NLBD (New Load Box Day)

[Phantasmagoria]

Yeah it's a dummy load 8 ohms/200 watts ...& it's "reactive" too (apparently a good thing!)

It's going to get routed into my Behringer G-100 DI box ..& out either through the onboard speaker sim or my AMT Chameleon cab simulator for more tweakability.

Got it on reverb & it was pretty cheap. US built using quality components.

I'm hoping this is the thing that will finally get me home as far as pro quality budget silent DI recording goes :fingersx:

Pics (though there actually is'nt much to see lol)







I've been trying get some decent recording going with my old Zoom Mrs 1044 standalone HD recorder & I'm at the point where I can manage a decent quality recording like this (No effects or post prod..)




(all straight from my Brutus Live 30 watt head's "Jolly out"/rec out -> Behringer DI Box -> AMT Cab sim. ..just a quick/rough/sloppy recording straight out of my Zoom recorder to demo recording quality.. (2 rhythm gtr tracks & 1 lead + onboard drums & bass sim) ...could'nt really hear what I was playing because I don't have monitors & could'nt find my phones

.. however the amp's volume was turned really low (less than 1), & with the load box in place I should be able to crank it up and get better amp tones without making a sound (The Behringer DI box has two -20db pads for a total of -40db so attenuation is possible as well..)

Can't wait for it to get here so I can start trying some serious stuff out..

EDIT: Oh yeah, regarding the clip, forgot to mention I used an onboard "mastering" effect from the recorder on the final output. Otherwise it was all dry tracks..

 

[BluesGuyJ2]

Re: NLBD (New Load Box Day)

Let us know it works out. I have seen these on Reverb but am somewhat skeptical.

 

[Phantasmagoria]

Re: NLBD (New Load Box Day)

yeah sure, I'll do an "after" video with the same backing riff & my amp cranked (dummy load in place..)

This is the new A/B comparison video the seller has up on Reverb (Valveking's emulated XLR out vs dummy load + DI box & Torpedo live cab sim)

Sound pretty good to me.

He has a 100 watt version of the pedal as well ($10 cheaper), but I went with the 200 watter because I've got a couple of 100/120 watt heads I'd like to use it safely with as well.

 

[Surgeon]

Re: NLBD (New Load Box Day)

Congrats! Glad you're happy with the tone.

Would you mind opening it up and showing us the guts? I, in no means imply that it's not a great unit but I'd be extremely suprised to see a reactive load in such a small enclosure. Mind you, resistive loads can sound great too, I built one and I love it...

 

[Phantasmagoria]

Re: NLBD (New Load Box Day)

No problem ...if it's just a matter of opening up the 4 screws at the back? I can do that :bigthumb:

It will probably take at least 2 weeks to get to me though.

I'm guessing it's definitely reactive.. he posted that in caps so you don't miss it lol..

"Made with heavy duty aluminum housed wirewound resistors and a high quality air core inductor." That's how he describes it..

 

[Surgeon]

Re: NLBD (New Load Box Day)

No problem ...if it's just a matter of opening up the 4 screws at the back? I can do that :bigthumb:

It will probably take at least 2 weeks to get to me though.

I'm guessing it's definitely reactive.. he posted that in caps so you don't miss it lol..

"Made with heavy duty aluminum housed wirewound resistors and a high quality air core inductor." That's how he describes it..

Cool thanks! I'd love to see what's inside! Yeah, just unscrew the 4 screws of the baseplate, don't touch anything else and take a pic or two, that'd be great!

 

[Phantasmagoria]

Re: NLBD (New Load Box Day)

Dude, the loadbox just came in and I jammed with it connected to my 30 watt Laboga head for an hour or so (Head speaker out -> Behringer G100 DI box speaker input -> Behringer DI Box speaker output -> Loadbox input) with the Speaker emulated XLR output from the DI box -> Zoom MRS1044 digital workstation/recorder/monitors.

Works great! Amp sounds awesome..no tone degradation that I can tell at all/no extra compression etc..just sounds/feels natural and pretty much just like it does cranked through my cab..

Here's that pic of the inside you asked for ....not a whole lot to it lol (does'nt weigh much either) ...but I will say it did'nt even feel warm to me from the outside after an hour of jamming (amp was pretty much cranked on it's 15 watt setting though..). Have'nt tried it with my bigger (100 watt) heads but I think it'll work just fine. I'll post a clip or two when I have the time..

Overall I could'nt be happier with it so far ..sounds amazing :bigthumb:

 

[Phantasmagoria]

Re: NLBD (New Load Box Day)

Update: Hmmm...it did get really warm with my 30 watt Cicognani Brutus Live which is a Single Ended Class A amp..I switched it off after playing (@ 3/4 volume) about 45 minutes 'cause I was nervous..

Lets see how things go with my 120W Bugera 333XL Infinium next :fingersx:

Update #2: Not bad with the Bugera ..I ran it (3/4 volume) for an hour and a half...box got pretty warm again ..but no problems & sounded sweet!

Yeah..it gets pretty warm but nothing too crazy... (and that seems to be normal)

 

[Surgeon]

Re: NLBD (New Load Box Day)

Very cool, thx for the pictures.
It's a very simple "resistive" load-box, as opposed to "reactive" like you stated initially. I don't mean that as something negative, I've built a similar one and it sounds very good.

