Best silent playing/recording option for Mark V 90W?

Just picked up a Mark V 90 W head.
Really like it.

Not sure how to best approach if I wish to get a usable line out signal to my mixer or Focusrite soundcard for silent playing, or recording.

I don't quite understand the Slave out thing.

Sounds like I would need a separate CAB Sim DI load box unit with the above Slave out, but would I actually want to use the head speaker out output so my real Cab it is not on?

I also read somewhere about using the Tuner out into a Cab Sim and simply muting the amp speaker out somehow?

I do have an AXE FX II I can run a signal into for the CAB sim, but want the real CAB off.

Or is CabClone the way to go here??

Any help is appreciated. Thanks.

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I recommend a load box between your amp and speaker, then take the line out from the load box into your DAW where you apply speaker impulses to simulate a speaker cab. Speaker sims are more flexible (in imo sound better) that fixed speaker emulation devices like the cab clone.

One added bonus with this method is you can record in complete silence even though your amp is kicking out the jams.

APEMAN said:

First of all, you should always place a speaker load on your amp or it will be destroyed.

Simple answer, yes CabClone would be a good way to go.

This amp is not a bedroom amp - even the 10W mode is made to be played loud.

The tuner out is the same signal like the send but far hotter.

The Slave out takes the signal from the output transformer => so you need a load.

Muting the amp and taking the signal from tuner or send will work but is very dangerous for your amp if there is no load/cab so DON'T DO IT!

For silent playing I think it just wastes tube lifespan and electrical energy while never sounding 'perfect'.

It would be far easier to use your axefx for silent playing. I play a triaxis into a interface in simulate poweramp cab speaker mic with torpedo wall of sound - With the best results I ever had at home....

edit: For me the MarkV is the perfect amp and I love to play it loud at rehearsals. But for home use and silent playing... it think the lunchbux markv series 25/35 watt versions do have a build in cabclone and a headphone output.

Click to expand...

Thanks for the input. I did have a Mark V 25, but decided to go with the bigger Mark V 90 W for a little more versatility and I generally prefer bigger 6L6 or EL34 tubes.

Agree it is a great amp. The cleans on this are simply awesome and the range in gain channels available is also great.


The Axe FX II is an amazing unit, but honestly a real amp still sounds and feels a little better to me.
This Mark V is the only real amp I have now.

Was just thinking it would be nice to record direct from it, and play with headphones if I could get it into a mixer if I could get decent sound that way.

Looked at the Torpedo products. They look like state of the art.
The higher end stuff is out of my budget, but looking at this new product - The Captor.
About the price of a used CabClone.



https://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/TorpedoCap8


Thanks.

fr0sty said:

I recommend a load box between your amp and speaker, then take the line out from the load box into your DAW where you apply speaker impulses to simulate a speaker cab. Speaker sims are more flexible (in imo sound better) that fixed speaker emulation devices like the cab clone.

One added bonus with this method is you can record in complete silence even though your amp is kicking out the jams.

Click to expand...

Thanks for the info.

If I use a loadbox, then that mutes the real cab right?

+1 on the load box..... I am using the Rivera Rock Crusher recording as it was a lower cost option and the 11 band eq does a good job for cab simulation. I can run it silent but always keep a speaker load connected (needs to pass though the load box and then to the amp). You will bet a better tone or character if you are pulling the signal from the power amp than say from the FX-send. You could do that but you will need a cab simulator (also a dummy plug would need to be inserted into the return jack, and you would have to use the FXLOOP enabled. I have done this to master/slave into a Roadster head so I could use the power section driven by the Mark V preamp) still the speaker must be connected and you may hear some amp noise though the speaker. You may be able to do the same with the tuner out.

Recording with a load box allows you several options, what works best is to blend it with a mic on the speaker and one to capture ambience of the room even though you are attenuating the signal to the speaker. Reactive loads will provide better sound characteristics.

Yes, that silences your cab. I still keep one connected though. I used to use a thd hotplate with excellent results and I'm currently using a rivera rockcrusher. There are many different ones to choose from.

Lkdog said:

fr0sty said:

I recommend a load box between your amp and speaker, then take the line out from the load box into your DAW where you apply speaker impulses to simulate a speaker cab. Speaker sims are more flexible (in imo sound better) that fixed speaker emulation devices like the cab clone.

One added bonus with this method is you can record in complete silence even though your amp is kicking out the jams.

Click to expand...

Thanks for the info.

If I use a loadbox, then that mutes the real cab right?

Click to expand...

Thanks for the info.

I think I am halfway there.

I ran a connection from the Slave Out on the Mesa head to the line level input on back of Axe Fx.
Made quick preset in the Axe with a 4x10 V30 Cab only.
It sounded great. Very low noise floor.
I still had the regular real cab hooked up, but was able to send the output out of the Axe FX to my mixer which has a head phones input and also main outs to a soundcard and other monitors.

