I use the Bugera PS-1 attenuator an absolutely love it. I use it with my Diezel VH4 and VHX Which are annoyingly loud and you need to make them loud to sound good. I finally Bugera does not really color the sound and in fact it makes the clean channel on the VH4 sounds so much better because you don’t blow your ears out by raising the gain and volume
Fryette Power Station is another GREAT option for "attenuation" but has the added feature of taking a low power amp (ie 5watt) and turning it into a 50 watt tube amp. I have the Captor X, Suhr Reactive Load, and the Fryette Power Station. They all serve a purpose.
Can someone explain to me what the purpose of attenuation is if you where to record straight into irs into a computer? Isn’t attenuation at that point unnecessary ? I did read someone say something like you can’t attenuate the volume if playing through monitors if your device couldn’t attenuate, this confused me. I’m personally interested in the waza although I have heard moving it’s reactive load switches can lead to amp failure . But yeah that aside , how does attenuation play into recording directly into a load box? Can’t you just set it an ay volume and you’ll be fine anyways? You can’t just adjust the volume on your monitors? Lol
I got myself the Captor X, after the review of Rhett Schull. What makes it special is, that it is not that clunky as the OX, so I put it into my gigbag and take it to rehearsals. And can get a better sound, as now my guitar is also going through the PA. And yes, it is extremely easy to load your own IRs - like the ones I bought from Celestion, to go with my Vox Amp.
I have an original non-X Captor. It provides that juicy dynamic load, but it requires I run into an audio interface and apply IRs and effects via plug-ins in my daw. It requires that I do the work and isn't as plug and play, but very affordable and I like having total control.
I'm a powerstation guy, so I have no interest in these products, as far as IRs or attenuation. The PS is the best sounding attenuator on the market (by far in my opinion) and I can run a line out into an interface for IRs if I need to. I've owned an ox, captor X, ironman, hotplate, and a million others, and this way works the best for me. Your mileage may vary. That being said, this is an incredibly well done, insightful, and thoughtful video, with great sounds and production. It does a great job of describing the best use-case and pros and cons of all these products, and I appreciate that Phil does videos like this, where he knows its not going to be an algorithm smashing massive hit. Because this is the kind of product information guitar players *need*, whether they want it or not - and youtube is a better place because its out there. Good job, phil.
Thanks for the honest comparison. It helps that you have multiple options and can speak to the best or their applications. It was what I needed to decide to get an 8ohm or 16ohm Captor X (I chose the 8 since I want to use the IR for cab and mic configurations since I have always bought combo amps and have since run out of space in my small home studio. I have all the core recording amps and while some have built-in attenuation (Laney IronHeart IRT 30-112, MesaBoogie Dual Caliber DC-5, EVH 5150 III Iconic, Peavey Bandit 112, Marshall DSL40CR), there are several that just can't be tamed unless there is a resistor-style attenuator (I found simple ones from Donner that work really well) in the FX loop (Peavey Studio PRO 40, Orange Crush PRO 30, Fender Hot Rod Deluxe IV, Vox AC-30), but then there is the need for 8V power and extra cabling. I have several solid-state combo amps that have built-in modelling (Blackstar ID: CORE 100, Fender Mustang GTX100, and a Boss Katana LE 100 MkII). So this is a way to get years of tone chasing PLUS all the IRs for speaker cabinets, microphones, and placement configurations at a MUCH MORE AFFORDABLE price and smaller foot print. Greatly appreciated.
I had both the Captor X and Ox, but for my use, the OX was way easier to get a good sound via headphones, and there is an on/off switch. You have to fiddle a lot more with the Captor X with settings and lack of physical control. I got rid if the Captor X, and the UA OX price was well worth it.
That whole WiFi thing was the biggest hurdle for me with the OX, and it definitely took me a few tries to get all the connectivity sorted out. But once I got it going, man…the honeymoon is still going a couple years later.
Or just buy a Hughes and Kettner GrandMeister/Tubemeister and get your excellent tube amp, balanced line out, great attenuater, and decent cab sim all in one surprisingly compact unit. Although the cab sim is the weakest link IMO, you can easily turn it off, record DI, and run it through the IR of your choice.
