Best attenuator 2021

Amplifiers are generally designed to operate clean, and most manufacturers specify the output power as clean power. When you run the amp full blast, the output devices actually become more efficient because distortion is not considered. Be aware of that when choosing an attenuator, because the idea of using an attenuator is to run the amp full blast and if not full blast, then still in the danger zone into power tube distortion and then controlling the level going to the speaker. For instance, if you are going to crank a 50 watt amp, you should choose a watt attenuator. Similarly, if you are going to crank a w amp, you should choose a attenuator. If you have a high-gain amp or use heavy distortion, please read the important information at the bottom of the page.

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• The 3 Best Guitar Amp Attenuators (Reviews – 2021)
• Best Power Attenuator Tube Amp for Metal in 2021
• Top 11+ Guitar Amp Attenuators 2021
• Top Amp Attenuators for Handling Speaker Load
• Best combo amps 2021: Our choice of the 15 best all-in-one combo amps for every budget
• Best Guitar Amp Attenuators – Get Overdriven Tone at Any Volume
• Attenuators: No Compromise Tone
• Tame your tube amp with Harley Benton’s GA-250 Power Attenuator
• New Addition to Your Musical Arsenal: Best Guitar Power Attenuator
• 10 best attenuators to buy in 2019

WATCH RELATED VIDEO: The Truth About Guitar Amp Attenuators, Bugera PS1 UAD OX Fryette Powerstation PS-2

The 3 Best Guitar Amp Attenuators (Reviews – 2021)

As guitar players, we are constantly trying to carve out our own unique sound in an effort to stand out from the crowd - and a big part of that comes from the amp we choose to play our electric guitar through.

While it's true, our choice of six-string certainly influences our guitar tone greatly - as do our hands and overall technique - we would argue that our amp selection plays an equal-sized role in the quest for tone as the guitar. So, therefore, choosing the best guitar amp for your needs is not a decision to be made lightly. So, if you aren't happy with your current rig, or you're looking to buy your first amp, let us up your tone game with this guide to the best guitar amps.

From high-powered tube amps perfect for the stage to solid-state practice amps that won't annoy the neighbors - and everything in between - we break down our favorite amps out there right now.

We have put the amps in order of price to make things easy, starting with the most affordable, leading up to the more boutique offerings on this list.

Explore the latest news and guitar gear offers on our Black Friday guitar deals page. For the bedroom players - or beginners - it's hard not to recommend the Positive Grid Spark.

This clever little amp is versatile, robust, and sounds fantastic - and with a slew of intelligent practice features, it really is one of the best guitar amps on the market for home use.

If you find yourself longing for the tone only a valve amp can provide - but you don't want to spend a fortune - then the Orange Rocker 15 should be a consideration. This British icon delivers bags of rock 'n' roll tone while giving you the ability to drop the output power to a bedroom-friendly 0. Sticking with legendary British tones, we highly recommend the Vox AC30 for the gigging musician looking for a fierce mid-range bark and a clean tone that will transport you back to the swinging sixties.

This 6V6 loaded amp has its feet firmly in the world of vintage Tweed tones but is loaded with modern features such as the Ironman II Attenuator.

Hitting the scene in late , the Positive Grid Spark changed the face of home practice amps forever. This unassuming 40W amp may look like all the other practice solutions on the market, but don't be fooled - it's concealing some very advanced technology. Powered by the highly revered BIAS tone engine, this amp is capable of recreating some of the most popular tube amps and effects of all time, and when used in conjunction with the Spark app, this plucky little amp becomes the ultimate practice tool.

The revolutionary Auto Chord feature is hands down one of the most remarkable elements of this amp - giving you the ability to figure out the chords in any song from Spotify, Apple Music, or Youtube.

While, the Smart Jam feature carefully analyses the notes you're playing and creates a backing track in a style of your choice - no, seriously, your amp will jam along with you!

Now, if all of this wasn't enough, the app also gives you access to over 10, tone presets. At this point, Friedman has become somewhat of a modern classic with the likes of Jerry Cantrel, Bill Kelliher and Billy Duffy using the golden-faced amps to devastating effect on stages around the globe.

Now, while most of us would love nothing more than playing our Les Paul through a full-fat BE Deluxe or even a Runt, there is one problem - price.

