Why I Sold My UA OX Box

[@williamholder2969]

I’m really glad that you shared this information I was on the fence regarding the OX box but the fact that UA will not be offering future updates is a dealbreaker for me especially considering Fender has already updated the ToneMaster Pro several times since it’s initial release.

[@georgebarry8640]

Real support MATTERS. This is why i avoid Line6....and why I LOVE Tech21ny.

[@djcode6983]

The ox and the ox stomp are a part of every thing I’ve release in the past 2 years. I’ve had the ox box since 2020. I haven’t had the issues others have mentioned and I use it daily. I also don’t have the need to want more IRs because I run mine into my Line 6 helix rack without any worries or issues and there are plenty of IRs on board if I want that. Or like you mentioned I can use some in the DAW. Just sounds like you had redundancy when you changed your rig, I feel like these videos are just a whole lot of saying nothing that hasn’t already been said personally. Regardless though, I’m happy you got your sound! We all choose what we enjoy, I really enjoy mine everyday. I do film and TV and it’s made up it’s worth in costs, plus some.

[@Mr_Woodchuck]

The walled garden is also why I have avoided all UA products including the Apollo interface. Also not being able to load IRs is a deal breaker.

[@iwillnevergetone5]

As soon as I saw that Power Station 100 sitting behind you, it answered the question within 2 seconds. I have several of the Fryette power amps. they are perfect at what they do. built like tanks, and perform flawlessly whether using traditional tube amps into them or modelers, or preamps. they're the best for both going into Cabs and DI recording. amazing units

[@TheSoundCoop]

4:15 On axis is with the microphone capsule parallel with the speaker cloth. Off axis would be as some degree of off angle from the speaker cloth. On axis means all frequencies got the mic diaphragm at the same time. Off axis creates various degrees of tonal filtering due to one end of the diaphragm getting frequencies sooner and the other end getting them slightly later. This causes comb or phase filtering. While the tonal shaping using off axis might be useful, the phase issues can be problematic. So typically I don't recommend EQing with Mic Axis. On Axis almost always. But this is just my 2 cents. Regardless, thanks for making this video. I recently got a Capture X and was wondering if I made a mistake not just spending the extra money and getting the Ox Box. This definitely convinced me I made the right choice. Thanks 🙌🏻

[@tanukibrahma]

Thanks for sharing your perspective. I’ve been using the OX for my amateur original projects since 2019 and think it’s great for my purposes despite the limitations you mention. Simplicity is key for me because I like to focus on the creative process and not get bogged down in technical stuff with a thousand options, not to mention the additional expense. That said, I’m always looking to up sound quality, so who knows.

[@gffg387]

Ox sucks. Get a better load box an ir/cab simulator software

[@SaviorMoney-777]

@@gffg387 It sings when I use it. Play better.

[@SaviorMoney-777]

@@gffg387 The Ox sings when I use it. Play better.

[@gffg387]

@@SaviorMoney-777 Bad load box. Ok software. But you do you, keep sucking, I don't care.

[@SaviorMoney-777]

@@gffg387 I do quite well with or without the ox. You keep blaming the tools, though. It's TOTALLY the ox's fault. 😉

[@TweedToneKing]

I’ve owned an Ox for about 3 years now. That’s a pretty honest and accurate description. Thanks

[@unclealzbbq2185]

sounds like it is badass to me i mean billy gibons ted nugent jake e lee warren george lynch david gilmor you get all those sounds from that -- and more- and you owned it 3 years ?

[@MacawAviculture]

I returned mine to Sweetwater after a few days and bought a Fryette Power Station PS-2 and Fryette Power Load IR from Musician's Friend.

[@Rummy73]

Cool video. Helpful. I agree with your summary. PS love the audio. Killer vocal clipping.

[@agalvin1313]

I recently got an ox box and really like it. Have owned the ox stomp before and that was great for Kingsley style pre amps but the ox box is like that for real amps. I have tried two notes products before and find the ox box to be vastly superior. I agree the speaker volume being 5 clicks sucks but other than that it just makes it extremely easy to play my amp out loud or silent and direct for headphones or recording by just turning a knob. Like an iphone its easier and gets great results but options are limited. The two notes captor has to be physically unplugged and is just more janky and less elegant. I waited and hoped UA would release a v2 but bought one used and so far it solved all my needs.

[@EJH-jn6mo]

It’s great for DI but as an attenuator the PS100 blows it (and everything else) away.

[@Epochstudios]

The owner of instrumental pickups ( he is also my amp tech) has shown me that the ox box and 2notes circuits are the same. He has numerous graphs and tests that show they perform the exact same. The sound is very close. Not to mention, you have way more options with the 2notes stuff than an OX Box. I use the 2notes captor and the Driftwood reactive loadbox( which imo the Driftwood loadbox is the best sounding reactive loadbox i have ever used bar none) . I digress, and my point is there isn't a large enough difference in how the ox box sounds over the 2notes stuff, especially for the price.

[@KelsterVonShredster]

I had a similar setup using my Marshall Jubilee into my Axe FM9; it was the most powerful "real amp meets digital" rig I've ever had. Not easy to setup though unless you're a digital guitar rig guy. I agree with all your sentiments.

