Running a head without a speaker load

MesaENGR412 · Aug 1, 2008

I'm going into the studio tomorrow, and I've been told that we might be using the slave output on our heads to record the 'Scratch Tracks" for the drummer to play along with, and before I headed in wanted to ask you guys if I still needed to have a speaker cab or a dummy load of some sort hooked up to the head's speaker output when using the slave out? I skimmed over the user manual online and didn't really find anything, but I might have missed it. I really don't want to cause any damage to my output transformers or power tubes. thanks guys, I'll post our tunes on here as soon as I get a copy.

-AJH

soundpurist · Aug 1, 2008

DO NOT EVER PLAY WITHOUT A LOAD ON YOUR SPEAKERS OUPUT!!!!!

Play along with speakers or try to solder a resistor at the end of an instrument cable, I cannot give you the specs of the resistor(got to be 8ohms for sure but for the resistor power I guess it's over 100 watts) cause I never did but if you talk to a tech at the electronic store he'll be able to help you.

You may not like to sound of the "slave out" direct in the recording anyway...

sixtonoize · Aug 1, 2008

For scratch tracks, it's better to use a POD.

The line out is meant to go into another amplifier and through a set of speakers. It sounds terrible by itself.

pjrake · Aug 1, 2008

you can use an attenuator like a THD hotplate (has a dummy load option) and record scratch takes from the lineout of the hotplate.

when we last recorded we also did scratch takes and the producer had me hooked up to a line6 POD. it get the job done. find out if where you're recording if they have a POD or something similar (like amplitube plug-ins)

but never have an amp on without a cab hook up to it.

-PJ

Core9 · Aug 1, 2008

SPEAKERS OR SOME TYPE OF "PROFESSIONAL" LOAD DEVICE!!!!! :shock:

Or as suggested use just some type of pre-amp to record direct with.

A resistor at the end of an instrument cable is waaaaaaay toooooooo risky. :?

Another option:
Keep the amp on STANDBY and use the loop send/out to go to the board. The pre-amp is always active on Mesa amps so it will give you something to record direct with. :wink:

MesaENGR412 · Aug 1, 2008

Thanks for all the input guys. We ended up using a Tech 21 SansAmp Preamp for the scratch tracks, drums are now done, and the sound engineers are going to start mixing them tonight. We get to break out the heads and cabs after the bass is recorded tomorrow :twisted: :twisted:

-AJH