I use the UA OX in my guitar recording chain for attenuation, not for its capability to link to the computer and access thousands of mic’d speaker emulations (albeit pretty impressive).
It attenuates the Mesa Boogie Mark 5 Thirty-Five signal while on the way to the Celestion Vintage speaker, which is enclosed in a mic’d Grossman SG-Box iso cab.
The UA OX facilitates a cranked amp sound, without having to turn the volume all the way up to achieve it.
Guitar and amp designer Stuart Ward wrote a more in-depth analysis on what’s occurring when you turn up the volume on a tube amp.
Using attenuator’s is not a new technique. And it vastly improves the ability to take full advantage of the sound of the guitar and tube amp combination, which is reflected in the recording.
Some people debate this topic, but I hear the difference with attenuation.
