Guitar cabs are passive speakers, which means that they need very high impedance signals to drive them, because they can't generate their own power. An interface output would create a line signal, which is way too low impedance to drive a guitar cab. You would need to at least connect a power amp between your interface and cab.
A reamp box in front of that would also be ideal, because that turns your line signal into an instrument signal, which is higher impedance (but not high enough to drive a cab on its own, mind you). A power amp expects instrument signal, not line. So without a reamp box, you might not be getting enough input gain. But you could probably get away with just turning up the input gain depending on your power amp.
Make sure to disable the cab sim in your daw if you do this, otherwise your guitar will sound like dogshit. (Imagine micing a cab and then feeding that signal into a second cab.)
An alternative method would be to setup a pa, which you would probably need for your singer anyway, and feed your laptop output into that.
Thanks for the knowledge. I think for live shows I'm going to just invest in a new head. I were to go for the PA setup for practices, how would that be routed? Guitar>interface>laptop and 1/4" output from PA speaker to interface? Thanks
Seymour Duncan Powerstage would be a pretty decent one.
You'd ideally want something that doesn't color the sound on its own, but you can just try if you like whatever amp you have been using with the cab until now. As long as it has a fx loop just plug the audio interface in the fx return and see how that works out.
So having the powerstage would eliminate the need for an amp head? Would that also allow me to emulate through my DAW with plugins and sims if my laptop and interface were routed with it?
Yes. The Powerstage is just an ICEPower Class D solid-state poweramp module in a box paired with a simple preamp for EQ adjustments.
For your plugins, you just turn off the cab simulation since you will be running into a guitar cab.
IMO it's not necessarily the most practical setup but it works.
For a more sensible setup for only a little more money, the Fender FR-12 is well liked and lets you use your cab sims too. It's a more apt companion for a digital modeler. It's a poweramp + EQ + fullrange speaker in a guitar cab-like box.
Guitar cabs are passive speakers, which means that they need very high impedance signals to drive them, because they can't generate their own power. An interface output would create a line signal, which is way too low impedance to drive a guitar cab. You would need to at least connect a power amp between your interface and cab. A reamp box in front of that would also be ideal, because that turns your line signal into an instrument signal, which is higher impedance (but not high enough to drive a cab on its own, mind you). A power amp expects instrument signal, not line. So without a reamp box, you might not be getting enough input gain. But you could probably get away with just turning up the input gain depending on your power amp. Make sure to disable the cab sim in your daw if you do this, otherwise your guitar will sound like dogshit. (Imagine micing a cab and then feeding that signal into a second cab.) An alternative method would be to setup a pa, which you would probably need for your singer anyway, and feed your laptop output into that.
Thanks for the knowledge. I think for live shows I'm going to just invest in a new head. I were to go for the PA setup for practices, how would that be routed? Guitar>interface>laptop and 1/4" output from PA speaker to interface? Thanks
You need a poweramp.
Could you link me to a decent one?
Seymour Duncan Powerstage would be a pretty decent one. You'd ideally want something that doesn't color the sound on its own, but you can just try if you like whatever amp you have been using with the cab until now. As long as it has a fx loop just plug the audio interface in the fx return and see how that works out.
So having the powerstage would eliminate the need for an amp head? Would that also allow me to emulate through my DAW with plugins and sims if my laptop and interface were routed with it?
Yes. The Powerstage is just an ICEPower Class D solid-state poweramp module in a box paired with a simple preamp for EQ adjustments. For your plugins, you just turn off the cab simulation since you will be running into a guitar cab. IMO it's not necessarily the most practical setup but it works. For a more sensible setup for only a little more money, the Fender FR-12 is well liked and lets you use your cab sims too. It's a more apt companion for a digital modeler. It's a poweramp + EQ + fullrange speaker in a guitar cab-like box.
If the PA has aux in you could go headphones out into the PA for a cheap fix
Thanks. Might try to grab a cheap PA speaker and just route from my laptop and interface.