Everything is About to Change.

[@j.bradford2514]

I love the way you have structured your channel man. You are an amazing storyteller and I love these deep dives into gear. I can very much relate!

[@justinhaskell5502]

I dig your attitude, Mike. Don't stop what you're doing here.

[@WayneMemphisMojo]

I've used the OX Box on many many many of my videos here & it's awesome for silent recording (get good headphones or in-ears). However nothing will replace those glorious SPLs from your amp speakers massaging your ear drums.

[@andrewsnee]

Here's a fun trick with the OX: run the sound out to some studio speakers that have bluetooth. Then send your favorite song from your phone to those speakers through the bluetooth and play along with it. Your guitar sits right in the mix.

[@MichaelAE]

I was a guitarist in the 90's and we already had amp modeling with the SansAmp PSA1. :)

[@rockstarjazzcat]

I started playing electric back in 1983. I'll say Cliff Chase of Fractal Audio's modeling, surpassing so many aspects of my analog gear. Impulse response tech and reactive load boxes were in the running. Congrats on your acquisition!

[@wyckofury2198]

So glad I found fractal and didn’t buy the ox.

[@likelydaily6767]

I was born early 80’s and used to lugg huge amps to gigs in the 90’s. And recording guitar at home was always something you had to go to a proper studio to do cause it required making a lot of noise and owning some decent mics. For me the biggest innovation is definitely the digital amp capture devices and IR’s such as the Ox and the Captor X. I wish so badly that it existed when I was 15. Sure would’ve made our early demos sound heaps better.

[@badGamr]

These have been around for a LONG time - In 1994 I bought a THD Hot Plate for my JCM800 and never looked back. I also use Logic Pro and the amp sims in that and while I can get some interesting tones there is a physical interaction between a guitar and a real tube amp that just does not happen with Logic or a Kemper. The Les Paul and the JCM 800 have a symbiotic relationship that I love.

[@MobiusMinded]

Load boxes have been around a longtime. This is another thing entirely.

[@okaytastic6691]

The ox changed my life! I can actually play a 100 watt Marshall at night and not piss anyone off. Killer.

[@okaytastic6691]

@@medved3027 yeah you’re not joking! Thanks for the tip!

[@jedmarsillo]

Mike your gear collection is getting pretty awesome. I have a Revv G20 with the two notes torpedo in it. It's a game changer for sure. It sounds great through headphones for silent recording and even when playing with my band at full volume there is no messing with Microphone placement or any of that. My recording always comes out sounding good.

[@SF-cq6bg]

Yeah, but does this unit have a very loud fan to cool it down that comes on after either two hours of playing or fifteen mins, RANDOMLY!

[@planzed.2]

0:52 “dress code in the 90’s was kinda all over the place”… you 90’s kids are good 😂🤚🏼some of us had to get through the 80’s - oh man it was baaaaad!! 😂

[@hooninnpoonin3904]

I have friends who come over and we play on three amps bass guitar another guitar/piano and then acoustic drums and through my years no neighbor of mine has complained 🙏🏻

[@nitygrity8463]

Bro glad you found it they've been out for 30 years

[@useless987]

I mean, there's also pedals with amp and cab emulation, and those will save you even more money... take for example walrus audio acs1 or the UA Dreams. The portability makes it crazy useful for live settings.

[@TheAndyCzech]

Thank you Mike! You're the man! I NEED THIS!

[@cliverkay]

Yep got an OX .. and Yep it is used all the time with the Cab I's into my DAW ....I can crank my amp and still survive the neighbours ..

[@dunxy]

No, but i have used an attenuator. Everything has its place, i mostly just use my Kemper but i do prefer it through a cab moving air than just cans.

[@billherbert4961]

I think I'm that 90s guy. The options today overwhelm me while my son's starting to dial GarageBand and is bugging me for Logic. I can't even operate GB! But I'll not complain as he's also sure to eclipse me as a guitarist and he's a drummer to boot. I'll keep feeding him.

[@IAmJKey]

Very few people walking around with Kurt Cobain on their shirts in 1990.

[@allthingsmusic-]

For me, it was the BOSS Katana. It was a complete game changer.

