DIY Airbrake - My take

[Cliff Schecht]

I built a modified airbrake using just the 25 Ohm input resistor and a 25 Ohm power potentiometer. I do have some of the large clamp-adjusted power resistors as well but I was more interested in just the adjustable section for simplicities sake. I find that the attenuator has the perfect range for my needs, it goes from full power to a bit less than half power (I haven't actually measured attenuation) without killing the sound. Well, as with any attenuator as you go too far down in power the sound does sorta thin out but this seems to be more of a side effect of not pushing the speaker(s) as hard as compared to actually losing treble/bass response.

The case came from some piece of test equipment but was unloaded when I found it. I think it was a high dollar piece of laser equipment before. Too bad I couldn't find it with the laser bits still inside!

It looks cool, especially with the big ol' knob on the top.

[UR12]

Love the big ole Knob Reminds me of the amp Professor Brown built in Back to the Future.

[Colossal]

Looks cool Cliff. Nice work. The price is certainly right and good reuse of old components.

Love the big ole Knob Reminds me of the amp Professor Brown built in Back to the Future.

1.21 gigawatts? 1.21 gigawatts? Great Scott! Marty, I can't generate that kind of power!

[paulster]

Love the big ole Knob Reminds me of the amp Professor Brown built in Back to the Future.

I wonder if that was Vic's inspiration too when he came up with the new Mojave Dirty Boy amp for Blues Saraceno. Check out the variac knob in the middle of that thing!

[Cliff Schecht]

The great thing about this attenuator is it's so large internally that even after a 4 hour practice it's really only warm to the touch. Can't say that about my last attempt, it literally was melting solder after about 10 minutes (dripped all over a friends floor!).