September 12, 2004 Hmmm, sounds like great advice from everyone, Thanks Alot. I will probably dish out the few extra bucks and keep it I went through a hassle to drive and pick up the 5150 locally and stuff. Where can I find that GT Electronics Speaker Emulator you were suggesting Caevan? Does that thing also output like a attenuator or it just does a direct amp to headphone thing? Can you guys give me a little more details on the options I have for example the Attenuator and the GT Electronics Speaker Emulator or whatever else I can do to keep my amp and still play at low volumes. THank You! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EmptinesOf Youth Posted September 12, 2004 Share Posted September 12, 2004 i didnt read any of the other posts cause it looked like a lot of words but what if you just got a volume pedal to go in front of it and then turned the 5150 master up pretty loud but loweder it with the pedal? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guitarzan Posted September 13, 2004 Share Posted September 13, 2004 keep the amp and just pick up a digitech rp50/80 or 100. or a behringer vamp. use headphones and save the 5150 for those times you need power. http://www.soundclick.com/bands/pagemusic.cfm?bandID=193274 rock it, i will Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Philip OKeefe Posted September 13, 2004 Share Posted September 13, 2004 Originally posted by EmptinessOFYouth: i didnt read any of the other posts cause it looked like a lot of words but what if you just got a volume pedal to go in front of it and then turned the 5150 master up pretty loud but loweder it with the pedal?A volume pedal is going to lower the signal level going into the front end of the amp, and it won't be driven as hard... you'll loose gain / distortion that way. I say either get the Powersoak / Airbrake / Hot Plate type product, or pick up a modeller of some sort - Pod XT is the one to beat at the moment IMO, but I do have a J-Station, and they're not bad at all - seems like they go for around $100 or so on Ebay these days. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hendmik Posted September 13, 2004 Share Posted September 13, 2004 Just to clarify, the 5150's master volume will goo low enough fo ran apartment, but it sounds like crap. Even with a load box, dragging it down to 2 watts or so, can still get you kicked out an apartment. The 5150, to get rid of the chainsaw buzz sound, you have to really push those power tubes. A unit like the Koch LB120, is a load box, but it also has a direct output with a cabinet simulator for driving a headphone amp or mixer, and you can leave the speaker disconnected all together. If you're dedicated to keeping the 5150 AND living in an apartment, this is my only recommendation. But I agree with the other poster above; consider the regret you may feel if you ever join a band or gig in some way. Whenever you find that you are on the side of the majority, it is time to reform. Mark Twain (1835-1910) -------------------- Reporter: "Ah, do you think you could destroy the world?" The Tick: "Ehgad I hope not. That's where I keep all my stuff!" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shoes Posted September 13, 2004 Share Posted September 13, 2004 Originally posted by Caevan O'Shite: If you get rid of this 60-watt 2x12 combo, you'll wind up wishing you still had it someday when you want to do the band or jam things! I am surprised that you can't get the master volume low enough- even with the guitar's volume fully up- to play it audibly in your apartment, at "TV"-volumes... sure, it doesn't sound "the same", but it beats most so-called "practice amps", doesn't it? Up off the floor, it should transmit less sound to your neighbors, too. Line 6 Pods and Johnson J-Stations can be found pretty damn cheap nowadays, and would easily be plenty good enough for you. (Clonk on my signature if you wanna hear a couple of J-Station direct-recorded tones that I did.) They make killer little headphone guitar amps; they've got plenty of built-in effects, too. Did I mention they can be had for cheap? If you really want the same (or very close to the same) sound from your amp but with heaphones, and can spend a little mo' money, the GT Electronics Speaker Emulator is really hard to beat. (Myles Rose owns and uses several, and I don't think he'll sell his- that should say enough!) You'd need to connect it between your amp's speaker output and something that'll drive headphones (maybe the new ones will drive a pair of 'phones, I don't know, I have a very early model), but the reactive speaker voice-coil technology they use is perfect and totally analog and old-school. AND totally safe for your amp, not to mention your tone! I mean no disrespect to 'shoes', but the GT Speaker Emu' will do a totally superior job for turning that beast (or any tube-amp, up to 100-watts) into a seriously toneful preamp! I haven't tried the Palmer Speaker Simulator models, but they're a lot more expensive yet!Hey Caevan... none taken, I'm just encouraging the same thing. Try to get something and keep the amp. I know those power atenuators (big load sucking thing with a fan) are rather low tech compared to the new and vastly more intelligent alternatives on the market. The 25watt power reduction in my TSL is great for maintaining tone at lower volumes and I thought about the wife and kids and my late night playing when I selected it. We're gonna beat Peemonkey up here until he spends more money! I still think guitars are like shoes, but louder. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
