THD Hotplate Attenuator (16 Ohm)

Very easy to use. The Hotplate is completely passive so just put in the input and output(s) and play. There are just three dials - one discreet for selecting -4dB, -8dB, -12dB, -16dB or LOAD. one for when in -16dB which is continuous and goes to -infinite dB. There is a knob on the back which operates the line out volume. On the front you will find three switches, one for the bright (+ treble) and one for deep (+ bass) and one which turns on some bulbs - which as far as i can tell just looks cool. This unit is (like all the other reviews say) practically transparent on -4dB or -8dB but your tone will suffer slightly at -12dB or more, unless of course you amp is so spectacularly awesome at those volume levels where you need to crank the hotplate up some more.

I use Gibson Les Pauls and Engl amps. My pedals are all boutique and true bypass (except my buffer, which you can't turn off anyway) and i dont really go for many fancy effects so i just use delay, distortion, compression and wah. Due to the high gain nature of my amp it took a very, very long time to tweak all the settings on everything (i mean everything) to make sure no pedals would throw the amp into a massive feedback frenzy. Once you've dialled everything in the tone is amazing but it was a bit of a pain adjusting all my gear because of one extre peice

bomb proof, except the paint.

never dealt with them.

i play hard rock, bordering heavy metal, and it is very good for that. I've never tried other attenuators but this one is all i need. I had a band practice yesterday and after the tubes had warmed up i couldn't have been happier with the sound i was making.

Perfectly simple to use, no rocket science needed here at all. I did have a problem with the one that I just bought secondhand through eBay. I couldn't get any sound out of it, the amp was working fine, but I couldn't get a sound out of it through the hotplate. I thought not again, I had just sent one back that I had bought on eBay that had parts missing, yes thats right! it was described as new!! Anyway the problem turned out to be a faulty male to male connector, once I sorted that it worked fine.

I am a golden oldie compered to proberly most of the other posts.
I play Elvis - Buddy Holly - Shadows - Rock 'n Roll - etc.
I haven't fully evaluated it yet, but from what I have tried so far it
is worth every penny. By careful selection of the output levels
you can your get your sound at different volumn levels to suit the size of the venue.

I use a '71 Strat. fitted with Chris Kinman HX noiseless Hank Marvin
pickups through an early eighties Boss pedal board - Compressor - Distortion - Chorus - Phaser - Noise Gate into an Alesis Quadraverb Q20 programmed with E.F.T.P. Shadows settings by the great Charlie Hall.
For you Shadows fans out there this is the same unit that Hank himself
uses, and Charlie is a really nice guy. So if you want THAT sound he is the man to see. It is then fed into a VOX AC30TBX reissue by KORG Made in England. (if you want the right sound you have to have the BLUE ALNICO speakers).

Well I have only had it for a day, but short of using brute force I can see this lasting forever! it is totally solid!

I am gonna use it all the time, I'm hooked. Brilliant!!

Eccellent, I had a query and they were second to none, fantastic!!

Well like I said I have only had it a day, so it is a bit early to give it an overall rating, perhaps I'll come back in a couple of months and do an update.

I have been playing for 45 years.

At one days evaluation I would replace it.

I didn't compare it to other products, I read so much about it on Harmony Central it couldn't miss.

The obvious thing I miss is that it does not have a switchable oHm output. I have a VOX AC15TBX by KORG reissue Made in England which at my age is more manageable, But I would have to buy another Hotplate
because that is on a different oHm. I don't blame THD their sales would down by a fifth!!

I just bought it brand new online a few months ago and rather than add info about the features etc. (which has already been done ad infinitum) I'm just here to add my opinion about what I think of this item.

I found it very easy to use and followed the instructions per Ed DeGenaro of THD and it works perfectly.

This is where I agree with other posters. If you turn the settings over 12DB I found that my cleans weren't as clean and the tone suffered.

I set it to 12DB and I've found a perfect setting that everything sounds as it should and the neighbors aren't calling the cops.

I love the deep and bright switches, the DO work!

I have a quality pedal board setup with mostly Keeley and GarmopatMods pedals, but for distortion I go amp all the way now.

