So I bought a React IR from St Rock last year, and recently bought a Suhr Reactive Load to compare.
I figured I'd compare side by side, acting both as a load box, but also as a DI when using an external cab. I was actually quite surprised how different they sound when being used just as a DI - the React IR generally sounds more damped and darker and the Suhr is more loose and squishy. Ideally I'd test with some other dedicated DI boxes but I don't have anything appropriate on hand.
It's also very interesting to compare how much a different cabinet load affects the output from an amp. Each cabinet makes the amplifier itself sound pretty drastically different, and its important to remember the influence of a guitar cab extends far more than just the speakers.
I've uploaded a Pro Tools session comparing the different loads and DI Thru Outputs (unfortunately the React IR was being clipped internally on the EVH cab which I missed). If you don't have PT, you can just grab the audio files and load them into your own DAW). These are direct signals from the amp so will need an IR applied to them to sound like a mic'd cab.
https://www.dropbox.com/s/z3jb8fibbut4ij2/Impedance Loads.zip?dl=0
I have like 10 different 4x12's at the studio at the moment and about 15 different amps, so I'll try and compare how different amps react with different cabs when I get a chance. Hope this is interesting
EDIT: Just did some quick tests with a Rev G Dual Rectifier. Here the React IR probably sounds a little closer to the load of the cab but again albiet slightly more dry/damper and a little darker. Suhr sounds more squishy and "smiley face" still. Files here for comparison: https://www.dropbox.com/s/viomhf3p9vmszk1/Dual Rectifier Imepdance Loads.zip?dl=0
I figured I'd compare side by side, acting both as a load box, but also as a DI when using an external cab. I was actually quite surprised how different they sound when being used just as a DI - the React IR generally sounds more damped and darker and the Suhr is more loose and squishy. Ideally I'd test with some other dedicated DI boxes but I don't have anything appropriate on hand.
It's also very interesting to compare how much a different cabinet load affects the output from an amp. Each cabinet makes the amplifier itself sound pretty drastically different, and its important to remember the influence of a guitar cab extends far more than just the speakers.
I've uploaded a Pro Tools session comparing the different loads and DI Thru Outputs (unfortunately the React IR was being clipped internally on the EVH cab which I missed). If you don't have PT, you can just grab the audio files and load them into your own DAW). These are direct signals from the amp so will need an IR applied to them to sound like a mic'd cab.
https://www.dropbox.com/s/z3jb8fibbut4ij2/Impedance Loads.zip?dl=0
I have like 10 different 4x12's at the studio at the moment and about 15 different amps, so I'll try and compare how different amps react with different cabs when I get a chance. Hope this is interesting
EDIT: Just did some quick tests with a Rev G Dual Rectifier. Here the React IR probably sounds a little closer to the load of the cab but again albiet slightly more dry/damper and a little darker. Suhr sounds more squishy and "smiley face" still. Files here for comparison: https://www.dropbox.com/s/viomhf3p9vmszk1/Dual Rectifier Imepdance Loads.zip?dl=0
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