Tried a few other stock cabs for fun. Worked really well.

Here is my question now....Does it matter what kind of loadbox I use if I am going out to the Axe Fx unit via the Slave Out?

I see little cheap units like the Behringer loadbox that would do the job of just putting a load on the amp.

I guess if I wanted to try a nicer unit like the Rivera and use the Cab in that I could go that route, or the new Torpedo unit above. Dunno if those provide a better sound than the Slave Out of Mesa.
into the Axe FX Cabs or the Line Out out from on of those nicer units is better than the Slave (Line Out) of the Mesa.

I did a ton of research on this same question and everyone seems to have a different opinion on whats best. I looked at the Mesa cab clone first but realized that since i will be using IR's for my cab sims the CC was not going to be an good option. I want to be able to use the slave out as well without a cab connected so i pulled the trigger on a Suhr Reactive load , it's due in sometime today. I'll report back later when i have had a chance to try it out.

Cathode said:

I did a ton of research on this same question and everyone seems to have a different opinion on whats best. I looked at the Mesa cab clone first but realized that since i will be using IR's for my cab sims the CC was not going to be an good option. I want to be able to use the slave out as well without a cab connected so i pulled the trigger on a Suhr Reactive load , it's due in sometime today. I'll report back later when i have had a chance to try it out.

Click to expand...

Thanks!

I guess part of reason I am interested in the Slave Out is I am playing through a real amp and get a real amp feel, and the tone was really good. The AXE FX II is great, but I still probably like real amps a little better.
Cleans are much better IMO.

In fact- the Slave Out may have even sounded better with some CABS I was able to try and swap with it versus the actual 1X12 with Celestion Vintage 30 real CAB I have. (which I really have no complaints about).

Now- if I put a loadbox on- I wonder if it impacts the tone or the feel.

Lkdog said:

Cathode said:

I did a ton of research on this same question and everyone seems to have a different opinion on whats best. I looked at the Mesa cab clone first but realized that since i will be using IR's for my cab sims the CC was not going to be an good option. I want to be able to use the slave out as well without a cab connected so i pulled the trigger on a Suhr Reactive load , it's due in sometime today. I'll report back later when i have had a chance to try it out.

Click to expand...

Thanks!

I guess part of reason I am interested in the Slave Out is I am playing through a real amp and get a real amp feel, and the tone was really good. The AXE FX II is great, but I still probably like real amps a little better.
Cleans are much better IMO.

In fact- the Slave Out may have even sounded better with some CABS I was able to try and swap with it versus the actual 1X12 with Celestion Vintage 30 real CAB I have. (which I really have no complaints about).

Now- if I put a loadbox on- I wonder if it impacts the tone or the feel.

Click to expand...

Yeah i feel ya on the Axe FX II , great for what it is, sold mine after a few months , thats when i picked up the Mark V , best move i have made. As far impact of tone and feel using load boxes. There are two types most have a fixed resistance (say 8 ohms) , but they tend to kill some highs and dynamics and alter the tone, the other type is a reactive load box (like the Suhr)that is designed to follow the impedance curve of a real speaker and interact with the amp in the same way. This helps preserve the dynamics and feel of the amp.

Cathode said:

Lkdog said:

Cathode said:

I did a ton of research on this same question and everyone seems to have a different opinion on whats best. I looked at the Mesa cab clone first but realized that since i will be using IR's for my cab sims the CC was not going to be an good option. I want to be able to use the slave out as well without a cab connected so i pulled the trigger on a Suhr Reactive load , it's due in sometime today. I'll report back later when i have had a chance to try it out.

Click to expand...

Thanks!

I guess part of reason I am interested in the Slave Out is I am playing through a real amp and get a real amp feel, and the tone was really good. The AXE FX II is great, but I still probably like real amps a little better.
Cleans are much better IMO.

In fact- the Slave Out may have even sounded better with some CABS I was able to try and swap with it versus the actual 1X12 with Celestion Vintage 30 real CAB I have. (which I really have no complaints about).

Now- if I put a loadbox on- I wonder if it impacts the tone or the feel.

Click to expand...

Yeah i feel ya on the Axe FX II , great for what it is, sold mine after a few months , thats when i picked up the Mark V , best move i have made. As far impact of tone and feel using load boxes. There are two types most have a fixed resistance (say 8 ohms) , but they tend to kill some highs and dynamics and alter the tone, the other type is a reactive load box (like the Suhr)that is designed to follow the impedance curve of a real speaker and interact with the amp in the same way. This helps preserve the dynamics and feel of the amp.

Click to expand...

I have had an Axe Fx Ultra and then the II for years.
It's great, but I always kind of kept an amp around.

The Mark V is like a tube amp hardware modeler almost. Helluva an amp.
Really impressed.