The Weber attenuator is defined as an electronic device designed to reduce the amplitude and power of a signal with little or no distortion in the waveform of that signal. Compared to other dimmers like the Ultimate Attenuator and Digital Dimmer, this type of dimmer uses rheostats. Rheostats are used to control attenuation and distribute power to the speaker motor or other load. The two types of this type of attenuator are the speaker motor model and the resistive or resistor based model. The speaker motor model uses an actual speaker motor to generate a reactive load on the amplifier. The resistive model of the Weber attenuator creates a purely resistive load on the amplifier using power resistors.
One advantage of the speaker motor model over the resistive model is that it provides a more interactive, natural sound. This Weber power attenuator also has less impact on tone compared to the resistor based model. There are various types of dimmers based on speaker motors. They are the Mobility Analog Systems Simulator (MASS), MiniMASS, MicroMASS, MASS 150, Power Tap, MASS Lite and Stereo MASS. The MASS type uses a speaker motor for the load to provide realistic interaction between the amplifier output circuitry and the attenuator. The MASS unit contains a line output connection with front panel controls for mid, bass, volume, and treble. These control panels are useful for consumers who plan to run simple direct output signals. Consumers interested in the wet-dry approach also find these control panels effective. The MicroMASS and MASS Lite models have two power level controls. One control is used for the low-mid frequencies and the other is for the upper-mid frequencies. Meanwhile, the attenuation can be continuously adjusted from zero to over -50 db on the MiniMASS model. The MASS 150 unit has an additional output connector, MASS bypass, line output and range switch. The Stereo MASS does not contain a line output, but does have built-in treble compensation. The Power Tap unit features treble compensation, range switch, and a -20db fixed line output.
The resistive model of the Weber dimmer includes the low power load dump, the high power load dump, the mega dump, and the headphone jack. Compared to the motor speaker based MASS, the low power charge dump unit is smoother and not as interactive. Its attenuation is continuously adjustable from zero to more than -50 db. The high power dump model with 200 watt power uses power resistors and capacitors. This model uses 11 output control steps on a rotary switch. The headphone jack unit is known as a 50-watt dummy load consisting of a headphone-out jack. Lastly, the Mega Dump model includes a system bypass, range switch, adjustable line output, and 0, 3, and 6 dB treble boost.
According to the product review and manufacturer’s statement, this dimmer is built primarily by hand. This assures customers that they are purchasing the highest quality products. Some of the accessories available for the Weber dimmer include a 1 foot RCA phone jack to ΒΌ phone jack, Bassman 59 dimmer harness, rack mount wings for Mega Dump and MASS 200 units, and dimmer harness for Peavey amplifiers.
