X-LOAD LB-2 Reactive Load Box now available

Hi, new Fractal LB2 user here.

I got mine yesterday, replaces my SRL. So far the impressions are very good... with the Plexi (YJM), good with JCM800 if I don’t engage the additional preamp tube of the SIR#39 and not very convinced with the JVM OD channels. Just like with the SRL I seem to get too much fizz for my taste on high gain tones, I run it to the audio interface and then load mostly Celestion impulses.

Perhaps I’m wrong wanting to get “finished” tones like with other sims I use ( Mercuriall), and I do need to work a bit on the eq...

BR
 
Hi, new Fractal LB2 user here.

I got mine yesterday, replaces my SRL. So far the impressions are very good... with the Plexi (YJM), good with JCM800 if I don’t engage the additional preamp tube of the SIR#39 and not very convinced with the JVM OD channels. Just like with the SRL I seem to get too much fizz for my taste on high gain tones, I run it to the audio interface and then load mostly Celestion impulses.

Perhaps I’m wrong wanting to get “finished” tones like with other sims I use ( Mercuriall), and I do need to work a bit on the eq...

BR

Are you low/high passing the IR's? Try a high pass at 80hz and low pass at 8k and the low end will tighten up while the fizz is tamed.
 
Anyone willing to shoot two IRs of this thing? :)
Would that achieve anything other than add some slight colouration to a DI signal, most of which would be the result of the power amp used? The X-Load doesn't feature any built in speaker simulation, the switches just change the interaction between the amp and the X-Load.
 
OH! Really?! Then I completely misunderstood what it actually is. In that case my request doesn't make any sense! Thanks for clarification. I just read the manual, which I should have done before :rolleyes:
 
Are you low/high passing the IR's? Try a high pass at 80hz and low pass at 8k and the low end will tighten up while the fizz is tamed.

I actually am ... perhaps not on these thresholds, I´ll give it a try this week and post some clips if I can, thanks!
 
Having a hard time to decide between LB-2 and the Universal Audio OX for a reactive load. Anybody compare these two?

I have an OX which is simply spectacular. It has different capabilities/uses than the LB-2.
The LB-1 is likely the fairer comparison.
 
For anyone wondering.


Hi Leon... first of all... thanks for your great contribution for this community.
About LB-2, I've just received mine and I have a doubt... When I connect it into cab output (no cab) of my Carvin V3 and send the signal of lb-2 to axe fx... I hear a low sound leaking from the head (carvin v3)... like if the sound is coming from the tubes... is it normal?
Thank you again!!!
 
Hi Leon... first of all... thanks for your great contribution for this community.
About LB-2, I've just received mine and I have a doubt... When I connect it into cab output (no cab) of my Carvin V3 and send the signal of lb-2 to axe fx... I hear a low sound leaking from the head (carvin v3)... like if the sound is coming from the tubes... is it normal?
Thank you again!!!
That's normal. The power tubes and transformers will make noise.
 
That's normal. The power tubes and transformers will make noise.

Thanks for your reply!
Btw, today I connect a boss HM2 into clean channel of a Carvin V3, which is connected into X-load, and the transformer make louder noise them it uses to make. It is with volume at 5. May I be worried about it or it's perfectly normal?
Thanks again.
 
Well I had the SRL and now the X-LOAD, I think the second is a bit quieter, but have no "proof". Playing at bedroom volumes I could clearly hear the Suhr, whilst for the Fractal have to pay more attention. Maybe I am just deaf now :)
 
I watched a video on youtube where someone compared the Two Notes Captor and the Suhr Reactive Load. The Captor‘s fan noise sounded much louder and more annoying (higher frequency) than the Suhr‘s.

But I was wondering if the FAS X-LOAD would perhaps be even less noisy?

According to the manuals the Suhr‘s fan already kicks in at 25 watt coming from the amp, the X-LOAD‘s fan starts at 30 watt. But well, with a 100 watt Marshall JVM410HJS (I am getting one this weekend, totally excited!) that shouldn’t matter. I guess it‘s down to the fan‘s quality, size and rotational speed.
 
Another question: Does anyone have any experience with the X-LOAD's unbalanced output? I normally try to only use balanced connections but my audio interface can't handle a phantom powered, line level signal XLR connection, only microphone level.
The X-LOAD does look very interesting, but I am a little bit concerned about getting noise / ground loop problems with an unbalanced connection. Or is my concern unfounded in this regard?
 
I run mine to the Axe Fx with an unbalanced cable, no noise or ground loops whatsoever. I remember when had the SRL, in all forums the recommendation was to use unbalanced cables, well have no idea why. In any case for me the results are excellent with that setup.
 
Another question: Does anyone have any experience with the X-LOAD's unbalanced output? I normally try to only use balanced connections but my audio interface can't handle a phantom powered, line level signal XLR connection, only microphone level.
The X-LOAD does look very interesting, but I am a little bit concerned about getting noise / ground loop problems with an unbalanced connection. Or is my concern unfounded in this regard?
I normally use the unbalanced output because I'm too lazy to connect a power supply.

The LB-2 has become an indispensable tool in our modeling process. It's impedance accuracy is unmatched and it it exhibits very similar dynamic behavior to a real speaker. It also works extremely well as a DI, better than most, if not all, dedicated DI boxes I've tried.
 
I just received the X-Load and compared it to the Suhr Reactive Load and the Torpedo Captor 8 (which I ordered, too).
With the Master Volume of my Marshall JVM410HJS on 12 o'clock the fan of the Captor sounded like a defective hair dryer, the Suhr was much quieter but still a little bit annoying, and the X-Load... almost silent!
The X-Load is definitely a keeper, the other two are going back. A small disadvantage is only that I have to use the unbalanced connection, because my audio interface only has a mic level XLR input with phantom power, so I would need to use an external power supply. Would be much more practical for me to have a mic level XLR output on the X-Load instead of line level. But well, I guess that's not really a big deal.
 
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I just received the X-Load and compared it to the Suhr Reactive Load and the Torpedo Captor 8 (which I ordered, too).
With the Master Volume of my Marshall JVM410HJS on 12 o'clock the fan of the Captor sounded like a defective hair dryer, the Suhr was much quieter but still a little bit annoying, and the X-Load... almost silent!
The X-Load is definitely a keeper, the other two are going back. A small disadvantage is only that I have to use the unbalanced connection, because my audio interface only has a mic level XLR input with phantom power, so I would need to use an external power supply. Would be much more practical for me to have a mic level XLR output on the X-Load instead of line level. But well, I guess that's not really a big deal.
I bet the XLR will work. Just turn the big knob on the front way down.
 
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