I do use my rack reverb because my Peavey JSX head doesn't have an on board reverb.

I also have a JSX 4x12 cab with the THD in between them.

I love this thing! It allows me to crank the amp up without blasting everyone to smithereens including myself! LOL

I use mainly Les Pauls with active EMG's fwiw.

Seems very well built.

The folks at THD are very helpful and friendly. I've spoken and exchanged emails with them and they are prompt.

It's great imo. It would be perfect if it would allow the user to use it with different ohm ratings rather than having to buy a different one for each rating.

I checked out other attenuators and this one is the best imo.

Not newbie/idiot proof by any means. I got mine online and got jipped with the manual (it ended up being basically the FAQ from the website) the bit about how to use it to me is not 100% obvious, especially without a diagram. I think the real manual is 4 pages and probably includes this, so I rang up one of my music stores I tend to go to, and they sorted it out. Might sound kinda stupid, but since this unit has the potential to damage your amp/itself, I think a little etching/diagram on the unit itself might be a plus, though thats just a nitpick. Other then the setup, the unit IS newbie/idiot proof, attenuation is in increments of 4 decibels, and after -16 you open the volume control to further adjust. Bright and Deep switches REALLY make the sound (more on that later) and you can turn the funky little light on and off which shows you how much power its dissipating. At the back is 4 plugs, 2 of which you use in normal operation, others you use for recording etc. Theres also a volume for the Line Out to control that as well. I am giving it an 7, which is basically a 5 for ease of use, and an extra 2 for the features. 5 being that on the one hand its easy to use once you know it, but its not necessarily intuitive in the setup. Half / half. I also wish it has a selector for impedance rather then having to buy each one seperately.

You want tone ? This is the new price of it.

My setup is very simple:

Ibanez prestige S series, with X2n pickup in bridge and SV Evolution in the neck, with hybrid Ernie Ball slinkys.

-> Into

Ibanez TS9 Tubescreamer (Puke Green one with 3 knobs)

-> Into Crate/Ampeg/St. Louis Music V Series 15 watt amp (V1512) w/Hotplate.

Occasionally when I put to pull guitar faces (which I do anyway) I chuck a Dimbag Wah in as well.

My Amp sounds the best at volume around 2:30, Gain all the way up, Treb at 1:30, Mid at 10:30, and Bass dimed. I add in enough Reverb to make the sound 'breathe', kick in the TS9, which has Dist at full, Level at none and Tone at around 2:00. Thats the sound I have spent a few years looking for. Thick, rich, JUST heavy enough to delve into modern metal (but not stuff like Metalcore which I do love the sound of) and perfect for any 80's metal you can think of. Soloing wise, its almost Paul Gilbert like, doesnt quite have that top end brilliance he has though. Of course, at these settings I am not necessarily going to be able to stand in the same room for too long without getting tinnitus, and thats there my Hotplate utterly completes this simple rig. I personally have not found a HUGE loss in tone when going more then -12db. Absolutely, you loose some bass, and the 'thickness'of the sound isnt quite the same, but even with the amp at -30db it still sounds better then solid state distortion at any volume. This is where the Bright and Deep switches come in, I have then on all the time, and I think they really make my sound. The bass boost on the Crate is way too 'Wolfy', I need my bass tighter, and the Deep switch does exactly that, it makes it deeper, not making it 'woof'. I used to be quite happy with my Roland Cube 30's distortion, now I only really use it for the acoustic simulator, and clean stuff, occasionally I will lock in the R-fier, and play something heavier then what the Crate is capable of, but I believe a proper distortion (not overdrive) pedal is in the works for that. No noise (except if you max out your settings, which will obviously produce noise !) It has an inbuilt noise gate. Although my amp is the one making the sound, I have to give this unit full credit for doing exatly what its meant to do with flying colours.

Dont see why this cuhnk of steel would fail me in any way other then by personal abuse.

Mine was second hand without a proper manual, but it was cosmetically perfect, and everything worked perfectly. I dont think I will need to deal with THD (I am outside the US as well) but other people have been raving about them. No opinion here for this one.