revolead Posted September 13, 2004 Share Posted September 13, 2004 I would support the keep it and get a modeler headphone amp. That's what I use in my apartment. I haven't even bought a tube amp yet because I know it won't get used for 5 years. But, if I had a nice tube amp, I'd just keep it in the closet. You can always bust it out for jams. Just make friends with a guitarist who owns a house. You'll be set for life. Shut up and play. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeeMonkey Posted September 13, 2004 Author Share Posted September 13, 2004 Hehe, im willing to dish out more cash if I will still be able to use my 5150 combo at lower volumes and still keep that awesome tone. Can someone give me more detail on prices and models of attenuators or anything which will lower the volume of my amp? Also do these attenuators work with Combo amps? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Teahead Posted September 13, 2004 Share Posted September 13, 2004 Does the 5150 have an effects loop? If so, there are several designs available that you place in the loop to attenuate the overall volume. They're much cheaper than Hotplates and Airbrakes, about $250 cheaper to be exact! Obviously it doesn't offer the line out and eq options of the Hotplate, but if you can live without those options, it might be worth a try? Here's one I know of, it's only $23 plus shipping, so it won't break the bank...clonk the pic for a link to the site...then click products http://www.fxdoctor.com/scalpelmv.jpg Good luck... Tea. Edit I just realised this works exactly the same as the master volume on the amp(!) So it probably won't give any better resluts I'm afraid. Back to the drawing board! Hotplates are around $290 and there are diferent models intended to be matched to the ohms rating of you amp/speakers... 4, 8 or 16ohms. Airbrakes are usually a little cheaper, as they don't have eq options, I'm not sure if they have a line out like the Hotplate does, but the Airbrake will work with almost any amp, there is just one model to fit all. Versatility of a diferent kind. I've heard respected opinions acclaiming both, so I guess it depends on what you need. As you're going to be using quite severe levels of attenuation, I'm inclined to think the Hotplate might suit you better because of the EQ options, which serve to balance out the changes in bass and treble response as you really lower the output. Tea. Pedal Clips Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave da Dude Posted September 13, 2004 Share Posted September 13, 2004 I've been patiently watching for all the opinions to see if a superior one would pop up. But, since none have (IMHO an attenuator will still be too loud from all I've heard here [and from Myles specifically]), I vote with the headphone idea. Either through a speaker emulator / headphone converter, or a multi-effects with headphone output. A good pair of headphones will sound *dynamite* (sorry for the 50-60's lingo) and won't bother your apartment neighbors at all. I used a pair of full coverage Koss Pro A's when I lived at home with the Stones "Beggar's Banquet" cranked up. edited for too loud attenuator comment Gotta' geetar... got the amp. There must be SOMEthing else I... "need". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hendmik Posted September 13, 2004 Share Posted September 13, 2004 Originally posted by Peemonkey: Hehe, im willing to dish out more cash if I will still be able to use my 5150 combo at lower volumes and still keep that awesome tone. Can someone give me more detail on prices and models of attenuators or anything which will lower the volume of my amp? Also do these attenuators work with Combo amps?Yes, a load box will work with your combo. You'll have to remove the back panel of your amp, exposing the tubes, and you'll see a short cord going from the head unit to the speaker cabinet below. This is where you plug in the attenuator with the extra speaker cable that comes with which ever unit you buy. Again, most load boxes will pull the amp down to 2% of the original wattage or 1.2 watts. On a tube amp, that still pretty loud. You'll be shiocked and surprised how loud 1 watt really is. That's why I recommended the Koch LB120, that has the emulated line output for headphone use. The downside, is that it's $300. Whenever you find that you are on the side of the majority, it is time to reform. Mark Twain (1835-1910) -------------------- Reporter: "Ah, do you think you could destroy the world?" The Tick: "Ehgad I hope not. That's where I keep all my stuff!" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Werewolf by Night Posted September 13, 2004 Share Posted September 13, 2004 One thing to keep in mind: using either an attenuator or any device that allows you to use headphones instead of speakers will put wear and tear on your amp- in particular its tubes- at least as much, if not moreso, as running it conventionally. Getting an additional preamp/modeler/multieffects unit to play through 'phones will let your amp and its tubes last longer without maintenance necessities, giving the 5150 a break 'till you fire it up to jam with a band, etc. It's also simple, cut-and-dry, with much less knob twiddling to zero-in on the "perfect" (or "almost perfect") tone... less headaches! However, if you really must use that amp at all times, a load-device like the Koch that Hendmik mentioned (I'm not familiar with it, but Koch enjoys a good reputation) and the GT E Speaker Emulator will let you safely and tonefully use the whole entire amp cranked-up to drive headphones, feed a recording device (like a computer soundcard...), send a signal through a multieffects unit, a PA system... (I do not know if the new GTE Sp Emu II will drive headphones by itself; I use a $79 Rolls HA43 stereo-headphone amp that'll drive up to four pairs of 'phones, in stereo, each with its own volume control.) http://www.musicplayer.com/ubb/icons/icon2.gif LINK: The GTE Speaker Emulator II http://www.groovetubes.com/groovetubes/images/SEII.jpg That Koch unit might be all you'd need, though, and I believe it'd cost you considerably less! Plus, it does more levels of attenuation for when you want to use the speakers "out loud"; the GTE Sp Emu has two or three... Ask yourself- What Would Ren and Stimpy Do? ~ Caevan James-Michael Miller-O'Shite ~ _ ___ _ Leprechaun, Esquire _ ___ _ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave da Dude Posted September 13, 2004 Share Posted September 13, 2004 Originally posted by Caevan O'Shite: One thing to keep in mind: using either an attenuator or any device that allows you to use headphones instead of speakers will put wear and tear on your amp- in particular its tubes- at least as much, if not moreso, as running it conventionally. Getting an additional preamp/modeler/multieffects unit to play through 'phones will let your amp and its tubes last longer without maintenance necessities, giving the 5150 a break 'till you fire it up to jam with a band, etc. It's also simple, cut-and-dry, with much less knob twiddling to zero-in on the "perfect" (or "almost perfect") tone... less headaches! All good points Cav I'm tryin' to get 'round to getting one that also has a "Learn-A-Lick (or similar, 1/4 speed, no pitch loss for learning licks) unit. Another key feature of one is the use of the headphones so I can practice at home. Gotta' geetar... got the amp. There must be SOMEthing else I... "need". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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