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Aiken Amplification: Invader
Yahoo discussion group about Aiken amps - new Sep. 22, 2001
official product page - excerpts:
15 watt all-tube, 2 EL84's, tube rectifier. Point-to-point, hand-wired "military style". Head: $1200, combo: $1500-$1800.
Built-in power attenuator enables Plexi tone at lower volumes. 0dB, -3dB, -6dB, -9dB, -12dB, and a mute for silent recording. Positioned between the output transformer and speakers. Designed to not affect the tone as the attenuation is increased.
Custom-wound Aiken transformers are rated for over twice the maximum amplifier output power, allowing the amplifier to be run full power into an attenuator continuously, without failures.
Available as head or as 2x10,
1x12, or 2x12 combo.
The 2x10 and 1x12 combos are 25 1/2" wide, 21" tall, and 10"
deep.
The 2x12 combo is 29" wide, 21" tall, and 10" deep.
WeberVST, Celestion, Eminence, Mojo, and other speakers are available.
Speaker-emulating, transformer-balanced XLR direct out for recording or stage use. Designed to emulate the frequency response of a 4x12 cabinet miked with an SM57. Has ground-lift switch to eliminate hum.
The preamp section is based on the old 4-input plexi/Bassman circuit. Four input jacks, a high-level and low-level for each channel. Volume 1 (bright), Volume 2 (dark), Bass, Mid, Treble, Presence, Dwell, Tone, Reverb, Attenuator. Input channels can be jumpered by connecting a cable from the lower channel 1 input to the upper channel 2 input. This allows a mix of the two volume controls to provide a wide range of tones.
3-knob spring reverb with level, dwell, and tone controls. Different reverb tanks are available to change the reverb depth and decay time. Footswitch for on/off control.
AC mains input, impedance selector switch (4, 8, or 16 ohms), two 1/4" speaker jacks, XLR output with ground lift switch, reverb footswitch jack.
A variety of colors and textures are available.
If you are planning on using this for private cranked-amp tone at home, consider the 1x12 combo, so you don't run too many speakers at too low a level for speaker smoothing. Or, consider a switch to disconnect one of the speakers. You could ask Randall Aiken about the lower limit of cranked-amp sound and whether 1 speaker permits better sound at the lowest level than 2 speakers.
Randall Aiken - dummy load circuits
Aiken Amplification - GoldBrick
Research links
aiken invader
+aiken +invader
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