I play a bit of everything, but tend to stick to Metal. This unit gives me the opportunity to get the sound I want at the volumes I want, very handy. I have had a couple of amps I REALLY wish I could have used this with ! If lost or stolen, I would look at the other ones, maybe find one with an impedance selector, barring that would buy one again for sure. Nothing to hate, though again wish for the impedance selector, but love everything else about it. I didnt get a chance to really compare, as stores dont tend to stock attenuators on the floor, I bought it courtesy of Harmony Central ! :)

Excellent product, grab one now !

I hooked to my moded peavey 6505 and or the new {5150II} Very easy to use with 16ohms!! This lil unit rocks!!

5150 of course dead on!!! and any other tones i need, well with the help of my podxt live i run through the effects loop!!! Gang these units are a must have!! Also DO NOT ket the company Peavey fool you these gents have come a long way, I purchased a Marsjall JCM 800 100 watt half stacked I played her 30 min before i packed and shipped and gave peavey 6505 a try once plugged into her the 6505 with 4 12 marshall 1960 A cab DRY zero effects WOW, also voodooamps moded this for me to get rid of the tiny buzzy dist I replced power tubes and of course the THD Hotplate, I cant sleep at night she is that good!! I cant stop playing ;-)

This is built like a tank never a problem Ever!!!! I gig live and use in studio and would never travel without her!!!! Once again guitarist for the love of your tone Buy One NOW!!!

Any questions same day repsonse once again it doesnt get any better!!! These fella's will take care of you and so will the unit!!

I play EVH Vai Malmsteen type of music is there any other?? Been playing 20+ years, however, I quit for 15 years and took her back up last x mas I have learned more in the last 6 months about my sound then I ever did back in the day why?? There is more help out here for US Guitarist back in the day all of this was hush hush and you were on your own! If you are unsure and need any help come over to our site www.musiciansquarters.com free site we have it all!!! I would be glad to help new guitar players with there tone gear and technique!!!! Oh This unit is the Bomb a must have!!!!

This thing is plug and go. It really assumes that you know what you are doing to begin with when it comes to tube amps. So, the market that this device really caters to is going to find it quite easy to use. I fired mine up and got great tones immediately.

This is probably one of the most important pieces of gear that I have ever bought, besides my 76 Marshall Super Lead. I play the old 4 input Marshalls that don't have a master volume, so this thing is a must. You just can't get the kind of compression or tone with a stompbox that you get from pushing the output tubes, and if you push the output section on a 100 watt Marshall you are going to hurt some people and like as not go deaf. I bridge the channels on the Marshall and run Volume I at about 3 - 4 and Volume II on about 2, just to get the tubes compressing a little. I haven't chosen a boost yet, but I am leaning towards the Seymour Duncan Pickup Booster. I run a 57 Les Paul Custom RI into this rig and it is all you need! Tone for days. One word of advice for you Marshall guys out there, if you run your amp attenuated you are quite naturally not going to be driving the speakers as hard. The solution? Greenbacks. I have a 1960AX and the Greenbacks thump at a much lower volume than the higher rated speakers. This works well for getting the punch you need in a club setting. Overall, I couldn't be happier with the tone my rig is producing. It is as unadulterated as you're ever going to get! Plus, when you dig in with your pick, it doesn't cave in on you like a stomp box does. I am DONE with overdrive and distortion pedals!! I could have bought three Hotplates for what I have wasted buying pedals.

I haven't owned it long enough to know, but all of my colleagues use them and swear by them.

This is an interesting story. I have spoken to the good folks at THD twice. The first time I was just shopping, and I had some questions about how the Hotplate worked, etc. The second time, I called to inquire about any line driver or clean boosting devices that they could recommend that worked well with their products. In both cases, they were very helpful and took the time to make sure that I got what I needed. I was very impressed.

