Building a Loadbox

[MarcusProg]

Alright, so I'm looking into the possibility of building my own speaker loadbox. If anyone has any advice then that'd be helpful. I'm already pretty set on getting two or four 4 ohm resistors rated at 25W each, but again, I'd like some insight or recommendations.

Also, in order to dissipate the power, does anyone know what to look for in a heat sink that can take care of up to 100W?

 

[odibrom]

You have my attention. I'll follow you.

Question, you'll use IRs for CAB simulation right?

 

[MarcusProg]

Yeah! That's the idea. I just haven't been happy with my mic'd up tones, so I've been using my old Pod HD500, which has been great, but I still feel wasteful not even having the option to truly use my amp for recording, instead of just live.

 

[jase]

With resistors, you are building a "resistive" load box. This type of load box will not give you the dynamics and frequency response of a cab + power amp configuration. Because the speaker cab is a load on the power amp section, your amp responses differently over the whole frequency spectrum. With a resistive load, you will feel the tone lacks low end power, especially palm muted notes.

Look into "reactive" load boxes. Suhr has made one, and Two Notes Torpedo Live is another good one. Making a reactive load box might require a more complex circuitry but it can emulate the frequency response.

Good luck!

 

[MarcusProg]

With resistors, you are building a "resistive" load box. This type of load box will not give you the dynamics and frequency response of a cab + power amp configuration. Because the speaker cab is a load on the power amp section, your amp responses differently over the whole frequency spectrum. With a resistive load, you will feel the tone lacks low end power, especially palm muted notes.

Look into "reactive" load boxes. Suhr has made one, and Two Notes Torpedo Live is another good one. Making a reactive load box might require a more complex circuitry but it can emulate the frequency response.

Good luck!

Oh, I didn't know this! Thanks for letting me know about it. I'm reading up on what the circuitry would look like to make one myself. Worst comes to worst, I'll have to buy one. Thanks again!

 

[jase]

Oh, I didn't know this! Thanks for letting me know about it. I'm reading up on what the circuitry would look like to make one myself. Worst comes to worst, I'll have to buy one. Thanks again!

You are welcome

I spent quite a bit of time looking into buying or making a load box but didn't end up going that route.

Now, I profile the setting I want with the Kemper, while blasting the cab, and use it for recordings. It takes more effort than just pluging an amp into a loadbox and use its Line-Out, but I am able to retain all dynamics. Sometimes I make "DI" profiles straight from the amp (amps like the old JCM's have a DI output) and swap cab impulses within Kemper.