[@jorgiewtf]

I fully understand your decision. You’ve had it for years and the OX isn’t meeting your specific needs and expectations. I had one for a couple of weeks myself and after comparing it to my Two Notes Captor X, I just didn’t find it necessary to keep it. I am however patiently waiting for an OX 2 and hoping that it has far more integration with the rest of the UA ecosystem. Hell, it would be cheeky of them to even add an extra DSP chip or 2 to it so it could serve as a “spare”satellite as well!

[@deicide100]

I run the OX through my Helix which also gives me the ability to run direct and use any IRs or Helix cabs.

[@djcode6983]

I’m doing the same. No complaints

[@chrissmart9761]

Thanks for this. I was considering getting one of these. I'm now leaning twoards the FRYETTE® POWER LOAD® IR: PL-IR or maybe the Suhr Reactive Load I.R. Anybody have opinions on those? which would you choose and why?

[@playdelay]

I bring my Ox Box every time I play silent stages. I set it and forget it so the walled garden isn't an issue but I could see the frustration.

[@caopgtr]

I run my amp through suhr ir box into my interface and load irs in DAW , put ssl 4000 and delay plugin there too , sounds fantastic , just like the PROs

[@timeconsumer325]

I've been close to buying one of these powerstations for quite a while. I think the "load down and reamp" approach really makes a lot more sense than standard attenuation and the fryette units seem to really be the best example for that kind of approach.

[@EJH-jn6mo]

Buy it. It will be your great accomplishment ever. No seriously, it’s a great investment.

[@eldoradoguitars6456]

@@EJH-jn6mo It really is. I'm going to make another video on what a great piece of kit it is. It's so useful in so many scenarios, and not just for attenuating your amp live.

[@Skiroy]

Only reason I want it because it has the only Twin Simulator I can find. Is there any way to use the software like a VST without buying the ox box? Do you know anything else that can match the 70s Twin sound with jbls?

[@slushedpuppy8044]

Just saw them on a great Black Friday sale and came across this video doing some last minute researching. Hearing that they don't regular put out updates and will now no longer support it, is enough to talk me out of the purchase.

[@JoeAugello]

I've had those random clicks / ticks and pops as well. I found that it was a clocking issue. Once I changed the internal clock of my interface to SPDIF, they went away. No need to reset the unit. The biggest gripe I have is that you can only use it digitally at 44.1. I'm surprised that was never addressed.....

[@eldoradoguitars6456]

@@JoeAugello Yeah that’s what the internet told me too but the clocks were all set correctly. That’s why UA ended up telling me to do a factory reset. But as you can see in the comments a lot of people had this issue.

[@scotthall8502]

I'm running a simialr set up at home - but using the suhr reactive load and out to an axe-fx 3 - sounds great.

[@SlimeyGuitarStrings]

I'm probably preaching to the choir that I have found the Fryette Powerstation to be the greatest tube amp accessory. I just attenuate my guitar volume and put a mic on the cab which seems to work fine. I have wondered about the Fryette PL-IR or some sort of IR solution to go with it, but honestly I dont spend a ton of time recording so it it works. I also wonder about the Boss Waza Tube Amp Expander. That seems like an insanely powerful piece of gear, but the rumors about the load being unsafe made me nervous.

[@eldoradoguitars6456]

Totally agree about the Power Station. I want to do a video on it. Incredibly useful piece of gear that extends far beyond it's price tag (just like the AxeFX, IMO). I owned a TAE but didn't care for it. The variety of reactive loads was powerful but I was always left wondering whether I was using the "right" settings or if the reamp was "true" to my amp. The power amp was also only 100w solid state, and not very loud for stage volume. Finally, the effects were not nearly as good as the OX or AxeFX.

[@evitative462]

@@eldoradoguitars6456 Regarding the TAE reactive load configs, I wonder if that's a "damned if they do, damned if they don't" kind of situation. In the video you comment that you wish that the Ox box had different impedance curves to represent different cab configurations, but that is exactly what the TAE offers. And one of the things that made the TAE more appealing to me over the Ox box. But when you had the TAE, you say you were always left wondering if you were using the "right" settings. Make no mistake, I'm not faulting you. Human psychology definitely plays into our decision making in interesting ways. I had the TAE for some time before I actually got around to using it and by the time I did, I was basically scared off from using it based on all of the negative forum comments it received regarding its configurable impedance curves. I wound up buying a Fryette PS-100 instead. I still have the TAE, but I don't know if I want to do anything with it.

[@EJH-jn6mo]

I would def caution against the boss waza. It colors the sound way too much. The OX is a much much better tool for DI. And the PS100 is by far the best attenuator IMHO.

[@eldoradoguitars6456]

@@evitative462 Haha, good call. You're right! That's exactly what I said. I guess my Power Station also has the "Deep" and "Edge" switches if I wanted to modify the reactive load but I never do. I always use Flat. Psychology is weird.

[@eldoradoguitars6456]

@@EJH-jn6mo The DI on the Power Station is no slouch. It's actually more neutral than the OX in many settings, as long as you're using the unbalanced line out in bypass mode.

