Universal Audio OX Amp Top Box Reactive Load Box “…The Universal Audio OX Amp Top Box is a premium reactive load box, allowing guitarists to play and record their tube amp in its ideal sweet spots — from the edge-of-breakup to fully cranked — at any volume level, and with instant album-quality mic, room, and speaker cabinet emulations at the turn of a knob...”
Jim here - I am overwhelmed by how great the OX sounds. One can choose amp models, amp speakers, the type of mic and the mix of room, close mic etc - it even has a carpet or no carpet setting. One can get great sounds that still retain the personality of your guitar and amp. I am learning too. For example -the plate reverb looks exactly like a plate reverb in a studio, that I’ve never physically touched. But on the OX I’ve adjusted every variable to my hearts content and now I feel like I can independently find a setting on a plate reverb I love, without an engineer. Luca Benedetti are considering recording our duet record on the OX here in my Brooklyn apartment. The OX (and Luca) sounds that good. Here’s an in-depth OX review by Joe Gore… https://www.premierguitar.com/articles/27097-universal-audio-ox-review More info from Universal Audio... https://www.uaudio.com/hardware/ox.html
I recently watched a rig rundown of Buddy Miller, and he extols the OX as much as Jim does. Says he actually uses the recording out sometimes instead of micing the speaker, and that he can't tell the difference... high praise indeed!
Roland/Boss recently came out with their own version: The Boss WAZA Tube Expander...with a couple more useful features (like a built-in power amp)..at exactly the same price as The Ox...$1299. These both can be a real problem-solver if you're subject to sometimes using questionable back-line amps and other sound-related "real" amp things you can't control. I understand that Universal Audio also has quite a good reputation in regard to their studio preamp products.