guitar speaker sims

[adam_w]

Guitar speaker simulators/power soaks. Yeah, I know they always sounded crap and blew your amp up ( thanks mr scholtz !)...but necessity needs me to check them out once again... Is there anything at all usable out there these days ? Palmer ? Eh ?

[peterr]

THD hotplate, DMC cabtone, Millenia TD-1, Hughes & Kettner Redbox all have some sort of speaker soak on them. I've heard good things about the Cabtone. I think Groove Tubes make one too.

[Fletcher]

FWIW... the one I use is the Palmer PGA-04... it's an 8 ohm load [up to 130w] and produces a line level output. It has a couple of filters on it that really help.

In my world it's the only 'plug the head into a DI' that I have found to work worth a shit and still give me the tone I'd like to have without my worrying about my amplifier's health.

Best of luck with your search.

[covert]

Originally posted by peterr
THD hotplate, DMC cabtone, Millenia TD-1, Hughes & Kettner Redbox all have some sort of speaker soak on them. I've heard good things about the Cabtone. I think Groove Tubes make one too.

The red box does no speaker loading. It'll give you a di out from your speaker ouy, but you have to have the speaker in line as well.

[peterr]

The red box does no speaker loading. It'll give you a di out from your speaker ouy, but you have to have the speaker in line as well

very true. the same could be said for some of the others i think. The THD in particular. My Bad

[splattercell]

the THD requires a speaker to ne in-line, but offers both spkr loading and a direct out w/its own level control.
it doesn't sound completely 'transparent' to the amp --- is there any loadbox that does? i doubt it --- but it's musical enough for me.
(i use it in combination w/an old ADA Ampulator, which i really like as a further shaper.....).

steve carr has a built-in power attenuator in his awesome low-wattage 'mercury' amp, which sounds very very good --- unfortunately, there's no direct-out provided, though, so ya gotta make yer own.
http://www.carramps.com/

weberVST makes their MASS, woth all sorts of options; (i've got a judybox amp coming, with one of these built-in.)
http://www.webervst.com/

best,
dt / spltrcl

[Midlandmorgan]

I've used Hotplates...they seem OK - the GrooveTubes device is used by a lot of guys....

Don't overlook going direct...the Morley (Sessions) JD10 is a killer unit, which I use a lot for both studio and live applications...We also use an old Mosvalve BlueTube II preamp with a CabTone and get very good results....

Ken

[Jules]

An axsmith chum of mine who recons he's 'tried em all' prefers the Marshall SE100 over Palmers- so that's what I went and found second hand..

Works a treat,

Quite often it accounts for 60% of the sound on my dist gtr recordings, mic'ed cab & SansAmp making up the the other 40%.

I seem to get a lot less messy 'hash' via the 'cab sim' then I do with a cab..

An SE 100 might be eaysier to find in the UK too

Palmer is the 'classic' device to use..

[neilist]

This looks like a strong contender. I'll be giving the single channel version a shot in a couple of weeks.

http://www.motherload.co.uk

[Jules]

Yes that DOES look nice, I woul LOVE to hear a report of it!

Cheers

Jules

[neilist]

I'll keep you posted. Might even bring it over to try if you'd like.

[splattercell]

this Motherload thingy looks very much along the lines of my old ADA Ampulator.....
i'm gonna try to check it out while in the uk in november, but:
would love to hear what y'all think before then!
thanks,
dt / spltrcl

[Jules]

If you can bring it over I will put the kettle on! I have a LesPaul and an Engle Savage to test it with and of course the Marshall SE 100 (about 200 quid s/h) to compare it with! we could also crank a cab / attenuate a cab and mic it with a Neve 1073 57 or royer 121...

[Jay Kahrs]

Originally posted by adam_w
Guitar speaker simulators/power soaks. Yeah, I know they always sounded crap and blew your amp up ( thanks mr scholtz !)

If you blew your amp up with a Scholtz Soak you were using it wrong. It isn't designed to take the full brunt of an amp, you still need a speaker or a load box in line. The Power Soak, Hot Plate and Marshall box are filled with resistors, all they do is let you run the amp wide open at reasonable SPL's. If you just take the DI out without a load you will eventually melt the amps tranny and probably take a few other bits & pieces along for the ride. If you need silent recording you should probably look into something like the Demeter speaker coffin or get a Pod.

