The Best Loadbox for Silent Practice Without Losing Tone
Happy neighbors, happy tube amps!
Want to get the most out of your amp, but keep your neighbors happy? Does your tube amp only sound good after 3 a.m.? Maybe your vintage amp is missing a master volume control? Then a load box is just what you need. We explain what these tools, also known as “power attenuators,” are all about and have five recommendations for the best loadbox for you!
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What is a Loadbox for?
All those who only play with Quad Core, Kemper, Helix, and the like without an amp: stop reading. But all those of you who play and love their tube amps until the end of time, listen up! Because you’ll know what I’m talking about. The issue at is that many tube amps only really get going after reaching certain volumes.
What shouldn’t be a problem in the rehearsal room turns out to be a big one when recording at home. You’re caught in a dilemma between wanting to crank up the amp properly to get that crunchy, warm sound, but your neighbors’ sensitive ears can only stand it for a maximum of ten minutes. Turn down the master volume on the amp (*shudder), and all you get from the cab is a soft, clean signal. Enter: the loadbox!
Loadbox vs. Attenuator
Attenuators are connected between the amp and the cab to transmit the hot amp signal to the speaker in such a way that none of the pressure of the actual sound is lost. In simple terms, it just means a lower output volume.
In comparison, a loadbox more or less replaces the cab; it often comes with an integrated IR loader for cabs. Plug in your headphones, connect it to the audio interface, and you’re ready to go. In other words, you would be more likely to use an attenuator if you have a cab at home in a suitable room (!) for recording, but at room volume.
A loadbox is naturally more space-saving, but depending on the quality of the IR loader, some of the “in-the-room” sound you get from a mic’d cab might be lost. Some of these devices are better suited for one or the other, while others offer both workflows in one. As always, the list is sorted strictly by price.
Two Notes Torpedo Captor / Reload II
Let’s start with the manufacturer whose loadbox technology seems to be the most widely used: Two Notes. Not only does it offer its own models like the Torpedo Captor 8 and the Torpedo Captor X, but its technology is also found in a growing number of amps.
Reload II adds even more to the mix. Loadbox, attenuator, 215-watt power amp per channel, stereo FX loop, all fully analog—if you’re looking for a Swiss army knife, look no further. For beginners and occasional home recorders, the smaller Captor 8 is more than enough.
You can get the Torpedo Captor 8 for $189 / £169 / €198 at Thomann*. Compared to that, the Torpedo Captor 8 X also features an integrated IR loader with GENOME technology, and it costs $449 / £399 / €469 at Thomann*. Plus, you can also get the mighty Reload II there for $969 / £866 / $999*.
Suhr Reactive Load and Reactive Load IR
Quite a few people swear by Suhr’s loadbox, preferring it even to the more powerful models from Fryette, Two Notes, and Universal Audio. There are two versions available, one with an IR loader and one without. But both are loadboxes, not attenuators to be connected to speakers.
Both Reactive Loads can take 8 ohms for your tube amp, and both output a balanced and unbalanced signal. The Reactive Load IR features 16 impulse responses from various Celestion models, each with a range of microphone positions. The smaller Suhr Reactive Load is available for $479 / £439 / €499 at Thomann*, while the larger Reactive Load IR is priced at $815 / £743 / €839*.
Boss Waza Tube Amp Expander and Expander Core
Pedal heavyweight Boss is also part of the loadbox game. The Tube Amp Expander from Boss’ Waza division has been one of the most versatile solutions on the market for several years now. It even includes effects (EQ, compressor, reverb, delays) and can be controlled via MIDI or footswitch.
22 impulse responses are integrated, each with eight (!) microphone positions for mixing. There is also a stereo output for connecting to cabs. If that seems a bit oversized, you can also go for the recently released Expander Core. More compact and streamlined, it also features the very practical Mix Assist technology, which automatically adjusts the output signal depending whether you’re recording, mixing, or mastering.
The Boss Waza Tube Amp Expander Core is available from Thomann* for $655 / £599 / €685, while he larger Waza Tube Amp Expander is priced at $1,245 / £1,144 / €1,299*.
Fryette Power Station 100 and PS-2A
If pure, fully analog sound that’s extremely close to the actual amp/cab sound is what you’re after, then Fryette’s loadboxes are pretty much the gold standard. There’s no IR technology or DSP chips here, just real tubes (6L6s in the PS-2A, 6550s in the PS 100), which keep your tube amp signal as warm as it comes out of the amp.
The Fryette Powerstation PS-2A is available for $1,099 / £999 / €1,149 from Thomann*. The slightly better-equipped Powerstation 100 with two channels is available from Thomann* for $1,444 / £1,329 / €1,499.
UAD OX Box: Loadbox and Attenuator with DSP
In the rather niche market for loadboxes and attenuators, Universal Audio’s Ox Box is was one of the first of today’s selection. Launched in 2017, it quickly became regarded as one of the best-sounding and most versatile of its kind. One of the reasons is that it uses a process called “UA Dynamic Speaker Modeling” to simulate the “in-room” sound of a speaker miked up in the recording studio with remarkable realism.
To do this, just use the Rig knob to quickly switch between preset combinations of virtual cabs and microphones. And with up to 150 watts of power, you can drive the Ox Box hard. That should be enough even for more aggressive tube amps. The UA Ox Box costs at Thomann* $1,430 / £1,290 / €1,469.
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