Master Volume?

[sliberty]

My Wreck isn't finished yet, so this is just some advance thinking.....

I have seen some folks here "complain" about the volume of their Wreck. So I wondered if any of you had experimented with a master volume circuit for the Express? If so, what did it look like, and how did you like the results?

Thanks,
Steve

[Allynmey]

Steve, if you want to experience the 'Wreck sound in all it's glory, don't change the circuit. Build an airbrake to quiet it down when you need to.

My opinion only.

Allynmey

[908ssp]

My Richter Attenuator sounds terrific with my Express.

Another alternative might be a Power Scaling Kit.

Blankenship use a variac for the power tubes but he still maintains normal voltages to the rest of the amp.

But all said and done the Richter really does allow the amp to work to its full potential, power tubes and output transformer saturation. If you're not worried about wearing out tubes the Richter sounds great. It is the most transparent attenuator I have tried and I have tried 6.

[paulruby]

I agree with these guys that a wreck is best played full bore with an atttenuator at the output. But, you can also easily add a MV and just crank it all the way up to retain the full-bore sound. Add a 1M-log pot after the 3rd stage, before the PI, capacitively coupled to the PI after the wiper to do so.

[sliberty]

I agree with these guys that a wreck is best played full bore with an atttenuator at the output. But, you can also easily add a MV and just crank it all the way up to retain the full-bore sound. Add a 1M-log pot after the 3rd stage, before the PI, capacitively coupled to the PI after the wiper to do so.

Thanks Paul. After a little more research and recommendations like yours, I am thinking that I may just try your split plate load resistor idea before doing anything with a MV. Your explaination of that approach made it sound very inviting. I plan to implement it switched, so I can go back to stock when the room I am in can handle the full out levels.

But regarding the MV - the existing .1uF cap would go to the wiper, right? And the legs of the pot would go to the plate of V2a and to ground respectively? Sounds very much like what I did in my AX84 P1 build. Since that amp has relatively mild gain, it worked out pretty well. I tend to keep the gain cranked up around 3/4 anyway, so backing off on the master a little did just what I wanted. But I know this is a different animal altogether (I can hardly wait to hear HOW different).

[paulruby]

Also adde a 0.1uf cap between the plate of the previous stage and the top of the pot. A po with DC current flowing in it will be scratchy and will also throw off the bias of the previous stage.

[keithrick]

I am going to have to disagree with everyone and say that you need to just crank the amp with no attenuator and enjoy it That what I do

Edit: I did add a MV. BUT I only dial it down 10% or so there is no loss of dynamics. BTW-An added benifit is that the hiss is reduced.

[philmanatee]

I like a 2 12 with relatively inefficient, yet great sounding speakers and crank it up. Phil