So far I ve been using amp simulators when i play electric guitar (amplitube for the clean sounds,guitar rig for the distorted sounds)
Yesterday i discovered the existence of impulse responses cab simulators and they seems very good,so i d like to see if they would work well with a real amp,allowing me plug it in in the sound card from the line out.
Googling a little,ii read that if i use a tube amp,i need an attenuator or some kind of load when i plug the amp to the sound card otherwise i ll damage the amp.
But all the threads i read were referred to actual tube amp,mine is slightly different since it s a combo with a tube channel that uses small peamp tubes (ecc83).
i was planning to simply plug the guitar in the amp,connect the amp to the sound card and in the host eventually insert the IR redwirez cab sim,will i damage my amp anyway,even if it s not a completely tube amp?
And where do i place the effects?at the end of the chain or before the cab sim?
thanks for helping

 

@ Duskwings,

In the first place, a good thing to know it's exactly which kind of 'Outputs' your 'Combo Amp' provides you, in case that some may be available, or none as in some more or less old 'Combo Amps'.

Some 'Combo Amps' provide you 'Line Outs' (which will be perfect for what you're looking for !), unfortunately some not...
Some 'Combo Amps' provide you special Inserts : 'Send' & 'Return' connections (perfect for adding external FXs as Racks,...; or to send your 'Combo Amp' audio signal through a Mixer Desk for further processes,... ).
Some 'Combo Amps' even provide you the option to solely use their Preamp/Amp, thus disconnecting the Loudspeaker/Cabinet itself (it was the case of some 'old' Peavey Combos).

In fact, it will depend greatly of the options that your 'Combo Amp' provides you for 'communicating' with the external world...


Now what I think that could be the best setup for your 'perfect use of IRs scenario' will be (always depending of your possibilities !) :

1) 'Guitar' In --> 'Combo Amp' --> Use the 'Line Outs' to send your audio signal to your Soundcard (nowadays, most of them accepts 'Line Out' --> 'Line In' = + 4dB). In case you can bypass the Loudspeaker/Cab of your 'Combo Amp' even better, apart if you want to get 2 sources for recordings (this that goes through 'IR Convolution Engine(s)' (Plugins), then to your recording DAW(s); this that you may 'miking' directly (the Loudspeaker/Cab of your 'Combo Amp'), for instance for recording it too, then to 'blend' both during the various steps of your audio processes...

Others setups could be possible as well... but they imply more 'complex' connections and the use of a 'Mixing Desk'.

So, in my own opinion, the best thing to know first is exactly which 'external' connections your 'Combo Amp' provides you if applicable.
Maybe the Name and/or Model of your 'Combo Amp' would be of great help to looking through Internet in the case that some pictures of these options can be found (very often found in its rear panel). *yes*

 

@ Studio 555
thanks for the help,
my amphas both the line out and the send and return outputs,usually i used the send/return connection to plug a multi fx unit in the amp.the line out back in the days was actually useless since it deactivated the speaker,i made some experiments trying to connect the amp in the integrated mixer of a 4 track analog recorder (needless to say that the sound sucked,as well as it sucked when listening to the soung with the cans connected to the phones input,im pretty sure the line out and the phone input r the same thing with different names).
the configuration u suggest is the one i was going to try,but i need to know if with the speaker deactivated,the heat of the tubes risk to damage the amp or if it is safe since the tubes are not big final tubes but small preamp tubes
if there was actually the risk to damge the amp because of the lack of a load,how do i bypass the problem?
thanks

 

@ Duskwings,

I'm back !

I found the pictures of the 'rear panels' and available 'external' connections of two common 'Combo Amps' : a 'Fender' and a 'Marshall'; each one with some differences between their own 'output' possibilities. Normally, one (or even both !) of these possibilities should fit your own 'Combo Amp'... *yes*



'Fender Super Champ X2'

Here you can see a 'Line Out' which is exactly what could better fit what you're looking for to be able to send your 'Combo Amp' audio signal through your Soundcard, then to your 'IR Convolution Engine(s)' Plugin(s), to finally get your desired scenario available within your DAW(s).

