I just watched an hour of terrible no info videos about these two products!! Then I watched yours and instantly understood. Great video way better than the goofs who have way more subbs. GREAT JOB!!
Thanks Chippy! I got the waza last year to work with my 5150iiis and it is just sweet! I can practice more with the EVH without going deaf. The ox was the other one I thought about but I thought it for Mac users which threw me off. But yeah I use the EVH and Wasa mostly thru studio monitors and the sound is just KILLER for that 80's rock tone.
Best review in all UA-cam so far regarding this. I finally decided to go with the WAZA thanks to your video. Have you tried recording in both? Which one is better for this purpose in your opinion? As for playing through a cab and using the amp at any volume WAZA is the winner. Also being able to use the on board effects in the analog side is a plus.
as always cool video review and yeah most or comparison between goes to the same conclusion i definetly will buy one as soon i have enought money for it :) great explanation and also goes this way in my mind about this unit comparison
Great review! I feel the same way and the attenuation on the Ox, felt a bit tone suck to me, at least a lot of high end roll off. If I didn't already have the Captor and CabM I'd be all over the Waza. Such a cool device!
How do u like the captor and cab m combination? I already have the mesa cab clone and was thinking of buying the cab m and running it together kinda how u do with the captor and cab m.
@@journeymanbryan154 I have those two. The Cab M is pretty good, much better than their Wall of Sound plugin, it comes with more options and the editor has a better layout. The Torpedo Captor is only a load box, it's useless as an attenuator, the cab sim out is a nothingburger, and for me everything sounds a little harsh through it. if you want to use the CAB get a decent load like the Fryette or the Suhr, even if the latter comes with its own IRs as the CAB is still better than the Suhr in that department.
Hi friend, I understood that you have both products, the ox box and the waza, which do you prefer more of the two in all respects. I just need to decide what to buy. Thanks for the honest answer❤
This is right on! I am sure the Ox is a great product, but I love my Waza - use it live and in the studio for everything I'm doing now. Also, just two nights ago the rack case that contained just the Waza took a swan dive from about 5 feet high to the ground and made loud contact with the ground. I nearly cried, but plugged it in yesterday and all is well! Thank the Lord above (and Boss for building it well)!!!
Rockinchippy, you sound like an honest, humble guy. Thanks for the video. What would you recommend for just straight up attenuation without the bells and whistles of the Waza and the Ox?
Hey Chippy- I run an SLO and Mark III in a dual amp rig and am a shred style player. Always love your vids because you have the actual amps and gear and tell it like it is straight away. Anyways, I had a Torpedo CAB I tried with my Rockcrusher and didn’t like it. Do you think a Kemper would get a better amp tone/replication than the WAZA? When I can mic the amps, I’ve achieved perfect results in the past but want to go direct instead but not lose the Boogie tone or Soldano tone.
Agree- On the OX, the attenuator has massive tone suck - which is my main gripe. Makes the attenuation useless in a live setting. Also, absolutely no roadmap for new cab models or features. Pluses are the dead on Van Halen 1 cab/effects model!
Wow, great, useful channel. I read through your replies on this video - you actually give a real opinion on everything because you seem not to be tied to any manufacturer so you can say what you really think.
Thanks for the comparison. Great review. I have an OX, but have an offer for a Fryette PS which i am considering, because i don't like the attenuator in the OX. As a purely attenuator, would you recommend the Waza over Fryette.
The Fryette is great so if you don’t need the other features of the Boss, go for it. I have one too. Obviously the Boss gives you way more but it’s also double the price.
@@rockinchippy Can you tell us a little about fryette vs boss using them as attenuators? i have fryette and an ox and i was thinking to sell them for a boss TAE.
+4 irrespective of price (because we are ALL chasing the dragon) is the Waza an upgrade over the PS2 for just reamping into actual guitar cabs in the room??
Guys which one do you recommend for a newbie who just plays at home in an apartment and only cares about the tones and attenuator effect to keep the noise down ?
BTW, how can you integrate the WAZA into recording when you already have Audio interface ( focusrite, Apollo) and Ableton as DAW. please do a rundown review about this.
Hello, dear friend, I have a question, maybe you can help me. I haven't been able to decide for a long time which is better for me whether to buy the waza amp or the ox box for home recordings. I have an old Marshall amp so that on the one hand the waza can fit but on the other hand the aux box also looks cool. I am no longer appearing today, if you could recommend me, what do you think, thanks
It really depends …. the OX has far more sophisticated digital simulation with all types of EQs and mic placements but I keep it simple abs prefer the Waza which I pretty much set with one simulation setting and I never touch it. I found for rock music, the Waza had more of that low end and felt more real to me. I use the Friedman cabinet model in the Waza and I literally never change it. The Ox is slick but almost too slick for me because the EQ settings pretty much take over so much of the amps original tone that you may as well be playing through any amp. Hope that helps !
