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Conference napalm::guitar

Title:GUITARnotes - Where Every Note has Emotion
Notice:Discussion of the finer stringed instruments
Moderator:KDX200::COOPER
Created:Thu Aug 14 1986
Last Modified:Fri Jun 06 1997
Last Successful Update:Fri Jun 06 1997
Number of topics:3280
Total number of notes:61432

1381.0. "Speaker Emulators---Base Note" by AQUA::ROST (It's the beat, the beat, the beat) Fri Jul 14 1989 08:19

    
    Two new speaker emulator circuits on the market:
    
    Hughes and Kettner "Cabinetulator G"
    
    Looks like a direct box.  Likely the circuit from their Cream Machine
    tube preamp.  Since the CM lists at $325, I would expect this in
    the $100-150 range.
    
    Groove Tubes Speaker Emulator

    Probably an expanded version of the speaker emulator in the GT preamp.
    Single rack space, a couple of knobs.  Reviewed in the new GP. 
    $450 !!! sputter!!!
T.RTitleUserPersonal
Name		DateLines
1381.1Boogie Preamp has one built inANT::JACQUESFri Jul 14 1989 09:2711
    
    I saw the ad for the GT unit, and choked on the price. 
    For $500 you can buy a Mesa Boogie Studio Preamp, which 
    has a builtin speaker-emulator circuit. Rick Busenbark
    is the proud owner of one of these. I would like to demo
    one. I just happen to have two empty rack spaces in my
    rack.
    
    Mark
1381.2... it's emulating a speaker, I know...NRPUR::DEATONFri Jul 14 1989 15:544
	What is speaker emulation?

	Dan
1381.3Direct Box With ColorAQUA::ROSTIt's the beat, the beat, the beatFri Jul 14 1989 15:5910
    
    A speaker emulator is a box which allows you to go from the speaker
    output of an amp to a line level input; i.e. a direct box which
    "colors" the signal the same way a speaker would.
    
    It's two prime uses are recording/sound reinforcement applications
    to avoid miking amps and for use in a amplification system where
    you generate the guitar amp "tone" by using a small amp, then crank
    the line level "enmulated" signal into a super hi-fi power amp/speaker
    combo.
1381.4could it be....?VIDEO::BUSENBARKWed Jul 19 1989 09:5022
	Hm.... However a speaker emulator on the Boogie is very
different from what GT is selling. They seem to describe this 
$450 gem as an active load box with tone controls which would provide 
an overdriven sound.(this is like a bandmaster wide open in a 4 12 cab)
	The speaker emulator on the mesa is colored differently
from the main outputs but is a preamp out not the output of an amp
loaded down.
	GT must be using a stepdown xformer/resistive load and then putting
it through another preamp stage or something. They probably use negative
speaker energy to add some tone(presence)
	It's interesting that Aspen makes a distinction between yesterday's
player and today's with perception of distortion. Now maybe people will realize
why these old vintage amp's are worth so much. Not to mention the level
of complexity that music performance has become with all the hardware
available it really is mindboggling. I still think there is beauty in
simplicity...

BTW 2 space's for the Mesa is not enough... You need a space for 
cooling.....

							Rick
1381.5A happy GT ownerKIPPIS::LEHTINENHe's here! The Phantom of The Opera...Sun Jul 23 1989 09:4425
    
    I have GT's rack mount preamp/poweramp w/ speaker emulation. 
    Both amplification stages use tubes. The power amp is 25 W's 
    and the speaker emulation output comes after that. There is 
    also a standard line level output after the preamp and an
    output after the power amp to drive a speaker cabinet. 
    
    I have been extremely satisfied with my GT. I have previously
    owned a 100W Marshall with master volume, a 12" Mesa-Boogie
    combo, and a VOX AC30. Because I work allmost 100% in my
    home studio for me the GT was a dream come true. It's so
    easy to work with in the studio. I can get more gain 
    (i.e. more distortion) out of it than I got from the Boogie.
    I used to drive the Boogie with an external preamp but the
    there is a limit to how much gain can be obtained before the
    hiss and noises become too loud. The GT is the cleanest amp
    I've heard so far. 
    
    I have also tried the Hughes-Kettner Cream Machine. It was
    _very_ noisy. Also since it's just a preamp the character
    of the distortion and quality of the sound wasn't anywhere
    near that of the GT.  Albeit the H-K is much cheaper.
    
    Timo
1381.6GT Speaker Emulator seen?XERO::ARNOLDSarcasm, UnlimitedMon Mar 05 1990 11:3416
    re: .0
    
    >>> Groove Tubes Speaker Emulator
    >>>
    >>> Probably an expanded version of the speaker emulator in the GT preamp.
    >>> Single rack space, a couple of knobs.  Reviewed in the new GP. 
    >>> $450 !!! sputter!!!
    
    Has anyone seen one of these in a store.  (Preferably in the MA/NH/RI
    area.)  I'd like to try one to compare to the cheaper alternatives. 
    I've read the reviews of the circuit in Guitar Player and want to (a)
    try one and (b) see if anyone discounts them.
    
    Thanks for any pointers (local or distant),
    
    - John -