Make your tube amp sound and feel better than any simulator!
Make your tube amp sound and feel better than any simulator out there. The Boss tube amp expander core is set to give you peace at low volumes with a tube amp, but at the same time introducing real tube amp feel and tones that you can’t get from simulators.
00:00 start
00:13 Intro & Preamble
03:55 Inside the TAE Core
09:07 Front controls
14:06 Rear I/O
20:23 Power supply
21:30 Speaker cable
22:50 The manual
24:19 MIDI pedal
24:49 Specifications
26:01 Software
37:28 Phone Application
39:09 System on a chip
39:55 Overall score
43:00 Warranty
43:32 Summing up
48:20 Audio demo
Links:
My original review of the TAE: https://youtu.be/y5KBUgkx4KM?si=CnmIqm_Qbgcr40RD
My build of the Ceriatone Train Wreck Expression: https://youtu.be/UnzX7MWFD7Q?si=EqgK9fMpzbtv8Tqy
Ceriatone Chupacabra Review: https://youtu.be/7tL7IiosMK4
Ceriatone Centaura Klon Clone Review: https://youtu.be/zP6VPbNq-YU
And there are many more brands of amps on my channel at youtube.com/tonymckenziecom
My website has hundreds of reviews of guitar gear: https://tonymckenzie.com
It’s been said many times on YouTube that amp simulators just don’t have the ‘feel’ that a real tube amp does. But there are many protagonists that will tell you that amplifier simulators are now caught up with those ‘old’ tube amps and that comparison is pointless. But hold on and step back for a moment. If that was the case, companies like Friedman, Marshall, Diezel, Mezzabarba and so many other tube amp makers would have long ago gone out of business? Right? But there they are, still going.
So is there really any truth in that comment that many guy’s say that ‘amp simulators’ just don’t have the ‘feel’ that real tube amps or amplifiers do? Well I have used countless amp simulators from every brand (nearly) out there over very many years and I do think there is truth in the statement. How much truth? Well I guess like most things, its all subjective really.
But you have to crank that tube amp right up to get that feel and tone (listen to Hendrix back at Woodstock in 69 with that star spangled banner rendition and there is no way you can do that with an amp simulator – at least I have never heard anyone come even close. Period. The sounds are very specific coming from that Marshall rig clearly from those cranked tube amps and the feel, well I guess that you CAN feel it even though you’re not playing the piece and are not there. Its pretty unique in the history of guitar. But of course today they would NEVER let a guitar amplifier rig like that be played at those volumes.
So as I own a Tube Amp Expander from a few years back, when Boss (or Roland) released the TAE Core unit I bought one immediately. In fact, I just actually sent a Two Notes unit (just released) back to Andertons because I think the Boss TAE Core will sell far more units approaching half the price of the two-notes V2 unit. I actually bought this TAE Core personally and this is in no way a sponsored review. So you get a genuine and unique overview of the TAE Core in a way that NO ONE ever shows you. Its not ‘just’ an amp attenuator by far.
My opinion can be trusted to be genuine from start to finish. By the way I did suggest that the TAE Core has 100 Watts output and that is incorrect – its actually 30 Watts output and that DOES matter. My apologies for that mistake.
Watch this video and see exactly what you get with the TAE Core – I include the hardware, front and rear I/O and controls, the software, the phone app and sum up what I found for the TAE Core. Is it worth the £600 that it costs? Well you’ll have to watch the video to find that out!
(c) A B Mckenzie and tonymckenzie.com 2009-2025
All Rights reserved
#boss #roland #tae #tubeamplifier #tonymckenzie #tonymckenziecom #reactive #tubeamp #guitaramp #ampsimulator #ampsim #guitaramplifier
#tube #amp #sound #feel #simulator
Originally posted by UCuuNmrkOEmTPnz4Dcc-Hi5w at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M_wid1hzuB4
Thank you! Great explanation! ????
I've got a mesa studio preamp going Into a peavey classic 5050 the newer one I've got 2 vol and a master vol luckily I can get some nice tone at ho.e without blowing the roof off.
