Can this work or will it blow up??

[pinto79]

Ok...

I'm getting tired of the lack of response to picking dynamics and pickup types offered by my Line6 AX2. What I would really like to do, due to the fact that I live in a 1 bedroom apartment and i like to play at night and have to use headphones, is this:

Tube head (either a Marshall JCM 800, Peavey 5150II or Carvin Legacy) into a power soak (Marshall PowerBrake) then into a cabinet emulating DI box to my mixer to headphones.

Does anyone know if this can be done without burning out the head?

My other option would be something like a Marshall JMP-1 Tube pre-amp, but I like the idea of a head better.

Any info would be great!

Thanks!

[Two hands31]

You could build (or buy) a soundproof box and put a combo amp or speaker cabinet (leave the head outside) inside it, mic it into the mixer, and run your headphones from the mixer.

It'd sound amazing, but it'd cost more

[Artist]

You could look into either the Koch Load box,
which is an attenuator (but better than the marshall), with DI, cab modelling (only straight mic/angled + 4 *12 or 1*12 speakers). It has XLR and Jack out.

Or the Palmer speaker simulator.
This would work in the same way as the Koch, but is larger, costs more, but better sound.

I think the palmer has a headphone out on it, The headphone out on the Koch isn't very good.

[pinto79]

Originally Posted by Artist

You could look into either the Koch Load box,
which is an attenuator (but better than the marshall), with DI, cab modelling (only straight mic/angled + 4 *12 or 1*12 speakers). It has XLR and Jack out.

Or the Palmer speaker simulator.
This would work in the same way as the Koch, but is larger, costs more, but better sound.

I think the palmer has a headphone out on it, The headphone out on the Koch isn't very good.

The Koch Load box interests me... any idea of a web site? I did a search and came up with everything but...

[hamand]

Repeat: "google is your friend." I typed in the words koch and load and came up with these:


http://www.custom-sounds.com/lb120.htm

http://www.koch-amps.com/products_lb.htm


If you have the cash money dollars, I would seriously investigate this:

http://www.londonpower.com/amps.htm

Joe Satriani used a head into a palmer into a mixer for all of Engines of Creation, so it can certainly be done.

Let us know how you get on! And thanks for making me laugh; nowhere but Jemsite is the phrase "Can this work or will it blow up??" accepted without a blink.

EDIT: wanted to add that *personally* I've seen comments that the Palmer is much better than the Marshall or the THD attenuators. I'm sure Satriani is pretty discerning (and rich enough) to make a reasonbly informed decision. Also, the headphone out on the Koch unit is apparently pretty poor.

[failsafe306]

I don't know but I really like the topic title

[pinto79]

Well, I guess I'll have to try some things... I work at a music store so I'll borrow some gear

[Jeff]

Good idea...never risk blowing up your own gear.

[30yroldpig]

Hi,

I don't know how much about the AX2, but could it be that you have either a noise gate or compressor in the parameter you like to play with? Drastic settings on those FX can be annoying indeed.

Could it be that you havn't tried setting those. I tried the POD pro and was able to release the compresion and gating and got much better sounds. But like I said, I don't know the AX2.

Cheers

[pinto79]

In the five plus years that I've owned the AX2 I've been around the block with it a few times. I can get some pretty decent tones, but I'm finding that I really miss being able to do whatever I want... ie run chorus AND Phaser at the same time... (The AX2 only alows one modulation effect at a time, and doesn't sound very good with outboard gear)
Also, in order to get any of the amp models so saturate enough to be usefull, I have to run an internal distortion box (ie a modeled one) and crank up the EQ settings. I honestly think I have used as much of this amp as I can...

I used to be able to plug my guitar into a good distortion box, a good chorus and a wah and into my JCM800 and sound amazing. Now I find that good tone is the exception, not the rule and I rally would like to plug my RG750 in and have it sound like a 750, not like a rabid weasel on sterroids. (sorry for the sob story...)

I may try my theary tonight...

I'll keep you all posted...

[pagliai]

give a try here and hear the demos about sansamp psa1 in the section called sound
www.tech21nyc.com/
You can put it into the speaker simulator (palmer or motherload are the very best)
Motherload is very good for me and you can give a try here
www.motherload.co.uk/functions.html
best of luck
Alessandro

[Drew]

That motherload looks awesome.

-D

[pagliai]

yeah it plays very good ,better then new palmer,for me not well like palmer pdi 3 that is very difficult to find but it's got that particular guitar tone.Now i think motherload is the best speaker simulator on the market.Price is expensive but ,much money much sound.
Alessandro

[pinto79]

OK... I tried it... Ibanez GiO (it was in tune...) to Marshall TSL60 head to Marshall PowerBrake to H&K Red Box to small box-mixer to Peavey Impulse 100 speaker. Ran it for about 30 minutes.... Nothing go hot... nothing smelled funny... Tone was about as good as one could expect from a TSL60 (Not impressive to me...) it was reasonably close to plugging into a 4x12 except for the smallness of the Impulse (10" w/ horn) made it seem compact. Headphones would probably work better after tweaking the EQ on the board...

I may go this route, provided I can find a head I like...

Thanks to all those who had ideas! Cheers!