[@sergioserramusic]

Attenuators are a life changing experience. Suddenly you can play and record with the amp where it needs to be but at a human volume (even silent!). I love it and it changed my recording experience for the better!

[@a.a486]

i had my first attenuator - 94 .. so i think you are little bit late with that life changing thing :DD

[@sergioserramusic]

@@a.a486 i was ahah

[@DougZbikowski]

The low latency digital interface paired with powerful computers and cheap storage was the game changer. It opened the floodgates to let everyone record music with pro quality.

[@tanukibrahma]

Great presentation! I’ve been using the OX on average a few times a week for home recording since 2019. It’s everything you say it is. Not perfect, and I do miss miking real cabs at full volume in a studio, but for home use it’s been stellar and a life changer because I don’t want to abandon tube amps or get myself evicted from my overpriced apartment.

[@SlimeyGuitarStrings]

I have a Fryette Powerstation. It's just a really good attenuator, no IRs, still stupid good.

[@22ndfret]

You definitely and consistently provide some of the best guitar/recording videos on KZbin...Looking forward to you hitting 1million subscribers!!!

[@b3pahunter546]

The pedal-amp has me amazed. I got an electro-harmonix 2 weeks ago and love it.

[@dinosaursr]

Dude. Allman Brothers Live at the Fillmore East is essential listening. I know you will (if you haven’t already) just love that album. Great video. That unit seems cool, but I would probably hold on to my amp for sentimental reasons as an emotional lifeboat.😊

[@summerfazed]

I used it on the EP on my channel because I was recording late at night. I'm still using it but using microphones on the cab. Lead and creative stuff is great with the OX software

[@flipnap2112]

my modern day "a ha moment" was discovering Impulse response. they are a game changer. coupled with a solid amp modeling software I can dial in such amazing rich tones its unbelievable. I mostly record directly into the DAW these days. I mix it down and use "access analog" when I need real analog hardware like an ssl fusion or neve. it sounds amazing and super easy to use. sorry got a little off track there. loved the video and youre a funny dude. great channel. keep on keeping on my friend and God bless

[@careywebber638]

Love the thought process. Getting good tone doesn't take too much these days. I am bummed that I sold my tube amps a few years back to go digital. Now I wish I still had my Top Hat King Royal amp! glorious AC30 tone, just too loud for normal use.

[@999slawter]

Hey, I think you just didn't find your amp yet. I think you should fedinitely try out a few new one (and not just digital ones, for example for the price, the Harley Benton TUBE15 Celestion is ridicilusly good)

[@ecrecords615]

hahah ok I was digging this vid and then the Allman Bros break put it over the edge. Love it, man!

[@worshiptutorials]

Ox is 👌🏻👌🏻. I’ve got two of them for the stereo amp goodness.

[@pirojfmifhghek566]

For me, the big technological breakthrough was 32-bit float. I just got one of the first DAC interfaces with 32-bit float and I can say that it is not a gimmick. I'm not a guitarist, just a violinist, but hoooooooooooooly shit is it a gamechanger for recording. Whether I'm playing something quiet, or loud, it captures everything without needing to add gain. And the less gain I throw at the mics, the lower the noise floor is. It changes how I'm able to use all of my passive mics, since I can put them as close or as far away as I want without fear of clipping. That alone has opened up so many possibilities. I'm basically re-learning how to use all of my mics now. Condenser mics no longer hog the spotlight. I'm getting layers of overtones I never would've captured before! (and new reflections off the walls, unfortunately). Cheap microphones sound flippin awesome now. Well, maybe not _awesome_ but they sound way different from before if I record in 32bit and compress the whole fat signal.

[@nekkon1989]

I clicked on the "subscribe" button when this channel had like 10-11k subscribers, and it was like a few months ago... Fastest growing KZbin channel in guitar history

[@adam-n-stuff]

Running amp/cab/ir pedal combo for church. I bring a mini pedal board and my guitar... that's it, it's awesome.

[@nedludd3641]

The Two-Notes Captor 4/8/16 ohms device is about a quarter the price of the Ox and does pretty-much the same thing. It doesn't have a phones connector

[@edsavage6214]

Best thing about this box is you can "soak" some of the energy coming out of the amp and drive your cab as loud as you need without losing that output tubes overdrive!