It's great that you're enjoying it!

 

[Phantasmagoria]

Re: NLBD (New Load Box Day)

Thanks!! & no problem at all ..his listing did say "reactive" though:



And another strange (I thought alarming) thing was that, when I tried it with my Brutus Class A head,I could hear what sounded like very soft speaker sound (of what I was playing) coming from the loadbox & the amp itself (near the output tranny). It only happened with that amp & I thought I'd google it to see whether that was normal before contacting the seller about it. I came across a couple of articles on the Two Notes website that said this was normal with "reactive loads" ..here's the link:

http://support.two-notes.com/knowledgebase.php?article=96

You sure it's not actually some sort of simple reactive design? That "air-core inductor" (coil of wire) up there seems to feature in many DIY "reactive" designs & I also came across some articles mentioning reactive loadboxes that were practically as simple as resistive ones based on the "Aiken's design" (I'm not even vaguely familiar with electronics/building pedals etc..so I'm just wondering here..)

 

[Surgeon]

Re: NLBD (New Load Box Day)

You know what? You're right... I assumed that coil was basically a heat sink for the common grounds but it could be a crude-looking inductor.
While I'm familiar with building pedals and amps, the reactive load design is an aspect with which I'm quite not familiar, hence my request for pictures...sorry about the quick assumption.

 

[Phantasmagoria]

Re: NLBD (New Load Box Day)

Haha really? ..no problem :lmao: I just assumed that since the guy has "Reactive" written up there in bold & has sold 100+ pedals, someone would've called him out by now if it was'nt actually "reactive" after all.. :laugh2:

Anyway, whatever the case, it really sounds awesome & works fine ..& in the end that's all I care about :bigthumb:

 

[Phantasmagoria]

Re: NLBD (New Load Box Day)

Here's a little DI clip with the loadbox in place, using my $20 Chinese cab sim pedal. Plugged straight into my Laboga The Beast 30 Plus head. Only Drums & guitars - No Bass. No effects in front or in the loop. No pre/post production.







And this is one I did a while ago without the loadbox.using the amp's FX loop send. (Same EQ/amp & recording settings) for comparison



Second track is a bit louder & has some harmony parts for the solo mixed in low which the first does'nt ..but otherwise they're pretty much the same settings for the recording. It's not night & day but there's definitely a difference with the loadbox in place (crunchier/more saturation/presence/cuts through better etc.)

 

[Surgeon]

Re: NLBD (New Load Box Day)

Haha really? ..no problem :lmao: I just assumed that since the guy has "Reactive" written up there in bold & has sold 100+ pedals, someone would've called him out by now if it was'nt actually "reactive" after all.. :laugh2:

Anyway, whatever the case, it really sounds awesome & works fine ..& in the end that's all I care about :bigthumb:

Yeah, I'm used to seeing inductors wound around a core, not just as a loose coil flattened on the bottom of an enclosure...

While I'm happy for you you got what you paid for, I'm sure I don't need to tell you that some con-artists can go quite long deceiving people before getting caught no?

Thanks for the clips, I'll listen to them tonight...

 

[Phantasmagoria]

Re: NLBD (New Load Box Day)

Yeah, I'm used to seeing inductors wound around a core, not just as a loose coil flattened on the bottom of an enclosure...

Well (and I'm guessing here again :lmao maybe that's what makes an "air-core" inductor? I think it's attached (glued?) to the enclosure..or maybe it's just the wires that hold it in place there. It does'nt move around at all (if you shake the box) and the whole thing is pretty well put together..quality jacks/wire/nice solid shiny job with the soldering. I mean..I think it's a pretty decent piece of work for the price & it really does sound (and feel) great..

While I'm happy for you you got what you paid for, I'm sure I don't need to tell you that some con-artists can go quite long deceiving people before getting caught no?

Yeah, lots of experience with that ..you don't need to say much lol.

Thanks for the clips, I'll listen to them tonight...

yeah sure...I'm not great with recording, but there's a pretty big difference in tone with the loadbox (to my ears) I think.

 

[Phantasmagoria]

Re: NLBD (New Load Box Day)

Here's a vid using the box with 3 of my amps that I recorded.. (just plugged straight in to the front no effects and no processing ...kinda sloppy too ). ..used my cheap new Chinese cab sim pedal for all 3 clips.

It (load box) does'nt mess with the amp's character/dynamics etc... which is pretty cool :bigthumb:

The 9V battery in the cab sim pedal died in between & I think that might've dulled things down a bit with the Cicognani Brutus Live clip..but I did'nt feel like redoing it (sounded ok enough to use...) so that's in there as well :laugh2:

 

[Surgeon]

Re: NLBD (New Load Box Day)

Very nice

 

[DankStar]

Re: NLBD (New Load Box Day)

hmmm, air coil inductor - interesting! no clue what that is, but seems clever, lol.

resistors like that are basically also heat sinks right? they gots all them fins on 'em, which I assume is to increase the surface area to contact air for cooling purposes.

 

[Phantasmagoria]

Re: NLBD (New Load Box Day)

haha...dude belives in keeping things simple :bigthumb: 'air-coil' = 'A coil of wire' as far as I can see :lol: , but w/e as long as it works..

yeah, I think the resistors are stuck in the middle of a heat-sink (thing with fins)

Mine gets pretty warm but not like "fry an egg on it" hot...