Class 5 head "low power" mode...

[mcbrideb78]

I know that on the head I can move the switch to headphone and then plug the speaker cable in 3/4 of the way in to access "low power" mode. I would like to be able to just flip the switch (like the combo) and not have to move the speaker cable.

Has anyone done this on the heads and have pictures? I could only find this mod on the old combos.

Thanks.

[mcbrideb78]

anyone?

[skinnyj]

Did you Google "Class 5 Low Power Mod"?

Anyway, I think this is what you are looking for:

Low Power Mod

[mcbrideb78]

That is all abou doing the mod on the original combo. Is it done the same way on the head?

[Cousin Muely]

Please don't take this wrong but just out of curiosity if youve already got to reach back behind the head to put the amp in low power mode, even if it was modded, then what is wrong with just doing what youve been doing and just leave the amp stock? I have this setup and I do this all the time.

Nice rig you have there. Heres my C5s.

[mcbrideb78]

Maybe it's more of a mental thing that the speaker cable is partially inserted into a jack. Strange huh?

[Cousin Muely]

No. Not strange at all. I remember feeling a little funny about that also now that you mention it.. You're right. Doesn't seem natural.

[mcbrideb78]

So, on a related, but seperate subject. Has anyone changed the resister that is used for the headphone jack/low power mode? Maybe for something that provides the same 16 Ohm load, but with less resistance so that the "low power mode" would be louder? I ask because personally, I don't think I will ever be plugging in headphones into the class 5.

I'm thinking that since I have two, I'll keep the one I purchased new stock. And then maybe try out some mods on the one I bought off craigslist...

[shaun]

I dont think that anyone actually uses the headphone output, for headphones. I tried it once and had to have the amp volume (and gain) so low, so not to blow my headphones, that i thought it was totally useless.
I only use the headphone out (on the head model) for the low power mode, but it sounds muddy, so i use an attenuator on full power mode.

[mcbrideb78]

Sounds like an attenuator would be the way to go. Maybe I'll just plan on making one and mounting it inside the speaker cab. Then I can keep the heads stock and have access to the attenuator for ajustment or bypass since the cabs are open back.

[DirtySteve]

Sounds like an attenuator would be the way to go. Maybe I'll just plan on making one and mounting it inside the speaker cab. Then I can keep the heads stock and have access to the attenuator for ajustment or bypass since the cabs are open back.

I did this mod to my C5 combo and I highly recommend it. It works great and in conjunction with the low power jumper mod it works on full volume too. this is much better than an attenuator. http://marshallroadhouse.com/viewtopic.php?f=31&t=7435

I don't know any reason why the jumper mod wouldn't work with the head.

[mcbrideb78]

Well I ended up building an attenuator that I put inside the speaker cab. I only built one to test and it worked great. It didn't even get warm when I was testing it out. I will probably build the second when I get time.

[mcbrideb78]

By the way, it sounds better than the headphone trick and I don't have to move any cables when I use it.
I can run whatever gain level I want at whatever volume I want, or flip the switch and the circuit is bypassed.

Here is the design I based mine off of. I used a 50 watt L-Pad. I hardwired the 4.7uf cap because I don't see myself ever turning off the bright switch.

[Cousin Muely]

That's a nice looking mod McBride. So, the bright switch gives you back some nice highs when it is attenuated?

[mcbrideb78]

That's a nice looking mod McBride. So, the bright switch gives you back some nice highs when it is attenuated?

Correct.

Thanks. Simple and effective.