On the left side, you can see the 'Speaker Out' that is proper to the 'Loudspeaker/Cab' of that 'Fender' Model. If you pay attention, you can see that's a simple jack, thus it can be unplugged if desired. If your own 'Combo Amp' has exactly the same possibility, here's certainly the best way to only use the 'Preamp/Amp' part of your 'Combo Amp' ('Line Out'), thus totally disconnecting/bypassing its own 'Loudspeaker/Cab'.
A bit off-topic here, but this 'Speaker Out' can serve you to 'feed' a bigger (or another) Loudspeaker/Cab if desired (e.g. a '4x12' Cab,... ).

Specs :

Preamp Tubes : 1 x 12AX7 <-- this is the equivalent of your 'ECC83' (by their use, not their name or characteristics, of course !), and serves to 'overdrive/saturate' your 'Combo Amp' Preamp in a nice manner !
Power Tubes : 2 x 6V6
Inputs : 1 x Instrument
Outputs : 1 x TS Speaker Out, 1 x TRS Line Out (the needed one !), USB Speaker-emulated Out

So, you don't have to fear too much with your 'ECC83', just pay attention with the Output Volume of your 'Combo Amp' when 'feeding' your 'Soundcard', then your 'DAWs' (recording levels,... ).
It's rather the '6V6' (in the case of that 'Fender Super Champ X2'), or the 'EL84' (another very famous 'Power Tube') that could bring some troubles, mainly because they are both 'Power Tubes' for Amps, thus delivering Great Power in the Output Stage(s) !




'Marshall DSL40C'

As you can see, this 'Marshall' Model doesn't have a dedicated 'Line Out', by cons it has 2 Inserts for plugin external FXs (Racks,... ) through its provided 'Send' & 'Return' plugs.
It has also the possibility to 'unplug' (disconnect) its own 'Loudspeaker/Cab' to simply don't use it (or to eventually 'feed' a bigger 'Loudspeaker/Cab'), as is the case with the 'Fender' Model too.
The 'yellow' cross lines are done to warning of NEVER connect these outputs DIRECTLY to any Soundcard ...or you can guess the result !!!
But you already knows it... *yes*

Normally, you could also use that 'Send' plug to 'feed' your Soundcard (of course, no need to use the 'Return'), but anyway and as told by yourself that your 'Combo Amp' provides you a dedicated 'Line Out', it's much better to use this one. *yes*


Specs :

Preamp Tubes : 4 (ECC83) <-- This 'Marshall' Model uses exactly the same 'Preamp Tubes' as your own 'Combo Amp'.
Power Tubes : 2 (EL34)
Inputs : 1 x TS
Outputs : ---- <-- This 'Marshall' Model doesn't provide you a 'Line Out' as is the case with the 'Fender' one.

 

thanks a lot for your helo,i ull use the line out then,it seems the easiest amd safest way to do.
just to be sure:where do i place the fx?before or after the IR cab?

 

thanks nightwalker,i didn t see that video

 

@ Duskwings,

Can be a Great dilemma ! Some musicians prefer to get their FXs before to 'feed' their Cabs, others prefer after...

A suggestion could be to use these FXs in a configuration as near as possible of that you'll normally use with real amps (using their proper 'Send' & 'Return' FX Loop for that purpose).
If I try to 'translate' that scheme within a DAW, it will be to use these FXs (Plugins) as 'Sends FX' (as it's often the case when using a 'Reverb' in a final mix, for instance). This way, you can exactly 'dose' the amount of that 'reinjected' FXs through your usual setup : in your case, your 'Combo Amp' --> 'IR Convolution Engine(s)'.
If you want to replicate more or less the exact behavior of the 'Send' & 'Return' FX Loop found in these Real Amps, most of the time, the Mix of the FXs used should be of 100 % Wet, that you can then 'blend' afterward with their own Faders ('Sends FX', 'Return FX', or even 'Bus Group(s)' if you plan to create some for your FXs) to your needs or tastes...