--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
PREMIER GUITAR MAGAZINE HAS A REVIEW OF THE PRX150PRO!
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The ARACOM-DAG power attenuator utilizes ARACOM's innovative, patent pending "Speaker Reactance Thru" Technology to provide highly transparent power attenuation.
The Power Rox Power Attenuator (Model: PRX150-DAG)
The PRX150-DAG is a power attenuator designed to be used with tube amplifiers and it allows guitarist to achieve the much desired "fully cranked up" tone from their tube amp, but at more practical volume levels. Utilizing its unique and innovative "Speaker Reactance Thru" (SRT) technology, the PRX150-DAG allows the speaker to fully maintain its natural reactance. As a result, the PRX150-DAG allows the amplifier's original, "cranked up" tone to be maintained at reduced volume levels.
The PRX150-DAG can be a valuable tool for any guitarist. During practice time, when recording, or when rehearsing with the band; you can enjoy the cranked-up power tube tone of your amplifier "the way it was meant to be heard", but at lower volume levels, while pleasing your ears and at the same time not upsetting the neighbors. When playing live you can turn up your tube amp until the cherished power driven tone is reached, then "click" down a notch or two via the Power Rox Attenuator to please your sound man. Everyone will be happy with your tone, most importantly your audience.
The new Aracom PRX150-DAG model is housed in a new smaller streamlined enclosure and features 2 Modes of Variable Attenuation via a front mounted dual range Variable Attenuation Switch allowing up to -40db of overall attenuation. It also includes a High Frequency Cut Filter with True Bypass which rolls off the highs above 6KHz.
LATEST FEATURES
- Line Out Switching Potentiometer “Push/Pull Pot (Knob).” This addition switches between the raw Direct Output signal and an Equalized Line Out signal: Potentiometer Knob Pushed In = Equalized Line Out signal that emulates the natural high frequency roll off of a guitar speaker, Potentiometer Knob Pulled Out = Non-equalized Line Out, the raw sampled “non-equalized” signal from the amplifier.
- Rear Metal Bumpers: added protection for the switches and knobs on the back panel.
Product Highlights:
* Proprietary SRT Power Attenuation Technology
* Six levels of step attenuation, plus a continuously variable attenuation control (bedroom mode)
* 40dB of attenuation--attenuates 150 watts down to .015 watt
* 150 watt power rating
* Independent input and output impedance selector switches:
- from the amplifier and into the attenuator, select from: 2, 4, 8, 16 ohm
- from the attenuator and to the speaker cabinet(s), select from: 2, 4, 8, 16 ohm
- uniquely allows 16 possible Input and Output impedance combinations
* Hi Frequency Cut Filter with a True Bypass Switch
* Features a Load setting and is equipped with a Line Out Jack and Line Out Level Control
* Rack Mount Option
* Handwired in the USA
PRX150-DAG - Details:
The PRX150-DAG is a "boutique" product that is handcrafted in the USA. Each PRX150-DAG power attenuator is carefully, handwired, one at time by craftsmen that are concerned more about quality rather than quantity. The PRX150-DAG utilizes high end components, including those that are customized specifically for the Power Rox's advanced attenuation technology. The PRX150-DAG is designed to be "Road Ready" with its heavy duty, ventilated, aluminum enclosure.
The key to the PRX150-DAG's natural sounding attenuated tone, lies within its patent pending SRT technology. Unlike the competition which alters, significantly reduces or completely isolates the speaker's reactance, the PRX150-DAG's step attenuation has NO impact on the speaker's reactance, allowing the speaker to respond naturally to the tube amplifier's complex signal.
Utilizing the proprietary SRT technology, the speaker is not loaded down and it is allowed to "breath" normally. Therefore, the speaker can react to the harmonically rich signal generated by the tube amplifier. In doing so, the speaker and tube amplifier are able to naturally interact. This adds up to a highly transparent, "cranked up" attenuated tone, that is natural sounding and full of dynamics.
