Suhr Reactive Load IR...any good?

[h4ck.b0x7]

I have a 50-watt Plexi that I would like to start using, mostly just for practive. At the current time it is not feasible to get either a 4x12 or 2x12 with an attenuator. For the time being I figured the best avenue would probably be getting a Suhr Reactive Load w/ IR and use headphones. If I got a powered monitor or two I could run it out to the monitor(s) as well.

Does anybody have any experience with the RL IR?

 

[dreamingtele]

I got great experience with the Suhr RL, but only a brief time as I sold it to fund other gear purchases. At that time, I only used it for attenuation.

now I want the RL IR to be able to go direct to PA and still use my tube amp head and load up with 3rd party IR’s. This is the route I will take because buying a decent modeller costs just as much, so id rather have the headroom of my tube amp and plug my board through it, and go direct.

they sound great(RL no ir), and fairly priced. The IR option would def take it to next level

 

[h4ck.b0x7]

I got great experience with the Suhr RL, but only a brief time as I sold it to fund other gear purchases. At that time, I only used it for attenuation.

now I want the RL IR to be able to go direct to PA and still use my tube amp head and load up with 3rd party IR’s. This is the route I will take because buying a decent modeller costs just as much, so id rather have the headroom of my tube amp and plug my board through it, and go direct.

they sound great(RL no ir), and fairly priced. The IR option would def take it to next level

How did you use the RL just for attenuation? What were you connecting it to?

 

[northernguitar]

Another option is the Two-Notes Captor X. It looks absolutely amazing with all it's features. Though it does give me the GAS, I do make good use of the V.1 Captor 16 and a Mooer Radar Cab Simulator. This setup works well for me.

However, the Captor X does the job of both, has its own headphone jack and looks like a lot can be done through a bluetooth app.

https://www.two-notes.com/torpedo-captorx

P.S. What a great time for guitar toys!!

 

[dreamingtele]

How did you use the RL just for attenuation? What were you connecting it to?

The Suhr Reactive Load has an "Input" and "Thru" from amp to Speaker.

so my Tube amp head 8ohm speaker out -> Suhr RL Input -> Suhr RL Thru -> Speaker Cabinet.

BAck then I didnt have an audio interface so I wasnt able to use the DI/Line out to test into my DAW.. so I cannot comment on how it sounds direct. plenty of youtube videos though..

Now I'm gearing for a home recording equipment and wanting the Suhr RL IR for more options with IR virtual cabinets..

 

[h4ck.b0x7]

The Suhr Reactive Load has an "Input" and "Thru" from amp to Speaker.

so my Tube amp head 8ohm speaker out -> Suhr RL Input -> Suhr RL Thru -> Speaker Cabinet.

BAck then I didnt have an audio interface so I wasnt able to use the DI/Line out to test into my DAW.. so I cannot comment on how it sounds direct. plenty of youtube videos though..

Now I'm gearing for a home recording equipment and wanting the Suhr RL IR for more options with IR virtual cabinets..

That doesn’t make any sense. It doesn’t work as an attenuator. Also, when you plug your speaker cab into the THRU socket it disconnects the Suhr load. At this point, if you aren’t using the DI outputs it is doing nothing at all.

 

[dreamingtele]

That doesn’t make any sense. It doesn’t work an an attenuators. Also, when you plug your speaker cab into the THRU socket it disconnects the Suhr load. At this point, if you aren’t using the DI outputs it is doing nothing at all.

WTF, so thats why it still sounds so loud! Ive been using it all wrong.. Sorry, for this info.. I thought it works as attenuator all the while.. I used for approx 3 weeks before selling it to fund pedals.

 

[redchapterjubilee]

I bought one right at the beginning of quarantine last year. It has been easily the best guitar-based purchase I've made in the last 5 years. I use it for direct recording and livestreaming. I have not attempted to use it as an attenuator, though I understand the speaker output attenuates the signal a touch (3dB). It is a compromise for certain, as I don't think any IR I've ever used with it sounds exactly like the speaker cabinet it is supposed to be emulating. But if you approach it less as "it has to sound EXACTLY like x speaker in x cabinet with x mic" and make choices with your ears you are probably going to find something you like.

A few things to note.
1.) Make sure to use a TRS cable out of it into your interface, as it is finicky about use with dual mic/line style inputs.
2.) Note that your amp will sound like it's breaking up earlier into the SLIR than it does at the same settings with a speaker cabinet. John Suhr says it's because your amp breaks up sooner than your ear usually can detect.
3.) It isn't an attenuator but it behaves a lot like an attenuator in how it affects the tone of your amp. It is usually a little darker and a little more compressed into the IR's than it is with a speaker cabinet.

As long as you understand this and do not expect it to sound exactly like some other cabinet I think it can be an excellent and useful tool. I had used a Weber Mass 100 ratcheted down to silent lined out to a Mooer Radar IR pedal. It was good but sounded somewhat congested at times. The SLIR took out almost all of that congestion. It's allowed me to use amps that otherwise would've sat unused this past year.

 

[h4ck.b0x7]

I bought one right at the beginning of quarantine last year. It has been easily the best guitar-based purchase I've made in the last 5 years. I use it for direct recording and livestreaming. I have not attempted to use it as an attenuator, though I understand the speaker output attenuates the signal a touch (3dB). It is a compromise for certain, as I don't think any IR I've ever used with it sounds exactly like the speaker cabinet it is supposed to be emulating. But if you approach it less as "it has to sound EXACTLY like x speaker in x cabinet with x mic" and make choices with your ears you are probably going to find something you like.

A few things to note.
1.) Make sure to use a TRS cable out of it into your interface, as it is finicky about use with dual mic/line style inputs.
2.) Note that your amp will sound like it's breaking up earlier into the SLIR than it does at the same settings with a speaker cabinet. John Suhr says it's because your amp breaks up sooner than your ear usually can detect.
3.) It isn't an attenuator but it behaves a lot like an attenuator in how it affects the tone of your amp. It is usually a little darker and a little more compressed into the IR's than it is with a speaker cabinet.

As long as you understand this and do not expect it to sound exactly like some other cabinet I think it can be an excellent and useful tool. I had used a Weber Mass 100 ratcheted down to silent lined out to a Mooer Radar IR pedal. It was good but sounded somewhat congested at times. The SLIR took out almost all of that congestion. It's allowed me to use amps that otherwise would've sat unused this past year.

Thanks for the great response!!