switch the power to 0.5W like @ HT5 mkii

Discussion - HT-5 amplifiers.
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se1111
Posts: 1
Joined: Sat Oct 05, 2019 11:06 am

Fri Nov 15, 2019 11:49 am

Hi,

I bought the HT5R combo 6 years ago, but it is still a little too loud for me.

Now I saw the mkii version, which can switch the power to 0.5 of a watt.

Is there any workaround / modification that one can do at the older HT5 model, to have the same effect?
?

That would be great.

StephG666
Posts: 3
Joined: Sun Dec 15, 2019 8:44 pm

Fri Dec 20, 2019 8:28 pm

+1 on this. I guess for now it's speaker attenuator + EQ in the FX loop.

Neat feature on the new amp. I hope it gets out some day.

StephG666
Posts: 3
Joined: Sun Dec 15, 2019 8:44 pm

Thu Mar 19, 2020 11:07 pm

So I made an attenuator. You can buy them pre-made these guys: https://reverb.com/item/8280-carl-s-cus ... attenuator
I can get 0.5w output. I can get 0.1w output.

TL;DR: Soaking power from the speaker with the output stage driven, is a different sound than just using the Volume as your master on the OD channel. It is also different from putting a volume pedal/pad/control in the FX loop. It sounds amazing even at super low volumes. Running the output high and turning the L-Pad to a low setting runs my output tube hotter, and it means I'll probably have to replace it in 5-10 years. I don't know how I'll make up the $15-25. If you want the full HT-5 pre and output driven sound, this is cheaper than buying a new MKII.

This is my home built attenuator. Unlabeled so far
https://drive.google.com/file/d/14gqD8i ... sp=sharing
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1KWzIuM ... sp=sharing

Mine has a bypass and two voice hi-bypass switch (which I don't really need after all, since I use eq out of the guitar and in the FX loop).

This is fairly typical setting.
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1KWzIuM ... sp=sharing
The output tube runs just as hot as it would with the volume and gain set to those levels pictured, whether the full volume of the sound is coming out of the speaker, or no volume is coming out.

Using the clean channel with the attenuator, I have a huge range of clean to distortion, at phone volumes. Can't hear it in the next room volumes. I also use the clean channel with boost and a rat distortion/OD pedal to get a completely different kind of drive sound.

I built the attenuator using these plans. I left out the 4-8 ohm switch, and just made a straight 16 ohm. This is the L-Pad that I bought. It's 50W, so it doesn't even get warm from 5W driven (maybe 10 watts peak?).
https://www.parts-express.com/speaker-l ... m--260-254

User avatar
Sonofarich
Posts: 671
Joined: Thu Feb 24, 2011 1:00 am

Fri Mar 20, 2020 3:25 pm

Nice Steph...

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