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Halfstack in an apartment=recording and playing options

1131 Views 11 Replies 8 Participants Last post by  Cobra Commander
Hi guys,

So I just got a new head (MI Audio Revelation) to complete a halfstack, and have had an interface and Logic Pro for Mac as my DAW. I also live in an apt in a major city, particularly one where pretty much no one has a car/everyone uses public transportation (at least when we aren't ordered to stay home).

So as you can imagine, i can only baaarely up the volume on the amp before it's too loud/I risk getting in trouble with my apt management, but I was fine with that just thinking "I have the half stack for playing out in the future when I try to put a band together or join one, and I don't need it cranked for recording either". Now I was an idiot who had the attitude of "I'll learn how to record an amp when I get one" (I had just been recording directly in with my guitar, occasionally using the Logic amp simulator plugins/effects), and didn't realize that the traditional way of recording a stack is still with a mic, which would require me to crank which I can't do...I guess I just assumed there'd be some DI way to record both the amp and cab without needing more than an interface like Focusrite etc.

It seems like I'd need to get either a Fryette Power Load or Suhr Reactive Load in order to play both the amp and cab I have for recording direct, and with those with IRs I could even skip the cab. Those also work for turning down the volume so I can play at apartment levels.

I guess I'm just wondering/thinking, with the digital stuff like AxeFx and Kemper etc seeming to get 99% of the way to real amps, if it makes more sense to sell my amp and cab (or at the very least the cab) seeing how much of a pain it will be to lug both the head and/or cab around for playing out (or just the head for DI into the club/bar's sound system), since getting the additional stuff above in order to record and play at sound levels acceptable for an apt is going to cost a decent amount of $$ that I could put towards more modeling/digital stuff, especially if I sold some gear.

I love the Revelation and all the great amps out there like Mesas, 5150s etc, but just wanted to hear other's thoughts. Sometimes I feel like my mind is stuck in the old ways of analog being the only thing out there that is even slightly good, even though I'm not even that old to have those thoughts (still in my 20s) haha.

Thanks!
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FM3 and a decent powered speaker. Compact, volume friendly, covers a ton of ground.

Signed,

Sold his vintage JCM800 and reissue Twin, bought an axe 3 and powered cab, and don't miss amps one bit.
Two notes loadbox/di

I just got one, absolute revelation
I lived in an apartment when I was in college. I don't know how your's is situated, but I had an apartment at the end of the complex where I could aim my amp towards the street. That and I made sure to meet my neighbors and tell them I play guitar, if it gets too loud for you knock on my door and let me know, i'll turn it down. And I only played at decent hours.

That being said, it was a college town. I also learned a cranked 6505 212 combo will win against whatever stereo you want to blast at 1 in the morning.


I tried the AxeFX thing, and I like the limitations of a regular amp. I was using the same patches everyone else was, but with a regular amp, you adjust to where you think it sounds good, and then just tweak it a little depending on what guitar you playing. But my chain is guitar, wah, amp, so I feel like I'm not really Fractal's target group.
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https://www.two-notes.com/ has a product for you!

I have a Torpedo Live, and actually run my AxeFx through a tube power amp into the Torpedo Live :lol:
I recently picked up a two notes captor, and I’m love with tubes again. I’ve been running an old axe fx standard while my amp gathered dust. Now the axe fx is a glorified IR loader and delay pedal on one.

And I GAS for more amps again..
Hi guys,

Thanks for the info so far! For those using Two notes, did you do away (or barely use) cabs now? Or are you still using your cab in conjunction?
You can still use a cab, but with the Torpedo Live, it's either all attenuated (a load), or 100% signal thru. I gig (well, I did, before the pandemic), so I still use cabinets in my garage to dial-in tones. A couple of the Two Notes products have attenuators on them... I think their newest line have them, so you can dial back your cabinet. But honestly, if you have really nice monitors or headphones, once you go Two Notes, you really don't need one, if you're only making music by yourself.
St. Rock react ir
Hi guys,

Thanks for the info so far! For those using Two notes, did you do away (or barely use) cabs now? Or are you still using your cab in conjunction?
I have my torpedo set up so that it's going into my axe fx and using the axe as a cab loader and also gives mr the ability to record the di direct from the amp and the wet signal simultaneously.

Currently dont have my cab plugged in but I could hook it up to the 25 db attenuated output of the two notes concurrently.
I have my torpedo set up so that it's going into my axe fx and using the axe as a cab loader and also gives mr the ability to record the di direct from the amp and the wet signal simultaneously.

Currently dont have my cab plugged in but I could hook it up to the 25 db attenuated output of the two notes concurrently.
i didnt think of that! i'm running the same, but not recording a dry from the two notes - just the wet with cab sims. i was planning to run an XLR from the two notes into input2 on my interface for dry signal.
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