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Short review - Ive had a THD Hotplate for almost 2 decades now. It was my go-to for load box... it is a resistive type, using resistors only (and a fan).
The reactive style uses an air coil plus resistors etc... plus the Suhr has a tuned network. All of this allows for a "reactive impedance" just like a real speaker. The Suhr also has a fan.
The resistive load type does not have that "reactive impedance" feel; it is mostly flat, dull and lifeless (basically overly-compressed) since the impedance never changes.
That's not to say that the Hotplate or similar resistive load doesn't have its uses - it's great if you just want to knock off a handful of dBs from your amp playing live.
Anyhoo, this Suhr RL is built like a brick ****house, and is actually bigger than my THD Hotplate. Sounds and feels great... has that "speaker squish/bounce" that you get when the impedance is constantly changing (a la a real speaker).
Quick tone test with a mutt strat w SH-5, into Friedman BE-OD Deluxe, into '66 Deluxe, into Suhr RL, into DAW with speaker iRs etc:
The reactive style uses an air coil plus resistors etc... plus the Suhr has a tuned network. All of this allows for a "reactive impedance" just like a real speaker. The Suhr also has a fan.
The resistive load type does not have that "reactive impedance" feel; it is mostly flat, dull and lifeless (basically overly-compressed) since the impedance never changes.
That's not to say that the Hotplate or similar resistive load doesn't have its uses - it's great if you just want to knock off a handful of dBs from your amp playing live.
Anyhoo, this Suhr RL is built like a brick ****house, and is actually bigger than my THD Hotplate. Sounds and feels great... has that "speaker squish/bounce" that you get when the impedance is constantly changing (a la a real speaker).
Quick tone test with a mutt strat w SH-5, into Friedman BE-OD Deluxe, into '66 Deluxe, into Suhr RL, into DAW with speaker iRs etc:
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