I have the Ox and feel like the volume attenuation works fine with minimal tone loss. The recent update added the V30s which adds much more modern sounds. Having Ox's plethora of custom cab/mic combinations accessible via the rig switch is very convenient.
Can I, for example, play my superlead on stage with my helix stomp going through the boss's FX loop and then have my normal cab attenuated on stage behind me and a cab sim/IR signal going into the PA? Edit: Or should I just get a torpedo Captor X to stick in our PA rack and call it a day?
Yes you can. The Waza has two output paths and you can run the cabinet and the direct signal in parallel. The upside of the Waza for the real cabinet is a 0-10 volume control versus the notched preset captor settings.
@rockinchippy I've compared amp sound vs TAE , the TAE feels like it's stiffer while the real amp is softer and spongy . I don't they have nailed the feel of the amp. But it was no tone loss. Does it feel better with fryette ps-100 or ps-2 ?
The Fryette would have a more organic feel but no matter what device you choose it will ALWAYS impact the signal. That is unavoidable. The real question is whether it changes to the tone/feel to your preference. I own both Fryette and Waza and I like them both.
True but keep in mind that the attenuation side of the OX is separate from the modeling side. The attenuation side is not good at all. The Waza applies FX to the power amp. The OX cannot do that. The OX is only good for direct signal modeling.
Can you ditch the cabinet if you have a Boss TAE? I'm trying to have more space and just use my 5150 50watt EL34 (same amp you have in the video lol) over cab sims.
I have had both. I sold my UA OX recently after I got the TAE back in early June. Prior to that I was using the OX live and for recording for about a year and half. The OX has an amazing room setting if you are listening with headphones. The greenback cabs are great and the UA software is nice. I like the fact that you can use an IOS device with it wirelessly to control it. That being said, the WAZA has so much more to offer. The built in power amp is amazing. I can run my Axe III through it and into the return line and use a regular guitar cab. I can run my JJ Jr. through it and get even more volume when needed playing live. The loop, solo/EQ and built in effects and amp control make it a great all in one unit to use with your setup and it sounds fantastic! The only thing I hope Boss will do is add an R121 mic emulation at some point.
How is boss compared to OX when laying direct in dynamics? I have OX and Torpedo and i can say that i like the dynamics of OX much better that the IR's of Torpedo, but the tone in Torpedo is better when combined with ownhammer ir's
Man; I have a question. I am trying to decide between the OX and a Suhr Reactive Load IR. I am just recording at home. I want really high quality; however, I wonder if the OX if overkill. I don't play out and I am not a pro musician. I do love to record. Going to be getting a UA Apollo first. What is your opinion of the OX and Suhr? Which would you recommend the most?
If you want to get the best overall unit, get the Boss Waza Tube Amp Expander. Otherwise get the Suhr. You can get great results with the Suhr without a doubt.
@@rockinchippy Thanks man! I have been eyeing the OX for a while; mostly because of the pluggins and micing features. Is the OX that much better then the Boss as far as Impulse/Modeling?
The Boss is targeted to people who play hard rock and metal so it just fit better with my style. The Boss is also a better attenuator solution as it has an FX loop and it also has the digital FX apply to the analog cabinets which the OX doesn’t do. The OX does not have a power amp so it is limited to what it can do. The OX doesn’t even made v30s modeled.
Just like you I have been looking for a long time to get the best unit to record at home, I can say that the Boss is the really very best option I have found for years, first because the Boss has a USB direct to the computer and is an interface itself, this make a big difference with the OX if you want to record, most of the you tube videos show people playing live with these simulation units so they don't really show what the machine is able to do, on recording the rules are very different and the Boss is perfect to me. I had the Shur and I did not like it much, many units work well if you want a rock/metal sound but if you look for a nice bluesy sound they can sound very bad, the Boss is the first machine I have tried to give a nice sound in any situation, after I got the Boss I sold the OX after one week !
I'll pick one up and it'll be the last time I buy an attenuator. Last one I bought was the Aracom and that changed my PT100's tone. Could be that famous Fletcher Munson Breaking Ball effect, but it changed it for sure.
does the Boss TAE have built in protection if you cut it off first, or forget to turn on the unit before the amp? The OX ha a 16ohm fallback until you realize you didn't turn it on, or accidentally turned it off first.
Hey there..Great review. Do you have a preference between TAE and the Fryette PS100? John Suhr has commented about the questionable amplifier load in the TAE. Wonder if there is any truth to that.
Why is the load in the TAE questionable ? It’s interesting because Dave Friedman said the Boss has the best Load. I use the Boss mostly for direct recording and the Fryette for attenuation of real cabinets. They are very different products feature wise.
@@rockinchippy yes it was something that John Suhr said while on one of the tonetalk shows. He was talking about the different load boxes and the Impedance curve that they use.
@@peterschaefer1665 It’s interesting because John had said that the Reactive Load is pegged at a Greenback impedance curve and makes the tone sound darker. I love the TAE and sold my Reactive Load awhile back. Search your feelings Luke.
