Your IR experience, good/bad/ugly?

[Eazy-ESP]

Ok, I was saying earlier that maybe the Rivera load wasn’t as good as others may be. However, I’ve been really experimenting more this week. Found that the IR is absolutely king. Now that I have some that I trust and like, I’m getting good results.

Has the curve of the Rivera Rockcrusher Recording load ever been compared to the Suhr, etc.?

 

[Eazy-ESP]

Found some threads. John Suhr says the load in the Rivera isn’t based on a cabs curve. I need to get a Suhr to compare to it now. I’ve been getting really, really good sounds with the Rivera lately. Would be really amazed to hear if the Suhr is that much better.

 

[saxxamafone]

I’m inspired to play a real amp into IRs. That inspiration disappears once I play a modeler. Something about getting the tubes cooking helps my creativity

 

[Dave L]

I only went over to IRs maybe two years ago, so pretty late to the party. I was afraid to end up with option paralysis and always end up chasing some "better" IRs in the vast jungle of packs out there, so I stuck with analog speaker emulation for a long while. Even after I knew that IRs were a better choice. Now I am very happy with my Suhr RL and the Bluguitar Blubox, which is a nice-sounding hardware IR unit that can´t be updated - perfect for me and how my mind works. Thomas Blug and I seem to have similar ears, more in that classic rock, 70s and 80s vein.

 

[ilikehats]

Found some threads. John Suhr says the load in the Rivera isn’t based on a cabs curve. I need to get a Suhr to compare to it now. I’ve been getting really, really good sounds with the Rivera lately. Would be really amazed to hear if the Suhr is that much better.

I started with a two notes captor and A/B'd it against my buddy's Suhr RL through the same gear/IRs. The difference was night and day. I sold the Captor and bought a Suhr RL the next week. I think the reactive load curve does make a difference.

 

[ilikehats]

I only went over to IRs maybe two years ago, so pretty late to the party. I was afraid to end up with option paralysis and always end up chasing some "better" IRs in the vast jungle of packs out there, so I stuck with analog speaker emulation for a long while. Even after I knew that IRs were a better choice. Now I am very happy with my Suhr RL and the Bluguitar Blubox, which is a nice-sounding hardware IR unit that can´t be updated - perfect for me and how my mind works. Thomas Blug and I seem to have similar ears, more in that classic rock, 70s and 80s vein.

Option paralysis is exactly what kept me away from all of this for so long. One IR pack has dozens of options and then dozens of mixes. And then you get into mixing two IRs or two split L/R. Madness.

 

[Dave L]

Option paralysis is exactly what kept me away from all of this for so long. One IR pack has dozens of options and then dozens of mixes. And then you get into mixing two IRs or two split L/R. Madness.

Yeah, the Blubox has maybe six or seven Celestion models - along with some other odds and ends I haven´t messed with - and a filter sweep as a sort of simple position control. Seems to be captured with care and in a sound style I like so it´s good enough for me, I´ll do the rest with EQ if needed.

 

[[Nathan]]

I started with a two notes captor and A/B'd it against my buddy's Suhr RL through the same gear/IRs. The difference was night and day. I sold the Captor and bought a Suhr RL the next week. I think the reactive load curve does make a difference.

I had a captor as well and went to a redseven amp central, huge difference. Every loadbox comparison I’ve ever heard the captors come out the worst. Even the rack unit torpedo live sounds better than the captors. I’ve seen a bunch of other recording folk move from captors to suhr and other ones and everyone always says the captors are the worst.

The only people that defend captors are ones that haven’t tried other units (yet)

 

[Eazy-ESP]

I’m inspired to play a real amp into IRs. That inspiration disappears once I play a modeler. Something about getting the tubes cooking helps my creativity

Agreed.

I started with a two notes captor and A/B'd it against my buddy's Suhr RL through the same gear/IRs. The difference was night and day. I sold the Captor and bought a Suhr RL the next week. I think the reactive load curve does make a difference.

Yeah, I’ve got to track one down ASAP.

 

[Eazy-ESP]

Yeah, the Blubox has maybe six or seven Celestion models - along with some other odds and ends I haven´t messed with - and a filter sweep as a sort of simple position control. Seems to be captured with care and in a sound style I like so it´s good enough for me, I´ll do the rest with EQ if needed.

Really is good to force restrictions on ourselves. I wish I realised this earlier.

 

[Eazy-ESP]

I had a captor as well and went to a redseven amp central, huge difference. Every loadbox comparison I’ve ever heard the captors come out the worst. Even the rack unit torpedo live sounds better than the captors. I’ve seen a bunch of other recording folk move from captors to suhr and other ones and everyone always says the captors are the worst.

The only people that defend captors are ones that haven’t tried other units (yet)

I do hope to hear some comparisons and demos of that new reload II though.

 

[[Nathan]]

I do hope to hear some comparisons and demos of that new reload II though.

Yeah I’m not sure how it stacks up compared to the others yet

 

[ilikehats]

I do hope to hear some comparisons and demos of that new reload II though.

The reload II looks, on paper, like a step up. I just hope the reactive load saw the same attention as the design. The updated aesthetic is a direct play on the UA stuff which I find to be hilarious. "Wait, if we put wood on it, you're telling me we can sell it at a premium?"

 

[Eazy-ESP]

The reload II looks, on paper, like a step up. I just hope the reactive load saw the same attention as the design. The updated aesthetic is a direct play on the UA stuff which I find to be hilarious. "Wait, if we put wood on it, you're telling me we can sell it at a premium?"