[Tim L]

Originally posted by Jay Kahrs
... The Power Soak, Hot Plate and Marshall box are filled with resistors, all they do is let you run the amp wide open at reasonable SPL's... (snipage has occured) ... If you need silent recording you should probably look into something like the Demeter speaker coffin or get a Pod.

Don't know about the others but the Hot Plate has a dummy "load" setting for safe, speaker less, silent running. The unit also has a 1/4" line out w/level pot.

[Jay Kahrs]

Ya know, your right. I tried the DI/line out on a Hot Plate once, didn't sound so hot.

[Tim L]

Originally posted by Jay Kahrs
... I tried the DI/line out on a Hot Plate once, didn't sound so hot.

Yea, it does kinda suck... I used it to feed another amp once and it worked ok for that...

[splattercell]

Originally posted by Tim L
Yea, it does kinda suck... I used it to feed another amp once and it worked ok for that...

that's how i've been using the hotplate:
amp>hotplate>ADA Ampulator

real good sound & feel, for me..... depending on the player, the amp/instrument & the player's own sound & execution, of course.....

dt / spltrcl

[adam_w]

Thanks everyone, I'm going to check out the "motherload". The Se100 is apparently as rare as rocking horse sh1t these days. Yep, Jay.. I was young and foolish and yes, was using it as a power attenuator with a cab to get that full power amp crunch tone - maybe the amp wasn't well anyway...all that throwing in and out of cars after gigs ? Trouble is, it seemed like everything blew up back then !

The coffin sounds interesting...

[preben]

If you'd want to include the classic Palmer PDI-03 in your test of the Motherload and SE-100 give me a shout... And in any case I'm VERY interested to hear what you think of the Motherload...

[Jules]

Someone get a mono or stereo Motherload and lets do a shootout at my place - esspresso & tea served!

London N4.

[preben]

anyone making any progress getting hold of the Motherload..?? I LOVE shootouts and this one does look tasty.

[Jules]

Yes! Bring it on!

PLeeeeeeeeeeezeeeeeeeee!

[splattercell]

anyone try the motherload, yet?
i was in england, made a date with rick (sequis)..... but couldn't keep it......

dt / splattercell

[muddy]

Originally posted by Jules
Quite often it accounts for 60% of the sound on my dist gtr recordings, mic'ed cab & SansAmp making up the the other 40%.

jules, if you are STILL using a sansamp, you REALLY need to get yourself a v-stack:

http://v-stack.com/

for one, it's only $199/US, but more importantly, it is a HUGE improvement sonically over the sansy. i used a psa-1 & classic for 12-13 years, and the v-stack just kills it. the motherload looks like it could be good; AND EXPENSIVE! as far as the attenuator/load scenario, that's really of more use to the gigging guitarist. in the studio, it just seems that if you're gonna go to the trouble of putting together that kind of a system, you might as well just throw up a mic. it's ALWAYS gonna sound better, anyway. but the great thing about the v-stack (and i'm sure splattie will attest to this) is that it absolutely KILLS plugged INTO a guitar amp! REALLY natural sounding, no matter how much or little gain/drive you dial in. anyway, the guy who makes it is a brit based in canada, he's a sweetheart, & i'd be happy to introduce you.


ml

[Tim L]

The V-stack does look interesting... has anyone else here used one?

[splattercell]

vis a vis the v-stack:

after muddy pointed me to this thing,
i got in touch w/steve webster & acquired one;
i've been using it daily for months, now, and i'll tellya:
the v-stack is truly remarkable, well well well beyond what one thinks one 'knows' of stompbox capability ---
sound?
definitely, but also.....
the feel & responsivity of some of the best amps, ever:
turns flat and wimpy little amps into destructive beasts of beauty.
dude!

dt / spltrcl

a very different kettle of fish to the motherload, i'll point out, though; which i would still like to try.....

[Tim L]

Originally posted by splattercell
... turns flat and wimpy little amps into destructive beasts of beauty.
dude!

How'bout the direct thing, are you digin' it for DI...?

I'd love to hear more about the Motherload as well. Particularly the price and availability on the mono units, but has anyone so much as seen this thing in the flesh let alone hear one?

[Jules]

OK I'm interested!

in the V stack!
It may join the studio's Hot Cake & a Boss Chorus Ensemble pedal

[muddy]

steve_webster@atd-ic.com

i popped off an email to steve for you jules, so the rest is up to you.


ml