[@lovingpeace9715]

I use the RedSeven Amp Central and it sounds really good but does not offer in room amp attenuation, unfortunately, but if you just want to capture your amp to your AI=>DAW it sounds really good

[@BillySoundFarm]

Great video, thanks

[@FastRedPonyCar]

Interesting take. I've got the OX box and stomp as well as the captor x, boss TAE and a powerstation and I still greatly prefer the ox box. To my ears, nothing comes close to sounding "right" the way the ox box and stomp do. For me personally, it's the best product on the market because of how well it works on stage and for me, that's the most important aspect of any product. The TAE has more flexibility on stage and midi controllable effects/amp channel switching is neat but being limited to a single IR doesn't deliver the sound I want and the effects aren't really very good. With the box, I run one output to the PA that comes into my IEM's and run the headphone output into an FRFR behind me on stage for some stage sound and this way, I can control the volume of that FRFR with the headphone output and not mess with the signal volume going to the PA. The Boss TAE can do this also which is nice. The reverb from the box is always on for me and I use a 2 button switch to toggle delay on/off and the other switch to toggle compressor that doesn't do any actual compression but just boosts the output level for solos. It's a pain to drag to shows though because I have a pelican case for it and it's one more thing to drag out. I can't tell much of a difference between the Box and my power station in terms of feel with the reactive load but I think one amazing trick the boss TAE has is the variable reactive load controls. They make a huge difference and I've got several videos where I run different devices into both the TAE and the power station to compare and contrast the sound between the two when using my Splawn 4x12. This week though, I got a Mark VII and have been messing around with different ways of running that DI since it has the built in reactive load and plan on doing a video showing it with the ox stomp, the built in cab clone and, what I'm most excited about, just running the raw DI output from the amp into my quad cortex which does effects and IR loading similar to how you're using the Axe FX III. To not only have the great sound of a tube amp on stage but also not having to drag another big case of gear from the car is really nice and that was one of the big selling points for me of the Mark VII. I agree on many other points with the OX box though. More effects would have been nice, midi would have been nice, Combo connectors on the back to use 1/4" or XLR should have been an easy no brainer, giving us the really great sounding chorus/modulation effects should have been broken out to it's own section like the reverb and delay and let us use a 3 button switch to facilitate switching chorus on/off, more cab options would be nice but I think the V30 marshall cab is perfect so not a huge deal, a line in for modelers would have been nice (yeah I know there's technically an RCA line in on the inside of the unit you can rig up to work but at this price point, I shouldn't have to), loading your own UA effects would have been incredible... I agree strongly there... One other observation I've noticed is that even if you have the speaker volume knob all the way up on the box, it's still attenuating the sound a little bit.

[@eldoradoguitars6456]

Thanks for the comment! I have never used the OX live, so I can't really comment on that but if it's working for you then I think that's great. I feel like it was always intended more as a studio tool, though. I think my big takeaway is that while the OX is good, it could have been great. There was so much more that could have been done with it but it never really happened.

[@FastRedPonyCar]

@@eldoradoguitars6456 Yeah they left a lot of potential on the table and I think maybe they just don't have a big enough team to develop/implement the things they probably want to. Hell, they don't have a PC app for the UAFX pedals and I think that's much needed. I love the lion and ox stomp and I've demoed several other of the UAFX pedals but I HAAATE using my phone screen to control them. they already have the capability to connect to the firmware update app and now they have the plugin versions of these pedals but you can't just control the physical pedal from the computer? Lame. At the end of the day though, for me, it delivers the best sound.. the most authentic sound and that's the elephant in the room that I can't overlook and the main reason why I still own mine. I've gotten great results from blending some ownhammer IR's in my QC but it still has sound characteristics that my brain immediately identifies as IR where as the OX stomp/box have my brain fooled.

[@MrMag1978]

Hey mate, I may have missed understood your comment but when you said that the Boss TAE is limited to a single IR? I have the TAE also and you can load up to 32 IR,s into the software and then have up to 10 loaded onto the unit. You can the switch live on the unit by using the dial called “rigs”

[@FastRedPonyCar]

@@MrMag1978 Sorry, I was referring to the fact that you can only use 1 single IR at a time. Devices like the Captor X, Quad cortex, fractal units, Fender tonemaster pro, etc let you load up two IR's and blend them together for (what I feel like) is a bigger and more full sound. The TAE is still in my studio because of the excellent reactive load capabilities and the ability to pass midi controllable effects to the speaker cab.

[@MrMag1978]

@@FastRedPonyCar that makes sense now... I'm really happy with the TAE and think it sounds really good.. some amps seem to sound better though as it does colour the sound a little, particularly in the low end... I use an amp switcher which then has the TAE as the Attenuator.. I just use my pedal board for all my effects. I have heard that the Fryette PS's are more transparent so I was thinking one day to add this to the collection. I was also thinking about the Ox box too which is why I watched the video. I don't really care about having 1000 choices to be honest, as long as you get a few good options for IR's built in. maybe Ox box 2 is in the making? I was a little surprised that he mentioned the Ox as a good beginner option as almost all pro studio's and pro players have an Ox which they use regularly... even years later these things are still sitting in studios...

[@shaner36]

So you are going to amp to load box than from the load box to 1/4 inch front of the axe fx? Than using the cab/effects in axe? I have the ox feel exactly same…limited with the cabs and not be able to load ir…will you please explain the exact cable routing…awesome video…also where did you get that white dvh4? Thankyou

[@pco2004]

Would like to know the same.

[@eldoradoguitars6456]

@@shaner36 Hi sorry it took me so long to respond. Here is the exact cable routing: Guitar Amp Amp 8 ohm output into Fryette PS Amp In Leave Fryette PS in Bypass mode Unbalanced 1/4” line out from the PS into Input 4 on the BACK of the AxeFX Make an AxeFX patch with Line In #4 as your initial signal then add a cab block or IR Loader block (also put in whatever effects you want) AxeFX XLR outs into UA Apollo XLR inputs UA Luna DAW

[@eldoradoguitars6456]

@@shaner36 I bought the white VH4 from a guy on Rig Talk forum. It’s a 2004. Sounds incredible. Better than a 2022, 2010, and 2002 that I owned.