And I’m a sucker for it. lol. Can it come in a velour pouch or something so I can really feel special?

Guarantee they will have done a variation on the curve that Suhr is using. Whether it is different enough or better will be interesting, but I doubt groundbreaking. In fact I doubt any will improve on what we have now that much.

 

[ilikehats]

And I’m a sucker for it. lol. Can it come in a velour pouch or something so I can really feel special?

Guarantee they will have done a variation on the curve that Suhr is using. Weather it is different enough or better will be interesting, but I doubt groundbreaking. In fact I doubt any will improve on what we have now that much.

Brother, I'm a sucker for it too.

 

[ZEN Amps]

Guarantee they will have done a variation on the curve that Suhr is using. Whether it is different enough or better will be interesting, but I doubt groundbreaking. In fact I doubt any will improve on what we have now that much.

I haven't seen under the hood of the Reload II but it does look promising based on the impedance plots posted a few weeks back. The infamous bathtub is gone and it now seems legit. I'm glad 2N learned from the feedback of previous users as I'd written them off until this new box.

And an unpopular opinion in some circles - but I'm fan of solid-state amplification in a reamping setup. The power station is a cool device, but ultimately an Aiken-type load (like the Suhr) into a suitable SS power amp can work flawlessly.

Has the curve of the Rivera Rockcrusher Recording load ever been compared to the Suhr, etc.?

I like the Rivera as an attenuator but the load is far from accurate - but this doesn't mean you can't get tones you dig from it (seems you have).

The argument for something like the Suhr is transparency. Important to me but others may not care so much - especially if the load is integrated into a 'digital' product that then uses DSP to cater for the inaccuracy of the load. Two Notes, Boss, UA all do this.

I strongly prefer that an amp's tone and response remain fairly consistent when a load replaces the cab. If so, a suitably-created IR will sound extremely close to the original miked speaker. If not it may well sound good to a particular user, but because the amp is presented with a different load it's now bit of a lottery what you're actually going to get.

I started with a two notes captor and A/B'd it against my buddy's Suhr RL through the same gear/IRs. The difference was night and day. I sold the Captor and bought a Suhr RL the next week. I think the reactive load curve does make a difference.

Yep.

I’m inspired to play a real amp into IRs. That inspiration disappears once I play a modeler. Something about getting the tubes cooking helps my creativity

Agree big time. Inspiration / fun / vibe are all highly relevant factors that don't get mentioned enough in my book

 

[Eazy-ESP]

I haven't seen under the hood of the Reload II but it does look promising based on the impedance plots posted a few weeks back. The infamous bathtub is gone and it now seems legit. I'm glad 2N learned from the feedback of previous users as I'd written them off until this new box.

And an unpopular opinion in some circles - but I'm fan of solid-state amplification in a reamping setup. The power station is a cool device, but ultimately an Aiken-type load (like the Suhr) into a suitable SS power amp can work flawlessly.


I like the Rivera as an attenuator but the load is far from accurate - but this doesn't mean you can't get tones you dig from it (seems you have).

The argument for something like the Suhr is transparency. Important to me but others may not care so much - especially if the load is integrated into a 'digital' product that then uses DSP to cater for the inaccuracy of the load. Two Notes, Boss, UA all do this.

I strongly prefer that an amp's tone and response remain fairly consistent when a load replaces the cab. If so, a suitably-created IR will sound extremely close to the original miked speaker. If not it may well sound good to a particular user, but because the amp is presented with a different load it's now bit of a lottery what you're actually going to get.


Yep.


Agree big time. Inspiration / fun / vibe are all highly relevant factors that don't get mentioned enough in my book

And that would explain why I have to find really specific IRs I guess. They just happen to be the ones that sit well with the Rivera. I’m going to get a Suhr for sure. They aren’t crazy prices anyway.

 

[ZEN Amps]

And that would explain why I have to find really specific IRs I guess. They just happen to be the ones that sit well with the Rivera. I’m going to get a Suhr for sure. They aren’t crazy prices anyway.

Worth trying one for sure. Just be careful if you get the non-IR version as the line output is unusually high output impedance. I'm not convinced a lot of users know about this.

Despite the name, this means that the line output typically pairs sub-optimally with the line input of receiving devices (preamp, recording interface etc). An instrument input is more suitable if there is one, and then back off the level on the Suhr if the signal is too hot.

Suhr has mentioned this a number of times online but for some reason it's not outlined in the documentation.

 

[Eazy-ESP]

Worth trying one for sure. Just be careful if you get the non-IR version as the line output is unusually high output impedance. I'm not convinced a lot of users know about this.

Despite the name, this means that the line output typically pairs sub-optimally with the line input of receiving devices (preamp, recording interface etc). An instrument input is more suitable if there is one, and then back off the level on the Suhr if the signal is too hot.

Suhr has mentioned this a number of times online but for some reason it's not outlined in the documentation.

Weird. Thanks for the info!

 

[ilikehats]

Worth trying one for sure. Just be careful if you get the non-IR version as the line output is unusually high output impedance. I'm not convinced a lot of users know about this.

Despite the name, this means that the line output typically pairs sub-optimally with the line input of receiving devices (preamp, recording interface etc). An instrument input is more suitable if there is one, and then back off the level on the Suhr if the signal is too hot.

Suhr has mentioned this a number of times online but for some reason it's not outlined in the documentation.

well well well. as a non-IR RL user, this is interesting news to me. does it change the math if im using the XLR balanced output?