[@johnnyprovo988]

The combination of the info you provide and the concise delivery and your humor make these vids very rewarding. I hope some major gear co. is watching and starts inviting you over for endorsement BBQs. I haven't use an attenuator yet but this makes me wanna try it.

[@julianmorrisco]

Nice guitar playing, nice stories. Subscribed. There was a thing called a Power Soak in the early 80s. Sure, there were no impulse responses for the speaker/cab emulation but, unless you’re looking for that sound where the speaker is actually breaking up you can get a reasonable facsimile of the sound of a guitar speaker with filters and a good eq. And if you’re using the Ox OTB, you can’t get that speakers breakup anyway. So that person in 1990 would indeed be gobsmacked at the amp/speaker/anything emulation we now have and would probably be fascinated by the AI stuff we’re seeing come through but apart from the software integration, the Ox would have seemed pretty familiar. Remember, PA systems hadn’t evolved to the exquisite state they are now. so a wall of Marshalls was a thing people did to be heard, not just for posing. Although there was still plenty of posing! I used to record at EMI studios in the late 80s and many guitarists wanted to use the multiple stacks we had in the orchestra room (studio B). It hasn’t seemed to occur to people that unless you were going to mic up all those speakers, most of that sound never went near tape :D. Anyway, as a 2x4 stack with at least one hundred watt valve amp driving it was considered the standard if you could afford it, high volume was an issue anywhere other than large stages or a properly treated recording room. So Tom Sholtz (yeah, that guy) invented a product called the Power Soak. Which kinda evolved into the Rockman but this post is waaay too long already.

[@JA12258]

Mike - never, EVER stop. You have a gift for being innately interesting and entertaining with intelligence. Truly. Literally.

[@rollingrock5143]

I like how you discovered load boxes and told the story in a way people who've never heard of load boxes so they can understand.

[@jaimetrejo1722]

The thing is the OX is kind of outdated, it was shipped out with usb peripherals that are out of date. Also, it's a little bulky and I'm sure it can slimmed down a bit. I'm really hoping they release a version 2 and i'll buy one again.

[@TomCollinsBanjo]

Love your vids. I’m kind of going in the reverse direction…tried many emulations over the years and watched as they got better and better. Recently tried a Benson Monarch and my creative life changed forever. Even at whisper levels it just sounds so full, and 3D. Hard to describe, but I’m ditching pedals altogether and going direct! It’s great that we’re living in an age where both paths are viable. Keep up the great work!

[@JunkBondTrader]

very nice amp! For a cheaper option of what you describe, full sound at low levels, is a modeller, with 15 models, and bass and acoustic modelling too. The Yamaha THR30ii. About $650 brand new for the premier model. The sound isn't going to be next level at that price, like your Monarch for sure... But for its price it sounds very nice, sounds very analogue, and does an excellent job at recording either DI (it acts as a interface) or mic'd up without having to blast it. Sounds great, quiet, for its price of course. Gonna try test out a Monarch though if I can find one to test. Grats on your discovery!.

[@chrispfeifer7628]

You are the second person this year that just listened to the Allman Brothers band. My nephew decided that it was life changing. It really helped him level up on piano and keyboard. Great video

[@jimle22]

I am an old guy musician . Being from Florida I grew up listening to the Allman bros. There has never been a band so musically connected to each other IMHO. Younger musicians would benefit by re-visiting there music from the 70's and 80's.

[@jaricklosey4607]

I swear you keep getting gear that I'm lusting after!

[@RichardPerrymanGuitarist]

1990's not everyone had a computer. My first PC was like $2500 which is like $10,000 today. And the computers did not have the horsepower or the needed ports that they have now. Blue Sky - one of my favs.

[@gregdodson8092]

Yep, I'm down to 5 pedals, small tube head and the OX for studio and live. I play at church and we always do 5 songs, so I just setup my delays using the Rig selector for each song. It's so nice to have the repeatable tone anywhere I go and honestly, the OX sounds better than my nice cab mic'd up with my U47 and M160, plus I don't have to wear headphones when recording! Best purchase for any electric guitartist. I tried the UA Dream Pedal, but it doesn't have anywhere near the feel of the OX and a real tube amp.

