Using Fryette PS-1 with Weber Z-Matcher

Hello Fryette,

I want to use your Fryette PS-100 as an attenuator/increaser but the RedSeven Amp Central Evo as the direct line to my converter/computer/virtual mixing board.

The RedSeven has an effects loop where I can insert, chorus, delay and reverb AFTER its built-in Impulse Responses of a mic’d speaker cabinet, which leads to the cleanest effects sound possible a la what is done in studio recordings and which can be used “live,” Steve Stevens of Billy Idol does this now during his concerts.

I want to retain the feel of the RedSeven without the PS-100 interfering, however.

  1. Can I plug my amps (16 ohms Marshall, 15 ohm EVH, 8 ohm Mesa, 3-4 ohm Kustom 250, 2 ohm Fenders) into the Fryette PS-100’s amp input for attenuation of a high wattage amp (or increasing a low wattage amp), then take the amp out to speaker cabinet of the Fryette but plug it into the RedSeven load box (not a speaker cabinet), where the RedSeven only accepts 8 ohm loads, then plug the RedSeven’s Line Out into my converters via its line out?

If the above connection will work, will it negatively affect my amp’s tone and/or the RedSeven’s tone, and/or the feel of playing to the RedSeven reactive (not passive) load box, if you know?

  1. Is there a parallel Speaker Cab Output on the PS-100, so that I may run more than 1 cabinet at a time and not have to purchase a Weber Z-Matcher that does have a parallel speaker output?

  2. If I do have to buy the Weber’s parallel speaker cabinet output to run a second speaker cabinet, how would I use it with the PS-100 to attenuate 2 cabinets simultaneously? Would it be PS-100 amp input, then PS-100 speaker cabinet output to Z-Matcher, then out of the Z-Matcher into 2 cabs? Would this mess with the tone of the amp and/or feel while playing?

  3. Lastly, what is the main difference between the PS-100 and the PS-2A, is it 2 channels or something, I notice 2 separate rows of the same controllers, apologies, I don’t get it?

Thank you very much!
Jimmy

Hi Jimmy,

I tried a few times to read this…

  1. You are asking if you can attenuate various output impedance amps with the Power Station? YES. And can you connect Power Station SPKR OUT to a load box. YES.
  2. PS-100 has ONE speaker out; PS-2A has TWO speaker outs (parallel, but always use the top one first).
  3. If you wanted to use the PS-100 with two cabinets, you just need a box with one input and two outputs. As normal, you would calculate the load and set the power station accordingly (e.g. if you have two 16 Ohm 4x12 that would be a total load of 8 Ohms).
  4. PS-100 has twice the output power and has two (footswitchable) channels. So you can have two different volume, presence and depth settings.

Very good, thank you Dan, if I go with the PS-2A having 2 speaker outputs, what do I set the speaker output to when the 2 cabinets being used have different input ohmages, like Cab1 (16 ohms) and Cab2 (8 ohms), in parallel (I am assuming that the PS-2A has parallel not series speaker cabinet outputs), that is 5.33 ohms, there does not seem to be an option for these types of cabinet mismatches?

Hi Zeus,

That’s right; I’d probably just set it to 4 Ohms. If you did get the Weber, then sure, you could correct for that. I don’t think 30% mismatch is going to cause problem. But your call.

I am about to make a purchase!!!

I really like the 2 cabinet, with differing ohmages, capability of your 2a’s two speaker outputs, is there a way that I can do the same with the ps100 using a 1/4 inch male-to-2 1/4 inch female y adaptor/cable (will the y adaptor/cable melt? Is there a speaker y adaptor/cable not just an instrument or line-level y adaptor/cables) and a weber z matcher or something? I just need 2 speaker outputs on the ps100 but it doesnt seem to exist, why, I have no idea, or a workaround. I want to use the power tubes in Fryette. The 2a’s 50 watts scares me, if I want to gig or rehearse with a low wattage amp, to get as loud as cymbals, though, 100 watts of the ps100 would do the job.

Maybe a line out of the ps100 to my stereo matrix (solid state) power amp, then into 2 speaker cabs? Will differing ohmages of each spkr cab, on each channel of the power amp 1 and 2, damage the matrix power amp, if you know? This would defeat the tone of the power tubes of the Fryette, don’t really want to run it like this.

Wish there were 2 speaker outs, with differing ohmage controls, on the ps100 like on the 2a …

Hi

I think there are option that split speaker level signals. In fact I’m sure I saw someone on the forum post something like that a week ago. I think you just need something like a Hammond enclosure with a single chassis mount input jack to two output jacks wired in parallel.

Thank you, Dan. I tried to look for a hammond type enclosure, but I can’t find one on google? Don’t forget that the enclosure would have to have two separate ohomage selectors for each cabinet, because i’m trying to run two cabinets with differing ohmages.

The only way to have separate ohm settings for individual cabinets is have two power amps.

All Power Stations have one power amp.

You can combine cabs to a single power amp using cabs with different ohms.

Will I hurt my Fryette PS-2A or Red 7 amp central load box attenuator running the Red 7 from it’s speaker output into the Fryette PS-2A’s amplifier input to further attenuate the speaker volume?

The Red 7 only attenuates 50%, while the Fryette further attenuates down to whisper volume level with great retained tone and feel.

Here is what Luca said from Red 7:

Nope, there’s no harm in doing this. When you use “TO CAB” output Evo’s internal load is bypassed, the amp is just seeing the Fryette.

Luca