Luckily, Friedman has an incredibly affordable option for those seeking the BE bark without breaking the bank. Enter the Friedman BE Mini, a solid-state take on the famous preamp circuit wrapped up in a handy 30W mini head format. This stripped-down amp provides only the bare essentials for quality tone, with a single channel set-up that delivers top-class high gain sounds, while the tiny footprint, lightweight nature, and 30W of power mean the BE Mini can be used in a myriad of situations, from playing live, recording in the studio or practicing at home.

Okay, let's face it, as much as we all love the sound of a tasty set of humbuckers into a cranked valve amp, it isn't always practical - especially at home. For most of us, we turn to a digital modeling amp to virtually recreate the tone we are longing for - but what if you really need it to be valve? Well, in that case, it's best to keep the wattage as low as possible to ensure you get as much natural break up as possible, and the Blackstar HT-1R does this perfectly.

This petite combo amp kicks out plenty of gain, natural compression, and the tone you've come to expect from the folks over at Blackstar. Housed inside this pint-sized combo are two distinct channels, each with two voices, giving you a surprisingly versatile range of tones, while the built-in digital reverb adds the much-needed ambiance we've all come to rely on.

As an added bonus, the MKII comes with the ability to record via the USB port found on the rear of the unit - making this a valuable amp to have in your home studio. These days whether an amp is solid-state or tube doesn't really matter all that much. With advancements in technology, digital modeling amps sound better now than they ever have done before, and Boss proves this with the Katana.

Offering users access to five channels - Clean, Crunch, Lead, Brown, and Acoustic, as well as 15 in-built effects, this is a highly versatile little amp. As you would expect from Boss, the effects are of superb quality. Whether it's delay, chorus, or tremolo, all sounds are taken from Bosses famous stomp-boxes. Hookup the Katana to your PC, and you'll be able to gain access to 60 different additional effects via the Boss Tone Lab.

You can't have a list of the best guitar amps and not include Marshall - arguably the most recognizable amplifiers in the world. Of course, we could have chosen a myriad of models to be featured in this guide, but the one that stands out is the Marshall Origin 20C.

Marshall fans breathed a collective sigh of relief when the iconic amp manufacturer dropped the Origin series back in Finally, Marshall was going back to their roots and releasing a no-nonsense single-channel tube amp that was a perfect throwback to their past yet included modern features that players demanded. This is easily one of the best Marshall amps in recent years. The Origin 20C is capable of producing rich, warm cleans, on the edge of break-up blues-tones and righteous rock tones, all by playing with the gain control in conjunction with the power attenuator.

This mighty amp also features an in-built gain boost if you find yourself needing more juice and also a footswitch controllable FX loop. So if you have an itch only Marshall could scratch, then the Origin 20C might be the best option out there for you. Hughes and Kettner - when outstanding German engineering meets high-fidelity guitar tones.

The TubeMeister Deluxe was released back in and is still one of the most popular Hughes and Kettner models to date, perfectly combining glassy clean tones and super articulate gain sounds.

There is plenty of gain on tap here for most applications, while the addition of a "lead boost" allows you to push the overdrive to a whole other level - but don't worry, there may be an abundance of gain, but the tone never gets fizzy or harsh.

Where the TubeMeister really comes into its own is actually the technology hidden on the back of the amp. This smart feature turns your already great amp into the ultimate studio partner. This is a switchable DI output, which gives you the ability to emulate either a 4x12 or 1x12 cabinet, as well as choose between vintage and modern modes.

Of course, you can also turn this feature off, but it sounds so good, we're not sure why you would. Orange may seem like the sometimes forgotten British amp brand behind the juggernaut that is Marshall and the provenance of Vox. Still, they offer a tone that sits right in between the two offering the best of both worlds. The punchy and not too fizzy tone is perfect for rock 'n' roll.

The Orange Rocker 15 is designed to easily switch between the bedroom and the stage - something Orange has perfected with the Terror series - going from 15 watts down to the super neighbor-friendly 0. In addition, the "natural" channel features a solitary volume control - not unlike the AC30 - and is designed to let the natural tone of your guitar shine through. The "dirty" channel, on the other hand, is a little more of a standard affair, with a three-band EQ, gain control, and master volume.