So tell me, is this better than just using me "power-Soak" feature on my Mesa Boogie TC 100?. Will I get a better attenuation from a dedicated box over what Mesa builds into their amps?
To put it simply, if you don't want or need all the digital out and you want the best reactive load which on is it? How is the OX as purely a reactive load?
Great review. I have 2 50 watt amp heads. I want to sell them, and buy a newer lower wattage head. I am going to need a product like this to add versatility. My weakness is I am not a comouter wiz. If I can get my dream head with a unit like this(Incorporate my effect floor pedals (With minimal usage of computer presets. I woild be O.K. I saw you show a foot controller. If one comes with it even better. I saw another video, where the person demonstrating this Waza wat using I THink a (GA_FC-120.00 foot controller, I understand is used for many amps.?? I hope it comes with a SIMPLE foot contorller. One of my biggest problems has been Hum,. If this generates additional noise, I will not get ti. As for now, I am in learning mode-Thank you, for a straight up review. Sometimes the manufactuer demos are full if crap.
so, the ox is attenuating the amp and the speaker is being driven by the valve power amp purely. causes issues of tone suck. the boss takes the signal of full amp and processes it into the digital realm and then send the signal to the inbuilt solid state power amp to drive the cabnet. more control over level, less tone suck. as long as you can find a processed tone from it that you like. i like the idea for live performance, to also di to desk with stereo effects. no mic of cabnet. or, forget cabnet and try a fold back to see if you can enjoy that experience.
@@rockinchippy XLR to XLR, or can it be an XLR to 1/4 jack cable? I ask because I don't like the XLR input in my interface, it's harsh for some reason.
@@rockinchippy I just got the Boss TAE and it's a fantastic unit, really versatile. The reactive load selection at the beginning of the chain is so handy for different style cab sims, it's subtle yet makes a huge difference to tighten up those loose ends that other loads miss.
Almost all attenuators suck, especially compared to good master volume knobs, that being said, like you said, for home use, both will be fine, depending on your needs, but I do think that no one is saying it about the TAE, but the effects IMO don’t compare to the Ox or any of the Fractal stuff, and the editing sux, and with the Ox live you don’t need effects from the Ox to come through your cab,because you probably already own a pedalboard, and they will come through the cab and house without having to mic you cab, which is why they probably did it that way, I don’t have a dog in the fight because live, I wouldn’t use either, I like loud amps on stage, but for home the coolest thing about the Ox is, you plug it up, find a cab, and you are recording in minutes, its literally that easy, no computer involved unless you want, they’ve done updates since you made this clip that makes the Ox even more versatile, both cool tools, I choose the Ox just because it looks cooler, lol 👍🏽
We have a 3 recording studios and the Ox is far superior to Waza for sound.recording is really where the Ox is King. The Waza is not good for recording and does not capture the bloom and tonal changes that is the heart of tube amps power. We have a waza that we use for gigging and that’s where it shines. The built in effects that stay in the mix when running through the 100 watt amp are not bad and it has XLR out to the board and FOH. The reactive load switches provide negligible change to your tone. The Waza has a op foot controller...so Ox for recording, Waza for gigging.
why not just use a two notes captor into a UA suite plugin since the OX and the captor have the same impedance curve. Only diff is the software is built into the OX vs needing to use it on PC.
what I find is that most who don"t like Ox are mostly high gain players, and fairly beginner. Most advanced players love them (I just saw on instagram Joe Bonamassa had OX , Tim Pierce had Ox, Pete Thorn to name a few)
Most of the guys you listed get paid to do gear demos as do most pros. That being said, Steve Stevens and Yngwie are now Waza converts and I expect more to come as the word gets out. Not sure what being a beginner has to do with other than Boss having more brand recognition in the guitar industry. I mean who doesn’t own a Boss pedal 🤷♂️
@@rockinchippy Rick Beato interviewed Joe Satriani on his live stream and Joe had the WAZA, right there next to him on his desk, with a wall of amps behind him! 🤘
I own an Ox that I love, but I agree that the "analog side" of the Ox is not ideal for live use. So, I bought the TAE w/ footswitch. I have to admit, I was very disappointed. The TAE "does all the things the Ox does not" but it does most of them poorly. For example, the effects loop is a joke: it completely changes the sound of the signal by reducing bass and attack, and generally washes out the signal. The speaker sims are a total laugh compared to the Ox. It's not even close, the Ox wins by a mile. I couldn't disagree with you more on the 4x12's in the TAE: they are not at all aggressive and tight to me; they are mid-heavy and thin. The Ox 4x12s sound wide and open, with ample top end that cuts through the mix. The microphones on the Ox are better and they all have their own signature sound. Many on the TAE sound almost identical, and while there are a lot of placement options, they make little difference in the sound (or you would almost never use them, like a long spaced microphone placed 10mm from the cone). Also, the TAE has a lot of grounding issues. I constantly have to adjust the ground lift switches to keep the unit quiet. I do like the TAE's footswitchable features, and I wish that UA would add that to the Ox. I do think the attenuation is better on the TAE, and the XLR outs and FOH out are huge. The reactive load tweaking is probably my favorite feature. You do get a more authentic feel under your fingers by being able to change the resonance and presence to match the cab. It's a super cool idea and I wish UA would incorporate that if they release a Ox 2. I still think the TAE is probably the better device for live situations, but at great cost. The effects loop is useless, the cab sims are not nearly as good as the Ox (or a Suhr IR loader for that matter). I'm going to keep my Ox for home studio use (where I play the most, tbh), return the TAE, and maybe buy a Fryette Power Station for live use. The TAE was just a huge disappointment. I'm really bummed. I keep wondering if I did something wrong but I'm pretty sure the unit just doesn't sound as good as the Ox, and the sound is 99% of the reason I buy guitar things.
