Amp + reactive loadbox + IR'S

andres6505

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Hey guys 👋
Need a bit of help here. I’m running a Peavey 6505+ 112 tube amp into a loadbox with a line out, going straight into an SSL2 interface.
When I run it through different IRs, I always have to EQ pretty hard with a low shelf and a high shelf to make it sound nicer—especially on the low end. Is it normal for the amp or the loadbox to behave like this?
I already checked the cables and everything’s fine. When I noticed the issue, I did some digging and found the speaker impedance curve Fractal uses on their sims. I copied that EQ curve and it actually improved the tone.
So my question is: do you guys EQ before or after the cab when running amps with IRs?
I’ll upload a clip or audio soon so you can hear what I mean. 🎸🔥

Sorry if I'm in the wrong thread
 

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What load box are you using? The impedance curve is not an EQ curve, it’s how the impedance the poweramp see’s changes with frequency.

With some load boxes, boosting in a similar way with eq can definitely help. Decent load boxes don’t really need that much correction to sound close to a cab
 
What load box are you using? The impedance curve is not an EQ curve, it’s how the impedance the poweramp see’s changes with frequency.

With some load boxes, boosting in a similar way with eq can definitely help. Decent load boxes don’t really need that much correction to sound close to a cab
Hi
I don’t have much info, but here’s a video of a well-known amp 👉 Toroamos.loadbox. go to minute 2:11.
Thank you for the clarification on the curve. The spot where I really need to push it is around 100Hz — I can end up adding almost 5 to 7 dB depending on the IR.
About the loadbox: in one of the videos they mention it’s reactive and even show an image of the impedance curve.
What I can tell you is that its line out is around 150–200 kΩ. I’ve tried it on the SSL2 in Line mode, and the tone feels more open with brighter highs. On Hi-Z though, it sounds more balanced, with the lows standing out a bit more.
Other than that, I’m not really sure 🤷‍♂️.
Maybe the amp or the tubes are acting up.
 
The problem is likely the IR’s. A close mic’ed IR is going to have extra bass from the proximity effect and be brighter than you are used to hearing direct from an amp due to being on axis.
 
Maybe that's the problem but i go to upload a video hold on
If its amp in the room sound, thats your problem.

Using a load box with IRs and Montitors is the equivalent of listening to a Mic'd up amp in another through the control room console, or in fact the "sound on the album".

Which is totally valid, the sounds in my head are mostly album sounds.

In any case, those sounds almost always have some amount if EQ applied to them.
 
Hi
I don’t have much info, but here’s a video of a well-known amp 👉 Toroamos.loadbox. go to minute 2:11.
Thank you for the clarification on the curve. The spot where I really need to push it is around 100Hz — I can end up adding almost 5 to 7 dB depending on the IR.
About the loadbox: in one of the videos they mention it’s reactive and even show an image of the impedance curve.
What I can tell you is that its line out is around 150–200 kΩ. I’ve tried it on the SSL2 in Line mode, and the tone feels more open with brighter highs. On Hi-Z though, it sounds more balanced, with the lows standing out a bit more.
Other than that, I’m not really sure 🤷‍♂️.
Maybe the amp or the tubes are acting up.
A lot of reactive load boxes don’t quite have enough of a resonant bass peak, nor enough of a treble lift. The Driftwood load boxes for example was miles off an actual 4x12. The Suhr and Fractal boxes get much closer but still aren’t quite exact.

Really you’ll just have to isolate the variables and work out what’s going on step by step
 
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