Torpedo Live vs Torpedo Reload

  • Thread starter Thread starter ToneSeeker1969
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born_hard":36pdxq6g said:
ToneSeeker1969":36pdxq6g said:
Kapo_Polenton":36pdxq6g said:
born_hard":36pdxq6g said:
V2a":36pdxq6g said:
I'll follow this thread closely. In addition, I'd like to know what speakers/monitors to use as part of the computer+DAW setup. Maybe an inexpensive option to start with...

For a no-computer setup, I think you need a LoadBox that also has an attenuated throughput (like the new Two Notes Captor) or a full amp (like the Reload, Fryette Power Station).

The Reload and Power Station V2 are demonstrated in this long attenuator comparison (skip to the 54-min mark for back-to-back demos):


You clearly can hear that the Reload is somehow thin and soft in attack. I had a reload and have a Suhr Reactive Load. The difference is noticeable, the Suhr is great. In the video above I liked the Power Station and the Koch Box. Its all about sound/coloration/feel for me. The features, price and handling is not important to me.
What exactly do you need? An attenuator , a dummy load or both in 1 unit? For live or studio? Or both?

The way I figure it, the Reload as an attenuator can't be any worse than my Hotplate so if that is the standard, I am good to go. I wouldn't say i hear the "softness" in the attack but I think the edge would have gone to the Fryette in that clip too. Also, the reamp features are useful if you want to go balls to the walls when nobody is home and had a small window to do so. As long as you pre-recorded a strong DI performance, you are good to go.


I have to be honest...maybe it's his amp, but they all sound crappy to me. The Fryette has some really cool features, I'm just a bit gun shy to stray from the Suhr or Two Notes.

I think that maybe sticking with my original option is the way to go. Using the Suhr Reactive Load as my load box and attenuator, and the Two Notes CAB for my speaker sim in live situations. I would most likely continue to mic my cab anyway, but options are nice. I would probably find one cab, and mic setting I liked, and use it for everything in a gig scenario. Any Two Notes product I purchase will give me access to the Wall of Sound software anyway, and I believe I can store any combination I come up with in the CAB. I just know it would be a super portable solution.

Who knows, maybe I would consider plugging my pedal board directly into a setup similar to this in real small gig scenarios. I'm not planning on getting fancy changing patches between songs. In the studio is a different matter. For songwriting purposes it would be beneficial to have access to many cabs, mics, and power amp (tube) options. Last question, does the Wall of Sound allow me to choose the cab, mic, and power amp combination and store it to the CAB? or is that why you need to go with the Live?

The Suhr is not an attenuator but a load box. So be aware that you won't attenuate your amp with that box. The Suhr Box +CAB is the same as the Live. So both are a Load Box+IR Loader but no attenuation. But you still could amplify the output of the CAB or the Live and send it to a guitar cabinet. The Reload is also a Load box with a built in solid state amplifier. So technically different like a classic attenuator. The same with the Power Station but here the amplifier is 6L6tube. The reamp features are nice but that can be solved with a special DI box. And yeah the Reload is not really soft but kinda hollow. I would take the Suhr or the Power Station and an IR loader like the CAB, Pangea if you need it as separate hardware for live purposes. You can't go wrong with the Suhr or Power Station thats for sure.

The TN Reload does not have a built-in SS power amp.
 
Wizard of Ozz":6cnyluro said:
born_hard":6cnyluro said:
ToneSeeker1969":6cnyluro said:
Kapo_Polenton":6cnyluro said:
born_hard":6cnyluro said:
V2a":6cnyluro said:
I'll follow this thread closely. In addition, I'd like to know what speakers/monitors to use as part of the computer+DAW setup. Maybe an inexpensive option to start with...

For a no-computer setup, I think you need a LoadBox that also has an attenuated throughput (like the new Two Notes Captor) or a full amp (like the Reload, Fryette Power Station).

The Reload and Power Station V2 are demonstrated in this long attenuator comparison (skip to the 54-min mark for back-to-back demos):


You clearly can hear that the Reload is somehow thin and soft in attack. I had a reload and have a Suhr Reactive Load. The difference is noticeable, the Suhr is great. In the video above I liked the Power Station and the Koch Box. Its all about sound/coloration/feel for me. The features, price and handling is not important to me.
What exactly do you need? An attenuator , a dummy load or both in 1 unit? For live or studio? Or both?

The way I figure it, the Reload as an attenuator can't be any worse than my Hotplate so if that is the standard, I am good to go. I wouldn't say i hear the "softness" in the attack but I think the edge would have gone to the Fryette in that clip too. Also, the reamp features are useful if you want to go balls to the walls when nobody is home and had a small window to do so. As long as you pre-recorded a strong DI performance, you are good to go.