I do a similar thing to feed signal to my audio interface using the original Rivera Rockcrusher and the Mooer Radar and it works great. The Rockcrusher is a reactive load/attenuator and has line out which I run to the Mooer Radar cab simulator, which has IR's and allows you to load your own if you want. While my set up does not have any FX, all that can be added in your DAW. At $550 for the the Rivera and $150 for the Mooer it way less then the OX. YOu can get the Mini Rockcrusher recording which has no attenuation but is a loadbox and is ~ $400. Personally I bought the original Rockcrusher used for $400 (which is a great attenuator) and the Mooer new for $150. Another bonus is the Rockcrusher is not powered so you don't have to plug it in to the wall. Phil used to have a Rockcrusher, not sure why he moved away from it.
I was thinking of something similar. Marshall TSL100 -> Two notes Captor -> Mooer Radar or TN CAB M+ -> DAW. i mean the TN Captor is on sale for $219 which is super cheap. I don't need the effect or attenuator on a Captor x and thats on sale for $500 which is still alot of monmey (silent recording and In Ears).
i love that when i used the captor x just for attenuating you don't have to plug it in and turn it on, it doesn't need to be connected to power and still attenuates so that's cool just for a little quick playing real fast if I want to not have to keep it on or go to the trouble (small trouble I know) of powering it
Thanks for posting this. I sold my Weber attenuator for the Captor X and regretted it. I replaced that with the UA OX box and am more than thrilled with it. My #1 complaint about the Captor X was that mostly useless two position switch on the back that never takes your amp down to silent without unplugging the cab. The middle position was still too loud and the low position was way too low but not silent. That's just my experience YMMV
Great demonstration !!! been using the captor X in the studio and live for over a year think it's amazing - great suggestions for alternatives - keep up the great work ☕️🤠👍🏽
I have the captor and besides the price point after watching review videos the biggest reason was form factor, looks and of course the huge price difference. I liked the idea of being able to load ir's. Also, my desk space is limited and I love how the captor looks and it's small footprint. The ox is huge! And in my opinion it's ugly. It looks like some 70's retro design. I can't stand the brown/beige look. It reminds me of the old appliances from the 70's. It reminds me of the brady bunch. That's just my opinion. I do think from the vids it has better options and the on/off swtich. My biggest complaint on the captor is no on/off switch and no switch to turn off the cabinet. I plugged mine up to a furman conditioner- so that solved my problem with that piece but I can't stand having to unplug the cab depending on if I want to record silently or use my cab with attenuation. Sound wise I have no complaints. Feel wise, the captor x feels great. It has that feel when i crank my amp up. I do wish we had more attenuation options but just being nitpicky and certainly not a deal breaker. Great vid man. We are so spoiled having youtube gear reviews to help us decide on gear. I am super happy with my captor x. No regrets.
TRS/XLR combo jacks are input/female-female only. As of right now, to my knowledge, no one makes and output/male-female version. That said, while the two notes doesn't have the space, there's no reason the ox couldn't have added XLRs.
I feel that the ox is so huge at times. I used to have one but it always felt like it can be slimmer. They can also improve spdif to something else. Wish Suhr would release an attenuator since they have lodboxes/irs.
Got a Captor X, used for £250. Cannot beat that price, works really well. Bonus use at gigs, absolutely fantastic features when connecting to a PA and easy to use. Love it!
did you still have to go and buy any software direct from two notes? i've been looking at 2nd hand but don't want to then spend another £100 and it be more expensive that just buying new..
I have an ox, and noticed the lower upper frequencies, so I added more on the amp head and solved the problem. I may well end up with a captor x as well though for flexibility.
Another great thing to point out is that the Two-Notes Cab M+ includes a license of their Wall of Sound plugin. So you can come out of the Captor or Ironman direct into your recording interface, and add the cab sim on the back end, for more flexibility when mixing.
I have a TAE and yes, it does all of these things. There is some talk, however, about the TAE not being safe for all amps. Dave Friedman and John Suhr have been talking about this for awhile. I'm sure it's safe 99% of the time but might be worth checking out if you're going to be running your vintage plexi into a TAE.
you can choose direct mics on the ox and then use IRs in your DAW. kind of an annoying workaround but it does work. The only thing I care about is how these sound recorded, I have the ox but im interested in the captor.
Reasons I love the EU: the gimmicky proprietary power on the Ox will be bannned. All consumer electronics moving to ONE standard. Inarguably a very good idea.
