Shask
Well-known member
A reactive load doesn't really simulate the power section of an amp. It just simulates the reactive resistance a speaker presents, vs a flat resistive load. It tricks the amp to think it is being plugged into a speaker.
Load/IR box with Tube Amps Vs. Modeler
- Thread starter drumdude
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acceptance
Well-known member
So when we talk about an impedance curve for a load box, what does that mean? I had thought it basically meant it "Felt" (Electronically) like a given speaker to the amp. Didn't realize it includes the physics of the speaker moving in a cabinet as well, or am I misunderstanding? ...Anyways, my point was that whatever is going on, my amp through a load box into an IR doesn't sound like my amp into my cab.
yes
rushcentrale
Active member
This video explains RLs well:
rushcentrale
Active member
With the RL your amp thinks it's seeing a load. In the case of the Suhr RL, it makes your amp think it's seeing Celestions in a 4x12 cab.
An IR won't magically sound like your amp running through your cab. An IR is just a snapshot of someone else's cab recorded at one single point in time through whatever mics it was recorded with.
So for example, I have a cab with an Alnico Gold in it and I have it in my amp closet close mic'd with a Royer 121. I found an IR of a cab with an Alnico Gold in it mic'd with a 121 and the recorded results were very similar. The IR was a little better even so I moved my 121 around and found a better sweet spot. Using th IR actually stepped up my real life micing game.
If your experience is that your amp through a load box through an IR didn't sound like your amp through your cab, you probably used an IR too different than your actual setup. Or maybe you were expecting to hear what you hear in the room with an amp. IRs only sound like your mic'd amp. Totally different thing what your ears pickup vs an SM57 close mic'd.
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Ah okay gotcha ....so a 15 watt will still sound like a 15 watt and a 100 will still sound like a 100
I could never buy a reactive load-box from a man can't look me straight in the eye.
Shask
Well-known member
It will just sound the same as the amp plugged right into the cab. However, now you have the flexibility to send that signal into a poweramp, or computer, or IR, or whatever.Ah okay gotcha ....so a 15 watt will still sound like a 15 watt and a 100 will still sound like a 100
One thing I like to do it run my tube amps through a reactive load, and then take the line out into a stereo effects unit, and then back into a solid state poweramp. All your tube tone, in stereo, with stereo effects, at whatever volume you want.
rushcentrale
Active member
If your goal is to record good guitar tones, definitely go through some kind of preamp from the LB. Coloration is a good thing. It's why we buy these pres.