I have to be honest...maybe it's his amp, but they all sound crappy to me. The Fryette has some really cool features, I'm just a bit gun shy to stray from the Suhr or Two Notes.

I think that maybe sticking with my original option is the way to go. Using the Suhr Reactive Load as my load box and attenuator, and the Two Notes CAB for my speaker sim in live situations. I would most likely continue to mic my cab anyway, but options are nice. I would probably find one cab, and mic setting I liked, and use it for everything in a gig scenario. Any Two Notes product I purchase will give me access to the Wall of Sound software anyway, and I believe I can store any combination I come up with in the CAB. I just know it would be a super portable solution.

Who knows, maybe I would consider plugging my pedal board directly into a setup similar to this in real small gig scenarios. I'm not planning on getting fancy changing patches between songs. In the studio is a different matter. For songwriting purposes it would be beneficial to have access to many cabs, mics, and power amp (tube) options. Last question, does the Wall of Sound allow me to choose the cab, mic, and power amp combination and store it to the CAB? or is that why you need to go with the Live?

The Suhr is not an attenuator but a load box. So be aware that you won't attenuate your amp with that box. The Suhr Box +CAB is the same as the Live. So both are a Load Box+IR Loader but no attenuation. But you still could amplify the output of the CAB or the Live and send it to a guitar cabinet. The Reload is also a Load box with a built in solid state amplifier. So technically different like a classic attenuator. The same with the Power Station but here the amplifier is 6L6tube. The reamp features are nice but that can be solved with a special DI box. And yeah the Reload is not really soft but kinda hollow. I would take the Suhr or the Power Station and an IR loader like the CAB, Pangea if you need it as separate hardware for live purposes. You can't go wrong with the Suhr or Power Station thats for sure.

The TN Reload does not have a built-in SS power amp.
No? http://support.two-notes.com/knowledgeb ... rticle=164

http://www.soundonsound.com/reviews/two ... edo-reload
 
Is it possible to play pedals directly into the Live and use the IR cabs, mics, and tube sim to go direct into FOH with good results? What are the opinions on the loadbox feature in the Live vs the Suhr quality wise?
 
OK....Left turn.... I called my local misoc dealer to inquire about the Live.... He's doing a great job making the case for me to get the Studio (at double the price, I would expect no less from him). He has brought a few cool bells and whistles to my attention that change things a bit. I just recently purchased a few high priced stereo effects from this same dealer (Strymon Big Sky, H9 Max,and H9 Core), and wouldn't ya know it, but the studio has Stereo. It also has an attenuator that I want, plus the added cool feature that I can use two mics and speaker sims simultaneously if I desire to blend mics like in a real studio. All had me justifying the price in my own mind. THEN he had to confuse matters by telling me that I should just pick up the Helix pedal board. He says it does so much of what the Studio does, it's cheaper, and has tons of amp modelers. What to do? I'm really not a fan of modelers but everyone raves about the thing.
 
I think you are confused little bit. The helix isnt a load box ir dummy load or attenuator. If you have a good amp just buy a good load box like the suhr reactive load
Thats not super expensive and you wont loss when you resell it. Thats your benchmark from now on. Sure, you still need an ir loader or a computer but thats not the point now. After that you can test all othet crazy stuff like the helix and studio in comparison to your benchmark. But if your a good guitarist you will love the suhr and your real amp tone.
 
born_hard":plkkqlsg said:
I think you are confused little bit. The helix isnt a load box ir dummy load or attenuator. If you have a good amp just buy a good load box like the suhr reactive load
Thats not super expensive and you wont loss when you resell it. Thats your benchmark from now on. Sure, you still need an ir loader or a computer but thats not the point now. After that you can test all othet crazy stuff like the helix and studio in comparison to your benchmark. But if your a good guitarist you will love the suhr and your real amp tone.

I do have a few good amps, and I absolutely love my Suhr Hedgehog! You pretty much nailed it on the head. I'm not a fan of amp modelers at all. I believe the way I started this thread off was saying how my first plan was to get the suhr reactive load and possibly the torpedo cab. Perhaps when I have the extra money laying around I would go for the torpedo Studio. But for close to $2,000, I'd rather buy myself a Suhr classic Pro, or a Bogner Shiva head instead.
 
I got my Reload in last night.. didn't have that much of a chance to put it through it's paces but I did try the attenuation on my JCM800 and yes, there is slight colouration. This is not that much of a surprise because any attenuator between amp and cab will impart it's colour somewhat on the signal. No way around that. The amp straight into the cab is the absolute ideal but I will take pushing the power section more over keeping the master volume down and playing straight in. I only noticed a slight shaving off the top end but the contour knob is fantastic as the volume lowers to keep the fletcher/munson from thinking you are losing highs or fizzing out. I will try the load tonight. Solid unit, well built and well laid out. For me I just wanted options. What if i hate cab impulses? What if I want to reamp a good session into a diff amp? What if I want to hear my amp while I play so I feel it? etc etc. For me the reload made more sense and was cheaper than the live.
 
