What is a power attenuator?
A power attenuator is a device placed between the speaker output and the speaker cabinet. It acts like a huge master volume control and permits the amp to be turned up most or all the way while absorbing most of the power generated by the amplifier and turning this power into heat. It passes a small part of the power to the speaker. Why do I want one? THD customers use attenuators because their amps sound good at high volumes, especially with full distortion, but in rehearsal, small clubs, or at home, they can’t turn the amp up. They are also used in recording studios for better separation between the instruments, and for use when the speaker sounds best at low levels, or if it can’t handle the power output. The Hot Plate also makes a perfect dummy load. THD needed a good attenuator for their in-house testing of THD amplifiers. The amps have to be tested at all volumes, clean and pure to wild distortion, and they were tired of their ears hurting. All the attenuators on the market muffl