7:49 - _"....it's a little disgusting and gluttonous..."_ Quit talking like a damn socialist. *You earned your ability to have what you want!* ENJOY IT, BUD!! 👍🏻
So people hated digital modelers, so we went back to tube amps! Nice! Now we think tube amps are too loud so we get another super expensive digital device to model speakers and add digital effects! Hmmmm..... am I the only guy who thinks like WTF!!! How about a high end tube preamp, with external effects? A solid state clean stereo amp into two guitar cabs?
Title should say "My ramblings on the Ox vs the Boss Waza TAE" "I don't like long videos" Anything of value you said could be condensed to less than 2 minutes but yet the video is over 8 minutes long.
@@tylerspeer971 It's a variation of the typical "If you don't like it don't watch it" It's the paradoxical Schroedingers cat logic for you tube. How does one know if you don't like it unless you watch it? lol
Kelly Jackson yeah I mean it’s horrible, but making a video of a volume test with a bunch of the same amp with terrible riffing for 4 mins is so useful
Sorry to say this but your viewers should understand that your analysis of The Ox is flawed and biased. It appears that you simply do not understand how to effectively use The Ox in a studio situation or live situation.
@@rockinchippy Just FYI. These companies pay social media and digital marketing companies to market their products. One of the tactics these agencies use (the manufacturers often don't know this) is to create fake social media accounts to act as "influencers" (boss likely had some of theirs in these comments I read as well). You can identify them if you look a little deeper at the individual commenter.
Bro you gotta help me out here cause I have the Waza and i swear that fucking thing is altering my tone. It's making it sound stiff, boxy and slightly solid statish. Maybe I'm not doing something right. Maybe it has something to do with the power amp in it or am I trippin ?
@@rockinchippy Through my marshall 4 12 cabinet. I'm gonna try messing with it some more, but it probably is me because I don't hear or see anyone else bitching about it.
I just watched an hour of terrible no info videos about these two products!! Then I watched yours and instantly understood. Great video way better than the goofs who have way more subbs. GREAT JOB!!
Being able to add an effects loop to my old Fender amps is an awesome feature.
By far the best comparison vid of the two; well done.
Thank you 🤟🏻
Thanks Chippy! I got the waza last year to work with my 5150iiis and it is just sweet! I can practice more with the EVH without going deaf. The ox was the other one I thought about but I thought it for Mac users which threw me off. But yeah I use the EVH and Wasa mostly thru studio monitors and the sound is just KILLER for that 80's rock tone.
Best review in all UA-cam so far regarding this. I finally decided to go with the WAZA thanks to your video. Have you tried recording in both? Which one is better for this purpose in your opinion? As for playing through a cab and using the amp at any volume WAZA is the winner. Also being able to use the on board effects in the analog side is a plus.
as always cool video review and yeah most or comparison between goes to the same conclusion i definetly will buy one as soon i have enought money for it :) great explanation and also goes this way in my mind about this unit comparison
This was an excellent and informative video. This really helped me in my decision. Thank you.
Great video, very concise, thank you!
thanks for the review, very helpful!
Now they have V30s in OX. I have both and you created a great video here.very fair to both
My main gripe with the Ox isn't even the lack of digital/analog integration, it's the jarring tone suck on the lower volume attenuation settings.
Thanks for explanation 🙏
Thank you!
Great review! I feel the same way and the attenuation on the Ox, felt a bit tone suck to me, at least a lot of high end roll off. If I didn't already have the Captor and CabM I'd be all over the Waza. Such a cool device!
How do u like the captor and cab m combination? I already have the mesa cab clone and was thinking of buying the cab m and running it together kinda how u do with the captor and cab m.
@@journeymanbryan154 I have those two. The Cab M is pretty good, much better than their Wall of Sound plugin, it comes with more options and the editor has a better layout.
The Torpedo Captor is only a load box, it's useless as an attenuator, the cab sim out is a nothingburger, and for me everything sounds a little harsh through it. if you want to use the CAB get a decent load like the Fryette or the Suhr, even if the latter comes with its own IRs as the CAB is still better than the Suhr in that department.