[@sleepingatsea3420]

I am in a similar position as you so this video is timely for me. Ive had the Ox for a few years now and struggle with all the things you pointed out. Whilst I havent had the clicking, I do get a lot of artifacts and I've also found that some of my amps pushed just really dont sound great through it. I have a Quad Cortex and was definitely considering getting the Fryette PS2a for better attenuation for my cabs and then to run the line out to the QC for IRS and recording. Just need to bite the bullet!

[@eldoradoguitars6456]

@@sleepingatsea3420 Your described setup would basically be exactly what mine is but with QC instead of Fractal. It’s a great setup.

[@JohnPaulKeith]

I agree with all of this, but for me the biggest argument against the Ox Box is that UA's new amp plugins (Dream 65, Lion, Ruby) sound as good as any of my tube amps do through the Ox Box, and they take seconds to get going.

[@vapidwind1014]

I wish I never sold my Rivera rock crusher recording Gonna try and find one next year

[@JohnFraserFindlay]

You can run your amp thru it and use the direct/bypass spkr option into a DAW spkr emulation however.

[@p7g498]

i had a captor x. then an ox box, i liked it better than the captorx but the wifi connection issue and attenuator made me sell it and go back to the captorx. i just want to play my gear silently through headphones and the captorx is perfect for me. but the ox sounds better but 3 times the price good. twonotes is great. fryette gear is on my radar. great video

[@vogtgrant1]

I've had the same experience with the OX Box and the WAZA Tube Amp Expander. For me the PS-100 was far superior sounding and sounds the closest to the actual amps without coloring them. The others reamp the tube amps through solid state power amps unlike the Fryette Power Station.

[@EJH-jn6mo]

I have a love hate relationship with UA because of this very reason: they don’t give a shit about their customers and providing continual support for their products. So much potential for products and they just move on. And for that reason if they went out of business tomorrow it wouldnt upset me at all. In fact, it would send a great message to all the companies out there.

[@jerrymckenzie1858]

I chose the Suhr Reactive Load IR. It's super simple, (no WiFi or apps) and switching cabs is just a dial turn away which makes it very fast. Most importantly, it sounds really good and I've never felt the need to import any IRs but you can if you want to.

[@eldoradoguitars6456]

@@jerrymckenzie1858 I actually almost bought one but the AxeFx is basically the same thing as long as you have a reactive load handy, and I did (the PS) so I never ended up getting one.

[@terry2315]

I have a Torpedo Captor X. I load IRs from all over. It is ok. I have a Marshall Power Break I have used for years. I liked it ok. I like playing through a cabinet even when recording. It helps me perform better and leads to better takes. I don't play live anymore. I miss that. I don't miss lugging heavy cabinets everywhere. I am thinking about building an isolation cabinet.

[@darkscarf]

Hey Mike, great explanation of your reasoning, which is similar for why I stayed away from the Ox box and will probably move away from the Ox Stomp at some point (that I currently pair with my PS-2A) to an IR loader unit. What could be really interesting is if UA released their cab simulation as a plugin for their interfaces and maintained that offering with updates etc which would play well with their real-time monitoring with DSP approach but looks unlikely. Just another thing. I am not sure if your usage of "Bypass Mode" is accurate. Bypass switch when at bypass should connect the amp directly to the cab without the load, ie bypassing the PS completely. I think you mean a state when the device is "off" but in "operation mode" where you won't get any sound out of cabs (because the amp side is off) but the unit is in operation where the reactive load gets the amp signal down to line level, and into your Axe Fx.

[@eldoradoguitars6456]

I think maybe we're saying the same thing? What I do is turn the Power Station on (so the big green button is lit) and then I do not connect it to a cabinet or anything. I just turn my amp on and the PS soaks the load. (I think this is called "Silent Mode?") Then I use the Unbalanced Line Out into the AxeFX.

[@eldoradoguitars6456]

@darkscarf - Here's the explanation from the video about Bypass Mode: kzbin.info/www/bejne/pJSxlHuYfKx_bNUsi=BVdo8_2ucrJV89B9&t=479

[@darkscarf]

@@eldoradoguitars6456 Ah I see what you mean with "Bypass mode" now. Yeah, two ways to go about it silently. 1) With AC off(green button), you get 100W attenuation (due to fan being off) but can use the switches at the front to shape the reactive load tone. 2) With the AC on, you get the full 200W attenuation (due to fan being on) but then Fryette recommends to put the device into Bypass where you lose the switches at the front, which as you mentioned has the the most neutral attenuation. I've been using the first option but will try the second one as it indeed is safer and you can further toneshape later in DAW if needed. Cheers.

[@Nobox-eg7qu]

Connecting to the app is frustrating… I have had issue with random clicks… it needs an update! Hope UA has something up there sleeve for the ox box…

[@mynameismudd1518]

I use York Audio with my ToneX pedal and can verify. They're great!

[@seek4truth]

I read Freyette does not need to be turned on , without any cab connected, as a reactive load. Right? Do you connect a Cab and turn on PS2 to use rhe reactive load? Thanks

[@eldoradoguitars6456]

@@seek4truth Correct. I do not attach a cab. Just amp right into the PS on bypass then the unbalanced line out to the Fractal.