Hi Tony. 24 hours later I did pull the trigger on this despite the 8/10 rating. I have to say that you credited me with a lot more intelligence than I have. I've never got my head around the " You don't need to connect a speaker /. You must connect a speaker" thing. Guess I'm just too old!! Be well and happy.
Jesus Wins.
Hi Tony! Another great and very informative video. I don't know if you noticed where Boss is manufactured or not, but Nik has stated that they occasionally contact him to do projects and supply them with parts. Nik and his crew seem to get around. Cheers!
Wow Tony. I was just thinking of buying one of these.Thanks for another great review.
I had one of these to run with a particular combo. Having the fx loop and the option to use the built in fx was cool. Before using it live I checked with the amp manufacturer, they don't recommend this as the reactive load is not correct.
They recommended fryette.
Happy Easter, Tony!! Thanks again for your review!! Eggsactly what we need to keep the neighborhood happy. I use my UA OxBox for all my recording and am quite satisfied with it. Have a great day!!!!
I have Bugera PS1, it sucks the life out of the tone at high attenuation levels. I’m maybe going to try a boss ge7 to bring some of that back. I have been interested in this device… does it change the amp character much in your opinion?. Cheers.
can i play my amp without sound but headphones with that +?????
Review the Two Notes Reload 2. It ticks all your boxes. I received it two weeks ago. This device defines the load box/attenuator market in a new way. Boss, UA Ox, Fryette Power Station etc. will have an issue with the new Two Notes. I have the others as well, the latter has got tone.
It's like the Fred Dibnah of guitar amps
Seems good, but it will not take my 4 OHM vintage amps…too bad!
Attenuators are just a waste of tubes. Just use a 5 to 20xw amp and crank it up. Simulators are fun and have their place.
Not impressed…….unless hidden by all the heat sinks and circuit boards I see no reactive load coil which is needed to give the inductance to correctly simulate a speaker, so it appears that this is a resistive load box. Also , no tube amp output stage, So This must be a class ‘D’ solid state power amp. If anyone is interested and electronically capable, build your own power soak, just search Aiken reactive load. I would trust the Aiken design over anything like this or the Suhr/ Two Notes Captor etc You can do IR’s with the Mooer Radar.
$700 to reduce a little amp power? I think NO WAY. Just buy a 5 watt clean tube amp. You can buy an entire head for <$500. Like a Gries 5 watt amp- sounds great and it takes pedals well. I have one. Very quiet too.
Good tips. This solution however is not worth it and no controls- only on phone is a fail.
If you play at home, just grab a nice lower power amp or two. Even if you reduce the amp power, the speaker would still prefer to sing with more power. It won't be exactly the same. I have a 5 watt tube amp. I then A/B/Y it with my other amp(s) and it sounds great. Best tone if you separate speakers by about 10 feet facing you. Then jam along to backing tracks via your home theatre- epic! Get a guitar that has a piezo pick up and elec. pickup so you can blend the two. I use a xTSA- Godin guitar. My Mini Fishman fills out the tones nicely.
Thnx for another great video. I will always prefer a good tube amp w/mic in front of, but your videos are always so inspiring. Cheers from Norway. Have a great easter ????
Cheaper, yes, but still $700. I just don't see the justification for that price. The makers of these attenuators need to get real with the pricing.
Just turn the volume down or buy a valve amp with a switch with output power options.
or use headphones,
Or do what Tony has done and build your own studio as far away from your neighbours house
as possible.
Since i only play clean at neighbour friendly volume i don't need any form of power reducer.
Another great video Tony! These attenuators/expanders are great tools. Boss, Fryette, and Two Notes make good units. They have some of the same features but go about it a differnt way. I use a Fryette Power Station.
I got a old spider III 150watt combo. More volume than a man needs ????????????
Tony back in my day a friend of mine suggested I leave my Marshall half on hours before a show, what I noticed while playing live the amp sound was a lot warmer, got to let it bake for awhile.