I went back and forth between the OX and the Captor-X for months. I read many users had trouble with their wireless connection with your iPad, many lost connection. Plus like you stated OX is Twice as much. I got the Captor-X in 8ohm I use my in ears with my Captor and the room sounds sound killer. I love UA products as I own a UA Apollo/Twin. Phil, do a video on how you have all your cables hooked up, hopefully you don't have to pull out your amp head to hookup. My First Attenuator was a Weber 150 Max or something like that, great attenuator at not a high price tag. Great video.
Phillip, you’re going to have too adopt me, as you’re costing me a fortune with these new goodies that I MUST HAVE!!! I did however send my Ox Box back and purchased the Captor X, as it fits nicely in my studio and even the attenuator works fantastically with my late 70’s Marshall JMP and it’s Master volume. Sounds terrific and the new DynIR’s are something else… WOW!!! Thanks for another great review and please think about the adoption thing. Best! ✌🏼
i have both the two notes products love them both- easy to use- played a live show with the torpedo- and no issues- i do wish the plug was on the side out of the way - from all the other inputs and where cables would be
I like using my Milkman The Amp 50 and running it into a cab sim or mic a cab (or both). I also like it because it has become my gigging amp also for shows. For me, it fits all my needs. I really like how we have so many options now to choose from
I had the OX for a year and struggled with it. At times, the Wi-Fi wouldn’t connect, which was annoying. IMO, there are only a handful of good IRs available. They’re great, but the fact you can’t try third party IRs was also annoying. The size of the unit I think is a bit overkill. There is also a weird clipping or just strange “sizzle” with OD and higher distorted sounds. I ultimately sold it, too expensive and I wasn’t happy with it. I want to try the Captor, but I fear it will be the same. I don’t think they are quite there with this technology yet.
I’ve had them ALL.. and out of the box the Ox is so amazing. The Ox still sounds much much better to me than the Captor or Boss Waza TAE. For pure “studio guitar sounds” the Ox still can’t be beat.
Funny, cos lot of metal players (who use big wattage proper amps) have always said the reactive load on the tae far outclasses the ox box. The ox has software to make up for the hardware inadequacies according to them since the impedance load has a curve that doesn't resemble any production speaker unlike the fryette/Suhr/waza Phil also mentioned that the ox feels off and that's due to their bad reactive load design.
@@prasanthselvadurai3450 The Waza curve is the same as Ox. This is all just my opinion speaking of the tone of the units, not facts. Just try them out.
I'm interested in where the Boss Waza Tube Amp Expander fits in with these as i think it does a bit of everything these do. Any chance of having a look at it?
@@witchell8976 Yeah, I like my TAE, and it's certainly got more options than my captor, but I don't know that I'd say either is better or worse sounding? The ability to add an effects loop to my loopless amps and increase the output of my 15W amp is nice though.
@@adam614ce good thing you can add your own irs to make the waza sound better as more irs get released over time. You can try load irs into the ox, oh wait you can't.
@@prasanthselvadurai3450 No you can use IR’s with OX with a IR Loader. Do some more research, most your info is wrong. You put too much value on others opinions. Try them out for yourself.
So disappointed UA abandoned this unit after we spent all that money. Only one update and no plans to release one. I’ve enjoyed the OX but will be selling to get the x.
@@mranalog241 just more cabs, the ability to buy or expand the collection. Don’t get me wrong you can get some good metal sounds, but nothing along the lines of an uberkab. Captor has more options.
I have the iron man II and use it just to hit the sweet spot on my high wattage amps...not so much on recording. One I startup logic and "think" I'm ready to record I loose all inspiration and attention to what I need to do and focus on everything else but playing. Grip it and rip it is the way I go... my patience to record anything is that of a sloth.
I am running a 100 watt plexi through a captor x and the fan is going crazy and can hear it going 1 million miles an hour in the room. I also hear this weird breakup swishing with the OX only through monitors that is very up front but with the captor x, a cab or anything else it's there but very much in the background.
I purchased the Bugera attenuater $50 and passive , I lost some tone (treble and some midrange) but with a decent equalizer and patience. Know where in or of the Universal “OX” Audio
I wish the Captor X came with 16 ohms and 8 ohms in the same box. I bought one of these at a killer price and had to return it because I didn’t realize it was only 8 ohms. My cabinet is an Orange 2 x 12 which is only 16 ohms, maybe I’m not understanding ohms but I figured I would have to get the 16 ohm version of the Captor X.
