Mesa Boogie Cab Clone and similar devices

[CapoFirstFret]

Hey guys, my biggest gigs lately have been high school and middle school show choirs. Laugh if you want but they're fast gigs, good money, and keep me playing.

Having said that, some of these gigs are in cramped quarters for the band or need a way to send signals to a mixer but mics aren't always easy to set up (choirs each have 20 minutes to setup and perform total). Looking into something like the cab clone for sending a signal directly to a mixer. Anyone got experience with some of these devices and have opinions on them?

Sent from my SM-G930R7 using Tapatalk

[punchlinechar]

Re: Mesa Boogie Cab Clone and similar devices

I'll come out and say that I don't have any actual experience with them. That being said, the cab clone has sounded horrible in every demo I've heard, so I'd avoid that one.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G891A using Tapatalk

[ArtieToo]

Re: Mesa Boogie Cab Clone and similar devices

Here's someone who wasn't impressed. (The 3rd video is simply a satire of his first two.)

Well, shoot. The 'Tube videos aren't working again, so here's the links:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EGo9d2W7N-8

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-mhTdXCrhx8

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-_bQvifIcw4

[esandes]

Re: Mesa Boogie Cab Clone and similar devices

There's a great one called two notes torpedo live. It's a cool $1000 though.

Another one called blue box or something like that. From Germany. It's not a load box for tube amps though.

http://www.bluguitar.com/english/blubox.html

[Boogie Bill]

Re: Mesa Boogie Cab Clone and similar devices

I have the built-in Cab-Clone in my Mark V amps. When I first got the V:25, I tried going directly from the CC into one of my Carvin LM-15A top boxes. It worked! Usable, but certainly different than what I was hearing out of the amp. I haven't tried it onto my mixer with the full PA, but I think the added EQ in the mixer would be a plus.

There are always devices like the Tech 21 Character boxes, or the Fly Rig.

Radial is another company that might have a suitable box. Their products are pretty good, IME.

There definitely is something to be said though, for a real speaker pushing air into a good mic. A short-base desk mic stand should be part of your kit. Or, look into getting one of the mic adaptor mounts specifically designed for a guitar amp. You should use an LO-2B adaptor (from On Stage Stands) with the mic clip, and I prefer the Shure SM-57 for micing a cab. Using the Shure windscreen for this mic isn't necessary, but it does provide some extra protection. Make sure you have high quality cables of adequate length(s). And a box or bag to keep everything together. Experiment and learn which mic placement works best for your amp and speaker. And I'd carry this, even if you find a DI.

And best of all, find a great roadie to set it up! A knowledgeable and trained friend can be a lifesaver when you have to do a fast set-up.

I hope this helps. Good luck!

Bill

[some_dude]

Re: Mesa Boogie Cab Clone and similar devices

The Cab Clone is alright. It gets a bad rap because Mesa was late to the party and there's now much better products available (Two Notes, etc). Had it been released earlier it would've been competing against products like the Palmer PDI and likely would've gained more acceptance.

It's basically meant to replicate a single SM57 on a speaker cab and is EQ'd to cut through a live mix, not make good YouTube demos. IMO, it's a bit of a right tool for the job thing.

The Two Notes by comparison uses a cabinet IR and is potentially emulating a multi-mic'd studio setup... so the results are obviously different than what you'd get out of a device that's attempting to emulate a single SM57.


And FWIW, the Cab Clone works best if you have a cab hooked up and the amp driving it. The speaker provides a dynamic load on the transformer, which changes the feel of the amp. The Cab Clone will sound/feel flat if you try to run it in silent mode.

[IMENATOR]

Re: Mesa Boogie Cab Clone and similar devices

I have not tried myself but I read the AMT Pangea is good IR loader in a box, straightforward and in a good price range with . It does not have an XLR output so I guess you need an additional adapter from TRS to XLR.

http://amtelectronics.com/new/amt-pangaea-cp-100/

https://www.amazon.com/Hosa-GXP-246-XLR3M-inch-Adaptor/dp/B000068O4I

HP42 made one of those long reviews.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qjefp9o07ig

[Chistopher]

Re: Mesa Boogie Cab Clone and similar devices

Here's someone who wasn't impressed. (The 3rd video is simply a satire of his first two.)

Well, shoot. The 'Tube videos aren't working again, so here's the links:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EGo9d2W7N-8

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-mhTdXCrhx8

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-_bQvifIcw4

They work, you just have to copy the whole string of letters and numbers at the end and put them in the right place. It's a massive PITA, but here's the format with brackets replaced with parenthesis:

(VIDEO=youtube;EGo9d2W7N-8)https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=EGo9d2W7N-8(/VIDEO)

Basically you type =youtube; after VIDEO and then paste everything that follows the v=

Hope this helps.

