PowerSoak on a Ashdown LB30

[basskit_case]

Recently purchased this LB30 with matching LB112 cab, love it.

Later at night, its a little bit loud for home use, could I use a powersoak with this?

From what I have read so far I believe it should be okay as its a lower power amp, but just looking for confirmation

Thanks

[Bill Fitzmaurice]

Doesn't it have a volume knob? Either reduces the voltage drive to the speaker, giving the same result. The only reason to use a power soak is when you have a valve amp that you want to over drive the power section on while keeping the volume low.

[Beer of the Bass]

I feel like power soaks are most useful for knocking just a few dB off a cranked valve amp for a more sensible gigging level. At bedroom volume they're rarely more satisfying than getting your dirt from a pedal IMO.  Since the LB30 is a non master volume amp but has an FX loop, you might have useful results running a simple box with a volume pot in the loop, depending on the signal path of the amp. (Edit; ignore that last suggestion - I just found the schematic, and the loop is too early in the circuit for that to be useful)

Edited January 17, 2020 by Beer of the Bass

[EliasMooseblaster]

54 minutes ago, basskit_case said:

Later at night, its a little bit loud for home use, could I use a powersoak with this?

How quiet do you need to be? I dare not use mine after Mini-Mooseblaster's gone to bed, as it would wake him straight back up again, but if you've no small offspring to worry about then you can get a bit more clarity at lower volumes by flipping the "bright" switch. It'll never get down to the sociable volume levels of your PC speakers, for instance, but it should be pretty workable as long as it's not right up against your neighbours' walls.

[BigRedX]

Even though it's only 30W I'd still be wary of using a power soak with a bass amp. I used to have a Marshall Power Brake that used on my 50W H&K guitar amp and with any extreme frequency (high or low) sounds even at low output volume on the amp, the protection fan would kick into action and the device would still generate some extreme heat. 

AFAICS most currently available power soaks rely simply on heatsinks for their cooling. Tread with caution.

[Reggaebass]

I use an LB30 through a MB115 cab for home practice , and with the bass switch off it does go fairly quiet, I’ve never tried it through anything smaller than a 115 , but I would’ve thought a smaller speaker would maybe be a bit quieter, I’ve also got mine on an isolation pad to reduce vibration , because I’ve got painted floorboards 🙂

[Skybone]

Attenuators are all well and good if you want to get a decent sound out of a valve amp, but at lower volumes, however, you still have to have enough signal coming through to the speaker in order to make the speaker work efficiently, and not "fart out" (not enough signal getting through to get a decent sound).

Even with an attenuator, 9 times out of 10, a valve amp will unfortunately still be too loud to use at home and retain a decent sound (unless of course, you are after a totally clean sound, or just using it for very quiet practice).

I've been through a few with various guitar amps, the best one I had was a THD HotPlate paired to a 50w JCM800 2x12 combo. It was great for rehearsing, but just that bit too loud for use at home.

A small solid state amp is possibly the best way to go, or a headphone amp/amp modeller.

[basskit_case]

4 hours ago, Skybone said:

Attenuators are all well and good if you want to get a decent sound out of a valve amp, but at lower volumes, however, you still have to have enough signal coming through to the speaker in order to make the speaker work efficiently, and not "fart out" (not enough signal getting through to get a decent sound).

Even with an attenuator, 9 times out of 10, a valve amp will unfortunately still be too loud to use at home and retain a decent sound (unless of course, you are after a totally clean sound, or just using it for very quiet practice).

I've been through a few with various guitar amps, the best one I had was a THD HotPlate paired to a 50w JCM800 2x12 combo. It was great for rehearsing, but just that bit too loud for use at home.

A small solid state amp is possibly the best way to go, or a headphone amp/amp modeller.

Thanks skybone.  I was hoping to keep the lb30 sound at low levels.  Stick with the Blackstar beam after hours!

[Skybone]

You could look at something like the Hotone ThunderBass or something similar, but they'll still need a cab (not sure if you can just use it with headphones).

The last guitar amp I had used some clever switching to use different configurations of valves to get different power levels. Even on it's lowest setting, it was still a bit too loud for quiet practice. Always had my trusty old PODxt there for later evening use.