[@jimsalman7257]

Another option (which I use) and which is about 1/2 the price of the OX box, is the Two Notes Captor X. I also live in an apartment and always play using headphones. I love being able to get a killer tone even at 3:00 AM, and no one else will hear anything - so no more complaints and threats of eviction from the rental office. My signal chain is: Guitar -> Pedalboard -> Vintage 1964 Deluxe Reverb amp -> Captor X -> Yamaha mixer, w/Strymon BlueSky stereo reverb pedal in the FX loop -> Headphones. I can use the mixer to play along silently to YT videos or any audio source I want. Yes, total game changer. Keep up the great (and entertaining) videos, Mike!

[@hkguitar1984]

I live in a house with my own basement studio. I regularly crank my Marshall 1987x and Fender Twin Reverb as loud as they will go, good times for sure. I'm still somewhat modern in that I do sometimes use a Rivera Rockcrusher Recording, the Ox is awesome, someday I might have to get one.

[@ASM881]

You should make a video about what a digital amp even is. I’ve heard of them but I really don’t know what they do. Like, where does the sound come out of? Do you plug into your computer? Do you need studio speakers? Like, I have no idea.

[@RyansResolve]

Idk about the answer to your question, other than AI modeling. But I thought about modeling recently and whether or not someone is going to create a modeler that can capture pick up tones. This would be great for not having to switch guitars or re-wire pickups to have a different tone. I'm not sure exactly how it would work but I feel like it's probably next up.

[@castleanthrax1833]

That's possible, as is setting a string guage and type of plectrum too. Anything that will get someone to buy their products over the competition, whether it's actually functional and usable or if it's just a gimmick. Gimmicks sell.

[@rockstarjazzcat]

The old Roland V-Guitar was first to widespread market I think.

[@JD-ZagaDude99]

Thanks for this vid. I’ve wanted to know about attenuators myself so this helps.

[@matthewd6306]

Excellent video. I don't know much about the Au OX but I own the Two Notes Torpedo Cab M+ and it's excellent. You can store 99 custom IRs that you can create from their software. Many different cabs available. Preamp EQ shaping, Mic placement, Tube Power Amp sim for those running just a pedalboard, reverb, etc..

[@pauloboyce2060]

Hey Mike, how did you manage to run the OX with the AC15. As it’s a closed back amp. Did you have to mod it to get access to the speaker. I love my AC15 😉

[@blaketatar1239]

Yeah, this stuff it really getting great. Same as digital photography. I was NEVER giving up on my Kodak slide film. Then one day digital got so good that I did. Way back when (before tube amps had master volumes) they used attenuators but I think all they did was dissipate the power to the speaker. This way you could crank your amp up enough to get the natural tube distortion without having to replace the windows in your house.

[@ksharpe10]

Tom Shultz of Boston invented one of the 1st ones.

[@themiln]

Alternate tunings - game changer!

[@ConwayBob]

Thanks for a great UA OX demo! (And just when I thought I finally had overcome severe G.A.S.)

[@elrancholoops]

Great video! I'm excited about the future of amp modeling too! What exactly is 'silent recording'?

[@rocknreplay]

Actually you’d probably have to go back to the early 80’s or late 70’s. I remember going to a local guitar shop in the late 80’s and playing with The Rockman effects modules. They were insanely expensive but mind blowing. Then in about 1992 ish I bought a stereo guitar effects deck. It was a 1U rack mountable deck. It had MIDI so you could control it with a pedal, and it was amazing. I wish I still had it. Again, very expensive for the time. But could have easily replaced an amp with it. Then, in late 90’s I first started using my home PC to connect my guitar to. The technology has actually been around for a long time. But there’s this whole culture around amps. Especially tube amps. That somehow you’re not really playing guitar without an amp. I’m in a band with some friends and just bought an amp for practices. I basically use it as a monitor. But also started using IEM so the amp is almost pointless. I guess the only reason I keep the physical amp is that if we play a bar without much of a sound system, having an amp is pretty vital. But I routinely play into my computer or iPad. I have the IOS version of BiasFX. It basically does everything.

