Tone King Ironman II Mini 30-watt Reactive Power Attenuator

Name: Tone King Ironman II Mini 30-watt Reactive Power Attenuator
Brand: Tone King
Rating: 4.5 (35 reviews)

Passive 30W Tube Guitar Amplifier Attenuator Pedal with Line Output, 8-ohm Operation, and Footswitchable Boost

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Item ID: Ironman2Mini

Tone King Ironman II Mini 30-watt Reactive Power Attenuator

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Tone King Ironman II Mini 30-watt Reactive Power Attenuator

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Rein In Your Mid-powered Tube Amp

The Tone King Ironman II Mini puts the convenience and volume-wrangling goodness of a tube-amp power attenuator in a flexible pedal format. Rated for 30 watts at 8 ohms, the Ironman II Mini is engineered to bring your screaming mid-powered tube head or combo to a whisper or any volume in between. Its reactive load technology ensures total transparency throughout the attenuator's range. But what really sets the Tone King Ironman II Mini apart from other attenuators is its footswitchable 3dB/6dB boost. Not only do you decide your amp's volume, but you can control it in real time.

Big sounds, low volume

Today more than ever before, electric guitarists are being forced to adapt to the demand for quieter performances. But we all know that we need to crank our amps to get them to sing just right. Put the Ironman II Mini between your power amp and speaker, and you'll never have to worry about compromised tone again. Its 6-step attenuation and 3-position presence switch allow you to get your tubes glowing as hot as you want while nailing the perfect volume for home use, rehearsal, or the big gig.

Reactive load technology

There are a handful of power amplifier attenuation technologies available today. But the reactive circuitry found in the Ironman II Mini maintains all the intrinsic feel of your tube amp. This complex loading technology is painstakingly tuned to change and react with your amp as your speakers would in a standard cabinet. Reactive attenuation is so popular, it's a mainstay in the studios and live rigs of many Sweetwater guitarists. With the Ironman II Mini, you reduce your volume, not your tone.

Onboard boost and more

What sets the Ironman II Mini apart from all other high-quality power attenuators on the market is its floor pedal form factor. Not only does its pedal housing keep the attenuator close by during performance, but it also gives you access to the unit's footswitchable 3dB/6dB boost. That's right! Not only do you get to play at the perfect volume for your situation, but you can effortlessly switch between two levels on the fly, perfect for solo boosts or compensating for guitars with widely different outputs. And the Ironman II Mini is also a phenomenal studio tool, thanks to its line-level and recording DI outputs.

Tone King Ironman II Mini Power Attenuator Pedal Features:

Tube amp power attenuation in pedal format
6-step attenuation takes your volume to bedroom levels
Effortlessly handles up to 30 watts
Footswitchable 3dB/6dB boost
Fixed 8-ohm operation
Recording/DI output is ideal for re-amping or use with impulse responses
3-position presence switch adds more top-end detail to your tone

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Tech Specs

Type: Reactive Load
Power Handling: 30W RMS maximum
Impedance: 8 ohms
Inputs: 1 x 1/4"
Outputs: 1 x 1/4" (line out), 1 x 1/4" (out to cab)
Power Source: 9V DC power supply (not included)
Manufacturer Part Number: Ironman II Mini - Attenuator

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Reviews

4.6

Customer Photos & Videos

The guitar: New Fender Vintage 2 1963 Tele (thank you Sweetwater!)
The Amp: Lil' Dawg '58 5E3 remake
The secret sauce: Ironman 2 mini

I just got done playing in my office at home for about an hour and I'm telling you, the mini let's my Deluxe sing as it should. The tone is so good. I crank the amp, find the attenuation I want, roll back the guitar volume and you've got classic rock heaven. The Strymon El Capstan doesn't hurt either! ;-) (thank you SW!)

I've been playing since '68 and I've never used an attenuator. I always just cranked the amp. Now that my ears are old and ring like all get out it was time to settle into some lower volumes. The IM mini is really nice, I am very satisfied with the tone at a volume my wife says from the living room, "I like listening to your playing in the background".

Tis all good - if you're thinking about it, go for it. IMHO it works!

I have tried several attenuator models over the years and have never found one that really worked well. The Tone King Ironman II Mini not only sounds excellent at slight attenuation levels but also keeps the warmth at more extreme settings. The feel is still there and my rig is still inspiring at home when I need to keep the family happy. Very impressed with this piece of gear. Highly recommend.

I don't know why I waited so long to get one of these. It not only changed how I play at home it now allows me to play smaller places like coffee shops and restaurants. It handles all my Fender, Vox, Blackstar & Marshall amps that are under 30 watts with 8 ohm speakers. I get all the overdrive from the cranked side of life without having to be told to turn it down as they run from the room. Working the guitar volume knob cleans up things nicely and the added boost switch can make your solo stand out in the mix. It's built like a tank, doesn't require electricity and was a breeze to hookup too all my amps. As far as the direct out goes I hooked it up to my Apple and it sounds ok to me for quick demos to band mates or letting a potential client hear our stuff. Is it better than the higher priced attenuators like the Ox? I leave that up to your ears to decide but what this thing does for the money is well worth your attention. If you're on the fence (get one!) or have a limited budget (and who doesn't) you can save a boat load of cash. Sounds great at any volume, built like a tank, I would replace this unit if it were ever lost, stolen or somehow imploded.
Shoutout too my very attentive and knowledgeable sales engineer Logan Ashman! If you have questions he has answers and boy does he know the gear! Thanks Dude! Keep on Rockin' in The Free World…

Prior to acquiring an Ironman II Mini, I was using a Weber Mini-Mass. While the Weber has an excellent build quality, the linearity of the power swing was not as "linear" as I preferred it to be. Tone King has solved this issue with the Ironman II Mini.
The multi-step functionality gives one a plethora of presets that let you dial in just the right amount of power to the speaker. As for tone loss, I have not observed any, and the presence switching allows one to brighten or subdue the tone if needed.
The unit has a large footprint with the equivalency of about four standard MXR pedals in a 2x2 pattern. (8"x7.5" to be exact)
Because it is a passive device there is no need for a LV power source unless you want to use the LED indicator, in which case you can install a battery or use an external power supply.
While I haven't looked inside the unit, yet, externally the build quality appears very robust. (Formed heavy gauge metal)
I am using it with a Mini-Rect and it marries well with the Ironman for overall performance. I suspect it does just as well with other tube amps, but not so certain how it would react to a solid state amp, as they typically have no output transformer. Historically I have found solid state amps to be sensitive to impedance load variations.
While the unit may be considered somewhat expense, in this case you get what you pay for, which is why I give it Five Stars.

I bought this to tame down the 5E3 Tweed Deluxe that I built. This attenuator is a perfect fit for this amp. Now I can play this cranked and then tamed with the Ironman II Mini. It retains all the tone of my amp at volumes that won't ruin my hearing or tick off the neighbors. The Solo boost function is really cool too! Presence switch is nice too. This was worth every penny.