[@seek4truth]

@ and do you turn it on and put on bypass? I think you dont even need to turn it on. Everything should work without the power chord attached at all, and no cab connected either. Is there a reason you turn it on and put it in bypass? Thans!

[@ideaslinger]

Where did you hear that they are 'stopping development for the OX box'? I've been pounding on them for a few years, now, and I have been repeatedly told that the platform was not dead. (Also, I believe the last update was November 2019... so five years ago).

[@officialWWM]

Who cares what they mean by on or off axis? Just use your ears! One mans limitations is another mans breath of fresh air! Before these things were invented, we recorded with the gear we had and we were happy 🤷‍♂️

[@bridgestreetdesign]

In the video the guy inadvertently explains why you should care about what on and off axis mean: those are universally accepted terms for positioning a microphone a certain way, and those ways are important to know. The fact that he doesn’t know what those terms mean limits his ability to get the sound he wants. Your comment is similar to saying “Why should I care what left and right mean? I know I want my car to go over there, so I’ll just use my eyes.” While yeah - you can just use your eyes, but since everyone else knows what left and right mean, wouldn’t learning to drive be easier if you know what left and right mean as well? It’s actually a very simple concept.

[@officialWWM]

@ I know what on and off axis means, I have been recording and producing music for years. The point is, when it comes to a piece of gear like this or a modeller of any kind, it’s irrelevant. You only have the choices the manufacturer decided you should have. So use your ears and decide what sounds best in the context you are using it, because you can’t change it anyway 🤷🏻‍♂️

[@bridgestreetdesign]

@@officialWWM ok it's cool - i get your gist now.

[@Cmusic23456]

@@officialWWMI think it’s ok for him to explain this in the video. It everything he talked about is something I want to know about

[@IronSwan-ll5ju]

El dorado guitars? Why do I think of these pickups I seen on willcut guitars in Lexington called rio grand pickups or something. I always wanted to use these weird early, boutique pickups and pedals for pure obsession and fun. Idk of there’s any relation, but I belive they also had a “mud” pickup or something to do with mud. Idk

[@jdl2180]

I'm using the two note revolt bass and the two note cab M+ to record my bass. It sounds very good. Sounds as good as my Ampeg Bass amp. But it has a lot more sounds.

[@Michael-bm8hi]

The clicks is the superior way forward if you think long term. You are connecting your valuable tube amp to the Ox relying on it that the load is properly working. A potentiometer will fail over time and might cause weird effects and possible damage to your amp. A potentiometer also has a non linear behavior in regard to attenuation. Hence 80%, no 90% of its range will have literally no effect. The remaining 10% is where you will be fiddling around to set your volume. The Ox is a good compromise here.

[@louderthangod]

Love my Ox but it’s frustrating that they don’t add more cabs, mics etc. I much prefer what they do have to traditional IR’s. I don’t attenuate with it, just “silent” recording.

[@mofateam1]

UA are selling their flagship audio interfaces with 20 years old dsp technology - that says a lot about their customer relationship. But for 30€, the amp sims are a nobrainer, if you are in the plugin business. Most of their plugins are not updated - tiny GUIs, not native...- but some of them are still great anyway. I am more and more hesitant to buy new plugins.

[@Basedboomerchadbear]

Driftwood Reactive Loadbox is the unsung sleeper hero 😎🤘

[@PeachEater81]

There is plenty in the OX to get the job done until you get booked at Ocean Way and someone else is miking your wall of amps. I use it to run a bunch of different amps into my DAW and it come out the monitors. This always me to control the volume. Otherwise, I would just mic amp. The OX works great and sounds ok. I have issues with the artificial clicks mentioned. I contacted UA, tried another brand new OX, cable, etc.

[@wildmilne]

UA is a lot like Apple where they tell you what you want, not give you want you want. Regardless of how much people want it. :)

[@BillVerdon]

If players are not using speakers with amps, why not just use modelers and skip the amp altogether? Not trying to start any trouble.... just seriously curious

[@eldoradoguitars6456]

Great question! A couple of reasons off the top of my head: 1. There isn't a model of the amp you want to use (e.g., Friedman Naked, Bogner Snorkler, Carstens Grace, specific years of VH4s, etc.) 2. You like the feel and response of a real tube amp. Reactive loads are so good nowadays they can replicate the feel of a speaker completely. 3. You want to saturate the power section of your amp without blowing your face off with 120db of volume. Modelers still struggle to completely replicate power amp saturation (although its very close these days).

[@BillVerdon]

@eldoradoguitars6456 I get #1 For the other 2... are players listening through studio monitors or through a real cabinet?

[@jerrymckenzie1858]

Also many players already have amps that they really like, so adding a Loader/IR box makes using said amps very practical.

[@quantumonions]

Another benefit of modellers, specific to folks who live off-grid, a modeler drains your home batteries much less than many cranked tube amps into a reactive load.

[@5150forevermore]

Tone King Ironman II 100W. Best gear purchase I ever made.

[@jrlee243]

It was a great idea, bad execution. I returned mine the first month. Sounds great when it works. I went back to micing up cabs. That random crash was so frustrating.

[@JohnFraserFindlay]

Using it for about a year. What a great change from using guitar DAW plug ins ..kind of clunky in its design and application..

[@asnark7115]

UA Rube Goldberg Box. BTW, video starts at 11:19, lol.

