Seeking opinions on captor 8 load box

[Stevenk734]

Hi folks,
Am looking for any feedback/ opinions/experiences good, bad or indifferent on load boxes for converting old tube amp heads signals into digital, direct to interface signal. If you use one, you know what they do. Specifically interested in the Two Notes captor 8.

I have a few teles and strats . I have. my original 1966 showman amp head. ( I’m old,lol) so have had it around for years.I run a Pro Tools based , win 10, project studio.
Although I’ve got all the usual amp sims suspects( AmpliTube 4, guitar rig pro 5, mark studio 2 and amp plugins of all types, I’ve never given these load boxes a shot. Can’t afford a UAD Ox, although I have a UAD twin and satellite. Heard pretty good things about the no bells and whistles captor line. It either uses its built in speaker sim or one uses their own IR loader.
Two notes had theirs. Takes their and 3rd party IRs.

Would really appreciate any and all feedback from users of load boxes they’ve used, but focused in on the captor . It’s only about 200-250 USD, depending on new or used.
Thanks in advance,
Steve K
Please email directly to
stevenk734 @aol.com
I’m not great at checking in with the site and not sure about how my notifications are set,
Thanks, folks

 

[klasaine]

I use a captor x.
So far it's the best load box I ever used.
Prior to that I used both Palmer and Sequis Audio (motherlode). Both good but not as good as the 2 notes stuff.

 

[Stevenk734]

P a simple captor 8 and use WoS and my other IRS to get my feet wet.
Do you think my logic is sound?
My Old showman amp head is 8 ohms, about 90 tube amps power, so it seems to be the right first foray into load boxes.
Any additional no nos or advice , pour it on. Really appreciate your making the effort. Can’t wait to get back to my studio on the 27th. Stuck on an island til then.thank you,
Steve Kaufman
Boston and Aquinnah,MA

 

[Stevenk734]

It cut me off. Meant to say that I was going to buy the x, but just have to limit my recent overspending.
GAS attack( lol). Figured that a captor 8 and using WoS for IRS( plus my lancasters and other 3rd party IRs were a good first start.
Thx again

 

[gkterry]

The main problem I see is that the Captor is rated at 100W. Your 90W amp can easily peak at 120-140W which might be a bit much for the Captor. The tendency with an attenuator/ load box is to run the amp at a higher level than normal too.

 

[Stevenk734]

Thanks. I guess that I’ll check the power, RMS and peak levels carefully. Thanks for the tip

 

[Stevenk734]

GK,
Thanks again. Just did some deep dive reading. The 66 blackface was rated at 85 watts. Can’t anything yet on subject of its peak wattage, but will stay on top of it.
Thx

 

[Stevenk734]

Hi GK,
So, now that you’ve got me thinking about wattage peaking, when I pick up this gadget end of month,
what gain level do you think I should I consider starting off setting my amp head at?

 

[Stevenk734]

It cut me off. Meant to say that I was going to buy the x, but just have to limit my recent overspending.
GAS attack( lol). Figured that a captor 8 and using WoS for IRS( plus my lancasters and other 3rd party IRs were a good first start.
Thx again

Hi

I use a captor x.
So far it's the best load box I ever used.
Prior to that I used both Palmer and Sequis Audio (motherlode). Both good but not as good as the 2 notes stuff.

Hi klasaine,
Thanks for your response. Really appreciate it. If you wouldn’t mind, I replied a few times to comments by GKterry. Would you mind reading them and, if you have the time and inclination, sharing your thoughts/ concerns/ opinions?
I’ll skip the details I mentioned in them, but it you could just give them a read and see if any additional thoughts come your way. I’ll just be getting a captor 8 and utilizing IRs via their torpedo WoS plugin and some other 3rd party IRs.
Thanks
Sk

 

[klasaine]

The highest rated amp I've used through my Captor X is a boutique 50 watt non mv Marshall Plexi clone (Blankenship). I have never peaked or redlined the Captor even playing with the Plexi cranked past 6 and the Captor output at slightly over 1/2. I honestly don't think that 'peak' wattage is anything to worry about.
You can email or contact Two Notes through their fb page. They always respond relatively quickly.

 

[Stevenk734]

Klasaine,

Thanks for such a quick response. Sorry. This load box tech is just a new thing for me and I’m not back at my studio for another few weeks.

So, if I understand correctly, at least with your X( I’ll check the captor 8 pics again), there are 2 opportunities to tweak the power being sent either to or from the captor converter. That is, at one’s amp head volume/ gain control ( pre captor converter) and and apparently at the captor output point.( post captor/pre interface).

I know that there is a 20 dB pad, but that is apparently designed for sending an attenuated signal back to ones speaker. That’s basically irrelevant to my planned usage. Are my comments correct?
Is there a dial on the captor output section( like near the xlr out or somewhere, ) where one can tweak the wattage/ signal prior to hitting ones interface? Or do you mean to say that the output gain can be lowered not on the captor, but only at the interface input. Just want to understand where tweaking of the power can be tweaked!
As you said, I doubt that peaking if this 85 watt head will even bean issue, but I spent a lot having this old guy rehabbed! I’ll go look online at both sides of the captor.
Thanks in advance

 

[klasaine]

There's an output level pot on the Captor X. It's on the front panel. I keep it about 50% or little above. This affects both the xlr outs as well as the headphone out. There is also a high/low input gain switch (push button). With the high input engaged I can def clip the output of the captor with my amps cranked. I keep that in the low gain position. My rec interface is a UA arrow and the preamps are very clean with a lot of headroom. No issue at all keeping the level from my Captor reasonable into my daw.

 

[Stevenk734]

Very nice of you to tolerate all my questions. I just bought one used on reverb, but won’t get to it for a few weeks. Should be interesting.
Anyway, I looked at all the images. I can easily see that output dial, so I’m probably start with it at the 50% level.

The basic captor doesn’t appear to have a low/ high gain switch/button, but that shouldn’t be an issue. I use an apollo twin usb and octo satellite with a Clarett 8 pre as my ADATTED extra 8 mic pres
inputs. So my interface inputs should be fine. Oh, btw, as all my mic pres have phantom power, I assume if I have Phantom power turned on for the pre I’m using It with, it should receive its phantom power when TRS cable plugs in. If you could confirm that and reassure me about my lack of that low/ high gain button, Ill get out of your hair( lol)!
Thanks very much for all your comments.
Steve K

 

[klasaine]

Yeah. I'm sure the +48v from your pres will power your Captor. *The X uses a separate power supply because it's also an IR loader with some fx.
I doubt you'll have any issues with input level even if you dime your amp. Two Notes rates their stuff for 100 watt 'tube' amps that we all want to turn up. They are very aware that there may be peaks in the output wattage. Impedance isn't static either - that's what a "reactive" load is.

 

[Stevenk734]

Thanks again. Two notes support agreed. You’ve been great!!!!!!

 

[caspersvapors]

I use a captor x.
So far it's the best load box I ever used.
Prior to that I used both Palmer and Sequis Audio (motherlode). Both good but not as good as the 2 notes stuff.

how do you feel about the attenuator on the captor x?

 

[klasaine]

how do you feel about the attenuator on the captor x?

Due to Covid, I have not had the opportunity to use it 'live'. *I have lower powered amps that I can crank live and honestly I may never use the Captor's attenuator.
I did try it out in my little studio space and it sounded good but as others have mentioned, you're limited to full, 1/2 and low. Low is pretty quiet and 1/2, depending on your amp could maybe be too loud or too soft for your application - ?