Suggestions For What To Build Or Buy For Splitting A Tube Amp Output Safely

[jonnyj]

Hello all I just bought one of the Epiphone 5 watt valve junior amp heads. It's a nice basic meat and potatoes tube amp. However I was wondering if anyone here could suggest a device that I can safely plug between the speaker output of the amp and my cabinet so that I can maintain the signal to the cab and take the signal to a mixer, another, amp, or recorder ie. I've looked at attenuators but the signal isn't strong enough like marshals etc. I've mostly been running the amp's volume a little over 1/4 way. I was hoping to either buy or build a or maybe I already have something I can plug to split the signal. I just don't want to blow the output transformer. The amp features 3 output impediance outputs 1 for 4 ohms, another for 8 ohms, and yet another 16 ohms. Very cool. I'm using an 8 ohm cab.

[dano12]

Sorry I don't have an answer for how to split the signal for line level to your mixer.

Have you considered putting a mic in front of the amp for recording. A used Shure SM57 would be a good cheap way to do it and I would guess that the overall sound would be much warmer than going directly into your mixer board.

Also, there are a number of web sites that talk about some great mods to the Epi Junior (which, by the way is a fantastic deal: $99 bucks for an all tube class A amp!).

The best site I've seen is:

http://www.valvejunior.com/

hope this helps,
-dano

[wampcat1]

Hello all I just bought one of the Epiphone 5 watt valve junior amp heads. It's a nice basic meat and potatoes tube amp. However I was wondering if anyone here could suggest a device that I can safely plug between the speaker output of the amp and my cabinet so that I can maintain the signal to the cab and take the signal to a mixer, another, amp, or recorder ie. I've looked at attenuators but the signal isn't strong enough like marshals etc. I've mostly been running the amp's volume a little over 1/4 way. I was hoping to either buy or build a or maybe I already have something I can plug to split the signal. I just don't want to blow the output transformer. The amp features 3 output impediance outputs 1 for 4 ohms, another for 8 ohms, and yet another 16 ohms. Very cool. I'm using an 8 ohm cab.

do a search on google for epiphone valve mods, there is a site somewhere where a fellow used a light bulb as an attentuator.

Take care,
Brian

[cd]

As long as you keep the speaker connected, all you need is a simple voltage divider - a 22k resistor and 1k resistor to ground, take the input (from OT) to the 22k resistor, output from the junction of the 22k and 1k.  Similar to the Kendrick Roughneck here:

http://www.schematicheaven.com/newamps/kendrick_ruffneck.pdf

[jonnyj]

Hi guys thank s for the suggestions and replies. I originally thought I would just put a mic infront of it and I can for certain gis/applications, but I was wondering for those times when your jamming with people without a sound system just drums and amps. Which got me started on thinking about something to do with the valve junior.

-JJ

[Pushtone]

I do exactly that with a DI that has a speaker PAD.
http://www.radialeng.com/di-jdi.htm
Speaker level in/out
Balanced mic level out for mixer

I think its schematic is posted on the Jensen website.
http://www.jensen-transformers.com/as/as008.pdf

[Paul Marossy]

You could build a "line out box" like the one I made: http://www.diyguitarist.com/GuitarAmps/LineOutBox.htm 

[bancika]

Or maybe something like this "line out in a box" variation I made. It has level pot and audio isolation xformer.
http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c22/bancika/lineout.gif
You can easily add one more jack for speaker out and move 8ohm resistor to speaker jack so it's in circuit when jack is not inserted. Also resistor wattage should be greater than amp wattage

[sean k]

I did something like the above, but by Stephen Giles, which has a page out on the net somewheres but I'll remind you that when you have the speaker load at 8 ohms and the line out as an 8 ohm load you should be using your 4 ohm output on the amp. I'm sure your aware of that but I thought it best to throw that in anyways. Using an inductor helps to make the sound more similar to that obtained with a real speaker.

[bancika]

If you remove 8ohm resistor paralleled with transformer and put only one 8ohm on speaker out jack than you have total resistance 8ohm. I think that it's ok for 8ohm output from amp, right?