[@bridgestreetdesign]

I’d be willing to bet money that the reason UA has stopped further development of the Oxbox is that it just isn’t selling in the numbers they want to see. This may be because of the price. The ox box costs twice what a captor X does, and that may be turning a lot of people off. Is one better than the other? I couldn’t tell you from first hand experience but the gist I’m getting is that the sonic difference isn’t big enough to merit the considerable cost difference.

[@Paul_Lenard_Ewing]

What puzzles me is why they have not brought out a new one. It would sell well even if obscenely overpriced because time is money for the influencers that by their status alone will have thousands buying a budget crushing product.

[@BaronsDuju]

I was almost convinced to abandon the idea of the Ox and move to your new setup… antil I looked up the cost of an Axe Effects 3. Yeah no way. :) I bet you get amazing sounds tho!

[@eldoradoguitars6456]

I know what you mean! It's not cheap 😅 That said, the AxeFX is honestly $1500 very well spent. It's been an invaluable tool for me when jamming at home, recording, or using it for effects or routing. It's just so useful in so many ways and punches far above its price point.

[@blokproperties]

I think any decent guitarist can get a good sound out of almost any guitar gear. I can’t see how you can be truly creative whilst you are thinking about your signal chain to the enth degree. On axis or off axis. ?? (Who gives a dam! Is it going to affect your playing that much.? Is such a nuance going to be noticed in a mixed track.? Is somebody listening to your track really going to be able to tell if you are on or off axis? Anybody would think there are ground breaking guitar albums being made left right and centre with all the emphasis on guitar gear . Just get on with it and play. ( I’m speaking in general of course and not being personal to you and your channel) As for the ox box I have recently got one and it’s all in one solution and presets are more than enough to inspire me to play more and be creative. Horses for courses ! Don’t let that next bit of kit you want stop you playing now!! Rant over… sorry ,

[@GregGuitarsandStuff]

I believe his approach in this video was as an engineer/producer, not performer. From an engineering/producer role, mic placement is important and the OX has very limited options (two). I didn't see anywhere in the video where he mentioned or referenced this tool impacting his performance. Given the state of digital technology available in the modern recording studio, the OX has some rather glaring deficiencies. Not being able to back up presets, no XLR's, no aftermarket or add on IR's. One update in four years with no apparent plans to address any of these issues. Complete deal breaker in my book. I wouldn't buy one knowing it's a dead product.

[@resistorstudios]

This is exactly why I have avoided jumping on any of these bandwagons. I always just mic up a cab, and use a real amp and cab. I personally hate messing around with IRs or amp sims etc. Its a waste of my time and takes too long to get a sound that "no one can tell the difference" with. If no one can tell the difference then why bother just use the real thing. Also, I could always tell the difference when tracking. In fact, I hate tracking witn DI / IRs etc.

[@mranalog241]

The OX Box is too limiting for professionals? Hmmm, I think all the professionals who use it on a daily basis would disagree. Honestly, it seems like you’re a little too caught up in concepts like a “walled garden” instead of focusing on results. The OX Box is still the benchmark for these kinds of products because it gets great sounding results quickly. That’s what most professionals value above everything else. Hopefully UA will release a V2 eventually. My OX Box has been rock solid with zero connectivity issues and I don’t really want more options to waste time. I especially don’t want to go down the IR rabbit hole. But I’m sure the reactive load could be improved, the I/O could be expanded and a new version of the software could no doubt bring some useful features.

[@NuclearDeathWalk]

UA has abandoned the OX. They've said as much. There is nothing in their roadmap regarding the OX. No dev resources allocated for cabs, mics, fx. etc. UA thinks their software sims, and AIAB pedals are the future. As a working professional, a session guitarist. Not once have I seen any guitarist in any of the studios working on commercial releases using an OX or sims for the guitar parts. This is in studios in LA and in Nashville. IN Nashville 80% of the amps are Deluxe Reverbs, Princetons or Tweeds. In LA Marshall, Vox, Deluxe Reverbs. The other 20% are boutique or other off the shelve amps like Boogies . But hey, if you're getting good results, more power to you!, Rock on!

[@analogsound1]

@ Sounds like you’re confusing the OX with an amp sim. Anyway, yes, countless professionals are getting great results from the OX Box. Great to hear you have gear that works for you too!

[@mofateam1]

i think he made his points quite convincing. btw UA is known for not updating their products. they even did not update most of their plugins to native, and look at their Spark subscription model. only a tiny fraction of their plugins is available there. Not to talk about their outdated tiny GUIs.

[@analogsound1]

@ All Apollo plugin GUIs are now resizable and I’ve been happy to see so many of them ported to native, but what does that have to do with the OX Box? I used mine for hours yesterday. It’s rock solid, dead simple and sounds fantastic. I’ll switch when someone makes a better solution, but until then the OX Box is the fastest way to get pro-level sound quality when recording tube amps.

[@mofateam1]

@@analogsound1 enjoy your ox...i used uad since 2004 and i mostly stopped buying their plugins. resizable? come on. 20years old dsp technology even in their flagship interfaces. not great.

[@shankflanker]

Can’t you just use it as a load box by bypassing the cabs and mics and going line out direct into the Fractal? I agree with you about UA not supporting this thing. I’m pretty satisfied with the sounds I’ve been getting out of my Ox, but was thinking about just using it as a load into my AxeFx III to hear what that sounds like. I think you can also run one line out with a cab sim for monitoring and the other line out direct for recording a raw track, then use cab sim plugins in a DAW. Lots of ways to experiment. If using it as a load adds too much color though, that’s a different story.

