Fractal Audio just dropped a Reactive Load Box!!

[hugbot]

True, true.

 

[Yek]

This bit

"The idea is that you use this with any of our products that have cab modeling (Axe-Fx, AX-8, Cab-Lab). Some people refuse to use modelers so this is a product for them."

Seems a little paradoxical y'know? The hypothetical guy who refuses to use amp modellers but owns an axefx.

I guess studios would have both, but that seems like a limited market.

No paradox. Lots of players use an amp plus an Axe-Fx for effects. Adding the X-LOAD enables them to keep using their amps and use Cab modeling to feed FOH.

 

[MrMoose]

 

[Proteus]

No paradox. Lots of players use an amp plus an Axe-Fx for effects. Adding the X-LOAD enables them to keep using their amps and use Cab modeling to feed FOH.

Yek, have you tried it out?

 

[JerEvil]

Well, there are alternative IR loaders in middle ground between the Mooer and The Axe Fx. Aside from the UAD box, are there any load boxes that include anything other than terrible analog cab sims?

The UAD box is less robust than the Torpedo Studio. They don't allow you to load IR's and will not change that AND they have no plans right now to add any more cabs or rooms... so there's that.

 

[Husky]

What I find interesting about the Fractal is the attenuator connection diagram in the manual shows the device in parallel with the speaker.

You can do that with mine as well, it will lower the SPL by 3dB, it’s acting like a cab you can’t hear. Treat it as an 8ohm speaker so with a real cab and that you have a 4 ohm Load.

 

[Watt McCo]

Anybody have any thoughts on how (1) the load of what appears to be a passive box can change in response to the level driving it and (2) have any thoughts on how/why the load of a speaker cab would/could/should change with level?

 

[Watt McCo]

Answering my own question again, from the wiki it appears this device is using magnets as a means of creating the load and they somehow manage to create a load that varies with applied voltage input level (that's clear as mud) Given recent conversations in this sub-forum about the overall very linear behavior of guitar speakers within the range that guitarists normally operate those speakers...it seems that this dynamic mess is as likely to be less accurate than a straight non-dynamic reactive load.

 

[Fractal Audio]

It's just a load box. There are several others on the market: Suhr, Torpedo Captor, etc. Ours sounds really good. I haven't tried the others so I can't comment but Suhr makes good stuff so I don't doubt their's sounds good. You can use the load box with any product that does speaker emulation including our Axe-Fx, AX-8 and Cab-Lab products or other products (like plug-ins) allowing you to record your favorite amp without the noise and hassles of micing a speaker. Furthermore this allows you to record a DI that you can reprocess later using different IRs.

While the frequency response of a speaker to a voltage excitation is very linear and can be accurately captured by an IR, the various parameters of a speaker change with applied power. First of all the voice coil heats up and as a result it's resistance increases (https://www.klippel.de/know-how/mea...-heat-dissipation/voice-coil-temperature.html).

Secondly the equivalent inductance of the voice coil and the resonance frequency of the speaker change with excursion (see Dodd, Klippel, et. al.).

Our load recreates these parameter changes that occur with excitation level using proprietary magnetic components (not magnets) which are made in USA.

 

[Chris@TGP]

Interesting. I already have the Suhr RL (which is great) and the Ox.
Might try the Fractal as well.

Question: Does the Cab Lab software (standalone) require me to have an Axe? Or can I use it and audition cab IR's in real time with just my USB soundcard (in my case a Scarlett 18i8 2nd Gen)?

 

[LaXu]

Not including the Axe-Fx Ultrares cab sims in this is IMO a big blunder. Sure you can use plugins for that but it limits the uses of the unit for other things than recording to a DAW.

All Fractal has to do is release a Mooer Radar style little box that can do Axe-Fx level cab sims that can be changed with a knob.

 

[Sascha Franck]

Ok, so you have your Axe already. You're running it through a nice set of CLRs, ASMs, Xitones, yadayada or via IEM already.
It's just that you still have that precious tube amp you can't part with and that you'd really love to integrate into your setup.
*BLAM* there's all the reasons needed for such a box to exist (as people were asking how this unit would make sense).
Now, there's some of these units already, so one might argue there's no need for another one - but add to this that FAS added two different speaker loads and your tube amp will be even happier.

