Suhr Reactive Load Vs Fractal Audio X-Load

[FuzzyAce]

I actually really like the original Suhr RL, but I did not like the IR version at all. They seem to have nailed the reactive load part, but every IR l played on it whether stock or one I installed just sounded bad on the one I had. Maybe it was just me, but I bought a new Suhr RL IR and was totally dissastified with the sound and returned the unit, however I love my original Suhr RL so much I sold off my other load boxes and only use that now.

I normally gravitate to the cabs in banks 1 or 3. So G12M, G12-75H or G12-65. I have not loaded in any other external IRs though for reference.
For recording you have more flexibility in just using the Suhr as load box only and then loading IRs into HX Native for example.

 

[MirrorProfiles]

pretty sure the Suhr and a few others are using that AMT Pangaea board to do the IR stuff which has a short IR length and makes IR’s sound a bit shite. Will do the job but I’d recommend running IR’s elsewhere and just using the load part

 

[Orvillain]

I actually really like the original Suhr RL, but I did not like the IR version at all. They seem to have nailed the reactive load part, but every IR l played on it whether stock or one I installed just sounded bad on the one I had. Maybe it was just me, but I bought a new Suhr RL IR and was totally dissastified with the sound and returned the unit, however I love my original Suhr RL so much I sold off my other load boxes and only use that now.

I don't use the IR part of my Suhr RL IR. In fact, I should've just gotten the OG unit.

 

[FuzzyAce]

I think it's good enough to have the Suhr IR running to a mixing board for live use. It's good enough for recording too, there are just better options available.

 

[MirrorProfiles]

Some poweramp responses @2dor sent me. First here is a Ceriatone King Kong:

Then Ceriatone Molecular with Girth at 10:

And Girth at 0:

Just the load boxes at 0 and 10:

Just the cabs at 0 & 10:

Nice reminder why you poweramp matters, your cab matters, your load matters, and why the same is true for modelling. IMO this is a huge contributor to why some models sound different to others of the same amp - the way the poweramp responds could be totally different and yet still 100% accurate purely down to the load. And now imagine the models made with resistive loads or shoddy reactive ones.....

 

[2dor]

Some poweramp responses @2dor sent me. First here is a Ceriatone King Kong:
View attachment 13994

Then Ceriatone Molecular with Girth at 10:
View attachment 13995

And Girth at 0:
View attachment 13996

Just the load boxes at 0 and 10:
View attachment 13997

Just the cabs at 0 & 10:

View attachment 13998

Nice reminder why you poweramp matters, your cab matters, your load matters, and why the same is true for modelling. IMO this is a huge contributor to why some models sound different to others of the same amp - the way the poweramp responds could be totally different and yet still 100% accurate purely down to the load. And now imagine the models made with resistive loads or shoddy reactive ones.....

Thank you for helping plot these out & walking me through the process of getting good data for the measurements

The Red7 Amp Central and the Suhr are both great options.

 

[2dor]

So, got the St. Rock React:IR today and with @MirrorProfiles's help (a lot of it), I was able plot how it stacks against:
- the Suhr Reactive Load
- the Red Seven (Red7) Amp Central I had on loan
- my Mesa 2x12 cabinet
- my Engl 1x12 cabinet

EDIT: the ENGL cab is ported (that's why it has 2 lowend "humps")

Thank you @MirrorProfiles

 

[2dor]

I got my Ceriatone Molecular 50W back from servicing and plotted the frequency response of the following loads:

- the Suhr Reactive Load
- the Red Seven (Red7) Amp Central
- the St. Rock ReactIR
- my Mesa 2x12 cabinet
- my Engl 1x12 cabinet

This amp has a negative feedback knob called "Girth". I did measurements with "Girth" at minimum (0), noon (5) and maxed (10). Here's how they look:

Girth at minimum (0):

Girth at noon (5):

Girth at max (10):

 

[MirrorProfiles]

React IR curves look a bit odd here, especially on the Girth=0

 

[2dor]

React IR curves look a bit odd here, especially on the Girth=0

I was really surprised to see that too. I'll do another round today.

 

[2dor]

React IR curves look a bit odd here, especially on the Girth=0

I checked the bias and re-ran the measurements for the React but they're pretty much similar.

What I'll probably end up doing is reshooting everything (cabs included) through the Molecular in the next couple of days.

 

[2dor]

Reshot the frequency response for all the loads I have right now using the Ceriatone Molecular 50W head.

What I'm seeing is interesting and could be due to how I shot the sweep signals:

- went from the SignalArt Reamp into the FX return of the amp
- routed the amp to the ReactIR
- then connected each load (Mesa 2x12, ENGL 1x12 as well as the Suhr RL) to the "Through" port on the ReactIR

It could be that using the "Through" port on the ReactIR cuts down the high-end compared to what I'm used to seeing.

What I'll do is connect the amp to the Suhr RL and use that one's Through port to gauge the frequency responses (including the ReactIR's one).

Anyway, here are the frequency response graphs of each load (captured through the ReactIR and its Through port):

Girth @ 0

Girth @ 5

Girth @ 10

 

[2dor]

Redid the sweeps into the FX Return of the Molecular 50 and ran all the other loads (Mesa 2x12, ENGL 1x12 and ReactIR) through the THRU port on the Suhr RL.
Results look the same but slightly different.

Girth @ 0

Girth @ 5

Girth @ 10

The ReactIR and the Suhr are both good options but I think the Suhr has the edge strictly from a reactive load perspective.

 

[DrewJD82]

A little OT in this thread, but in the context anyway-

I want to grab a load box and I was considering the 2 notes Captor, after hearing the impedance curves in the Fractal that and the OxBox had the most coloring; does that occur regardless if you’re not using the 2 Notes IR? IE- If I’m just running the load from the amp into it, then take the DI and put it into my AxeFX and use an IR in there, is that generic curve still being added in from the 2 Notes?

 

[MirrorProfiles]

A little OT in this thread, but in the context anyway-

I want to grab a load box and I was considering the 2 notes Captor, after hearing the impedance curves in the Fractal that and the OxBox had the most coloring; does that occur regardless if you’re not using the 2 Notes IR? IE- If I’m just running the load from the amp into it, then take the DI and put it into my AxeFX and use an IR in there, is that generic curve still being added in from the 2 Notes?

The impedance curve of the Two Notes will affect the output response of your poweramp, so you really want the most accurate curve you can get from the load box. The Two Notes curve isn't really ideal as it has a different shape to a cabinet - I believe their own software has some poweramp shaping tools which are presumably to give some control in "correcting" the response as you see fit, but if you are using an external IR loader it won't really sound right.

Personally, I'd look at another load box or build a clone (there are kits available that are based on the most common Aitken circuit that everything uses.

 

[TheTrueZoltan!]

(...) I want to grab a load box and I was considering the 2 notes Captor, (...)

@MirrorProfiles is right. Don't buy a Two Notes load box. Do yourself a favor and buy one from Suhr, Fractal or St. Rock.

 

[Orvillain]

+1 to the Suhr.

 

[DrewJD82]

Thanks, gents!

 

[Achilles]

I don't use the IR part of my Suhr RL IR. In fact, I should've just gotten the OG unit.

I've read from a number of users that the OG sounds better than the IR version. I can't imagine why but I trust the folks saying it.

 

[Orvillain]

I've read from a number of users that the OG sounds better than the IR version. I can't imagine why but I trust the folks saying it.

I don't. I see no reason why this would be.