There’s an unspoken battle raging on The Gear Page forum about which is the best “popular” attenuator on the market. Yeah, everyone claims theirs is the most transparent, and frankly, that’s true for very low levels of attenuation. But for really cranking down on the volume, my money, of course, is on the Aracom PRX150-Pro. To me, not only is it the most transparent attenuator based upon head-to-head comparisons of some of the popular attenuators done by me and others, and also being the safest with its input AND output impedance matching, it is also the most cost-effective attenuator out there. Don’t believe it? Well, the numbers don’t lie. When you consider the versatility of input/output impedance selections vs. cost of the unit that the PRX150-Pro offers, it’s simply no contest.
Let’s have a look at the numbers shall we?
| Attenuator | Price | # Impedance Combos. | Cost/Imp. Combo |
|---|---|---|---|
| THD HotPlate | $329.00 | 1 | $329.00 |
| Alex’s Attenuator | $350.00 | 1 | $350.00 |
| Faustine Phantom | $799.00 | 3 | $266.33 |
| Aracom PRX150-Pro | $650.00 | 16 | $40.56 |
Clearly, based upon the number of impedance matching selections, the PRX150-Pro is the clear winner in terms of value. Even if the Aracom unit only had three impedance matching selections, it still will have 9 different available input/output impedance selection combinations, and each combination would only cost $72.11; still far below the competition!
Furthermore, let’s say the PRX150-Pro didn’t have output impedance matching, reducing its impedance matching combinations to 4. It still outperforms the competition in terms of value at $162.25 per selection!
Let’s compare the PRX150-Pro with the Alex’s attenuator for example. People love the Alex’s attenuator, and I understand it works great. But you have to get 4 of those units to match the impedance matching capabilities of the PRX150-Pro. In absolute cost terms, yes, the PRX150-Pro costs more. But with respect to value, well, you can’t hide from the numbers. The same thing applies to the THD HotPlate (though I have other reasons not to like this product). As for the Faustine Phantom, it has more versatility than the Alex’s by far, but it’s also very expensive, and it is unclear whether or not you’ll get one in a timely fashion. Some people have been waiting for theirs for several months.
Sometimes you have to spend more to get much more, and in the case of the Aracom PRX150-Pro, you’re getting A LOT more!
Disclaimer: I will say this again that I am not an employee of Aracom – I’m a faithful customer because of the superior product Jeff produces.
Dude . . . . you grt free gear in exchange for this? This is nothing more than a . . .”I’ll rate your gear . . if you give me a homey hookup ” page. LAME
No. I BUY my gear, my friend. Or I take the time out of my very busy schedule to go and evaluate gear personally. That’s why I put a disclaimer at the bottom of my review stating clearly that I’m a faithful CUSTOMER.
Thanks for stopping by!
Just kidding . . . Im just tired , lonely, and HUNGRY !!!!
You’ve got to be kidding.
For $75-$100 (25w or 50w) you could pick up a Weber MiniMass and it sounds as good as any of these. Even the fancy high wattage models are less than the stuff in this blog post. Multiple impedance settings…bulletproof and transparent. Been using them for years and they’re great.
http://www.tedweber.com/atten.htm
No, Lorenzo, I’m actually NOT kidding. If these lower-priced attenuators solved the transparency problem, high-end attenuators wouldn’t exist. But the plain fact of the matter is that they don’t. They do suffice to take a slight edge off the amp, but when used to bring an amp down to bedroom levels, they suck tone so much that they’re not usable.
I suggest you read this great article on attenuator technology: http://www.aracom-amps.com/info/attenuator.html
i agree with goofydawg. i have a dr z power soak and a 1987xl reissue marshall plexi running thru a 1960ax with greenbacks. the low volume tone sucks no matter how i arrange the attenuator and/or pedals to try and get better tone. im not saying im gonna go byuy a $700 attenuator,but i do agree that if the low volume tone sucks on a $350 one,then it will def suck on a $100 one.
Late to the review but the Weber mini mass is HORRIBLE when attenuating way down to “bedroom” levels. This is where the Faustine, Ultimate, or Alex are worth every penny.
You’d actually include the Ultimate in that mix?
The Faustine and Alex are fine attenuators, but they still pale in comparison to the Aracom. Plus, you can’t get a Faustine Phantom any longer as the company went bankrupt, taking lots of people’s deposits with it.