I have the Captor X, the attenuation is ok but I had a very hard time getting a good tone from the line out. TBH I'm still not totally happy with that. I move back and forth between their own speaker models and IRs. Sometimes mixing both on Logic with their Wall of Sound thing. Sample: th-cam.com/video/KvQx5Bm5LfE/w-d-xo.html
Yea I have the cab m for running direct with no amp. And I combine that with the captor 8 (not the captor x) For my amp stuff. The car m and captor 8 together are the same price of a captor x but I have more flexibility be able to run no amp at all straight into the cab m
With an ironman 2 you can also save money for sometime before buying the cab m by using the two notes wall of sound or other ir loader via pc. I own a captor x and o love it for every aspect.
Good, unbiased input. Thanks. However, isn't half the picture being missed? At least for studio use, the software side appears to be where big differences and usability preferences lie. Rather than impulses, the Ox provides a simple, fun, fast user interface that allows using various mics, combinations of mics, positioning and blends/mixing of them. Admittedly, I don't have any of these but have been shopping for two years. I keep stalling, hoping for an "Ox2" that improves some of its drawbacks, particularly gaining hard wiring vs relying on wifi. Would also like it a little smaller with additional effects controls on the front and a 100% bypass of the attenuator. All things that seem very simple and inexpensive to integrate.
Great video thanks Phil. Considering selling my Kemper and going down this route so I can use my tube amps instead. The Kemper is great but as I always end up trying to mimic my tube amps and pedals I may as well play them. The Ironman looks an interesting if expensive option compared to the "X" but maybe the Ironman Mini might do?
I use the Bugera PS-1 attenuator an absolutely love it. I use it with my Diezel VH4 and VHX Which are annoyingly loud and you need to make them loud to sound good. I finally Bugera does not really color the sound and in fact it makes the clean channel on the VH4 sounds so much better because you don’t blow your ears out by raising the gain and volume
I do have the Captor X. The price, the "swiss army knife" nature, the built in effects, stereo imaging, tweakability and compact size did it for me.
I am running a 100 watt plexi through a a captor x and the fan is going crazy and can hear it going 1 million miles an hour in the room. Any issues?
Fryette Power Station is another GREAT option for "attenuation" but has the added feature of taking a low power amp (ie 5watt) and turning it into a 50 watt tube amp. I have the Captor X, Suhr Reactive Load, and the Fryette Power Station. They all serve a purpose.
Tone king iron man 2 mini is also a great option
Not to mention line out for silent recording and a really good effects loop!
i also have the suhr and the fryette as well as the boss waza. i had the ox and sold it. all are great but i didn’t need four. :)
Me i have a house in Switzerland, a porshe, a Benz AMG and a wife with big hooters...they all serve a purpose...feeling it man👍
Can someone explain to me what the purpose of attenuation is if you where to record straight into irs into a computer?
Isn’t attenuation at that point unnecessary ? I did read someone say something like you can’t attenuate the volume if playing through monitors if your device couldn’t attenuate, this confused me.
I’m personally interested in the waza although I have heard moving it’s reactive load switches can lead to amp failure .
But yeah that aside , how does attenuation play into recording directly into a load box? Can’t you just set it an ay volume and you’ll be fine anyways? You can’t just adjust the volume on your monitors? Lol
I got myself the Captor X, after the review of Rhett Schull. What makes it special is, that it is not that clunky as the OX, so I put it into my gigbag and take it to rehearsals. And can get a better sound, as now my guitar is also going through the PA. And yes, it is extremely easy to load your own IRs - like the ones I bought from Celestion, to go with my Vox Amp.
Was planning for an ox but realized tone King is probably the best attenuator so that’s most suitable. Thank you.
"just put comments down below, get it out of your system"
Love this free-speaking version of Phil!!
This is every reason why I love this channel in one video it's amazing
Most information I’ve had put out there about the process and individual units. Thanks Phil!
I just noticed the Ashy Slashy on the shelf. Awesome!!
Great video too.
I have an original non-X Captor. It provides that juicy dynamic load, but it requires I run into an audio interface and apply IRs and effects via plug-ins in my daw. It requires that I do the work and isn't as plug and play, but very affordable and I like having total control.
I'm a powerstation guy, so I have no interest in these products, as far as IRs or attenuation. The PS is the best sounding attenuator on the market (by far in my opinion) and I can run a line out into an interface for IRs if I need to. I've owned an ox, captor X, ironman, hotplate, and a million others, and this way works the best for me. Your mileage may vary.
