Ceriatone Forum

As in Kevin O'Connor's power scaling.

From what I've read, it's the best sounding solution to the master volume or attenuator problem?

I thought a SS re-amp is the best?

Ultimate Attenuator ?

I don't follow?

I'm referring to the much discussed topic of solutions that will allow us to drive our tube amp power sections harder while mitigating the resulting high volume. Hotplate, Weber Mass, Airbrake, power scaling ... stuff like that.

I guess Kerzeck means using the line out from some load box (i.e. Hotplate) and power it with a solid state amp.

ummm....no

http://hoelectronics.com/Product2.php

It's the same thing as the "Ultimate Attenuator". 

It's a better sounding relative of the attenuators the OP posted.

While the exact mechanism of operation is a secret, it is believed to be a solid state amp with a maximum amplification ratio of 1/1.

"I thought a SS re-amp is the best?"

And this is what I described. Whether you have one unit that does it all, or use the Hotplate and another amp...same principle ya know.

Sorry, but I didn't know about the "ultimate", much less Ho's. Man, this stuff sounds cool! It's pricey, but in addition to attenuating it acts as a dummy load and a Z-matcher so that's a lot of utility. Don't see a price for Ho's. I'd be interested to know if his also matches impedance. That's my problem with Hotplates ... need one for 4 ohm, and another for 16. Price-wise, Mini-Mass is more my speed.

Just get a 8 ohm one  ;) One step mismatch in either direction is fine.

Then...

ummmmm....yes  ;D

See Pete Thorn's demonstration of this at the end of his review of the Suhr Badger 30 - this is not the same as PPIMV or Attenuators - same results without the tone suck.  For real.  There are a few different systems out there, but lumping attenuators and MV's in with power scaling is just plain wrong.  Power Scaling is awesome.

Wow!!! It's been a year since I started this thread! For much of that time this forum had some sort of technical problem and was inaccessible to me. At times the domain responded to ping, but that was about it. This went on for months and months. More recently, the site would open but it took more than a minute to view a page. Now everything appears working normally. Go figure? Maybe that's why this forum seems dead relative to the number of Ceriatone enthusiasts out there. Course, the ODS area stays busy.

Anyway, it now looks like the Dana Hall VVR voltage regulator solution is the way to go. Sort of a no frills take on the KO PS, but not an infringement, it's only $50 for fixed bias (cathode bias is $30) and universally folks are remarking it preserves tone better than attenuators -- even ultimate ones -- and much better than PPIMV. It is limited to 50 watts, so 100 watt blowtorchers are left out. The KO solutions will go 100 watts and higher.

Installation requires mounting the control pot/pcb assembly and 3 hookups for cathode bias, 5 wires for fixed which has to include bias regulation in addition to B+.

I wish Nik would check this out, and offer it as an option. Maybe the customer could ship the VVR to Nik to include in the build? I'm guessing the biggest hassle would be adding a panel mounted pot to existing chassis/faceplate designs.

http://www.hallamplification.com/main.html#2,2

Nik does do VVR if you ask

Cheers
T

So with this one little pot (VVR), you can crank your amp, and just adjust this to your own taste to achieve huge tone at low levels?  This is a no brainer. If it works this way I will be doing it immediately!

IMO VVR is not really needed on OTS type amps, as their very design incorporates a very good MV system.

Now on something like a tweed amp on the other hand...

Sort of a no frills take on the KO PS, but not an infringement, it's only Sac Longchamp Soldes (http://www.longchamps-sac.com/) $50 for fixed bias (cathode bias is $30) and universally folks are remarking it preserves tone better than attenuators -- even ultimate ones -- and much better than PPIMV. It is limited to 50 watts, so 100 watt blowtorchers are left out. The KO solutions will go 100 watts and higher.

Man this is an old thread! But I'm BORED so I hope no one jumps on me for posting, I don't really see that being a problem here though. Anyway, I BRIEFLY researched this "Kevin O'connor" thing and from what I read I was pretty unimpressed. I think I like the Variwatt from Skipz circuitz the best out of everything remotely in its price range. I haven't heard anything bad about it and its CHEAP. You just have to drill a hole or replace something. Maybe not good for vintage/super expensive gear but on a Ceriatone I don't see a problem/