Fryette Power Station - Just what is a reactive load anyway??

One of the most important facets of the Power Station is the utilization of a reactive load in fooling the amplifier into thinking it's seeing a speaker cab, Steve Fryette explains in detail what a reactive load is and how it differs from the resistive load paradigm that attenuators had relied on in the past.
To learn more head over to: www.fryette.com/power-station...
For technical support: www.fryette.com/support/
Power Station PS-2 Manual: fryette.com/content/Power_Sta...
Power Station PS-100 Manual: fryette.com/content/Power_Sta...
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The Fryette Power Station® - a new amplifier attenuator and re-amplification solution, offering players intuitive and precise control over amplifier volume, distortion behavior and a wide range of highly refined tonal qualities previously unavailable from any single attenuating or re-amping product.
Built on decades of experience producing the finest all-tube power amps available, the Power Station is a practical and highly functional tool that solves problems frequently encountered in live playing and recording environments. It beautifully accentuates the inherent qualities of any amplifier and allows your amplifier to breathe and dynamically respond to your playing technique the way a great guitar amp should. The Power Station is designed to be transparent, user friendly, reliable and ultra-responsive to a wide array of guitar amplifier and speaker types. It also integrates seamlessly with any combination of internal and external speaker configurations.
The Power Station also excels as a power booster, something that no other attenuator can do. Just as you would connect a big amp to reduce output volume, the Power Station can also be used to boost the output of a small amplifier. Imagine taking your mini-amp or small vintage combo to a gig and having enough power to be heard without sacrificing feel and tonal quality. It is not only possible, but easy and fun!
Finally, your Power Station functions as a versatile silent reactive load for direct recording by simply connecting the Balanced or Unbalanced Line out to your recording interface.
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Music and guitar dude = Joe Gamble: / @joegambleguitar

[@wakjob961]

Oh how I would love to apprentice under Steve for a couple of years...or longer.

[@0megalul309]

make sure you get the schematics so we can repair amps on our own.

[@JS-vh4yq]

I have a Power Load v2 and love it. My Plexi and 5150 II sound great thru it.

[@smellytele9629]

I'm pretty stoked to get your new Power Load IR!

[@karst41]

When a designer refers to a Sound as @ss kicking, Yes! absolute blast watching this KZbin, Looking forward to Johan's evaluation. going there now.

[@208414]

I, for one, love switches. The Sig:X has a load of them and it is great!

[@psychoshredder4139]

Couldn't have said it any better.

[@saryabouismail5721]

Great video!! If I understood correctly the switches are there to slightly affect the impedance curve or is the impedance curve set in stone by trying to recreate one type of speaker and hence the switches affect the tone through another mechanism (sorry not tech savy!)? Also which position would come closer to a mesa v30? I use different cabs but the main ones are always meaa v30s (recto 4x12, 2x12 and traditional 4x12 are my go to) Thanks again for the vid looking fwd to my purchase!!

[@brendanlucero8585]

So what you're saying is this device is gonna make me sound like Frank Marino right?

[@jakeliftsnshreds6670]

Ha I'll buy 30 if I can sound like frank marino!

[@CaptainRon1913]

You guys ever going to start making these again? Mind boggling the number of sales you've missed out on.

[@FryetteAmps]

We've never stopped making them, and we're not losing sales. The reason stores are often out of stock is because they sell out every shipment we send.

[@els1f]

This is my favorite type of person

[@JS-vh4yq]

Since there is not an FX loop before the line out on the Power Load V2, is it possible to use the fx loop headphone output direct or with a level conversion to an interface and acheive the same level of fidelity as with the line out? I would have loved to have hade a regular fx loop instead of the headphone fx loop.... still, the power load is awesome. Cheers.

[@FryetteAmps]

Direct to an interface works great.

[@JS-vh4yq]

@@FryetteAmps How would I wire a headphone output to interface cable for this application? Cheers.