I am 36, have been playing for 25 years, and I am stuck in the land of Joe Walsh, Allen Collins, and Jan Akkerman. I love those tones. You just can't get a better sound in my opinion than a Les Paul into a cranked Marshall. The issue is, you'll go deaf playing them above 1 unless you have a suitable venue in which to do it. So, enter the Hotplate. It really tames down the volume, but for my money the tones you can achieve are just as good. I won't bore you with an explanation of the Munson Curve, but beyond a certain decibel level, your ears don't accurately register sound anyway. Why be that loud? The goal is to sound GOOD, not just LOUD. I would replace this unit in a heartbeat if it were lost or stolen. Way to go, THD! ;)

Fantastic. It does just what it's supposed to do - provide high volume tones at reasonable club levels.

This unit has features I never knew I needed - really. For example, it has a line out with its own volume control. If you give this feed to a sound guy, you can use the attenuator to control your stage volume, yet his signal always stays the same. Very cool.

The bass and treble boost switches are great. If you want a solid, chunky low end, using the bass knob on your amp won't always get you there. It's likely to just make your tone muddy at high gain. The bass boost causes the attenuator to hold back mid to high frequencies more than bass ones, so you get thick, punchy lows without any muddiness. Again, very cool.

My Univalve only has one speaker out, and my cab only has one input. (no parallel jack) Fortunately, the Hotplate provides 2 speaker outs, so I don't need an adaptor. Great.

I've owned my unit for over a year. It was bought used on Ebay. No problems at all, and it's been heavily gigged.

Haven't had to contact them.

It does everything I wanted it to to, plus a few extras, mentioned above. This circuit should be licensed to amp builders - it would be great if amps came stock with all these great features! ...or how about mounting a foot pedal on top? The ultimate volume pedal would be the one that actually controlls what comes out of the speaker!

Very easy! Just plug it in and tweak a couple of knobs, just make sure you get the right one from your amp!

Very good from my JCM2000 DSL100 (x2), one THD per amp unfortunatly however the THD not only cuts bcak the volume but cuts out a lot of noise without the usual noised you'd get from a traditional noise gate. At super low volumes the amps are deathly quiet, crank them up and they sing. You DO lose some tone on the -16db setting but stick to 12 or 8 and its great, ir doesnt mean you can get that wall of sounds effect in your small practise room but its half way there now!

Seems rock solid, very well 'hand built'

Great, I asked them a question, reply in 10 minutes!

I play anything from Maiden to Vai, mainly distorted, Marshall amps + MPX-1 and an Ibanez JS1200. I dont cut all the mids. Sometimes some wierd ambient crap just for a change. They say that the THD is more reliable than the Marshall equivilent (and sounds way better)

It's oh-so simple.

This is one of the best sounding attenuators on the market.

I've been using one for a year and I know artists that use them religiously, every night.

Immediate email response within 24 hours, very concise answers to my email.

There is one better product on the market: the Koch Loadbox. The Koch Loadbox sounds better (does not alter your tone at all) and has a speaker and mic emulator with a balanced DI output. However, the THD is half the price of the Koch.

Quite straightforward to use - as already described by previous reviews.

I am using a Fender Telecaster 52 Reissue and a Gibson SG 61 Reissue with the Hotplate. My current amp is a Marshall 1959slp Superlead Mk11 - 100 watt beast of an amp.

16ohm db setting really kills the tone of the amp, but is quiet enough to use at home. Doesn't really drive my Marshall 1960bx cab very well.

Main criticism is that I find it difficult to get a really clean sound unless its on a low db setting.

12 and 8 ohm keep most of the tone intact - responds well to adjustments in guitar volume controls. Good for gigs in smaller venues.

Used to use a Boss SD-1, don't really need it anymore - let the tubes do the talking.

Overall, pleasantly surprised at how well this sounded.

Handbuilt - sturdy construction - built like a tank. Looks like it'll last a long time.

I have found THD to be helpful in the past - the salesperson I dealt with eas knowledgable and polite.

Previously - I was having to keep my volume down to 1 or 2 whilst gigging, this obviously killed the tone of my amp (but kept me friendly with the other band members).

I can now crank the amp and get the benefit of a saturated tube sound - without deafening everyone within 100 feet - always a bonus.

A simple product but does it's job well.