Since the SRT technology allows your speaker's reactance to remain intact, the PRX150-DAG does not utilize an artificial reactive circuit or speaker emulation circuit. After all, what could be more natural than using your speaker's unaltered reactance to develop the tone from your tube amplifier?
The PRX150-DAG is equipped with a High Frequency Cut switch, that rolls off the highs above 6KHz, that some users might find useful with amplifiers that have a pronounced high end frequency response. Some guitarists go to great lengths to control the high end response of their amplifier, by carefully selecting speakers, tubes, and other components to roll off the highs. Now with the PRX150-DAG, guitarist might not need to rely on changing these components, the high cut filter switch allows the flexibility of rolling off the high end or not. The true bypass switch allows the filter to be completely bypassed, providing the full frequency response of the attenuated amplifier to pass through to the speakers.
The SRT technology also allows for a smooth transition from the Step Attenuation mode to the Continuous Variable Attenuation mode. The tone and dynamics remains consistent throughout the entire attenuation range. You do not get the dulling effect or detect any unpleasantness in the tone, when switching from one step to another or from the step mode to the variable mode, as you do with most other attenuators. The Continuously Variable control covers two ranges of attenuation, via the front panel toggle switch.
With the switch in the Minimum Variable Attenuation mode, the variable control provides between 16 to 27dB of attenuation.
With the switch in the Maximum Variable Attenuation mode, the variable control provides between 27 to 40dB of attenuation. 40 dB of attenuation reduces 150 watts down to .015 of a watt, providing enough attenuation for late night playing with a fully cranked up 100 watt amp.
Guitarists will also find the PRX150-DAG very useful in getting more power tube involvement in their cleaner tones, which can add depth to their slightly broken up cleans and a greater purity to their lightly overdriven tones, while still maintaining the desired volume. Therefore, blues and jazz guitarist will also find the PRX150-DAG a very useful tool.
The PRX150-DAG is engineered to take the power and the heat. With its continuous 150 watt power rating, the PRX150-DAG is designed to handle the brute power of most fully cranked 100 watt "quad" tube amplifiers, whose output power are often well over 100 watts.
Exclusive to the PRX150-DAG, are the individual input and output impedance selector switches. The user can set the attenuator's input impedance to match the amplifier's impedance and separately set the attenuator's output impedance match the speaker's impedance. This allows proper matching of mis-matched amplifier to speaker impedances.
For example; suppose you have an amplifier with a fixed 4 ohm impedance and you want the attenuated power to drive a 16 ohm speaker cabinet. With other attenuators this is typically not an option, however the PRX150-DAG is specifically designed for this purpose. You simply set the attenuator's input impedance to 4 ohm and separately set the output impedance to 16 ohm. The SRT technology allows dissimilar impedances to be properly matched, providing the correct load impedance to the tube amplifier. Unlike other attenuators that force you to match the input and output impedances, the PRX150-DAG has the ability to "mix" and "match" the amplifier and speaker impedances. This allows 16 possible Input and Output impedance combinations, while other attenuator products offers only a single or at the most 3 impedance combinations. With the PRX150-DAG, as you add or change amplifiers and speaker cabinets to your collection, you no longer have worry about buying another attenuator to match the impedance of your new gear. Therefore, the PRX150-DAG will be compatible with your entire current and future collection of tube amplifiers and speaker cabinets.
The PRX150-DAG also features a Load Mode and Line Out with Level Control. The features allow you to send the amplifier's signal to sound system, recording system, rack mount effects, slave into another guitar amplifier or an external power amplifier. In the Load Mode the Line Out can be used with or without the guitar speaker attached.
A "true" bypass switch is also provided that allows you to completely bypass the attenuator without having to disconnect the cables.
