A note about comparisons to real amps

Dimi Guitar

Inspired
Hey y'all

This has been discussed before on some threads if I can recall. I'll make this post nonetheless.

I used Kemper for many years mostly profiling amplifiers before migrating to fractal units. I'm pretty familiar with making comparisons to the "real thing" and trying to get a sim just that tiny little bit closer.

Now.. what I've at times noticed with fractal/amp comparisons online is people using some of the more "basic" load boxes.

Then the conclusion is (at times) drawn that the real amp has more depth and finer low end than the corresponding fractal amp sim.

I see YouTube videos like this with viewers "hearing" how much richer the real amp is.

Problem?

I think much of the difference is often more or the less due to the impact some of these load boxes have on the sound. I didn't record any tests ATM, but I was pretty surprised at what a difference using such a load box made with my most used amp -- a Laney iron heart.

I've done some such tests before, but this time compared a cheap, torpedo branded load box to a suhr one. The difference was considerable and just about what you'd expect considering what Cliff has noted before.

Then it also goes without saying that when differences become more and more minute.. such variables can be the difference maker. They can stick out quite a bit.

Additionally if you expect the real amp to have "more depth" some load boxes can really have such an impact.. an impact others may perceive as "muddier" and more muffled, for that matter.

So from my perspective it makes sense to be aware of this potential difference maker, both when testing or viewing tests of others.

Ps: it would be interesting to have a captor-like curve in fractal units. I don't necessarily think what captor and some of these load boxes do to the sound is even a bad thing per se, depending on one's tastes.
 
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This is a very solid point. I used load boxes for years. The best I had was a Fryette Power Station. I definitely affected the tone, usually in a pleasing way actually, but it wasn't the pure sound of the amp plugged straight in.
 
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