Two Notes Live - Manual (Page 12)

Warning regarding the proper use of a loadbox with a tube amplifier
2 Which output volume for my amplifier ?
The correct use of your amplifier with a loadbox requires some precautions. Because of the fact that you may
be playing "silently," it is much easier to accidentally run your amplifier beyond the reasonable limits set by the
manufacturer than when you are using an actual speaker cabinet. This can lead to faster tube wear and, in
some cases, to more serious inconveniences.
During the first tests at high volume on the amplifier, monitor the color of the
tubes and the general state of the amplifier. Red-glowing tubes or any appear-
ance of smoke are signs of a problem that could lead to partial or complete
destruction of the amplifier.
Keep in mind that the "sweet spot" — the perfect running point of the amplifier, the one that will give you the
tone you are looking for — is rarely obtained at maximum volume. In addition, the volume control of the amplifier
is usually logarithmic, which means that the volume goes up quickly on the first half of the potentiometer’s
rotation, reaches its maximum at 12 o’clock, and will not change much beyond that point. Therefore, you can
reach the maximum volume of your amplifier even if the volume potentiometer is not set at maximum.
By reaching the maximum output power of your amplifier, you will hear a lot of distortion, which may not
sound as good as you could hope. In fact, most amplifiers do sound rather poorly at maximum volume. Always
keep in mind that your amplifier may not have been conceived to be used at maximum volume for a long
time. Running an amplifier at high volume will cause premature wear of the tubes and possible malfunctions or
damages at the output stage.
The fact that the volume control of your amplifier is not set at maximum does
not mean your amplifier is not running at maximum volume. A good habit is
to keep the usual volume setup you would use in rehearsal or on stage, rather
than just following what the volume potentiometer indicates.
12 Two Notes Audio Engineering TORPEDO Live