That being said, this is an incredibly well done, insightful, and thoughtful video, with great sounds and production. It does a great job of describing the best use-case and pros and cons of all these products, and I appreciate that Phil does videos like this, where he knows its not going to be an algorithm smashing massive hit. Because this is the kind of product information guitar players *need*, whether they want it or not - and youtube is a better place because its out there. Good job, phil.
Yes sir. Dig it.
Wooo! Been waiting for this! I own the Captor X and have been thinking about getting the Ironman II.
I own the Captor X. Absolutely love it for he use. Headphones sound amazing and the attenuation and features are great.
I have the standard 8ohm Captor Non-X version. It does attenuation at bedroom levels or silent recording flawlessly and for less money.
Thanks for the honest comparison. It helps that you have multiple options and can speak to the best or their applications. It was what I needed to decide to get an 8ohm or 16ohm Captor X (I chose the 8 since I want to use the IR for cab and mic configurations since I have always bought combo amps and have since run out of space in my small home studio. I have all the core recording amps and while some have built-in attenuation (Laney IronHeart IRT 30-112, MesaBoogie Dual Caliber DC-5, EVH 5150 III Iconic, Peavey Bandit 112, Marshall DSL40CR), there are several that just can't be tamed unless there is a resistor-style attenuator (I found simple ones from Donner that work really well) in the FX loop (Peavey Studio PRO 40, Orange Crush PRO 30, Fender Hot Rod Deluxe IV, Vox AC-30), but then there is the need for 8V power and extra cabling. I have several solid-state combo amps that have built-in modelling (Blackstar ID: CORE 100, Fender Mustang GTX100, and a Boss Katana LE 100 MkII). So this is a way to get years of tone chasing PLUS all the IRs for speaker cabinets, microphones, and placement configurations at a MUCH MORE AFFORDABLE price and smaller foot print. Greatly appreciated.
For recording I use the Suhr Reactive Load IR. It's simple, fast and sounds great.
I had both the Captor X and Ox, but for my use, the OX was way easier to get a good sound via headphones, and there is an on/off switch. You have to fiddle a lot more with the Captor X with settings and lack of physical control. I got rid if the Captor X, and the UA OX price was well worth it.
Really? The detailed software Wall of Sound didn’t do it for you?
That whole WiFi thing was the biggest hurdle for me with the OX, and it definitely took me a few tries to get all the connectivity sorted out. But once I got it going, man…the honeymoon is still going a couple years later.
I have a Friedman Runt 20 and it has a cab sim balanced out built in. Works brilliantly.
Yeah now i understand more about attenuators thanks Phil
Or just buy a Hughes and Kettner GrandMeister/Tubemeister and get your excellent tube amp, balanced line out, great attenuater, and decent cab sim all in one surprisingly compact unit. Although the cab sim is the weakest link IMO, you can easily turn it off, record DI, and run it through the IR of your choice.
Captor X all the way!
🇫🇷🇫🇷🇫🇷🇫🇷🇫🇷🇫🇷
This is gonna be very interesting that you Philip for all the great content!
What a fantastic video! Been waiting for this. Glad I got my captor X
I do a similar thing to feed signal to my audio interface using the original Rivera Rockcrusher and the Mooer Radar and it works great. The Rockcrusher is a reactive load/attenuator and has line out which I run to the Mooer Radar cab simulator, which has IR's and allows you to load your own if you want. While my set up does not have any FX, all that can be added in your DAW. At $550 for the the Rivera and $150 for the Mooer it way less then the OX. YOu can get the Mini Rockcrusher recording which has no attenuation but is a loadbox and is ~ $400. Personally I bought the original Rockcrusher used for $400 (which is a great attenuator) and the Mooer new for $150. Another bonus is the Rockcrusher is not powered so you don't have to plug it in to the wall. Phil used to have a Rockcrusher, not sure why he moved away from it.
