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Loading tube amp output. Speaker in a box?


undercool

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Hesitant to even post this, but figured better safe than on fire.

 

Guitarist #2 has agreed to run his amp DIRECT via an ultra DI1000 w cab sim. TONE is not a factor here (believe me), but if it were- the recording out on his DC5 is pure garbage IMO. The cab sim on the DI is very useful live.

 

I want to use the slave out bc It is post OT. The DI can handle the signal. No problem.

I need to load down the output and am deciding to just use resistors or use an actual speaker.

 

I have several elCrappola 8 ohm speakers laying around that are rated For the amp. Was thinking of building a quick and cheap iso mounting box, mounting it, and then using it as a load. Sealed up air tight and quiet. Throw the "iso box / load box" off stage or under a stack of cases... Wherever. Maybe mount it to the drummers stool... Bad idea? Unnecessary ? Just use resistors and call it a day?

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Some will say resistors are OK, but DC resisntance is not AC impediance.

AC impediance does vary with frequency. Its better to have a variable load.

The only time I use resistors are for testing purposes during a repair.

 

Even then I use huge wire wound ceramic resistors so tgheres some inductance.

They do get hot enough to burn the skin under full load when running endurance tests.

 

Some use a light bulb along with athe resistors to act as a variable load to emulate a speaker.

A speaker of say 8 ohms onlt provieds that 8 ohms at obe frequency and can vary up to a couple of hundred ohms.

Using straight resistance on a head is like driving a car without shock absorbers. Its fine if the road is smooth.

If there a bump the car and its occupant takes a beating. In the case of an amp, the transformer and tubes get slammed.

If the amp has a weakness, you'll find out soon enough. Its your roll of the dice, not mine.

 

I'm not sure I understand your entire post because of how it was written, but I believe

the reason you're using the amp is to get post output transformer tone from a DI.

Resistors will have some affect on the linearity of the signals frequency responce,

but I'm not sure it would be huge.

 

I do like your idea of using a speaker as a load. Its in fact the best option you can possibly use.

I'd just take a wood box a bit bigger than the speaker. Screw the speaker face down to one

side of the walls. This will kill a good 70 percent of its sound because the cone will create a vaccume

flat against the board like that. Then just take whatever soft material you got and pack the box and seal it.

 

Instead of having the drummer sit on it,

build it into a chair and have the hottest chicks in the club sit on it.

When she starts moaning, you'll know the musics sounding hot.

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Sorry if I wasn't clear. I was multitasking at work and typing on an iPad. Neither of which are conducive to me sending a clear message.

 

You DID get the message, though. I/we simply can't survive another show with guitar #2 blasting away at our heads. Mostly, the bass players. And he sings the most. Its a nice MESA, but the tone is usually... not what I would select. I mentioned the tone issue in anticipation of someone taking issue with the Behringer DI and 4x12 Simulator. At the end of the day, it really won't matter. (look at all the pretty lights on my pedal board! They're all light and blinky!....:facepalm:)

 

The "record out" on the MESA is pure drivel. There is a slave out that is tapped right off the speaker hook up and it has a pot on it. So it gives as good of a sound as possible.

 

So all that to say that I am going to go ahead an use some old speaker to make a "dummy load" for the output.

 

As for hooking it up to a chair with a hotty in it.... what do you think I did with those extra bass drivers? :thu:

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Have one. 50w version. Got hot within seconds, and then I got the vibe that theOT and output tubes were unhappy. Verified mass spkr load was connected and all that business. Maybe... WellI don't know. Just don't trust it (mine, not the device in general.). And I'm not buying the bigger one since it's for the OTHER guy. Im not THAT dedicated to a quieter stage. :-) Just found $10 8ohm speakers on CList. That'll be the way to go.

And I'm making the hot chick device for sure...

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Seems like you'd have to make sure your total load is being considered and the proper tap on the OT is being used. It also seems like you'd need a speaker that can handle the power of said amp. Frinstance, if you run a 10 watt speaker and the amp puts out (shouldn't mention putting out with the hawt babe comments) 50 watts, that speaker and it's load aren't long for this world which could potentially grenade the OT.

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