UPDATE: The N-audio 8X7 and 4X4 now support all power attenuators, including Reload II and BOSS TAE CORE.
If you purchased an amp switcher before October 2025, please read the article below:
One of my clients, Ed Tullett - a UK-based songwriter and producer uses the N-audio 8X7 amp switcher and recently added the Two Notes Reload II. However, in this case, an issue came up that is worth sharing. A similar problem was also reported by another client using the BOSS TAE Core. The Reload II and BOSS TAE Core are not compatible with older hardware revisions of the N-audio 8X7 and 4X4 amp cabinet switchers.
The power attenuator differences
What makes the Reload II and TAE Core different from the Fryette or the BOSS TAE? The answer’s in the power amp. The Reload II and the TAE Core use a bridged mono amplifier. That means both the tip and the sleeve of the speaker output are hot. So if you connect them to the amp switcher, it actually shorts the power amp. There’s an error LED on the back of the Reload that lights up when that happens – a good warning sign that the output is being shorted by grounding one of the hot lines! I messaged Guillaume Pille, the owner of Two Notes. Big thanks to him for the quick reply and the friendly chat. He basically confirmed what I was suspecting, and I was right when I checked Ed’s setup!
Hi Niki,
Reload II is using a stereo class D amp, and as in most Class D amps the output is bridged yes. I would certainly not recommend grounding the output!
This image shows the basic block diagrams of all types of power attenuators. More details about bridged mono amps here.
In Conclusion
All N-audio amp cabinet switchers fully support bridged amplifiers now!
If you own an older hardware revision of the N-audio 4X4 or 8X7, you can still use the Reload II or BOSS TAE Core when connected as a speaker cabinet for silent recording. In this configuration, the unit provides a balanced line-level output to your DAW, or you may connect a single speaker cabinet after it.
Niki Hristov