Hi friend, I understood that you have both products, the ox box and the waza, which do you prefer more of the two in all respects. I just need to decide what to buy. Thanks for the honest answer❤
This is right on! I am sure the Ox is a great product, but I love my Waza - use it live and in the studio for everything I'm doing now. Also, just two nights ago the rack case that contained just the Waza took a swan dive from about 5 feet high to the ground and made loud contact with the ground. I nearly cried, but plugged it in yesterday and all is well! Thank the Lord above (and Boss for building it well)!!!
Rockinchippy, you sound like an honest, humble guy. Thanks for the video. What would you recommend for just straight up attenuation without the bells and whistles of the Waza and the Ox?
Thanks that’s really nice of you to say. I would strongly recommend the Fryette Powerstation which I also own and use regularly.
@@rockinchippy Thank you for the advice!!
Hey Chippy-
I run an SLO and Mark III in a dual amp rig and am a shred style player. Always love your vids because you have the actual amps and gear and tell it like it is straight away. Anyways, I had a Torpedo CAB I tried with my Rockcrusher and didn’t like it. Do you think a Kemper would get a better amp tone/replication than the WAZA? When I can mic the amps, I’ve achieved perfect results in the past but want to go direct instead but not lose the Boogie tone or Soldano tone.
I wish I could answer that scientifically but I have not owned a Kemper and I hope and pray I never do
rockinchippy I just bought the Suhr Reactive Load IR. I liked what I heard from Pete Thorn’s vid. We’ll see I guess LOL.
It’s a great piece of gear. Grab the Celestion IRs, they are awesome !
Agree- On the OX, the attenuator has massive tone suck - which is my main gripe. Makes the attenuation useless in a live setting. Also, absolutely no roadmap for new cab models or features. Pluses are the dead on Van Halen 1 cab/effects model!
Wow, great, useful channel. I read through your replies on this video - you actually give a real opinion on everything because you seem not to be tied to any manufacturer so you can say what you really think.
Thank you ! Yes so much of UA-cam is paid promotional nonsense.
Thank you
Are these better than my Metal Zone?
Thanks for the comparison. Great review. I have an OX, but have an offer for a Fryette PS which i am considering, because i don't like the attenuator in the OX. As a purely attenuator, would you recommend the Waza over Fryette.
The Fryette is great so if you don’t need the other features of the Boss, go for it. I have one too. Obviously the Boss gives you way more but it’s also double the price.
@@rockinchippy Can you tell us a little about fryette vs boss using them as attenuators? i have fryette and an ox and i was thinking to sell them for a boss TAE.
@@rockinchippy Same question. Can you compare the Freyette PS to these?
+4 irrespective of price (because we are ALL chasing the dragon) is the Waza an upgrade over the PS2 for just reamping into actual guitar cabs in the room??
Guys which one do you recommend for a newbie who just plays at home in an apartment and only cares about the tones and attenuator effect to keep the noise down ?
Here's a 'Review' that you might wish to check out: ua-cam.com/video/95Rx2ujZUBE/v-deo.html
BTW, how can you integrate the WAZA into recording when you already have Audio interface ( focusrite, Apollo) and Ableton as DAW. please do a rundown review about this.
I just run it as a line level signal into my Apollo using balanced cables.
@@rockinchippy you mean the FOH output ( XLR) at the back of TAE?
Hello, dear friend, I have a question, maybe you can help me. I haven't been able to decide for a long time which is better for me whether to buy the waza amp or the ox box for home recordings. I have an old Marshall amp so that on the one hand the waza can fit but on the other hand the aux box also looks cool. I am no longer appearing today, if you could recommend me, what do you think, thanks
It really depends …. the OX has far more sophisticated digital simulation with all types of EQs and mic placements but I keep it simple abs prefer the Waza which I pretty much set with one simulation setting and I never touch it. I found for rock music, the Waza had more of that low end and felt more real to me. I use the Friedman cabinet model in the Waza and I literally never change it. The Ox is slick but almost too slick for me because the EQ settings pretty much take over so much of the amps original tone that you may as well be playing through any amp. Hope that helps !
I have the Ox and feel like the volume attenuation works fine with minimal tone loss. The recent update added the V30s which adds much more modern sounds. Having Ox's plethora of custom cab/mic combinations accessible via the rig switch is very convenient.
Can I, for example, play my superlead on stage with my helix stomp going through the boss's FX loop and then have my normal cab attenuated on stage behind me and a cab sim/IR signal going into the PA? Edit: Or should I just get a torpedo Captor X to stick in our PA rack and call it a day?
Yes you can. The Waza has two output paths and you can run the cabinet and the direct signal in parallel. The upside of the Waza for the real cabinet is a 0-10 volume control versus the notched preset captor settings.
@rockinchippy I've compared amp sound vs TAE , the TAE feels like it's stiffer while the real amp is softer and spongy . I don't they have nailed the feel of the amp. But it was no tone loss. Does it feel better with fryette ps-100 or ps-2 ?