[@hashmark13]

Am I right in stating...the OX is only really for TUBE Amps?? I have a Katana and wonder if this expensive piece of gear would enhance anything.

[@trevormachado]

Incredible video! I love your video style a ton!

[@Chris_R_]

I’ve had an Ox for quite a while, and as a Marshall player, it’s been my favorite tool since I got it. Finally getting a cranked Marshall sound without ripping my face off or blowing out the windows has been so, so nice. The software of it sounds incredible IMO. And I also enjoy my digital amp sims, so not knocking them either. But I’ll never part with my Ox. Welcome to the Ox party, ha.

[@mjolnircarlssen4211]

What has been a top innovation in my opinion? 1) Yamaha’s Rd Label FG acoustic guitars. I have no idea how they give you a boutique acoustic guitar at the price point that they do. 2) Sire guitars and basses. I have no idea how they give you a boutique electric guitar or bass at the price point that they do. 3) Solid State modeling amps.

[@i8paste]

I’m a very much a beginner guitar player. I assume I need more experience playing before considering something like this to replace my wittle Fender Mustang?

[@thesandman775]

Boss Tube Amp Expander is even better IMO. The updates they've made have really increased the usability

[@CunningStuntsGoFast]

0:11 well i started playing in 1995 , and the big game changer is that back then the affordable guitars where crap and the amps were solid state , a tube amp of descent quality costed well over a 1000 . so there , being able to start playing with lets say a squire tele and a marchall dsl5 for 850 or so is gold

[@ilovelamp22]

I bought one a while ago, stunk to find out afterwards that UA doesn't support it any more. There haven't been any updates in years, and the USB port still hasn't been enabled.

[@gregorylumpkin2128]

Nothing like a great tube amplifier driving speakers and pushing air!!!

[@rightrightrightuhhuhuhhuh6516]

I realize you're young but you could already plug directly into amp modellers when Cobain was around (1992-94).

[@sevenchambers]

Yeah

[@ChadWork1]

I have a pair of TwoNotes Captor X' I use with my stereo Princeton rig and I haven't recorded with a mic since. Sounds great, and both boxes are still smaller than the humongous OX. I had upgraded my speakers to Celestion Gold, and I was able to purchase the same speaker for the Captors for 10 bucks. I still use the real speakers live, but I use the Captors to feed the FOH instead of mics. It's a great time to be alive for guitarists.

[@mheberling5939]

So how do you use it? Is it really quiet in the room and you still get the great tone or not?

[@glenarmy1]

My big discovery was using a variac on my vintage tube amp to lower the voltage to period correct levels…..or lower. I’m fortunate enough to live in the country where I can turn up however my AC 30cc2 I put a Dr z brake light on and it worked great (slight loss of bottom end at full attenuation) but it cost me a output xformer. Here in Canada a man named Gary Traynor once lived and built these tube amps that are amazing (once you throw proper speakers in them). They used to be a kinda secret cause the marshland speakers in them are utter garbage and most people assumed so was the amp. Freakin internet is debunking that! But that 1970 Traynor Bass Master set on a variac (they’re reasonably cheap on Amazon) with jumped channels is pure brown sound and it’s glorious.

[@disklamer]

In 1990 we had Ataris and Amigas and Macs, with synthesis and sampling and processing and sequencing and everything else. The transisiton to digital was already kicked off, and it was only a matter of time really. Acoustic modeling did exist but it was eyewateringly expensive. A simple FFT would take a minute, but the promise of was definitely there. Best developments: Amplifiers that don't blow a fuse or burn out every time you step on a pedal. 1000W for 100$. Working wireless. DAW’s. And these days even cheap tuners work. And you can get a guitar that is worth playing for 200 bucks, THAT would have blown my mind.

[@BriantheLionNZ]

I got a 100W Marshall JCM800 - I can now get that sound without the family having to leave the house and all the stuff hung on the walls coming loose and breaking. Ox is the best thing ever.

[@russshaber8071]

I went the other way round, got a job, worked all my life, built a house in the country and then I bought a guitar. I can play my guitars as loud as my ear plugs will allow. But that Ox attenuator looks interesting, as long as I don't have to spend too much time on the computer.