I was thinking of something similar. Marshall TSL100 -> Two notes Captor -> Mooer Radar or TN CAB M+ -> DAW. i mean the TN Captor is on sale for $219 which is super cheap. I don't need the effect or attenuator on a Captor x and thats on sale for $500 which is still alot of monmey (silent recording and In Ears).
i love that when i used the captor x just for attenuating you don't have to plug it in and turn it on, it doesn't need to be connected to power and still attenuates so that's cool just for a little quick playing real fast if I want to not have to keep it on or go to the trouble (small trouble I know) of powering it
I bought 2 Captor X. I also have 2 Cab M pedals. They sound fantastic. Great stuff. I use UA Apollo and plugins but I still prefer the X
Yessss this has been a theory of mine for a while. That you’re better off getting a seperate attenuator. Thanks Phil
Thanks for posting this. I sold my Weber attenuator for the Captor X and regretted it. I replaced that with the UA OX box and am more than thrilled with it. My #1 complaint about the Captor X was that mostly useless two position switch on the back that never takes your amp down to silent without unplugging the cab. The middle position was still too loud and the low position was way too low but not silent. That's just my experience YMMV
Great demonstration !!! been using the captor X in the studio and live for over a year think it's amazing - great suggestions for alternatives - keep up the great work ☕️🤠👍🏽
I have the captor and besides the price point after watching review videos the biggest reason was form factor, looks and of course the huge price difference. I liked the idea of being able to load ir's. Also, my desk space is limited and I love how the captor looks and it's small footprint. The ox is huge! And in my opinion it's ugly. It looks like some 70's retro design. I can't stand the brown/beige look. It reminds me of the old appliances from the 70's. It reminds me of the brady bunch. That's just my opinion. I do think from the vids it has better options and the on/off swtich. My biggest complaint on the captor is no on/off switch and no switch to turn off the cabinet. I plugged mine up to a furman conditioner- so that solved my problem with that piece but I can't stand having to unplug the cab depending on if I want to record silently or use my cab with attenuation. Sound wise I have no complaints. Feel wise, the captor x feels great. It has that feel when i crank my amp up. I do wish we had more attenuation options but just being nitpicky and certainly not a deal breaker. Great vid man. We are so spoiled having youtube gear reviews to help us decide on gear. I am super happy with my captor x. No regrets.
TRS/XLR combo jacks are input/female-female only. As of right now, to my knowledge, no one makes and output/male-female version. That said, while the two notes doesn't have the space, there's no reason the ox couldn't have added XLRs.
I’ve gone down the TwoNotes path with a Captor 8 + CabM. Works seamlessly!
I feel that the ox is so huge at times. I used to have one but it always felt like it can be slimmer. They can also improve spdif to something else. Wish Suhr would release an attenuator since they have lodboxes/irs.
Got a Captor X, used for £250. Cannot beat that price, works really well. Bonus use at gigs, absolutely fantastic features when connecting to a PA and easy to use. Love it!
did you still have to go and buy any software direct from two notes? i've been looking at 2nd hand but don't want to then spend another £100 and it be more expensive that just buying new..
@@tomholderness9419 I did not have to buy anything. Default cabs were more than enough for me and good to use without the need to spend extra money.
I have an ox, and noticed the lower upper frequencies, so I added more on the amp head and solved the problem. I may well end up with a captor x as well though for flexibility.
Very informative video, made things pretty clear about these products. Makes it easier to go down the rabbit hole to find out more.
Thank you for doing all the research. Much appreciated.
Another great thing to point out is that the Two-Notes Cab M+ includes a license of their Wall of Sound plugin. So you can come out of the Captor or Ironman direct into your recording interface, and add the cab sim on the back end, for more flexibility when mixing.
I have a TAE and yes, it does all of these things. There is some talk, however, about the TAE not being safe for all amps. Dave Friedman and John Suhr have been talking about this for awhile. I'm sure it's safe 99% of the time but might be worth checking out if you're going to be running your vintage plexi into a TAE.
Great comparisons. I have a torpedo live and have been debating an attenuator. You just gave me another to look in to. Thanks Phil!
you can choose direct mics on the ox and then use IRs in your DAW. kind of an annoying workaround but it does work. The only thing I care about is how these sound recorded, I have the ox but im interested in the captor.
"Run to the front of your audience" I'm lost. I am still one of those guys that plays just through an amp. Please teach me your magical ways PHIL
Yup, you nailed it. Thanks Phillip.....
Very educational. Love the video. Thank you Phill
Reasons I love the EU: the gimmicky proprietary power on the Ox will be bannned. All consumer electronics moving to ONE standard. Inarguably a very good idea.
Good stuff Phill, well worth the time. Thanks!