[@eldoradoguitars6456]

@@shankflanker Thanks for the thoughtful response. The Fryette is totally flat in bypass mode with no coloring (the OX does have some), and the reactive load in the Fryette feels better to me since it’s not based on a 1x12”.

[@eldoradoguitars6456]

You can learn more about the coloring of each unit in these awesome videos: 1. OX - kzbin.info/www/bejne/iqq8q32OfZh3aK8si=4FnPJUr5ot0P8AP3&t=341 2. kzbin.info/www/bejne/pJSxlHuYfKx_bNUsi=BVdo8_2ucrJV89B9&t=479

[@shankflanker]

@@eldoradoguitars6456 Fascinating series. Thanks for the tip!

[@elgravos]

Agree with everything. Lack of backups, lack of shareable presets, limited speaker / cabs in the high gain space. I've had it since release and I've ended up disappointed. Wasted opportunity.

[@NuclearDeathWalk]

For me - no updates since 2019. Dead USB ports. Darkens the sound when attenuating. Digital Outs locked to 44.1. Spotty wi-fi connectivity. Saved user presets randomly resetting to other cabs I was very impressed with the AC30 cabs... first time my vintage AC30 (67) sounded like a vox using the modeling (I've yet to hear sims or kempers etc sound like a cranked AC30) OXBOX is abandon-wear.

[@poptweaker]

Just use a DI and hard pan it, then you can use whatever IR you want or app

[@64fiestared]

Makes me glad I plug a Tele into a Princeton…

[@YeatzeeGuitar]

Very much dislike UA as a company, and so much about the OX (as you said it's an unfinished abandoned product with glaring omissions, artificial limitations, no android support, bad wifi, etc). Unfortunately there still isn't anything similar enough on the market to replace it. It has been a great tool for me especially working on amps despite the flaws, and I have you to thank for introducing me to it / letting me try one! I like the PS100 way more for live use though (still not perfect, definitely colors the sound with some amps), but I don't send direct signal to FOH which is the main advantage of the OX.

[@eldoradoguitars6456]

Totally agree with your great points. I have never used the OX live so can't comment on that but the Power Station is the best tool for that, hands down. I guess I'm surprised how good the Power Station's unbalanced line out is into the Fractal with IRs. The sound on my latest videos has been great.

[@officialWWM]

Why the hate bro? The UA pedal amps are awesome!

[@coupe-lee]

@@officialWWMfor what they are, they're definitely overpriced. It's one amp and costs significantly more than the plugin. You could say the hardware justifies the price, but that's also unfinished since there is no MIDI, headphone output, or balanced output. At that price point, I'd much rather get the Iridium, ACS-1, or the now over a decade old HX Stomp. I've also heard that the UA pedals get super hot and have the potential to struggle in higher ambient temperatures. Their products always seem overpriced, and I like a lot of the more premium pedals.🤷‍♂️

[@officialWWM]

@ well, first off, a plugin is a much cheaper thing to build cause there’s nothing to manufacture, so you’d expect it to be significantly cheaper! Secondly, it’s a pedal. It’s designed for live performance. 3rd, it doesn’t need midi! UA surveyed players to find out how many people actually use it. The result? Almost no one! Adding it for a handful of players just adds cost with very little benefit. 4th, these things cost less than a third of the actual amount they are cloning and as someone who has both, I can tell you that the differences are so small that its actually quite unbelievable. I know which one I prefer to take to a gig. In fact, the pedal has on3 major advantage, it sounds great at low volume, my AC30 doesn’t and it’s insanely loud! 5th, no balanced output? Well, I’m guessing that’s a space issue. An xlr out is large, so a compromise had to be made. It’s no big deal, I just run it into a DI box. Same deal with headphones. That requires a preamp, a volume knob and a jack plug. All adding cost and space requirements. If that’s a deal breaker for you, that’s absolutely fair enough but it’s not for many thousands of others. Personally, I’ve never played guitar into headphones unless I’m recording 🤷🏻‍♂️ As for the Iridium, I’m sorry but that pedal doesn’t even come close to this as a plying experience and comparing it to an HX Stomp is simply ridiculous 😂 Oh and I live in Australia. In case you don’t know, it’s hot here and I’ve never experienced the pedal overheating or even getting warm. I have however, had my actual AC30 overheat! The cool thing about this marketplace is that there’s lots of options and choices if you don’t like a particular thing…you can buy something else 🤷🏻‍♂️

[@coupe-lee]

@@officialWWM I definitely don't deny the sound quality, but I haven't heard anything from anyone that has convinced me it's much better than the other offerings. I chatted with someone recently that went back to the Iridium from UA because of the playing experience, actually. I was surprised. The reason I mention MIDI and other hardware absences is the fact that people seem to mention it quite regularly in reviews. It's entirely possible that UA simply didn't ask enough or the right people. I know that a plugin and a pedal should be different in cost, and I think your reading of the meaning behind that was a bit shallow. The purpose of bringing that up was to point out the fact that the hardware isn't worth the additional cost to consumers above the plugin. I just don't see how they can justify that price when the HX Stomp has significantly more digital functionality and hardware while the jump in cost is only 30% more than the UA amp pedals. Honestly, recent JHS controversy aside, John Cordy gets pretty great sounds out of the HX Stomp. I've considered getting one as a result. I totally get wanting a lightweight solution for gigs. I've got some other options. By the sound of it, you've got the Ruby, which was one of my considerations when they came out. I just haven't been shown enough that makes me go, "I need to go in on a single unit that does one amp for that price point."

