So since the start of the global pandemic, I put my spare time into making some big IR libraries. The first thing I wanted to get right was accuracy for a range of amplifiers, load boxes and modellers. Its quite a deep and difficult thing to get right as cabinets and power amps interact by varying degrees on what you use. Different amps incorporate varying amounts of feedback - so they'll react differently with different cabs or loads.
When you mic a cab normally, you don't have to think about this stuff - when you are using IR's, you are hoping to match these interactions but often its out of your control. A load box only represents one load (bar a couple which have some tweaking options). Likewise, most plugins are modelled with a fixed load.
Your options from here are either to use clean IR's from a cab with a similar load to what the amp was captured with - or you need IR's that compensate for the effect of different loads.
It was really hard to get right as there are so many variables that aren't in your control, and getting it perfect is impossible unless you try to account for every piece of gear ever made. I feel like I picked the best possible compromise with how I captured mine and what I offer.
Just as an example of how well they match up, I made this clip. I'd actually already made the IR's previously, and compared the cab mic'd normally vs load boxes + IR's. Just to be clear, the IR's were made in advance, not from the specific conditions in this test, and when using the IR's they are only using the load box as the load (using the same cab as the load with a DI would make it even easier to match).
What's also really cool is I can use these IR's with plugins such as Neural DSP or Line 6 Helix Native and match the amps sounds I'm getting mic'ing up the cab normally.
Anyway, its not my intention to go around spamming this on the internet, but I basically learned everything I know to this forum and despite it being mostly dead I figured here is a nice place to share it. I genuinely haven't used any other IR's since making my own - partly because I sample every speaker in each cab, both sides of the speaker (left to right rather than just one edge to centre), with several mics and a high end recording chain. There are lots of mic positions captured consistently with a dynamount, various (optional) load compensations, and IMO sound among the very best available.
I really hope these are useful to others, there's some really cool speakers and cabs I've captured here. I actually have another bundle on the way being sold with another company but the approach and method are all the same (I can share that too when available). There's a FAQ page on the website too that goes into a little more depth, for those perverse enough to want to read more.
https://mirrorprofiles.myshopify.com/
a customer made a demo video showing a few different cabinets:
When you mic a cab normally, you don't have to think about this stuff - when you are using IR's, you are hoping to match these interactions but often its out of your control. A load box only represents one load (bar a couple which have some tweaking options). Likewise, most plugins are modelled with a fixed load.
Your options from here are either to use clean IR's from a cab with a similar load to what the amp was captured with - or you need IR's that compensate for the effect of different loads.
It was really hard to get right as there are so many variables that aren't in your control, and getting it perfect is impossible unless you try to account for every piece of gear ever made. I feel like I picked the best possible compromise with how I captured mine and what I offer.
Just as an example of how well they match up, I made this clip. I'd actually already made the IR's previously, and compared the cab mic'd normally vs load boxes + IR's. Just to be clear, the IR's were made in advance, not from the specific conditions in this test, and when using the IR's they are only using the load box as the load (using the same cab as the load with a DI would make it even easier to match).
What's also really cool is I can use these IR's with plugins such as Neural DSP or Line 6 Helix Native and match the amps sounds I'm getting mic'ing up the cab normally.
Anyway, its not my intention to go around spamming this on the internet, but I basically learned everything I know to this forum and despite it being mostly dead I figured here is a nice place to share it. I genuinely haven't used any other IR's since making my own - partly because I sample every speaker in each cab, both sides of the speaker (left to right rather than just one edge to centre), with several mics and a high end recording chain. There are lots of mic positions captured consistently with a dynamount, various (optional) load compensations, and IMO sound among the very best available.
I really hope these are useful to others, there's some really cool speakers and cabs I've captured here. I actually have another bundle on the way being sold with another company but the approach and method are all the same (I can share that too when available). There's a FAQ page on the website too that goes into a little more depth, for those perverse enough to want to read more.
https://mirrorprofiles.myshopify.com/
a customer made a demo video showing a few different cabinets:
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