Cab Simulator Question - Need the Basics

[Nanker Phelge]

New to the idea of Cab sims and such.

Will such a device allow me to plug the amp output into it and listen on headphones to the amp out, with no need for a cab? Is there a (cheap) unit that will allow me to do this and add an external input? (My goal is to hear my amp, as well as my computer output with my headphones)

Such as the Hotone Binary IR Impulse Response Cabiney Simulator?

Hotone Binary IR Cab Impulse Response Cabinet Simulator Pedal

Hotone Binary IR Cab Impulse Response Cabinet Simulator Pedal

www.pitbullaudio.com

 

[Drew]

Not familiar with this particular unit, but to run an amp without a cap, you need a speaker load. If it has one, probably. If it doesn't, you'll probably fry your amp.

 

[TedEH]

Came here to say you need a load-box before an IR for this purpose, but Drew beat me to it.

If you're trying to play or record a tube amp "silently" (with no real cab) you have to solve two problems:

1) Tube amps NEED to have something plugged in as a "speaker" because without a load, you'll fry the output transformer. I might have the details wrong, but no speaker = amp breaks. You fix this with a dummy load. It "pretends" to be a speaker so that you amp doesn't explode.

2) Now that you amp runs without a cab, it'll sound bad because cabs are part of your tone. This is where IR (or other cab sims) comes in. IR is just a sort of "recording" of what a cab does to your tone. You can apply it with a hardware box, or in software / DAW after the fact.

I'd look at something like the Two Notes Torpedo Captor. I think it does both of these things in the same box, and is probably closer to what you were looking for.

 

[bostjan]

*Typically

It's never, ever safe to assume that an amp (moreso with tube amps, but even with SS amps, never assume) will be okay with an open load on the output. Consult the manual or the manufacturer. Not only could it damage the amp, but it could start an electrical fire!

There are load boxes, as mentioned, that dissipate the energy in place of the speaker and don't make any observable noise. But you likely will still have to match the speaker impedance or whatever, if it's a tube amp, so you'll want to read the manual for the loadbox as well.

 

[Elric]

The Two Notes Captor X is probably the cheapest load box capable of running with no cab that also includes both an IR loader (cabinet simulation) and Headphone amp.

i.e. you can connect it to your amp's speaker output and then connect headphones to it and then rock out.'