Herbert and Impulse Responses sounds thin and grainy -solved

MrFlexx

Active member
I've just got myself a Herbert and with the Diezel cab it sounds awesome if it's a bit louder than "allowed" in an apartment. If I play at bedroom level it all sounds thin and fizzy without any bottom and I know it’s because the Herbert need a bit of a volume before it starts to sound as it supposed to. Therefore I'm using a Suhr Reactive with Ownhammer IR's for recording and noodling around. The problem is that it sounds all thin and grainy…just like the Herbert sounds playing with a real cab at whispering low volume. Any of you guys been trying to record a Herbert using IR's? The reason I'm asking is because my Friedman Smallbox, ENGL Retro Tube 100 and ENGL Powerball II sounds as the real deal using this setup. But no matter how I try using EQ's and various Impulse Responses, it still sounds thin, grainy with no punch or tightness.
Maybe the Herbert doesn't record well using IR's, or? I’d like to record it using my real cab and mics...but it's too loud for my whining neighbors...and for my daughter when it's her bedtime.
Any ideas or suggestions? Will an attenuator do the trick for recording at whispering volumes while retaining the full body tone? I know it won’t move some air, but I just want the tone to be as good as it can be at low volumes as with my other amps.
 
Peter Diezel":3fmcco60 said:
Where do you get the signal from the Herbert ?
I've connect the speaker out (8 ohm) to my Suhr Reactive load 8 ohm input. Line level out of the Suhr Reactive Load to my RME UCX.
I've also tried using the compensated out to my RME UCX and even the Loop Send to my RME UCX...and of cause I have the Suhr Reactive Load connected all the time for load.

Using the Loop Send sounds a bit less fizzy, but still not good. The strange thing is that my ENGL's and Friedman sounded accetable using any of this setups...and the Herbert kills these amps with a real cab...so it might be obvious that it should sound at least as good using IR's if not better.

I will try using the real Diezel cab as load and using the compensated out and the Loop Send to my RME UCX to see if it sounds better.
 
There was obviously some shit behind the wheels (in other words ME) The inputs was too hot! I lowered the output of the Suhr Reactive Load and the input on the RME UFX from -9dB to -18dB and then the input of Torpedo Wall of Sound to -15dB and the output to -15dB and voila! Instant awesomeness! My other amps are rated to 50w and 100w and obviously I should lower the inputs and outputs to match the Herbert’s higher wattage. Again a big thanks to Peter offering his help when I have some questions. Best service ever!
 
you might be missing something I have suhr reactive load and herbert must say it sounds exactly like mic-ed cab, herbert is very easy to record, straight forward amp and very often I use suhr with herbert plugged in with master volume set very low to sustain tubes life and practice dead silent.

here is example
 

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belensky":3cc812qz said:
you might be missing something I have suhr reactive load and herbert must say it sounds exactly like mic-ed cab, herbert is very easy to record, straight forward amp and very often I use suhr with herbert plugged in with master volume set very low to sustain tubes life and practice dead silent.

here is example

Can you share your signal patch and settings of the Herbert...and the what IR's you're using...the whole thing...so I can try them out on my rig?
 
Hi man

your sounds sound exactly the same way as when we tried using the suhr reactive load to feed the in ear monitoring signal in one of our rehearsals.
Are you sure you are bypassing the in built IR that comes stock with the suhr? Cause it sounds exactly the same way as when we tried it.

I bet it's engaged and it's therefore making a tonal imprint on your overall sound or there's something else with what signal you feed from the suhr reactive and which input you use on the UCX.

There's a difference between using balanced and inbalanced outs from the Suhr. I'm guessing here folks here may tell you exactly how to use it.
I've had loads of issues when I was trying to play at home using VSTs and IRs only to find out that it was my signal lacking the appropriate qualities due to HW missing or wrong inputs/output types used.

best of luck
 
What's interesting is that I have a similar issue when using a EWS subtle volume control passive volume knob in the serial loop of my Herbert. It works perfectly with my VH4- i'm able to turn the volume pedal almost all the way down, and then crank my VH4 MV to 12, and CV to 11 and get nice bedroom volumes.

Meanwhile, the same volume pedal setting on my Herbert becomes thin and grainy, sounds like fizz, and the whole bottom end is gone. I have to turn the pedal up a pretty big amount to get the tone back, but then I can only turn my MV a hair notch, even with my CV super low.
 
K-Roll":3fmm40f7 said:
Hi man

your sounds sound exactly the same way as when we tried using the suhr reactive load to feed the in ear monitoring signal in one of our rehearsals.
Are you sure you are bypassing the in built IR that comes stock with the suhr? Cause it sounds exactly the same way as when we tried it.

I bet it's engaged and it's therefore making a tonal imprint on your overall sound or there's something else with what signal you feed from the suhr reactive and which input you use on the UCX.

There's a difference between using balanced and inbalanced outs from the Suhr. I'm guessing here folks here may tell you exactly how to use it.
I've had loads of issues when I was trying to play at home using VSTs and IRs only to find out that it was my signal lacking the appropriate qualities due to HW missing or wrong inputs/output types used.

best of luck

The Suhr Reactive Load doesn't have a built in IR
 
MrFlexx":2ep4bjru said:
belensky":2ep4bjru said:
you might be missing something I have suhr reactive load and herbert must say it sounds exactly like mic-ed cab, herbert is very easy to record, straight forward amp and very often I use suhr with herbert plugged in with master volume set very low to sustain tubes life and practice dead silent.

here is example

Can you share your signal patch and settings of the Herbert...and the what IR's you're using...the whole thing...so I can try them out on my rig?

Nothing special everything at 12 o’clock, owhammer IR of Diezel FL with Eminence Governor speakers. Universal audio Apollo, Logic Pro x, music man JP7 BFR.

Be careful with master volume, suhr reactive load is rated around 100w(I think inside there 200w resistors), Herbert 180, so I personally (with suhr) never crank it louder than 1 o’clock on master volume, with real 412 cab it’s very loud, drummer can’t hear himself in rehearsal situation.
 
belensky":3u8myxn7 said:
MrFlexx":3u8myxn7 said:
belensky":3u8myxn7 said:
you might be missing something I have suhr reactive load and herbert must say it sounds exactly like mic-ed cab, herbert is very easy to record, straight forward amp and very often I use suhr with herbert plugged in with master volume set very low to sustain tubes life and practice dead silent.

here is example

Can you share your signal patch and settings of the Herbert...and the what IR's you're using...the whole thing...so I can try them out on my rig?

Nothing special everything at 12 o’clock, owhammer IR of Diezel FL with Eminence Governor speakers. Universal audio Apollo, Logic Pro x, music man JP7 BFR.

Be careful with master volume, suhr reactive load is rated around 100w(I think inside there 200w resistors), Herbert 180, so I personally (with suhr) never crank it louder than 1 o’clock on master volume, with real 412 cab it’s very loud, drummer can’t hear himself in rehearsal situation.

I’ve been really careful about the volume. Never had the Master above 10 o’clock with the channel volume on 1 o’clock using the Suhr Reactive.
 
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