I went back and forth between the OX and the Captor-X for months. I read many users had trouble with their wireless connection with your iPad, many lost connection. Plus like you stated OX is Twice as much. I got the Captor-X in 8ohm I use my in ears with my Captor and the room sounds sound killer. I love UA products as I own a UA Apollo/Twin. Phil, do a video on how you have all your cables hooked up, hopefully you don't have to pull out your amp head to hookup. My First Attenuator was a Weber 150 Max or something like that, great attenuator at not a high price tag. Great video.
Phillip, you’re going to have too adopt me, as you’re costing me a fortune with these new goodies that I MUST HAVE!!!
I did however send my Ox Box back and purchased the Captor X, as it fits nicely in my studio and even the attenuator works fantastically with my late 70’s Marshall JMP and it’s Master volume. Sounds terrific and the new DynIR’s are something else… WOW!!!
Thanks for another great review and please think about the adoption thing.
Best! ✌🏼
i have both the two notes products love them both- easy to use- played a live show with the torpedo- and no issues- i do wish the plug was on the side out of the way - from all the other inputs and where cables would be
I like using my Milkman The Amp 50 and running it into a cab sim or mic a cab (or both). I also like it because it has become my gigging amp also for shows. For me, it fits all my needs.
I really like how we have so many options now to choose from
I had the OX for a year and struggled with it. At times, the Wi-Fi wouldn’t connect, which was annoying. IMO, there are only a handful of good IRs available. They’re great, but the fact you can’t try third party IRs was also annoying. The size of the unit I think is a bit overkill. There is also a weird clipping or just strange “sizzle” with OD and higher distorted sounds. I ultimately sold it, too expensive and I wasn’t happy with it. I want to try the Captor, but I fear it will be the same. I don’t think they are quite there with this technology yet.
Had my Captor x for nearly 9 months and no issues
And you have the ability to load any IR you want onto it plus you got mobile phone tweakability with the Remote app
I’ve had them ALL.. and out of the box the Ox is so amazing. The Ox still sounds much much better to me than the Captor or Boss Waza TAE. For pure “studio guitar sounds” the Ox still can’t be beat.
Funny, cos lot of metal players (who use big wattage proper amps) have always said the reactive load on the tae far outclasses the ox box. The ox has software to make up for the hardware inadequacies according to them since the impedance load has a curve that doesn't resemble any production speaker unlike the fryette/Suhr/waza Phil also mentioned that the ox feels off and that's due to their bad reactive load design.
@@prasanthselvadurai3450 The Waza curve is the same as Ox. This is all just my opinion speaking of the tone of the units, not facts. Just try them out.
Excellant job, thanks.
Thank you for this. Food for thought👍🏻
Great breakdown Phil
Thank you Phil, that was a really helpful video :)
I just played a blues solo over your comparison backing track. Lol . . Oh, great video, glad to see your still not a company man.
Awesome information ! I have both and agree with everything you said
Great info, great 3rd option!
I have the same Ironman 2 that is in this video. I think it blows them both away if you don't want all the extra effects.
I'm interested in where the Boss Waza Tube Amp Expander fits in with these as i think it does a bit of everything these do. Any chance of having a look at it?
@@witchell8976 WAZA doesn’t sound as good as the Ox. There is a video comparing them.
@@witchell8976 Yeah, I like my TAE, and it's certainly got more options than my captor, but I don't know that I'd say either is better or worse sounding? The ability to add an effects loop to my loopless amps and increase the output of my 15W amp is nice though.
@@hairnation68 It really doesn’t I’ve had both, The Ox Box is so much better sounding.
@@adam614ce good thing you can add your own irs to make the waza sound better as more irs get released over time. You can try load irs into the ox, oh wait you can't.
@@prasanthselvadurai3450 No you can use IR’s with OX with a IR Loader. Do some more research, most your info is wrong. You put too much value on others opinions. Try them out for yourself.
One attenuator that's no longer being manufactured but I would love your take on all the same, Mr. Mcknight, is the SR&D Power Soak.
I’m using a Rivera mini RocRec and am quite happy with it. Noy quite as many features. But it works well.
Another option is the Tube amp expander. It’s all of these boxes in one. But pricey
Having tried all of these, the Boss WAZA tube amp expander is the best one.
Still cheaper than the ox
Am I the only one kind of waiting for an “Ox 2.0” before I purchase 😂
So disappointed UA abandoned this unit after we spent all that money. Only one update and no plans to release one. I’ve enjoyed the OX but will be selling to get the x.
@@wesliggett2454 What is the Ox missing that requires an update? It seems pretty far ahead of the Captor in terms of features.
