Attenuator W/Nitro? (and other nitro questions)

[fastredponycar]

Hey guys. I just bought a Nitro from a guy on the HC forum. It's all black just like the one pictured on these forum pages.

Anyways, I use a lot of effects with my playing like reverb, delay, chorus, etc. I use a TC electronics Nova system. One thing I've read about the Nitro is that the FX loop can add a little color to the sound. I don't mind that much if this is so but Riffhead (at HC) told me the amp needs to be louder to make this tonal shift disappear.

If this is true, I could live with buying an attenuator like the weber mass 150.

I've got a quartet of Ruby EL34BSTR's I'll be putting in it as they're my favorite EL34's. The =C='s are ok and the KT77's didn't do anything for me.

I've also got a NOS Mullard 12AX7 and a few NOS RCA 12AX7's, a couple of sovtek LPS's, couple of tung sol reissue 12AX7's, A couple of 9th gen chinese pre's (one's a penta) and a few JJ's and EHX's in the junk pile.

I've had best luck with the mullard as the primary input driver tube. Are the sockets labled for ease of identification or does it follow the (closest one to the input jack is V1) rule of thumb?

Has anyone tried a nice NOS 5751 or 12AT7 in their nitro or QR yet to see if it has favorable results? I've got some of those also.

I'll be running it to an Earcandy buzzbomb 2X12 with a pair of their greenmachine speakers (basically 125 watt eminence wizards) and if needed, a standard semi-open avatar 2X12 w/V30/G12H30.

I used to have an ultimate attenuator I used with my old 100 watt carvin valvemaster and it worked fine but was sooo $$. I sold it when I got my V3 which had a master volume and my mesa studio preamp/poweramp has I think a combined 7 knobs that can change the volume but anyways, I mainly used it with the non MV valvemaster to crank the amp at shows and then bring it down to whatever was most manageble volume for the sound guy rather than trying to run it at 10 and attenuate it down to late night bedroom jamming. (<_<)

So anyways, any thoughts or suggestions about anything I've mentioned?

Thanks guys!

[windsen]

hey man, i'm riffhead over at HC. before you buy an attenuator, i'd try sticking a volume pedal at the end of your effects chain in your fx loop. turn the master up on the amp, then use your volume pedal to bring down the overall volume. it's not the same as an attenuator but it works to give you good tone while using your fx loop at low volumes. plus it's a lot cheaper than getting an attenuator.

[fastredponycar]

I've got a spare EBVP.. I'll give it a shot

[windsen]

cool. that's what i use. definately give it a shot.

oh and congrats on snagging the nitro. who did you end up getting it from and what tubes are coming with yours?

[LooseCannon]

If you play with a band at higher volumes the effects loop becomes totally transparent

[fastredponycar]

This is the one I got.

acapella.harmony-central.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1974453