The Fryette would have a more organic feel but no matter what device you choose it will ALWAYS impact the signal. That is unavoidable. The real question is whether it changes to the tone/feel to your preference. I own both Fryette and Waza and I like them both.
@@rockinchippy I also find out the OX cabinets are superior to my taste of a vintage sound vs TAE which is more modern
True but keep in mind that the attenuation side of the OX is separate from the modeling side. The attenuation side is not good at all. The Waza applies FX to the power amp. The OX cannot do that. The OX is only good for direct signal modeling.
Can you ditch the cabinet if you have a Boss TAE? I'm trying to have more space and just use my 5150 50watt EL34 (same amp you have in the video lol) over cab sims.
Yes you don’t need a cabinet
Hello! I want to buy Waza Expander and your saw me convinced me to buy even more. Have you had any problems using amplifiers with Waza?
None
@@rockinchippy thanks bro i'm following him
I have had both. I sold my UA OX recently after I got the TAE back in early June. Prior to that I was using the OX live and for recording for about a year and half. The OX has an amazing room setting if you are listening with headphones. The greenback cabs are great and the UA software is nice. I like the fact that you can use an IOS device with it wirelessly to control it. That being said, the WAZA has so much more to offer. The built in power amp is amazing. I can run my Axe III through it and into the return line and use a regular guitar cab. I can run my JJ Jr. through it and get even more volume when needed playing live. The loop, solo/EQ and built in effects and amp control make it a great all in one unit to use with your setup and it sounds fantastic! The only thing I hope Boss will do is add an R121 mic emulation at some point.
How is boss compared to OX when laying direct in dynamics? I have OX and Torpedo and i can say that i like the dynamics of OX much better that the IR's of Torpedo, but the tone in Torpedo is better when combined with ownhammer ir's
The headphones are better on the OX?
Man; I have a question. I am trying to decide between the OX and a Suhr Reactive Load IR. I am just recording at home. I want really high quality; however, I wonder if the OX if overkill. I don't play out and I am not a pro musician. I do love to record. Going to be getting a UA Apollo first. What is your opinion of the OX and Suhr? Which would you recommend the most?
If you want to get the best overall unit, get the Boss Waza Tube Amp Expander. Otherwise get the Suhr. You can get great results with the Suhr without a doubt.
@@rockinchippy Thanks man! I have been eyeing the OX for a while; mostly because of the pluggins and micing features. Is the OX that much better then the Boss as far as Impulse/Modeling?
The Boss is targeted to people who play hard rock and metal so it just fit better with my style. The Boss is also a better attenuator solution as it has an FX loop and it also has the digital FX apply to the analog cabinets which the OX doesn’t do. The OX does not have a power amp so it is limited to what it can do. The OX doesn’t even made v30s modeled.
@@rockinchippy The Boss sounds like a really good option. The Suhr Reactive Load IR would definitely be more affordable though.
Just like you I have been looking for a long time to get the best unit to record at home, I can say that the Boss is the really very best option I have found for years, first because the Boss has a USB direct to the computer and is an interface itself, this make a big difference with the OX if you want to record, most of the you tube videos show people playing live with these simulation units so they don't really show what the machine is able to do, on recording the rules are very different and the Boss is perfect to me. I had the Shur and I did not like it much, many units work well if you want a rock/metal sound but if you look for a nice bluesy sound they can sound very bad, the Boss is the first machine I have tried to give a nice sound in any situation, after I got the Boss I sold the OX after one week !
I'll pick one up and it'll be the last time I buy an attenuator. Last one I bought was the Aracom and that changed my PT100's tone. Could be that famous Fletcher Munson Breaking Ball effect, but it changed it for sure.
I also recommend the Fryette Power Station
@@rockinchippy Thanks.
Tone King Ironman 2 is the least tone sucking attenuator!
does the Boss TAE have built in protection if you cut it off first, or forget to turn on the unit before the amp? The OX ha a 16ohm fallback until you realize you didn't turn it on, or accidentally turned it off first.
I’m not sure.
Hey there..Great review. Do you have a preference between TAE and the Fryette PS100? John Suhr has commented about the questionable amplifier load in the TAE. Wonder if there is any truth to that.
Why is the load in the TAE questionable ? It’s interesting because Dave Friedman said the Boss has the best Load. I use the Boss mostly for direct recording and the Fryette for attenuation of real cabinets. They are very different products feature wise.
@@rockinchippy yes it was something that John Suhr said while on one of the tonetalk shows. He was talking about the different load boxes and the Impedance curve that they use.
@@peterschaefer1665 It’s interesting because John had said that the Reactive Load is pegged at a Greenback impedance curve and makes the tone sound darker. I love the TAE and sold my Reactive Load awhile back. Search your feelings Luke.
@@rockinchippy yes I am searching my feelings! Thinking about buying the Fryette PS100 and using a Mooer Radar IR loader.
So tell me, is this better than just using me "power-Soak" feature on my Mesa Boogie TC 100?. Will I get a better attenuation from a dedicated box over what Mesa builds into their amps?