I bet there's nobody in this corner of TGP who would mind such a setup.

 

[LaXu]

Ok, so you have your Axe already. You're running it through a nice set of CLRs, ASMs, Xitones, yadayada or via IEM already.
It's just that you still have that precious tube amp you can't part with and that you'd really love to integrate into your setup.
*BLAM* there's all the reasons needed for such a box to exist (as people were asking how this unit would make sense).
Now, there's some of these units already, so one might argue there's no need for another one - but add to this that FAS added two different speaker loads and your tube amp will be even happier.

I bet there's nobody in this corner of TGP who would mind such a setup.

As an Axe-Fx 2 owner I just don't see this happening. Everyone who owns the Axe knows that you can get fantastic sounds out of it so going thru the trouble of hooking up a tube amp to it is not that appealing. I see the tube amp + load box + IRs route better for those who prefer the simplicity of operating a real amp. With the Suhr Reactive Load and Fryette Power Station already out, to me the Fractal load box is too little, too late.

 

[Sascha Franck]

As an Axe-Fx 2 owner I just don't see this happening. Everyone who owns the Axe knows that you can get fantastic sounds out of it so going thru the trouble of hooking up a tube amp to it is not that appealing. I see the tube amp + load box + IRs route better for those who prefer the simplicity of operating a real amp. With the Suhr Reactive Load and Fryette Power Station already out, to me the Fractal load box is too little, too late.

Well, who knows.
I'm not among those to even remotely consider such a setup, but if money was of little (or no) objection and if I had a great tube amp - why not?
Has already been mentioned, there's quite some folks using Axes as an FX-only device already, with that box they could as well go DI.

 

[Lord N]

With the Suhr Reactive Load and Fryette Power Station already out, to me the Fractal load box is too little, too late.

From reading your post any box is too late for you since you can't see the point of it.
A lot of people don't use tube amps for simplicity reasons but for their sound and stuff like the SRL and Ox are great tools for that.
All these boxes have different features and sound differently, so i'm sure the fractal box is not "too late" and will have a lot of people buying it.

 

[Yek]

Yek, have you tried it out?

Nope.

 

[Fractal Audio]

Not including the Axe-Fx Ultrares cab sims in this is IMO a big blunder. Sure you can use plugins for that but it limits the uses of the unit for other things than recording to a DAW.

All Fractal has to do is release a Mooer Radar style little box that can do Axe-Fx level cab sims that can be changed with a knob.

It is just a load box. You must use some sort of cabinet emulator (IR player) with it. To use Ultra-Res IRs you would use our Cab-Lab software or any of our Axe-Fx or AX-8 products.

The LB-2 is just the first of these products. The LB-1 will be a load box with integrated IR player.

 

[Blanket Jackson]

The Suhr RL is also $399, and actually made in the US. So I'll stick with that.

Fractal products are not made in US now? Wow, did not know that. Is there a source for that?

 

[Fractal Audio]

Fractal products are not made in US now? Wow, did not know that. Is there a source for that?

The LB-2 is about 50/50 foreign and domestic content.

The Axe-Fx II is about 80% domestic content. The Axe-Fx III is about 50% domestic content. The AX-8 and FX-8 are 100% made in China. We have more domestic content in our modeling products than any other manufacturer. Line6, Atomic, Headrush, etc. are all 100% Chinese.

 

[Steve Dallas]

As an Axe-Fx 2 owner I just don't see this happening. Everyone who owns the Axe knows that you can get fantastic sounds out of it so going thru the trouble of hooking up a tube amp to it is not that appealing. I see the tube amp + load box + IRs route better for those who prefer the simplicity of operating a real amp. With the Suhr Reactive Load and Fryette Power Station already out, to me the Fractal load box is too little, too late.

As an Axe 2 owner, I think you would be a little more aware of how it is used in the real world. PLENTY of players and studios use it for effects only. Off the top of my head, Dweezil Zappa, John Petrucci, The Edge, and Pete Thorn(?) come to mind. That is a testament to the quality of its effects to be sure. It isn't just about modeling.