# Amps with power scaling



## Vincent Boissinot (Jun 3, 2017)

Hi!

Anyone here has experience with amps with power scaling?

I have two amps at home, a Fender DDRI and a small Blackstar Ht1 , head and cab. I used to gig with the Deluxe, but I don't play that much often outside of the house anymore. It's too loud to use at home of course and is, to my ears, quite picky about pedals. The HT-1 sounds good for a home amp, but it's very different from the Deluxe. 

I'd like to change all that to have 1 amp, which would be ideal for home use, but that I can take out when I need to ( I guess i'll gig no more than 2-3 times a year). I know there must be a thousand threads about this, but recently, manufacturers are starting to produce amps with power scaling, which is quite different from attenuation, I didn't find so much first hand infos about using amp like this at bedroom levels.

I'm currently looking at Suhr Badger 18, Morgan amps... if anyone has a recommendations, i'm all ears


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## 1SweetRide (Oct 25, 2016)

Check out the Roland Blues Cube versions. I have the Artist which sounds like a tube amp but with power scaling. The smaller units might have that feature too.


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## zdogma (Mar 21, 2006)

I've had 3 power scaling amps, its a reasonable alternative to a master, and works well at moderate volume. Its a good option for gigs where volume is an issue. Like the attenuators, it still doesn't sound quite right at bedroom levels.


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## cboutilier (Jan 12, 2016)

Vincent Boissinot said:


> Hi!
> 
> Anyone here has experience with amps with power scaling?
> 
> ...


The normal channel of the DR likes pedals more than the Vibrato channel btw


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## Budda (May 29, 2007)

How much did the HT-1 cost you? It sounds to me like you already have the solution, but want a different one. The money's been spent, you have two amps, you know?

Perhaps it's worth looking into a different home amp that sounds closer to your deluxe?


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## RBlakeney (Mar 12, 2017)

cboutilier said:


> The normal channel of the DR likes pedals more than the Vibrato channel btw


I have recently found this out. 
My #2 input on my normal channel is good for home. 
It allows me to sometimes turn all the way up to 3 without my wife screaming at me.


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## sulphur (Jun 2, 2011)

This may be your cure...

Dr. Z Amplification | Cure

Around the 3:15 mark, they show the "level" volume differences.


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## Vincent Boissinot (Jun 3, 2017)

Yeah, I think @Budda is probably right. But i think I will end up doing the oppposite, trying to change to Deluxe for something that sounds closer to the Blackstar ( i set it up marshally-ish). I really like the cleans of the Fender, that's why I bought it, but can't get around the driven sounds ( and yes I tried the two channels, it does change things a bit, but still)
Thanks for all the responses!
I'll have to think about all this for a while  I still find it a little sad to have a great amp in a closet 99% of the time.


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## cboutilier (Jan 12, 2016)

RBlakeney said:


> I have recently found this out.
> My #2 input on my normal channel is good for home.
> It allows me to sometimes turn all the way up to 3 without my wife screaming at me.


I use the normal channel whenever I don't feel the need for reverb. It's a really sweet country/rockabilly tone (with the obligatory slapback and compression of course)


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## RBlakeney (Mar 12, 2017)

cboutilier said:


> I use the normal channel whenever I don't feel the need for reverb. It's a really sweet country/rockabilly tone (with the obligatory slapback and compression of course)


I have a decent reverb pedal that I got because none of my other amps have reverb. 
I am also considering a speaker swap but wellll see.


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## cboutilier (Jan 12, 2016)

RBlakeney said:


> I have a decent reverb pedal that I got because none of my other amps have reverb.
> I am also considering a speaker swap but wellll see.


A Post Phase Inverter MV could take the edge off the DR's volume too.


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## Budda (May 29, 2007)

Look at the fender supersonic 22. It may fit your requirements very well.

That said, marshall clean tones arent bad - just not the same as a twin or deluxe.


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## cboutilier (Jan 12, 2016)

Budda said:


> Look at the fender supersonic 22. It may fit your requirements very well.
> 
> That said, marshall clean tones arent bad - just not the same as a twin or deluxe.


I've always wanted one of the Marshall Club and Country for a clean platform


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## DaddyDog (Apr 21, 2017)

I've been spoiled by a Tone King Metropolitan than has 2 channels, each with power scaling. AND I got if for an extremely good price from an old neighbour. If you can find one, you'll love it.

I also have the Milkman One Watt Plus, and it has power scaling. The top end is supposed to be 10 watts but I had no trouble keeping up with the band at a house party over Christmas. Super light cab, gorgeous tone, very well built. And the only Milkman tube amp I can afford


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## DaddyDog (Apr 21, 2017)

Reading your OP again, I highly recommend the Milkman. Charles at Electric Mojo Guitars has it in stock again. Order today, you'll have it by the weekend, and a long return policy if it's not right.


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## guitarman2 (Aug 25, 2006)

I've had many amps with master volume, power scaling and have used attenuators. Some of the amps I've had that have used a number of these technologies is Tone King (power scaling and Iron Man attenuator, Dr Z (Z Brake), etc
None of these amps delivered, perfectly what I was hoping for.
I happened on the perfect solution quite by accident. I was looking for a cheap but decent amp to get back in to electric as I was on a hiatus from it. I found an Allen Old Flame on Kijiji, cheap as far as boutiques go. It was a black face inspired amp, which is my preference. It is a head and 2X12 cabinet at 40 watts so I wasn't prepared for how well it could be dialed in for a bedroom level tone.
The master volume is very functional at getting the volume down and still sounding very good but the real secret at getting that nice low volume, fat tone is in the proprietary "RAW" knob. What the "RAW" knob does as you dial it in it lifts the tone stack, adding more gain.
For me it adds some nice deep rich mids, fattens up the tone and depending how far you dime the "RAW" knob and lower the MV, can add some grit to dirt.
The raw knob will add some volume but you'll have to adjust the MV. I found that this amp was the most effective at lowering volumes to bedroom levels and having control on the girth of your tone. Of course if you are depending on any of the tone from speaker breakup there's nothing thats gonna make that happen at bedroom levels.
I plan to eventually add a smaller Allen 1X12 Combo not because I have to for lower volumes but just for grab and go convenience.
Knowing what I've spent on boutique amps in the past the Allen amps are an amazing value and are the least expensive of the boutique amps that I've ever seen.


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## NashvilleDeluxe (Feb 7, 2018)

I've owned a couple of amps with built-in attenuators (Tone King Falcon, and now Sky King), and played all manner of London Power Scaling/Master Volume designs. With Tone King, the designer is quite clear in the manual: despite his efforts to deliver a "tuned reactive load" (ie. emphasizing certain frequencies to compensate for volume drop), the human ear and speaker breakup and compression change the equation, too.

I don't know how to attach a file here. Just google "Tone King Sky King Manual" and read page 8 or 9, under "Attenuation." All will be revealed, Grasshopper!


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