Hard to say as I haven’t tried that amp or that feature.
most likely not
It seems strange putting an effects loop between the head and the cab. Maybe I just don't fully understand whats really going on in the unit.
It’s basically what eddie did. You take your amp and route it through a power amp and within that chain you can insert fx. That’s what the Waza does.
To put it simply, if you don't want or need all the digital out and you want the best reactive load which on is it? How is the OX as purely a reactive load?
Get a Fryette Power Station
@@rockinchippy That's exactly what I was thinkng about. Thanks!
Best review I have seen yet for these products
Great review. I have 2 50 watt amp heads. I want to sell them, and buy a newer lower wattage head. I am going to need a product like this to add versatility. My weakness is I am not a comouter wiz. If I can get my dream head with a unit like this(Incorporate my effect floor pedals (With minimal usage of computer presets. I woild be O.K. I saw you show a foot controller. If one comes with it even better. I saw another video, where the person demonstrating this Waza wat using I THink a (GA_FC-120.00 foot controller, I understand is used for many amps.?? I hope it comes with a SIMPLE foot contorller. One of my biggest problems has been Hum,. If this generates additional noise, I will not get ti. As for now, I am in learning mode-Thank you, for a straight up review. Sometimes the manufactuer demos are full if crap.
River Rockcrusher (GoldFace) and Two Notes CAB M job done.
There is no reamping device on earth that won't colour the tone of yr amp! It just depends on how fussy you are..
so, the ox is attenuating the amp and the speaker is being driven by the valve power amp purely. causes issues of tone suck. the boss takes the signal of full amp and processes it into the digital realm and then send the signal to the inbuilt solid state power amp to drive the cabnet. more control over level, less tone suck. as long as you can find a processed tone from it that you like. i like the idea for live performance, to also di to desk with stereo effects. no mic of cabnet. or, forget cabnet and try a fold back to see if you can enjoy that experience.
I just like to say Waza...
On the Boss Waza - how much noise does the fan make in order to cool the unit?
not much sound, its ok
I tried both, hated the Ox, loved the Boss Waza. Bought the Boss Waza TAE. Hopefully it is easy to record to my DAW from.
Just run it with balanced cables into your interface. I did not use the boss as an interface.
@@rockinchippy XLR to XLR, or can it be an XLR to 1/4 jack cable? I ask because I don't like the XLR input in my interface, it's harsh for some reason.
Yes absolutely, you can do XLR to 1/4. That’s what I do.
@@rockinchippy I just got the Boss TAE and it's a fantastic unit, really versatile. The reactive load selection at the beginning of the chain is so handy for different style cab sims, it's subtle yet makes a huge difference to tighten up those loose ends that other loads miss.
Awesome! Enjoy 🤘🏻
Is PS2 tube power amp still better than Boss waza power amp ? thx
I can’t really tell the difference. They both sound great
Ps2 is all analog, waza has to convert to digital
Almost all attenuators suck, especially compared to good master volume knobs, that being said, like you said, for home use, both will be fine, depending on your needs, but I do think that no one is saying it about the TAE, but the effects IMO don’t compare to the Ox or any of the Fractal stuff, and the editing sux, and with the Ox live you don’t need effects from the Ox to come through your cab,because you probably already own a pedalboard, and they will come through the cab and house without having to mic you cab, which is why they probably did it that way, I don’t have a dog in the fight because live, I wouldn’t use either, I like loud amps on stage, but for home the coolest thing about the Ox is, you plug it up, find a cab, and you are recording in minutes, its literally that easy, no computer involved unless you want, they’ve done updates since you made this clip that makes the Ox even more versatile, both cool tools, I choose the Ox just because it looks cooler, lol 👍🏽
We have a 3 recording studios and the Ox is far superior to Waza for sound.recording is really where the Ox is King.
The Waza is not good for recording and does not capture the bloom and tonal changes that is the heart of tube amps power.
We have a waza that we use for gigging and that’s where it shines. The built in effects that stay in the mix when running through
the 100 watt amp are not bad and it has XLR out to the board and FOH. The reactive load switches provide negligible change to your tone.
The Waza has a op foot controller...so Ox for recording, Waza for gigging.
For hard rock and metal, the Waza was better to my ears. I just think it’s a superior unit overall. It’s a more thought-out and functional unit.
why not just use a two notes captor into a UA suite plugin since the OX and the captor have the same impedance curve. Only diff is the software is built into the OX vs needing to use it on PC.
what I find is that most who don"t like Ox are mostly high gain players, and fairly beginner. Most advanced players love them (I just saw on instagram Joe Bonamassa had OX , Tim Pierce had Ox, Pete Thorn to name a few)
Most of the guys you listed get paid to do gear demos as do most pros. That being said, Steve Stevens and Yngwie are now Waza converts and I expect more to come as the word gets out. Not sure what being a beginner has to do with other than Boss having more brand recognition in the guitar industry. I mean who doesn’t own a Boss pedal 🤷♂️
@@rockinchippy Rick Beato interviewed Joe Satriani on his live stream and Joe had the WAZA, right there next to him on his desk, with a wall of amps behind him! 🤘
Boss or Fryette?
different products but if you don’t need the direct modeling and just want to play through a real cabinet, get the fryette
But how does it compare to the BE-100????
