In check

This is a little snippet of my little best friend in action. It's none other than the JHS Little Black Amp Box (LBAB). I've customised a pair of patch cables to extend it onto the top of the amp head (for convenience more than anything else) & it resides there permanently. That's right, this device is to be plugged into the loop feature of any amp & not to be used in series. There's no ON/OFF switch involved so once plugged in, it's put to work. There's also no battery in use; I would leave this permanently plugged in, no worries about any chemical leakage waiting to happen.

If you've not understood the function of the LBAB, it's an attenuator. The bona fide meaning of an attenuator is a device that mitigates the outcome of a certain device performance. The mitigation here often involves a reduction as the device attenuated is deemed to be excessive in a certain way. The LBAB is a passive attenuator; it does not require an external power source to work. Active attenuators are often attached in between the amp head & the speaker cab, it tends to dissipate heat while in use & a lot bigger by design. 

Is the LBAB the only option out there? If you wish for a simple passive approach to taming loud, high powered amps for indoor use, any device that addresses volume reduction will work: 1) Volume pedal 2) EQ pedal. For a volume pedal assigned for such a task, we note that it has a limited sweep compared to even simple devices, such as the LBAB, specifically assigned for such a job. Also, the volume pedal is often placed on the floor & has limited security when it comes to accidentally activating it while you are on stage. The EQ pedal on the other hand fares better in terms of the volume sweep on offer plus it has EQ options on board for you to fine tune your tone. However, EQ pedals require a battery to operate & once the battery wears out, it affects the overall signal tone. Use a power adapter you say? Be informed that this will induce a background hum. 

Well that's about it for this instalment, the next one might be a discussion of how much tone sucking happens when an attenuator is in use. Till then, cheerio, folks!