THD Hot Plate Power Attenuator, 16 Ohm, Second-Hand Overview
The THD Hot Plate Attenuator is a versatile tool designed to let you harness the full, rich sound of your amplifier cranked up to its highest output and distortion levels, but at volumes suitable for recording, small venues, or consideration of neighbors. Acting as a power attenuator and noise reducer, it also serves as an excellent dummy load.
Installed between your amplifier’s speaker output and cabinet, the Hot Plate essentially functions as a master volume control, allowing you to push your amp to its limits while absorbing much of the generated power and dissipating it as heat. This setup enables you to preserve the life of your tubes while still enjoying the desired tone.
Tailored specifically for use with vacuum tube guitar amplifiers, each version of the Hot Plate is optimized for a particular impedance, ensuring optimal sound quality for your specific speaker and amplifier combination.
Moreover, the Hot Plate distinguishes itself from ordinary power attenuators with its array of features catering to tone aficionados. It includes built-in noise reduction, offering approximately 10dB of broadband noise reduction without impacting the amp’s tone. Additionally, it incorporates a unique illumination feature that reacts to your playing intensity, providing visual feedback as you perform.
Furthermore, the Hot Plate boasts a Bright switch and a Deep switch, allowing you to fine-tune your sound by adjusting high-frequency levels and bass settings, respectively. It also features a Line Out with its own volume control, providing versatility for various applications such as slaving a separate power amp or integrating with rackmount effects.
Importantly, using the Hot Plate won’t harm your amplifier or its components when properly matched with the appropriate impedance settings. It maintains the life of your tubes at the same rate as playing directly through the speaker, while also ensuring the transformer is subjected to the same load as if it were driving a speaker.