A few thoughts on Amps, Speaker Cabs and IR's --
1) IR's seem to redefine amp models to a greater degree
than the amp models are able to redefine IR's.
2) Raw speaker cabs don't seem to redefine real amps in the same way -- or to the same degree.
3) IR's are more defined in tone than a raw speaker cab.
4) An IR is only one aspect of a speaker cab "captured" from a specific position.
5) An IR is more like a profile of a speaker cab, than a model.
An IR captures a speaker cab's sound from a particular position, or setting.
6) An IR also brings its own added color from the mic and signal chain.
7) An IR is simply a more particular sound,
more focused and more defined, than a raw speaker cabinet.
I think IR's play such a big part in defining a sound,
because an IR actually is a more defined, and more defining, sound
than a raw speaker cabinet itself.
Having the right speakers in the right cab
guarantees a certain sound in a physical speaker cab.
However, finding IR's of the same cab and speakers does no such thing.
We think IR's are more similar to speaker cabs than they actually are.
IR's are a much more focused, and much more narrowly defined, tone
than a raw speaker cab in a room.
I think that is why it surprises us that an IR
can be such a strong factor in defining a sound.
We equate IR's to speaker cabs in the wild.
But, that is a false equation.
A speaker cab is still open to interpretation,
while an IR is a more particular,
and more narrowly defined snapshot, or profile, of a speaker cab.