[Phantasmagoria]

Re: Mesa Boogie Cab Clone and similar devices

There are analog devices that sound pretty cool out there.. they're typically a lot cheaper than the Two Notes/Impulse loader type devices.

I've got one of these (bought for $88)..it sounds killer.

These sound awesome as well..



Also Mooer has a new one out that's an Impulse loader (Digital) for about $150 ..the "Mooer Radar". Heard nothing but great stuff about it..

And Digitech has one called the "Cab Dry Vr" for about the same price as well.. can't say what it sounds like though..the demo's seem fine.

[Synapsys]

Re: Mesa Boogie Cab Clone and similar devices

H&K Redbox?

[Diego]

Re: Mesa Boogie Cab Clone and similar devices

I once played live with a Boss Blues Driver into a Line 6 Pocket POD into a Boss GE-7 straight into a mixer...

Granted, it was a tiny gig for 20 people maybe. I used the GE-7 for sculpting the resulting tone since you can't really adjust the Pocked POD live,
and the sound guy tweaked things further from the console and it was ugly, but OK.

Now, if you want to be serious, buy one of these:



I've never tried one but I heard a guy do a gig with one and it sounded excellent.

[CapoFirstFret]

Re: Mesa Boogie Cab Clone and similar devices

Bill, I definitely have all of those things! I don't have any control over the PA that is used for these choirs though and often they've got a pretty piss poor setup. Setting up even a desk mic stand is sometimes a little difficult. These show choir gigs are the most helter-skelter thing I've ever seen in my life. I'm just hoping to find something to put on my pedalboard or in the back of my amp to make this a little more seamless. I'm definitely spitballing ideas.

I could start carrying a microphone (God knows I've got a whole case full of various ones) to start micing it...

We'll see. Additionally, I'd like something that will give me something for direct recording purposes.

Biggest point in all this though, is I've got the itch to buy more gear and I think I'm just looking around at options

I have the built-in Cab-Clone in my Mark V amps. When I first got the V:25, I tried going directly from the CC into one of my Carvin LM-15A top boxes. It worked! Usable, but certainly different than what I was hearing out of the amp. I haven't tried it onto my mixer with the full PA, but I think the added EQ in the mixer would be a plus.

There are always devices like the Tech 21 Character boxes, or the Fly Rig.

Radial is another company that might have a suitable box. Their products are pretty good, IME.

There definitely is something to be said though, for a real speaker pushing air into a good mic. A short-base desk mic stand should be part of your kit. Or, look into getting one of the mic adaptor mounts specifically designed for a guitar amp. You should use an LO-2B adaptor (from On Stage Stands) with the mic clip, and I prefer the Shure SM-57 for micing a cab. Using the Shure windscreen for this mic isn't necessary, but it does provide some extra protection. Make sure you have high quality cables of adequate length(s). And a box or bag to keep everything together. Experiment and learn which mic placement works best for your amp and speaker. And I'd carry this, even if you find a DI.

And best of all, find a great roadie to set it up! A knowledgeable and trained friend can be a lifesaver when you have to do a fast set-up.

I hope this helps. Good luck!

Bill

[ArtieToo]

Re: Mesa Boogie Cab Clone and similar devices

They work, you just have to copy the whole string of letters and numbers at the end and put them in the right place. It's a massive PITA, but here's the format with brackets replaced with parenthesis:

(VIDEO=youtube;EGo9d2W7N-8)https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=EGo9d2W7N-8(/VIDEO)

Basically you type =youtube; after VIDEO and then paste everything that follows the v=

Hope this helps.

Thanks Chris. I'll try that out next time.

[Boogie Bill]

Re: Mesa Boogie Cab Clone and similar devices

Bill, I definitely have all of those things! I don't have any control over the PA that is used for these choirs though and often they've got a pretty piss poor setup. Setting up even a desk mic stand is sometimes a little difficult. These show choir gigs are the most helter-skelter thing I've ever seen in my life. I'm just hoping to find something to put on my pedalboard or in the back of my amp to make this a little more seamless. I'm definitely spitballing ideas.

I could start carrying a microphone (God knows I've got a whole case full of various ones) to start micing it...

We'll see. Additionally, I'd like something that will give me something for direct recording purposes.

Biggest point in all this though, is I've got the itch to buy more gear and I think I'm just looking around at options

Got it! Nothing wrong with that! : )

I've done some gigs where you have five minutes to set up, so I know how hectic it can be. Very stressful!

Be sure to let us know what you finally choose. Good luck!

Bill

[CaptainWhizz]

Re: Mesa Boogie Cab Clone and similar devices

Not sure if anyone's posted it already, but the Digitech CabDryVR looks interesting:

https://digitech.com/en/products/cabdryvr