[@HandWiredAmps]

All gear has limitations, but fighting with it can just kill insperation, not worth the effort. You go from making music to engineering. If im not happy with a piece of gear, its time to let it go.

[@Scott__C]

Appreciate your perspective, but I disagree with what you're saying about the mic stuff. If people are really interested in moving mics around etc., they're going to actually do that, not use an impulse response or emulation. I mean the same stuff could be said about lots of equipment. You can't buy a Mesa Mark series with EL84s. To fair with the attenuation, most are that way, and you complain about it but then say you don't use it anyway. All that said, when I bought a UA audio interface (X8P), it generated a lot of heat. I was concerned it would fail over time. I brought it back for an Antelope Orion Studio which has 4 more inputs on the front, and as near as I can tell, never gets hot. That just turned me off their products altogether.

[@bobbyarthur-yf3yf]

would have jumped on it as a second , yes beautiful for beginners but used on plenty of A list albums by pros and the speaker emulations are the why i use .. with amps heads i started touring with in early 90s but ya ... hmm but ya no arguing its frustrating they have not updated for ever but i guess its because their pedals and now plug ins kill as well

[@rockydennis5912]

Butch Walker uses his OX in the studio on records all the time. He also uses it live. So, to say it's for beginners or not for the level you are at is misleading and kind of funny.

[@Guitarman007]

... because you finally tried the Fryette Power Station... end of video.

[@eldoradoguitars6456]

I've owned both for years.

[@Guitarman007]

@@eldoradoguitars6456 So you realized you didn't use the OX as much because it changes the tone too much and the Fryette is much more transparent? I don't have to watch your video to know this is your conclusion. I guess if you had done a good a/b compare years ago, you would have figured that out quickly.

[@Guitarman007]

@@eldoradoguitars6456 just skipped to the end of your video and found out I was right.

[@DreidMusicalX]

I'm now glad I never bought one and I just use a Mooer Gold 012 Pre amp pedal as my attenuator in my effects loops and actually make the amp sound better as well as controlling the volume levels to take a 100 watt Marshall DSL head down to iPhone level playing if you want. $80.00. Its also has Mid, Bass, Treble, and Gain control.

[@brianparker1081]

The connection issue is a deal breaker. It took me months to get it to work and to make it work I had to change internet providers. UA was worthless and rude when I was in need of help. Email after email after email of nonsense. A friend IT person came over and told me to move to another internet provider, and it worked ... sometimes. That cost me 100 dollars because my friend works for money not friendship... no shade to them. Be aware of this critical roadblock it will get frustrating. I will be selling mine.

[@justsomeguy1074]

If manufacturer can't provide a decent Internet connection today their product should not be on the market.

[@MrFunRI]

I noticed you have several different Amps and probably several instruments. It’s a tool in the arsenal not the be all. But if you’re done with it, then you’re done.

[@ritzenhauf]

Why are they so awful at connection?! So frustrating

[@CaptainRon1913]

Sounds like UA kind of did a rug pull on it's customers

[@officialWWM]

This thing is ridiculously expensive!

[@MrSupercracker1]

why make the assumption that a beginner wants ez to use? Ive played and toured for 30 years and all I want is easy..

[@eldoradoguitars6456]

I'm talking about recording in the studio :)

[@tonyrapa-tonyrapa]

no worries dude, all those cons....someone else's problem now.

[@therealmiddy]

UA has good dsp programmers. But their interface programmers are stupid. Probably outsourced to underpaid remote workers in Pakistan or the Philippines.

[@ThemFuzzyMonsters]

The total abandonment of the OX by UA is infuriating! Such a wasted opportunity.

[@eldoradoguitars6456]

I think this is the worst thing.

[@jessejuno5317]

I love my OX. Keeping mine. What’s this BS about beginners stuff. This is for everybody….the real reason your selling your ox is because your going digital….

[@deadgypsy6780]

The fryette ps100 is far superior anyway

[@GingerLeftyGuitar]

A bit of advice. If you really want to make professional recordings, then educate yourself about this stuff. On and off axis are not concepts that UAD came up with. They are standard microphone practice across the entire recording industry, and something anyone professing to being beyond beginner level, should absolutely know about, and what they do for your tone.

[@eldoradoguitars6456]

Thank you for the advice, I appreciate it. I’m familiar with the difference between an on-axis and off-axis mic and the impact on tone. On-axis refers to a mic pointed directly at the sound source, while off-axis means it’s angled slightly to the side, resulting in a brighter tone for the former and a darker, fuller tone for the latter. What I’m highlighting in this video is that UA doesn’t provide specific details about the actual positioning of the mics in relation to the cab or speaker, which makes it harder to fully understand the tonal setup.

[@mofateam1]

so smart you are

[@unclealzbbq2185]

Had it 3 years almost 4 must be pretty damn good -- Bidenomics is why you are selling it- I mean what do i KNOW I run a diezel pual into 412 friedman str8 up chorus and delay.. but the cabinet selection from blues to metal on this thing from what i seen is awesome..Stop chasing Imaginary tone people and just play - YOU WILL NEVER SOUND LIKE A STUDIO RECORDING EVER ! did I say ever- ?