SOME TESTIMONIALS (names withheld for privacy):
PERSON A: "I have tried about every attenuator on the market in my studio with several different amps including the (brand X, very high end attenuator). The Aracom blew all of them out the door-literally, I have sold all of them except my 2 Aracoms. IMHO It's the ONLY attenuator on the market that not only works but improves your tone because you can drive your amp's power tubes to levels they should be driven to get the best sound possible without damaging your ears. I think the Aracom blew the (brand X attenuator) away as well. The (brand X attenuator) still had the blanket effect and was robbing tone where as the Aracom does not rob anything. I can say without hesitation that I think in some ways it adds tone."
PERSON B: "So I guess the question is; how well do most players know what their typical 30,50,100 watt amp really sounds like at anywhere near full volume or even at 1/2 volume for a sustained period of time?...probably not very well I'm thinkin'. I've had my PRX150 DAG for about a week now and coaxed tone, sustain and dynamic response out of my amps that I didn't even know existed!. This thing is a game changer!. I can't imagine plugging in without it now. One problem, I'm gonna need to hide it from other snoopy guitar players...I'm gonna put it in a cardboard box with holes, or a pet carrier, something to keep guys from figuring out how IN THE HELL I'm making my amp sound so friggin' amazing. Seriously, the PRX 150 DAG changes the way an amp responds so dramatically it has to tried to be believed. Hope you sell a ton of PRX150's, just not to guys in my neighborhood. This thing is MY mojo. Way to go on building an amazing piece of gear!"
- 40dB of overall attenuation--attenuates 150 watts down to .015 watt
- Rotary Switch provides (6) Step Attenuation Levels *Approximately 3dB per step (step positions A-E), with an additional 1dB of attenuation when position "F" is selected, for a total of 16dB of attenuation within the step mode.
- The Dual Mode Variable Attenuation control provides two attenuation ranges, which allows continuous variable control of "bedroom" level adjustment--Minimum Variable Attenuation mode = 16 to 27dB of attenuation--Maximum Variable Attenuation mode = 27 to 40dB of attenuation.
- 150 watt (continuous average) power rating
- Independent Input Impedance Switch: 2, 4, 8, 16 ohm
- Independent Output Impedance Switch: 2, 4, 8, 16 ohm--Uniquely allows dissimilar amplifier and speaker impedances to be used.
- Hi Frequency Cut Filter with a True Bypass Switch
- Attenuator Bypass Switch (True Bypass)
- Load Mode
- Line Out with Level Control (unbalanced, 1/4" phone jack, approximately 30k ohm -mid range)
- 2 Speaker Jacks (wired in parallel)
- Passive design, does not require AC power
- Rugged, black anodized or powder coated aluminum housing
- Heavy duty, steel reinforced handle
- 19" Rack Mount Option
- Handwired and Handcrafted in the USA. Each PRX150-DAG attenuator is constructed and tested "in house" at ARACOM Amplifiers.
Weights and Dimensions:
- Weight: 17 lbs (7.7kg)
- Dimensions: 11"w x 6.0"h x 8"d (27.9cm x 15.2cm x 20.3cm)--6.5" (16.5cm) tall including feet
PRX150-DAG OPTIONS:
PRX150-DAG Rack Shelf Option:
With the Rack Mount Option, the standard PRX150-DAG housing is attached to a 19" wide shelf. The heavy duty rubber feet provide protection against shock and vibration. The rack mounted PRX150-DAG requires 4U (rack units) of vertical rack space. Contact Destroy All Guitars for pricing information.
PRX150-DAG Padded Nylon Cover:
Tuki brand, padded Cordura Nylon covers are available for the PRX150-DAG. If you are going to be taking your PRX150-DAG to gigs, then we highly recommend the Tuki padded Nylon cover for added protection. The Tuki padded cover can be purchased from Destroy All Guitars along with your PRX150-DAG or directly from Tuki Covers.
Warranty:
The PRX150-DAG comes with a limited 2 year warranty.
Click here for the warranty details
Important link: Using the PRX150 with your tube amplifier (please read this before purchasing the PRX150)