Elektro Art
RECO: Analogue Speaker Emulator & Load Tool
A passive, 100% analogue solution for silent recording, direct-to-PA, studio consistency, and natural tone without microphones, IRs or latency.
What RECO is
- RECO converts your amplifier’s speaker output into a natural, mic-like line signal that fits perfectly into any audio interface, mixer or PA.
- Built for players who want real amp tone at any volume – including zero volume.
King Cobra Amp with Les Paul recorded with RECO
Key Applications
Silent Recording!
Use your amp anytime. Works with or without a speaker; completely silent if no speaker is connected.
MIC vs RECO vs RED BOX PRO
Amp out/Speaker with Shure SM57
Amp out/Himmelstrutz RECO
Amp out/H&K RED BOX PRO
Gibson Les Paul and a gang of Himmelstrutz products recorded straight into Apple Logic. No speaker used = “silent” recording via RECO “Rec Out” to computer sound card input.
RECO Layout / Controls
| Jacks | Amp 8–16 Ω Out: Connect to your amp speaker output marked 8 or 16 Ω. Spkr. 2–16 Ω: Connect your speaker of choice, from 2 Ω to anything higher. Rec Out: Balanced → TRS 6.3 mm cable. Unbalanced → standard mono guitar cable. 9–12 V DC: Standard 9–12 V regulated DC (not included), center-negative. |
| Footswitch | ON/OFF: Activates/bypasses the speaker emulator. When ON → Green LED lights up. When OFF → Full-range signal for DAW/IR use. |
| Potentiometers* | Rec-Lo: Low frequencies (discrete JFET). Rec-Mid: Independent mid control (JFET). Rec-Hi: Shapes treble/presence → crispy ↔ smoother. *3-band EQ is always active. |
| Toggle switches | Spkr. Level: Choose –5 / –8 / –12 dB output (2–16 Ω loads). Rec. Brite: 2 styles for Rec Out (less ↔ more top). Pres.: Presence/upper mids (subtle, dial by ear). |
| LED indicators** | Green LED: Speaker emulator ON. Yellow LED: Amp is putting out 10–20 watts. Red LED: Amp is pushing 20 W or more**. **Risk of overheating if red LED stays ON for long periods. |
Reco Summary
The RECO isn’t for taming huge, old, untamable 100-watt monsters. It’s made to safely shape, capture, and control the tone of small to medium amps where you actually care about preserving dynamics and real amp sound.
The need for RECO is:
► Recording real amp tone without needing a speaker cabinet and microphone.
► Quiet practice or recording with your amp’s natural sound, even at home.
► Live gigs where you want to send your amp’s sound to the PA without blasting the stage volume.
► Tone shaping without loading your amp unnaturally (because RECO’s load feels/reacts like a real speaker, unlike many load boxes).
► Keeping everything analog – no impulse responses (IRs), no digital modeling, no lifeless tone (IRs can still be used if needed).
► Saving your ears and your gear – it protects both your speakers and your bandmates' sanity.
Why the caution?
Because amps with no master volume (especially older designs like early Marshalls, Hiwatts, etc.) push full wattage all the time. And 100 watts of tube power is brutally powerful. Even many real 4x12" cabinets strain under that!
RECO was designed for amps where you have some control over volume or where output power is naturally moderate (15–30 W sweet spot, up to 50 W with a bit of sense).
If you use a modern amp with a good master volume, you can crank the preamp for overdrive but keep the output safe.
Without master volume = no real control = high risk.
Q & A
► Q: Is RECO a guitar pedal, like something I’d put on a pedalboard?
► A: Not really, even if it has a footswitch. The footswitch could also have been a toggle switch but would have, in this state, made RECO look strange. RECO doesn't fit well in a pedalboard signal flow, RECO is more of a studio tool.
► Q: Can I run RECO through MIDI or MIDI thru?
► A: No.
► Q: Why not?
► A: Because it’s pointless.
► Q: Alright then, how do I change IRs in RECO?
► A: You don’t. You’re not supposed to. Stop searching for problems.
► Q: Where can I download the latest RECO app – and the latest firmware – I love new firmwares!
► A: (Uncomfortable silence. Someone coughs in the distance. Almost like this never happened)
Delivered with RECO
► Sound, feel and joy you may not have experienced before
► 1 x printed Owner’s Manual
► 1 x Warranty: The Himmelstrutz Elektro Art products includes a 1 year limited materials- and factory warranty (from delivery date). The warranty does not include batteries and consumables. Product service is free of charge during the warranty time. The warranty does not include errors due to product modifications, internal adjustments, disassembly, negligence/violence, incorrect power supply usage/incorrect connections or thunder. Shipping costs in non warranty cases is on the product owner
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