Kapo_Polenton":1begmjbw said:
I got my Reload in last night.. didn't have that much of a chance to put it through it's paces but I did try the attenuation on my JCM800 and yes, there is slight colouration. This is not that much of a surprise because any attenuator between amp and cab will impart it's colour somewhat on the signal. No way around that. The amp straight into the cab is the absolute ideal but I will take pushing the power section more over keeping the master volume down and playing straight in. I only noticed a slight shaving off the top end but the contour knob is fantastic as the volume lowers to keep the fletcher/munson from thinking you are losing highs or fizzing out. I will try the load tonight. Solid unit, well built and well laid out. For me I just wanted options. What if i hate cab impulses? What if I want to reamp a good session into a diff amp? What if I want to hear my amp while I play so I feel it? etc etc. For me the reload made more sense and was cheaper than the live.

Sounds like a good choice. Good luck with IR's, for me it is a love hate thing... I love how simple and quick I can spit out a recording with the limited free time I have, but I hate that I can't quite seem to capture the exact sound of my amp through a cab. But I guess it's still better sounding than me messing around with a Tascam Porta1 and a shitty mic in the 80's :lol: :LOL:
 
I had been using the Live for 3.5 years. A fantastic piece of gear. No thin tone or other issues, etc. If one gets a thin tone, then it is definitely user error. I recently upgraded to the Studio. The ability to run two IRs in stereo when playing live is fantastic. It sounds amazing with my new amp. Really happy with it! I like having everything in one box because the rooms are always sounding a bit different and I simply go it an adjust what I need to for the FOH mixer.
 
the thing that i find a nuisance with the reload is that you have to split yiur signal to get a clean di and attenuated signal at the same time so i have to use a radial signal splitter. i always prefer to have less things plugged in between the guitar and amp as possible.

Kapo_Polenton":2jvloqsz said:
I got my Reload in last night.. didn't have that much of a chance to put it through it's paces but I did try the attenuation on my JCM800 and yes, there is slight colouration. This is not that much of a surprise because any attenuator between amp and cab will impart it's colour somewhat on the signal. No way around that. The amp straight into the cab is the absolute ideal but I will take pushing the power section more over keeping the master volume down and playing straight in. I only noticed a slight shaving off the top end but the contour knob is fantastic as the volume lowers to keep the fletcher/munson from thinking you are losing highs or fizzing out. I will try the load tonight. Solid unit, well built and well laid out. For me I just wanted options. What if i hate cab impulses? What if I want to reamp a good session into a diff amp? What if I want to hear my amp while I play so I feel it? etc etc. For me the reload made more sense and was cheaper than the live.
 
fuzzyguitars":2aqntzjr said:
the thing that i find a nuisance with the reload is that you have to split yiur signal to get a clean di and attenuated signal at the same time so i have to use a radial signal splitter. i always prefer to have less things plugged in between the guitar and amp as possible.

Kapo_Polenton":2aqntzjr said:
I got my Reload in last night.. didn't have that much of a chance to put it through it's paces but I did try the attenuation on my JCM800 and yes, there is slight colouration. This is not that much of a surprise because any attenuator between amp and cab will impart it's colour somewhat on the signal. No way around that. The amp straight into the cab is the absolute ideal but I will take pushing the power section more over keeping the master volume down and playing straight in. I only noticed a slight shaving off the top end but the contour knob is fantastic as the volume lowers to keep the fletcher/munson from thinking you are losing highs or fizzing out. I will try the load tonight. Solid unit, well built and well laid out. For me I just wanted options. What if i hate cab impulses? What if I want to reamp a good session into a diff amp? What if I want to hear my amp while I play so I feel it? etc etc. For me the reload made more sense and was cheaper than the live.

Yes that is a pain but I already had a radial DI box and the through from the reload goes to cab so I can technically record the DI and listen to the amp while playing. I wonder if they would have benefited from the DI of the reload feeding the amp with a separate output to the recording interface. Maybe that would get messy as well who knows. Anyway I tried the load last night into my GAP and had squeels and noise. Didn't realize till after that I should have used the pad switch on the front to bring down the strength of the signal. Will have to revisit that tonight. Still though, i liked the sound of my mics better. The ultimate test will be to make my own impulse and see how it sounds. When you compare the mic vs impulse track and look at the sound wave, you see far less peaks and valleys. This is what i think sets the mic apart. It is the inconsistency and attack that the impulse doesn't always do as well. Doesn't really matter in a mix though. That's just being picky.
 

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