I’m cursed lol
Hey brah. I still don’t get it. 😂
Haha
To my ears, The Ox sounds infinitely better
and so it should, given that it's Universal Audio.
No contest !!
All the Pro guitarists use Ox for a reason. It’s about the sound quality and not the bells and whistles. Ox all the way despite the price tag.
I own an Ox that I love, but I agree that the "analog side" of the Ox is not ideal for live use. So, I bought the TAE w/ footswitch. I have to admit, I was very disappointed.
The TAE "does all the things the Ox does not" but it does most of them poorly. For example, the effects loop is a joke: it completely changes the sound of the signal by reducing bass and attack, and generally washes out the signal. The speaker sims are a total laugh compared to the Ox. It's not even close, the Ox wins by a mile. I couldn't disagree with you more on the 4x12's in the TAE: they are not at all aggressive and tight to me; they are mid-heavy and thin. The Ox 4x12s sound wide and open, with ample top end that cuts through the mix. The microphones on the Ox are better and they all have their own signature sound. Many on the TAE sound almost identical, and while there are a lot of placement options, they make little difference in the sound (or you would almost never use them, like a long spaced microphone placed 10mm from the cone). Also, the TAE has a lot of grounding issues. I constantly have to adjust the ground lift switches to keep the unit quiet.
I do like the TAE's footswitchable features, and I wish that UA would add that to the Ox. I do think the attenuation is better on the TAE, and the XLR outs and FOH out are huge. The reactive load tweaking is probably my favorite feature. You do get a more authentic feel under your fingers by being able to change the resonance and presence to match the cab. It's a super cool idea and I wish UA would incorporate that if they release a Ox 2.
I still think the TAE is probably the better device for live situations, but at great cost. The effects loop is useless, the cab sims are not nearly as good as the Ox (or a Suhr IR loader for that matter). I'm going to keep my Ox for home studio use (where I play the most, tbh), return the TAE, and maybe buy a Fryette Power Station for live use. The TAE was just a huge disappointment. I'm really bummed. I keep wondering if I did something wrong but I'm pretty sure the unit just doesn't sound as good as the Ox, and the sound is 99% of the reason I buy guitar things.
The OX has a dynamic impedance curve, so it optimizes the response of your amp at all times.. this is why amps respond and sound better through the ox
7:49 - _"....it's a little disgusting and gluttonous..."_
Quit talking like a damn socialist. *You earned your ability to have what you want!* ENJOY IT, BUD!! 👍🏻
Just get a Soldano Amp, and it´s enough! True sound.....
I have an SLO
So people hated digital modelers, so we went back to tube amps! Nice! Now we think tube amps are too loud so we get another super expensive digital device to model speakers and add digital effects! Hmmmm..... am I the only guy who thinks like WTF!!! How about a high end tube preamp, with external effects? A solid state clean stereo amp into two guitar cabs?
I DON’T know , but let me guess .
THE UA IS FOUR TIMES THE PRICE OF THE BOSS .
I think they are around the same price
Title should say "My ramblings on the Ox vs the Boss Waza TAE" "I don't like long videos" Anything of value you said could be condensed to less than 2 minutes but yet the video is over 8 minutes long.
I’m just glad you suffered through it all. Thanks for watching 🤟🏻
@@tylerspeer971 It's a variation of the typical "If you don't like it don't watch it" It's the paradoxical Schroedingers cat logic for you tube. How does one know if you don't like it unless you watch it? lol
Kelly Jackson yeah I mean it’s horrible, but making a video of a volume test with a bunch of the same amp with terrible riffing for 4 mins is so useful
@@rockinchippy Actually I didn't :D bwah
oh look, the Penis Posse is out regulating the interwebs again
Sorry to say this but your viewers should understand that your analysis of The Ox is flawed and biased.
It appears that you simply do not understand how to effectively use The Ox in a studio situation or live situation.
How am I in any way biased? I bought both units with my own money and shared my opinion.
It seems your posts are flawed and biased John..
@@rockinchippy Just FYI. These companies pay social media and digital marketing companies to market their products. One of the tactics these agencies use (the manufacturers often don't know this) is to create fake social media accounts to act as "influencers" (boss likely had some of theirs in these comments I read as well). You can identify them if you look a little deeper at the individual commenter.
Bro you gotta help me out here cause I have the Waza and i swear that fucking thing is altering my tone. It's making it sound stiff, boxy and slightly solid statish. Maybe I'm not doing something right. Maybe it has something to do with the power amp in it or am I trippin ?
Direct or through the cabinet ?
@@rockinchippy Through my marshall 4 12 cabinet. I'm gonna try messing with it some more, but it probably is me because I don't hear or see anyone else bitching about it.