The SE-5 Speaker Emulator is a pedal-size unit that was designed to eliminate the need to mic a speaker cab
for recording and live performance using a PA sound system. This is a passive unit that requires no battery or power supply.
It emulates the sound of a real speaker cab. It must be driven with the speaker ouput of a guitar amplifier. The ouput
is unbalanced line or mic level.
This unit is superior to other affordable products in several important ways:
An internal dummy load is included for amps rated at 5 watts or less, so no external speaker load
is
required. A THRU jack is included so that amps rated at more than 5 watts can be used with a
speaker
or external dummy load.
A continuous tone control varies the sound from a 1X8" cab to a 4X12" cab
and everything in
between. Competing products have only 1, 2 or 3 preset sounds.
An 8 position switch is included to adjust the output volume in 7 db steps. Competing products
have a 3-way volume switch that varies the volume in 15 or 20 db steps. The SE-5 can provide
much
finer control of the output volume.
The filter used in the SE-5 emulates the entire frequency response
of typical guitar speakers, not
just the high frequency rolloff.
The output
of the SE-5 is unbalanced line-level. This makes it easier to connect to effects pedals.
If a balance
signal is required for long cable runs after the effects chain, then an inexpensive
(about $25) DI box can
be used.
Finally, the SE-5 sounds like real speaker cabs (listen to the demos).
Technical Note
It
is a common practice to use a microphone very close to a speaker cab for live performance or recording. This technique eliminates
bleed-through from other instruments and also minimizes room reverberation for a more consistent sound. The result is a dry
mono sound that is often a little bass-shy due to the lack of floor/room bass reinforcement. EQ and stereo reverb are typically
added to the signal from the microphone to produce a sound that is more like a live performance.
The SE-5 emulates the sound
of a close-miced speaker cab with all of the advantages and some of the limitations. Therefore, the SE-5's output may sound
dry and a little bass-shy without enhancement. EQ and stereo reverb pedals or software should be used to enhance the bass and
simulate room reverberation. It is also recommend to set the TONE control on "4" as a starting point.