[@ridesharebeware5747]

Hi! Guy from the 90s here… We had digital amp modelers in 1990. Granted they weren’t on a computer, but you could easily interface them with your computer. Some amp simulators actually came onboard multi track recorders. You could plug your guitar straight into a channel and emulate a guitar amp.

[@garysbraccia4980]

How about showing how to set this ox box up and what it takes to actually use it with a tube amp.

[@MrIantodd]

Hey cool video thanks for making it. How did you connect the ox box to your ac15?

[@gregkoelling615]

Entertaining, informative and interesting. Subscribed.

[@5150show]

Love my Ox and love my Captor X

[@mrfuzztone]

I have an OX. Put on good heaphones with it and it is like you are playing on a concert stage. Shure SRH840 headphones sound very good. I have a stack of tube amp heads with an Ampete switcher. Soldano 25, Friedman, Fender, Vox AC15, Swart, Marshall 50 watt, other .. And of course you can plug it into your computer to capture the sound. Yes the OX is expensive. Yes it is that good.

[@sameersmerchant]

How did you connect the AC15? Mine is directly connected to the speaker. Did you have to cut the wire and solder on ends?

[@timhorne8126]

Thank you. More please.

[@snapcult464]

Another good option if you just need a small clean amp would be a Reeves 12 watt 1x12 combo with power scaling. Allows you to directly turn down without changing the tone. If you like classic rock, AC/DC, Hiwatt kinda clean tones it’s a keeper.

[@ray_maestro_]

Your old video taught me about attenuators. I had no idea and was so sad because I want to buy a hot rod deluxe. THEM SHITS IS LOUD SON!!

[@allenhayesmusic]

Welcome to the Ox world! 🎉

[@braxal6983]

I have an OX box for years and I love it. That is a great purchase you made.

[@fatsuperfly]

Just saw the thumbnail, and I’m like yaaassss! I want one, but oof! So pricey. Love digital amp model’s, and it does make it easy, kinda… I get to the point where I get more exhausted dialing in something with so many options. I want to get back into just real amps, and simplified to record straight to daw. Also, Cant believe I wasn’t subscribed, been watching your vids for a while now, and always cool. Subscribed my good friend, love the vids, and how you talk n nerd out. Good stuff.

[@JLSGuitars]

Great video Thanks!!

[@dwmichaels]

For me its the devices like the Axe Fx, Quad, Kemper, etc. It's not just 1 amp, it's a bunch of them. For me, I'm never going to have the money or storage space for multiple amps and I'm not looking to dial in my own special, custom tone because I'm a recording artist. I want a device that gives me a bunch of variety that I can play around with. Those devices (and others) all do that so well now. There is huge value in being able to play at low volumes though, so whichever is your preference, being able to do that and have the sound you desire is a game changer.

[@martinconcannon7140]

Loving your content , Love from Manchester UK

[@victorycrosby4896]

I got same problem with neighbors but an ox or anything else won't attenuate b3 drums horns etc...I wish it could be so but I have to move into an industrial location to make my necessary volumes.commercial rent is expensive.

[@Zoso7227]

How different is the ox from a two notes captor? I tried my best to like the captor, but it never sounded real to me

[@Ast3rixMusic]

Geez yeah I don’t miss living in an apartment. I use to get visits from security and the police a lot. I was being super sensitive about the time I would have my speakers on as well. Just really was a pain. Once I moved into my house I have been cranking it up without worrying about my neighbors. Can’t hear anything outside of my house.

[@skye7690]

Wow I love this video, i need to check this out.

[@TheOligoclonalBand]

I wanted to resurrect my very old Engl and have similar restrictions to you. I bought the Captor X from Two Notes and am so happy that I can crank the amp without having the police called. One of the best investments I made in the last ten years.

[@dguy709]

I love using my attenuator too, I have the Captor X by Two Tones, it’s got some sweet features too! The OX was a bit pricey

[@ryandesain5090]

My new amp has one built in and it's a game changer living in a town house.

[@SixPieceSuits]

An attenuator is just a little better than an anineuator. I'll see myself out Also, I just use a Kemper Stage. My ears can't really tell the difference in a recording between it and the real amp.

[@lightfoot413]

good video and info..all new to me..but its the future I agree..thanks Mike