Do reactive load operate differently with speakers attached?

Gear
#1

Noob question here…Many reactive load boxes also have attenuators built in, like the 2notes Captor X.

Other than allowing you to monitor with a speaker, does a reactive load operate differently with a speaker attached than it does as a complete dummy load (no speaker attached). Are there any sonic differences in the recording?

As someone who has extremely limited understanding/experience of sound engineering/production, i will not likely understand much of a technical answer, so any simple answer would be appreciated if possible :grinning_face_with_smiling_eyes: unless you gancy a challenge! :rofl:

#2

I’m having a little trouble following. What recordings are you trying to compare: mic in front of amp vs mic in front of am with a load box, DI from load box vs mic in front of amp, or some other combination?

#3

Most load boxes that will allow operation with no speaker attached at all are just absorbing the whole power of the amp using some type of resistor or other load. Once that’s done, it’s done, it doesn’t matter what is connected after that point. They may have some kind of power amp built in which they use to re-amp the loaded down sound, allowing you to connect a speaker. But it doesn’t change the sound coming out of the DI because that process was already done.

The newer boxes try to simulate the reactance of a real speaker, but that’s between the load box and the amp, not the load box and the speaker. Again, permitting you to run them with no speaker attached and still get a realistic “speakered up” sound out of the DI.

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#4

If I’m understanding you correctly, you are asking if the tone of the direct output on a 2notes Captor X will change when you plug a speaker into the load box. So assuming I’m getting that right, the answer is maybe.

Some reactive loads bypass their internal load when a real speaker is plugged in. When that is the case, yes the tone will be slightly different coming from the direct out when a speaker is plugged in. The reason it would be slightly differently in the above case is because the amp would be seeing the load from the actual speaker rather than the “simulated” load from load box. The load response of an actual speaker will never be EXACTLY the same as the internal load of a load box. However, they would be VERY close and I would say they’ll be close enough that I wouldn’t even worry about it. If you’re recording direct like that, the amp settings, the guitar and the IR you use will have a far more profound effect on your tone than whether or not a speaker is plugged in will.

If the load box uses the internal load even if an external speaker is plugged in, then the tone from the direct out should stay the same whether a speaker is plugged in or not.

#5

Yes, this is what I was trying (and failing) to ask.

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#6

Good point, you’re right, that’s a subtlety I forgot about.

I’m not sure about the Torpedo boxes but their whole thing is letting you simulate various cabs / speakers so I would think those boxes would continue to do their simulation even when a speaker is plugged in. Meaning, if you’ve selected the “greenback” reactance or however they call it, and you plug in something that’s not a greenback, then it’s no longer accurate so why would they allow that?

But yes, read the specs on the box and see if it bypasses the internal load when external speakers are plugged in.

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#7

Thanks for the answer,
So, lets assume that my deaf ears couldn’t tell the difference between the audio - I successfully sonically matched it with my cab, what about feel? I have never used DI/IRs etc. so I don’t know what to expect. Would there be a difference in feel between just monitoring the Reactive Load output with speaker simulation etc vs a heavily attenuated amp through a speaker?

Apologies if this is a dumb question, I think I know more about the moon than I do music production! The moon is made of cheese right?

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#8

IMO, yes, there is a difference in feel between an actual speaker and monitoring through a Reactive Load. If the amp is heavily attenuated, the difference is greatly lessened, but IMO it is still there. It’s not necessarily a matter of better or worse, just different. I still 100% prefer both the sound and feel of an amp and cab with a mic in front of it. However, I have gotten used to using a Reactive Load into my DAW since I’m not in a position to play loudly right now due to Covid restrictions in my area.

For a couple of sound examples, both of these IG posts are a Vox AC15HW into a Suhr Reactive Load directly into my DAW with an IR added in the DAW:

https://www.instagram.com/p/CKFOo91H2bc/
https://www.instagram.com/p/CLAedh-nMrK/

#9

Gotcha, thanks.

Those clips were great dude, great tracks and tones!

1 Like
#10

Thanks! I really appreciate that!