Crank this channel to unlock those face-melting rock tones. While the enormous, deep tone of the Twin Reverb brings a smile to the face of most guitar players, the back-crushing weight certainly does not. The clever folks over at Fender have been tirelessly working away on solving this age-old grievance - enter the Fender Tone Master Twin Reverb. Most of the other modelling amplifiers on the market are more concerned with simulating as many different amps as possible, giving the player a digital-smorgasbord of different tones.

This can result in a few great sounds, but usually a few unusable ones with it. Where the Tone Master differs is in its intent.

This hi-tech Twin's sole purpose is to perfectly recreate one amp, down to every last detail. So if this amp looks like a Fender Twin and sounds like a Fender Twin, what's the main difference?

Well - apart from the lack of tubes - it weighs in at only 33 lbs! Meaning you can comfortably carry this to and from gigs with no hassle. This may be the smallest amp on this list, but don't let its small stature fool you. The Supro 64 Reverb sounds enormous! Like many entries in this guide, this amp takes inspiration from what has gone before but adds a few modern twists to make it work for today's player.

This fierce 5-watt combo is oozing with vintage style and has the tone to match. The 6V6 tubes and 1x8 Jensen speaker deliver a powerful retro bark that is dynamic and a delight to play. This is the sort of amp that just begs to be played - especially when you set it right on the edge of break up. The Supro also has a few clever features hidden behind its old-fashioned facade.

Located at the rear of the amp is a set of line outputs that offer the ultimate flexibility, whether you want to use them to drive another amp or even for home recording. The "Dry" signal output - as you'd expect - provides the dry signal only, with no reverb.

This also stops the dry signal from being sent to the power amp. The "Reverb" output does the same but with only the reverb signal, while the "Mix" output combines the two and doesn't affect what is sent to the power tubes.

No matter the decade, you'll be sure to find a Fender amp sitting pride of place on any stage - from smokey jazz and blues clubs to lively country bars and sticky rock stomping-grounds - they are an enduring presence in every music scene. The big reason Fender amps have been so loved for so long is that they offer a clean, harmonically rich, and mid-scooped tone that always seems to bring out the best in your playing.

The Fender '68 Custom Deluxe Reverb is the ultimate throwback to the silver face era of amps, delivering vintage twang and the touch-sensitive dynamics the original was famous for - all while looking the part as well.

For the traditionalist, the aptly named "vintage channel" belts out all the silver panel tone you could ask for, while the "custom channel" is loaded with the iconic Bassman tone circuit for more sonic possibilities. The watts of power is right in the sweet spot for gigging, allowing you to really push the amp and get the best out of it - although it may be a little much for the house!

So if you are looking for the ultimate Fender tone, this might be one of the best guitar amps for you. This watt diamond-clad-combo is responsible for some of the most remarkable guitar tones in history and has a sound that is purely its own - and not many amps can say that.

There's a power to an AC30 that hits you right in the gut - especially when it's cranked! Dial it back, and you can achieve those sparkly clean sounds that can cut glass if you're not careful. The reverb and tube-driven tremolo are welcome additions, bringing the ability to soften the sometimes harsh nature of all that mid-range.

At the same time, the master "tone-cut" provides even more tone-shaping capabilities. So if you are looking for an amp that will bring those classic British tones, take pedals incredibly well, and look impeccably stylish while doing it, then look no further than the Vox AC C2. This relatively small English company has really made a name for itself since launching in Offering competitively priced, hand-made amplifiers that are durable, roadworthy, and most importantly, sound fantastic!

The V40 is a single-channel, all-valve head that offers both American clean tones and British overdrive sounds. Through a series of clever switches, you can shape the tone to exactly how you like it, without any fuss. For example, the "voice" control shapes the upper mids. Voice I mode allows less of these frequencies through to the subsequent gain stage, whereas Voice II allows more through.

This may seem like a simple feature, but it really does allow you to dial in your perfect tone - it works particularly well when playing with a band. It's not just glorious high power on offer though, as the front panel switch allows you to lower the overall power to around 7 watts. In case that wasn't quite enough, you also have the option to use single-ended mode, which selects to just one or other of the power valves in Class A operation, resulting in a minuscule 1 watt RMS.

