Okay, so let's assume we're not thinking DIY and need to purchase a real cheap, quick, easy dummy load box to use an amp head with impulses.
What would one pick?
Cheers!
What would one pick?
Cheers!
Cheap Dummy Load Box
- Thread starter Ermz
- Start date
hoehlentroll
Member
I figured that the cheapest "dummy box" is a normal speaker. Thomann sells a 1x12 speaker for 59€, but since you are australien based i have no idea
Thanks for the suggestion but I believe a high wattage resistor or two wired up would be cheaper. I essentially just want a quiet & cheap way to satisfy an amp head's load needs.
J.DavisNJ
\m/
Soundlurker
Member
- Nov 19, 2005
- 3,730
- 0
- 36
Is muting the fx return not an option? Just stick a cable or a mini jack to 1/4" adapter.
edit: with the cab or a speaker hooked up, of course.
edit: with the cab or a speaker hooked up, of course.
hoehlentroll
Member
that's exactly what I was thinking of, and I'm very interested if you (moonlapse) are going to find a load box under 60€!
Thanks guys. Looks like there's nothing simple enough on the market.
What's this procedure with muting the FX return? The issue is that I don't actually have a cab or speaker around, so I'd rather just have a dedicated enclosed box devoted to taking the whole load (mm, that sounded good)
What's this procedure with muting the FX return? The issue is that I don't actually have a cab or speaker around, so I'd rather just have a dedicated enclosed box devoted to taking the whole load (mm, that sounded good)
BAhahahahahahahahaahahahahaha, brilliant
- and on topic, have you had a look at the sticky at the top of this subforum? 
a speaker would react in a different way then a resistor though. the resistance varies alot between different freq's.
there are a few conditions in which you can run a tube amp without a cab connected, most important thing here is that there isn't any sound going do the output tranny, muting the fx return, pulling the phase invertor, pulling the power tubes... it's all save. of course check with a speaker first if the amp really doesn't give any sound anymore, you don't have the sound of the powertubes involved then anymore, and the resonance & presence knobs in your amp wouldn't do anything too, since those are power amp controls. (exept the presence on rectifiers, but that's not really a presence control, it's part of the tone stack)
only dedicated boxes i know are : weber mass, marshall powerbrake, marshall se-100, palmer pdi-3, thd hotplate..
there are a few conditions in which you can run a tube amp without a cab connected, most important thing here is that there isn't any sound going do the output tranny, muting the fx return, pulling the phase invertor, pulling the power tubes... it's all save. of course check with a speaker first if the amp really doesn't give any sound anymore, you don't have the sound of the powertubes involved then anymore, and the resonance & presence knobs in your amp wouldn't do anything too, since those are power amp controls. (exept the presence on rectifiers, but that's not really a presence control, it's part of the tone stack)
only dedicated boxes i know are : weber mass, marshall powerbrake, marshall se-100, palmer pdi-3, thd hotplate..
Pulling the power tubes from the amp would essentially be a safe way of only running the preamp section without a load attached?
@'tastic: I have actually. Apart from what seems to be a lot of misinformation initially shared in there, I'd like to avoid doing this DIY, as there are so many DIY projects going on here atm, I simply CBF.
@'tastic: I have actually. Apart from what seems to be a lot of misinformation initially shared in there, I'd like to avoid doing this DIY, as there are so many DIY projects going on here atm, I simply CBF.
Weber has a load box kit for like $35US with all the parts minus an enclosure which you can get at any local electronics store. It is extremely easy to put together even with zero soldering experience.
~006
~006
Thank you! I've actually asked them directly whether they would custom make the ridiculously simple load box for me. If that doesn't pan out, the kit seems the go.
Ted Weber said he'd do the unit for me for $50. Sounds pretty good, even though the Aussie dollar is shot to shit atm.
Soundlurker
Member
- Nov 19, 2005
- 3,730
- 0
- 36
I'd just hook up any kind of functioning cheap speaker with the correct impedance to take care of the load, then mute the fx return to make sure you don't have to hear any sound (except a barely audiable buzzing as if you've hipassed the signal)
That's cool of him, and sounds cheap enough - and believe me, I can relate on the currency crisis front
hoehlentroll
Member
I reckon this is hifi equipment?
1. does it influence the sound in a (bad) way?
2. does it melt or blow when used with a 120 watt head, or does the amp blow?
1. does it influence the sound in a (bad) way?
2. does it melt or blow when used with a 120 watt head, or does the amp blow?
C_F_H_13
Protools Guru
Sorry to necrothread, but I'm actually looking for a load box right now. What's the best option?
Used THD?
or something cheaper/easier?
Used THD?
or something cheaper/easier?
Same as always, just find a resistor that meets what you need (wattage/ohm) and wire a 1/4" jack to it, get an enclosure for it. Total cost should be like ~$40 at the most.
I so want to build one of these, but after reading the original "Dummy Load Box" thread, which I know has incorrect info, Im just scared of frying my very expensive head.
