speaker simulators like the palmer pdi-3, etc

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Re: speaker simulators like the palmer pdi-3, etc

J Moose said:
I'm sure somebody must built a commerically available dummy load... but who knows. I've never seen one. Typically it's not anything anyone ever needs in a standalone box. "I wanna crank up my amp but not plug it into anything 'cause that would make noise..?"
Click to expand...

Simple I play a Polytone SS Mega Brain amp with a Raezor's Edge cabinet. Sounds awesome. I want to record that sound emulating the Raezor's Edge with my PDI-09. I don't necessariliy want to "crank" my polytone, but I do like the sound of it but the line out direct wouldn't have the same sound as through the PDI-09 and taking your advice I'd rather be safe than sorry by running a dummy load (to be on the safe side of blowing up my Polytone which is invaluable to me as they don't make them anymore and fixing them is like taking out a second mortgage). The not plugging into anything is relevant. Imagine you had a wife and kid that are trying to sleep at 4am when you are wanting to record. Or don't imagine that as I have neither a wife or kid, but I do have neighbors and who really wants to hear an amp blaring at 4am or any time of day for that matter, unless you're a guitarist? Even as a guitarist I don't really even care for hearing loud amps in a residential setting when it's not me playing.
 
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Re: speaker simulators like the palmer pdi-3, etc

Fusion1 said:
At this point I am wondering if you are just messing with me as I bought a guitar neck from you a year or so ago that kicked ass and you seemed to know your stuff. I'm not trying to be a jerk I just want to buy the right gear over something I'm not familiar with at all.
Click to expand...

Glad you liked the neck!

Not messing with you... most likely NEITHER of us is clear!!!

I called THD a couple years ago & asked them the dummy load question... The guy I spoke to said not to use it without a cab attached or I'd blow up the output transformer. Maybe they changed the circuit... beats me.

BTW ~ Power Break pricing; http://www.google.com/products?hl=en&rlz=1G1GGLQ_ENUS270&q=Power+Brake,+Marshall&um=1&ie=UTF-8

I DO remember them being around $250-300 just a few years ago... and I paid far less for my used one. The Hot Plate sounds more "alive" to me, but I needed something that could handle both 8 and 16 ohm loads and the price was right. There's no way I'd pay $550 for one!!!
 
Re: speaker simulators like the palmer pdi-3, etc

Yeah I might go for the iso cab as it does seem the safest route and it's got to be the best recording sound as it's actually from a speaker and not simulated. I guess I got so used to the convenience of a POD/V-amp2 for recording I was hoping the PDI-09 was my ticket. If the models were a little more convincing I'd probably still prefer that method.

Thanks for the tip about Demeter, I only knew about Randalls iso cab.
 
Re: speaker simulators like the palmer pdi-3, etc

Eh, I read reviews on both iso cabs the SSC Demeter and the Randall Iso. Both need an iso box over the iso cabs to be bedroom level. I wasn't expecting soundproof, but the few reviews I've read state that the level is still pretty loud with just the iso cab.
 
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Re: speaker simulators like the palmer pdi-3, etc

Oy, confusion in the thread.

Simplification:

Many attenuators can be used as load boxes. The weber MASS models can, I know that for a fact. I've been using my MASS 150 as a load box for almost a year now with both my KRANK and Mesa without suffering any ill effects.

The cost of a weber attenuator + the cost of a PDI-09 is still less than the cost of a PDI-03. Thus, why I went that route.

ISO cabs have a few disadvantages. They're not anywhere near silent, and you might have to deal with the problem of standing waves...I've heard that this is especially true with the Randall ISO. It's still not gonna be a replacement for having a good cab miced up in a good room either.
 
Re: speaker simulators like the palmer pdi-3, etc

Whew, thanks for clearing that up, I thought I was going crazy there for a moment. Now I got to check out your clips with the Weber Mass 150 and PDI-09.
 
Re: speaker simulators like the palmer pdi-3, etc

Fusion1 said:
Eh, I read reviews on both iso cabs the SSC Demeter and the Randall Iso. Both need an iso box over the iso cabs to be bedroom level. I wasn't expecting soundproof, but the few reviews I've read state that the level is still pretty loud with just the iso cab.
Click to expand...

I told 'ya it would still make some noise! It's quite possible that your idea of "bedroom level" varies from mine, but a few years ago I did a bunch of tracks with a dimed AC15 feeding a Randall cab at a guys home studio and in the next room was a toddler, 18 months old... sleeping away.

Cover it with moving blankets or stick it on the other end of the house and run some long cables... you'll never hear it when you slam that open G in the control room.

Sure, you get standing waves inside the cab. That's a given. Shove a full size cab into a small iso booth and you still have standing waves. Does it matter 'much' when the mic is 3" or less from the speaker?

In my world the advantage of using a real amp, with a real speaker & mic... and being able to pick and position the mic at will outweighs any disadvantages.

Of course it'd be great to bake the cake, decorate it, eat it, and enjoy it too... but that can't always happen. There's always some trade off unless you can get into a big room and move some air.

Gotta pick your battles and keep an eye on the bigger picture.

Krank - Have you compared the Weber stuff to a Power Break or Hot Plate? Curious how it stacks up...
 
Re: speaker simulators like the palmer pdi-3, etc

Yeah Jmoose I think I was expecting too much from an iso cab. From the clips I heard online, an amp cranked with an iso'ed cabinet sounded louder than I generally play my rig in the house anyways, which was the reason for a speaker simulator in the first place.

I found the Grendel Dead Room iso cab on You Tube and you can see it's not tooo bad but still louder than I was expecting. Honestly the iso'ed sound is still louder than I'd normally be playing at bedroom level at night.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kxDm_tRKk8c

Ideally, if I had a control room, then this would all be a moot point.
 
Re: speaker simulators like the palmer pdi-3, etc

If you play at that low of a level then you won't hear anything with the isocab sealed up...

Otherwise, it brings a screaming 50 or 100 watt head down to about conversational level... give or take.
 
Re: speaker simulators like the palmer pdi-3, etc

someone earlier mentioned the palmer speaker simulator sounded a bit dry. i can understand that. but now that the subject of iso cabs is being brought up i'd imagine the same 'dry' sort of sound would be present with an iso cab. but that's just a guess as i've never used one.
 
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