[@FryetteAmps]

@@JS-vh4yq www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/STP201--hosa-stp-201-insert-cable-1-4-inch-trs-to-dual-1-4-inch-ts-3-foot

[@ian1eh944]

Thanks for this information Steve! I have 2 questions: 1. Is the "load" in the PS, the same as the "load" in the Power Load? I am asking because I slave my amps now, and I run the slaved amps into my FX, and into a 2/50/2 tube stereo power amp......So, I already have the "power amp" part covered. I just need a really good "load", and the Power Load has some cool features! 2. From a WDW perspective, if I bought a PS, I am thinking that I could slave my amp, and use the "power amp" in the PS to power my "dry" cabinet, and the 2/50/2 to power my stereo "wet" effects. In this scenario, does the "power amp" section of the PS, have a similar tone quality that I have in the 2/50/2 stereo power amp?

[@FryetteAmps]

1. Yes. 2. Ideally, you would be using the PS to preserve the tone of your cranked amp going to the dry cab at the desired volume. The PS Line Out will then send a line level copy of that sound to the the 2/50/2, which can then easily be dialed in to complement and enhance total system sound. Taking that concept a (sick) step further, if you had a couple of different dry cabs - say one for cleaner stuff and one for OD sounds, you could switch between them for their respective sounds. In a rig like that the PS-100 would allow you to to have 2 dedicated modes, one for each optimization of the load amps settings, with each combination being sent to the wet power amp.

[@ian1eh944]

@@FryetteAmps Holy CRAP! I didn't realize that the PS-100 had that flexibility! I like that! Would the PS-100 be too overpowering for the 2/50/2 in the wet cabs....or would it still be "balanced"? Thanks so much! :)

[@FryetteAmps]

@@ian1eh944 Not at all. Just because it's 100W doesn't mean you use it all. It's there to insure that your amp sounds dynamic at low or high volumes whether playing clean or overdriven. You set the volume where you want it. The 2502 will have no problem keeping up because, a) you're probably not playing that loud, and b) the 2/50/s is mostly the wet amp - bringing the ambience - a much more specialized task that doesn't require a lot of power. See: kzbin.info/www/bejne/nXzae6lod7ZgoNk

[@scottpeters4401]

@@FryetteAmps how would you switch between the 2 dry cabs??..I have a PS-100,and am building a wet dry wet rig with it at the center....I am using a Marshall 9005 power amp for the wet cabs....this caught my attention when you said you could switch between 2 dry cabs...

[@FryetteAmps]

@@scottpeters4401 Just a simple passive A/B box.

[@andyracksthecams]

The best!

[@jasoncorganbrown]

If using the line in only and not connecting an amplifier head, does the reactive load still function? Or does the Powerstation feature the speaker's load characteristics?

[@FryetteAmps]

No. The reactive load is part of the amplifier load, so it only functions when an amplifier is connected. That means the voicing switches are bypassed as well when only using the Line In.

[@jasoncorganbrown]

@@FryetteAmpsso when using line in from a digital amp modeler, should we use the amp model’s power amp as well as the model’s pre amp? Just no IR file?

[@FryetteAmps]

@@jasoncorganbrown There's no real right way or wrong way other than what you like. We would normally recommend turning off the power amp model and IR of the amp model you are using, but the truth is, the Power Station is amplifying the sound of the amp model you are using, not replacing that models power amp stage. Assuming you are using a guitar cab, you would usually turn off the IR. The rule is there is no rule.

[@greyhound9967]

Everyone sings the reactive load box praises but no one has an actual answer as to why they are supposedly better. When I listen to A/B comparisons all I'm hearing is frequency response differences. The reactive load boxes sound boosted at the frequency extremes. Why not just use a simple resistive load and EQ it? Am I missing something here?

[@hootowl6354]

The Fryette website (under Power Load) says "For those looking for Attenuators, see the Fryette Power Station®". But doesn't the Power Load do the same thing - attenuate? I don't need to boost my volume like the Power Station can do, I just need to reduce it. And the Power Load has a headphone amp and jack, which I want. So why wouldn't I get a Power Load instead of a Power Station? Confused.

[@FryetteAmps]

Sounds like the Power Load is exactly what you want! The PL is the reactive load of the Power Station (without the power amp) combined with cab simulation capabilities.

[@benadam7084]

does the sound still come out the amp speaker?

[@FryetteAmps]

Yes, if you want it to.

[@benadam7084]

@@FryetteAmps ok thanks for the answer. i have a 59 bassman reissue and i am thinking of investing in your unit because despite the beautiful tone it is way too loud. i also thinking of upgrading the speakers which is why i asked the question in the first place.

[@rangle187]

Rivers only go downhill

[@hosoiarchives4858]

😅