Best Power Attenuator Tube Amp for Metal in 2021

When choosing your attenuator, you must consider power handling and impedance. Other potentially useful features may include equalisation controls and impedance switching. Dummy load switching will safely silence your amp and the direct output can be routed to a power amp for re-amping. US manufacturer Eminence offers two speakers with flux density modulation. The Reignmaker is the British-voiced model and the Maverick is voiced for American tones. Available in 8- or ohm impedance with watt power handling, you can adjust the attenuation level by turning the rotary control at the back of the speaker itself.

Top 11+ Guitar Amp Attenuators 2021

This product has been discontinued and is no longer shipping. Manufacturing specs and user information is provided below for owners of the product. Should you decide to combine the DI signal with a microphone, the Headload is augmented with a built-in Radial Phazer to time-align the two signals to create massive tones. The Headload uses a 6-position rotary switch to set the desired power reduction from unaltered all the way down to complete silence. When the output is completely soaked, the high-quality headphone amplifier can be used for silent AM practicing. The Headload lets you reduce the output level going to your speaker cabinet for a more controlled stage sound. This makes it easier for the engineer to mix.

Top Amp Attenuators for Handling Speaker Load

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Best combo amps 2021: Our choice of the 15 best all-in-one combo amps for every budget

Amp attenuators are devices that solve a very old problem that is specific to tube amps. If you want good distortion, you have to crank the volume to the max. This has to do with the fact that power tubes provide the best sound once they are under maximum load. So in general, the rule of thumb is that the quality of sound increases with the volume. You just overpower everything and your amp gets too loud.

Best Guitar Amp Attenuators – Get Overdriven Tone at Any Volume

We may earn a commission if you make a purchase through one of our links. The LA Times newsroom or editorial staff was not involved in the creation of this content. Learn more. The guitar power attenuator essentially plays the middleman between the amp and the speaker; this device diverts excess power that comes from the amplifier to control the volume of the speaker. It essentially allows your tone to remain intact, even when you lower the volume on your speaker. The Unleash V2 can also take in a second channel and an effects loop, thanks to its input points on the rear of the device. The unit itself is very tiny, and can be easily moved around with its metal handle. Unlike most attenuators, this thing also can work in the opposite direction thanks to its boost; conversely, now your tiny amp can get huge sounds that it could never achieve on its own.

Attenuators: No Compromise Tone

As guitar players, we are constantly trying to carve out our own unique sound in an effort to stand out from the crowd - and a big part of that comes from the amp we choose to play our electric guitar through. While it's true, our choice of six-string certainly influences our guitar tone greatly - as do our hands and overall technique - we would argue that our amp selection plays an equal-sized role in the quest for tone as the guitar. So, therefore, choosing the best guitar amp for your needs is not a decision to be made lightly. So, if you aren't happy with your current rig, or you're looking to buy your first amp, let us up your tone game with this guide to the best guitar amps.

Tame your tube amp with Harley Benton’s GA-250 Power Attenuator

RELATED VIDEO: Which Speaker Simulator/Loadbox is the best? Part 5/5

Using tube amps has its pros and cons, for instance, you can have a clearer and cleaner signal output compared to solid-state amps. But then one of the cons of a tube amp is its loss of control over its level of subtle distortion or tube saturation, which means if you want distortion out of your tube amp, then you will have to crank the volume way up. A power attenuator gives you the ability to bring out the high-volume characteristics of your amp, at a manageable level. Today we are taking a look at the best power attenuators for metal.

New Addition to Your Musical Arsenal: Best Guitar Power Attenuator

Written by Bobby April 9, Leave a Comment. Both from a cost and feature perspective, the Rivera Mini RockRec is the highest-value amp attenuator for basic tube amp recording and playing at lower volumes. It leaves out the higher-end emulation features in favor of getting you all the critical functionality. An easy top pick. Without a speaker load , tube amps will burn out and then you'll be out an amplifier. This is a problem is because, while a lot of guitar players prefer tube amps , it isn't always ideal to have to use a speaker cab or to play at high volumes where tube amps are often at their most optimal tone quality.

10 best attenuators to buy in 2019

Many guitarists consider amp attenuators to be an essential part of their playing set-up, especially those using valve or tube amps. The attenuator goes in between the power and the speaker sections of your amplifier, converting a portion of the energy into heat rather than sound. As opposed to just turning down the volume, which can make your sound thin or weak, an attenuator lets you get the full sound of your amp without blowing out your eardrums every time you practice. The most important thing is to look for a model that can handle the power your amp puts out.