@@mranalog241 just more cabs, the ability to buy or expand the collection. Don’t get me wrong you can get some good metal sounds, but nothing along the lines of an uberkab. Captor has more options.
Ox looks like some kind of Radio Shack electronics projects kit.
Totally has that Heathkit vibe.
I have the iron man II and use it just to hit the sweet spot on my high wattage amps...not so much on recording. One I startup logic and "think" I'm ready to record I loose all inspiration and attention to what I need to do and focus on everything else but playing. Grip it and rip it is the way I go... my patience to record anything is that of a sloth.
How to get around the Captor only doing 8 ohm: I bought a Weber Z-Matcher and now I can use any amp with my Captor X.
Excellent video! Succinct and informative.
Thanks Phil.
I am running a 100 watt plexi through a captor x and the fan is going crazy and can hear it going 1 million miles an hour in the room. I also hear this weird breakup swishing with the OX only through monitors that is very up front but with the captor x, a cab or anything else it's there but very much in the background.
Thanks Phil, I've been wondering about these three... I got the NUX cab sim pedal, so all I realy need is the Ironman :)
Thoughtfully done video.
Love my ox and I love my captor x
Great video keep em comming
Super helpful vid, thanks
That Tone King there, that’s something I’m very interested in.
I purchased the Bugera attenuater $50 and passive , I lost some tone (treble and some midrange) but with a decent equalizer and patience. Know where in or of the Universal “OX” Audio
Great info.
Hi Randy, thank you for being a member and helping me make content. Hope to see on the Friday live show
I wish the Captor X came with 16 ohms and 8 ohms in the same box. I bought one of these at a killer price and had to return it because I didn’t realize it was only 8 ohms. My cabinet is an Orange 2 x 12 which is only 16 ohms, maybe I’m not understanding ohms but I figured I would have to get the 16 ohm version of the Captor X.
Is that the case or what happened ?
@@benallmark9671 as far as I know you need to get the one that matches the ohms, I am definitely no expert.
I am agree with you the ironman ii sounds better ❤❤❤❤
I own the Captor X its bitchin. I use it as an attenuator and to record and iv been really really happy with it. For the price it was a steal
I have the Captor X, the attenuation is ok but I had a very hard time getting a good tone from the line out. TBH I'm still not totally happy with that.
I move back and forth between their own speaker models and IRs. Sometimes mixing both on Logic with their Wall of Sound thing.
Sample: th-cam.com/video/KvQx5Bm5LfE/w-d-xo.html
Phil killed my Ox Box FOMO. Captor X 4 lyfe
Wll done, Sir!
❤ wish i had seen this video before i bought the two notes
Hi Phillip another great video! Have you tried the Fryette Power Station PS-2?
Good explanation.
Yea I have the cab m for running direct with no amp. And I combine that with the captor 8 (not the captor x) For my amp stuff. The car m and captor 8 together are the same price of a captor x but I have more flexibility be able to run no amp at all straight into the cab m
With an ironman 2 you can also save money for sometime before buying the cab m by using the two notes wall of sound or other ir loader via pc. I own a captor x and o love it for every aspect.
Good, unbiased input. Thanks.
However, isn't half the picture being missed? At least for studio use, the software side appears to be where big differences and usability preferences lie. Rather than impulses, the Ox provides a simple, fun, fast user interface that allows using various mics, combinations of mics, positioning and blends/mixing of them.
Admittedly, I don't have any of these but have been shopping for two years. I keep stalling, hoping for an "Ox2" that improves some of its drawbacks, particularly gaining hard wiring vs relying on wifi. Would also like it a little smaller with additional effects controls on the front and a 100% bypass of the attenuator. All things that seem very simple and inexpensive to integrate.
Love my Cap X.
Great video - and super useful info! Stoked to be first comment 🤪
"I WAS VERY CONFUSED BY THESE 2 PRODUCTS" so he buys them both. Awesome lol
Great video thanks Phil. Considering selling my Kemper and going down this route so I can use my tube amps instead. The Kemper is great but as I always end up trying to mimic my tube amps and pedals I may as well play them. The Ironman looks an interesting if expensive option compared to the "X" but maybe the Ironman Mini might do?
Hmm a Kemper on the shelf 🤔 Is this a new addition Phil?
Great video
On my headphones sound quality goes to the Captor. Hands down.
The ox really darkened the sound!
That’s cool 🤘👍