Galaxy 10?

i didnt see and explanation for why tube watts are said to be louder that ss watts.

the reason for this is thatt output effect are measured at a set level of distortion (0,02% i think),
and when you crank your Ss circuitry past the rated wattage(and over the distortion level) it starts to clip and doesnt sound very nice. (this means that '10' on the volume button usually is about 30w/0.0.2%dist.

But the tube amp breaks up "naturally" or in a different way than the transistors, so it doesnt always stop at 30w, even if 30w is all it can put out before it starts to distort. actually, this is rather sought after.

plus, as mentioned before, speaker efficiency (sensitivity) has a GREAT impact on loudness.

A final difference bsides speaker efficiency and going above the listed wattage is the subjective volume level, or perceived volume. Two amps producing the same dB can be perceived as having different volume levels.

So an attenuator is great. But it is very subtle. I just didn't want you to spend your money and be disappointed. I am not disappointed with mine, because I like the extra push it gives your tone. It is that little extra edge. But someone expecting a BIG difference might be.

Wes, Thanks very much for the clarification. I do understand that. Basically, what I expect if I buy the attenuator is this: I know the tone I get with everything cranked up today, I expect to be able to get that same tone or close to it, at lower volume. Not a different sound. But I am going to wait a while...

Google up "Fletcher-Munson Curve." We don't perceive tones as the same at different volume levels because the ear's sensitivity to both low and high frequencies, especially the lower ones, differs considerably in different volume ranges. That's why so many stereos, radios, CD players and such have a "Loudness" button that boosts the bass and treble when the playing volume's soft. So you may not perceive the tone with an attenuator as being the same as with the amp cranked up, aside from distortions introduced by the attenuator itself. But it's another tool you can use.

I harp on this a lot, but it's not necessary to crank a tube amp all the way up into power stage distortion to sound good, and it's not necessary to compete in volume wars with drummers. Last night I stayed way into the wee hours at an outdoor party with some professional blues musicians and a bunch of amateurs (like me) who got up and played, too. The volume had to be kept reasonable out of consideration for neighbors. The guitars sure sounded good through a Fender Deluxe with the gain up and the volume down. No attenuators in sight. The drummer understood dynamics. He could get down to whisper volume, playing with sticks, and keep a mean shuffle going. When people are listening to each other and playing together, instead of against each other, it really sounds great. Folks who think they have to always play on 11 don't have a good feel for the music, IMO. It's just like your car's accelerator. Sometimes it's fun to floor it. You don't want to do that all the time, in fact it's likely to be detrimental.

Back to the subject at hand, I have an Electar Tube 10, the prototype for the Galaxie 10. It sounds quite good for blues, especially since subbing a Jensen MOD for the low quality Electar Labs speaker (a generic cheap woofer.) I love its cranked sound, but most of the time I'm playing it with the master volume set way down low and the gain in the midrange, and that's just fine, too.
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Ricochet,

Thanks for the Fletcher-Munson curve pointer, I did look it up. Learn something new everyday, which is a great thing!

Actually, I am quite pleased with the Galaxy 10 overall for a blues lead kind of sound, with the kind of settings you describe (mid range gain, volume anywhere between 2 and 7). It also sounds very nice for rock lead type sound if I put in my Zoom multi-effects pedal.

I do like the cranked tone when I really crank up the gain all the way, but it sounds good otherwise also.

The part where I am not as happy is the base. Let us say if I try to play something like a blues shuffle on E, I would like to hear a little more oophm in the low end. My VOX AD30VT shines in this department, and I really love its sound for a shuffle with my accoustic and the "Tweed 4x12" model (supposedly modeling a Fender Bassman).

Anyway, the Galaxy 10 is now my regular practice amp, the VOX has moved to the family room and will slowly move closer to the computer so I can record some stuff (like backing tracks) from the computer.

They changed a number of things from the Electar Tube 10 to the Galaxie 10. I'm not sure whether the Galaxie has the closed-back, ported cab of the Electar. (The back is recessed in, with the tubes sticking out in the recess with a screen over them.) Makes it quite strong in the bass for a little amp with an 8" speaker. (The Galaxie has a 10".) I usually EQ mine with the bass turned way down, the midrange about halfway up and the treble cranked.

The back is half open, half closed, the amp is basically in the top half that is closed and the tubes stick down from there. You can see the back of the speaker through the open portion. Sounds like it may be different from the earlier version you have..this amp was quite shrill before the tube change, it looks like they may have changed things around to boost the high end.

Sounds like it.