Would you really ditch your tube amp for an FRFR monitor?

Yeah, I monitor with in-ears... no stage wedge or amp at all for me. 100% FOH... My In-Ear experience is pretty darned good.

I went through the same revelation a while back as some are just now. When I stepped outside of my self-indulgent 5'x5' stage plot and started caring about how others heard my guitar through FOH system life changed. Strap on a wireless and go check out how you sound with the rest of the band in the back of the room... eye opener.
 
3dognate said:
Yeah, I monitor with in-ears... no stage wedge or amp at all for me. 100% FOH... My In-Ear experience is pretty darned good.

I went through the same revelation a while back as some are just now. When I stepped outside of my self-indulgent 5'x5' stage plot and started caring about how others heard my guitar through FOH system life changed. Strap on a wireless and go check out how you sound with the rest of the band in the back of the room... eye opener.
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I think it depends on a few things. What kind of music, home or live, are you playing with a live drummer, what kind of venue, what kind of monitors the venue has, are you using in-ears. Etc. My situation would allow me to use monitor at home with no amp, but for live I would still need (want really) my tube amp. My live band is hard rock/metal, live drummer and we don't use in ears. Only two venues we play at imho has monitors (and a guy that knows how to run them) that I would trust to run straight into board. I am surprised by how many relatively large venues with big big $$$ FOH and lighting sytems have such weak monitors, I'm guessing its because most acts don't play at the sound level of hardrock/metal act.
So I still need my amp for my on-stage tone, and if I have to bring some sort relatively large amp (monitor) I might as well bring the tube half stack. If I was in a project that didn't use live drums, or soft drummer surrounded by plexiglass (popular in lounges around here), not bringing an amp and just using house monitors or small monitor for stage tone would be a much attractive. Or, if I only played the venues with the strong enough monitor systems, it would be a much more realistic option for live as well.
 
ssmorga78 said:
My question is...... where did you order the Matrix FR10??? I do not see them for sale anywhere....
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I ordered them at G66.com. They told me I will have to wait at least another few weeks until they arrive. But Matrix seems to be better in announcing - "soon", "only xxx weeks", "next xxx" than delivering ;-)). Never mind, it seems we´re nearly there. Check their facebook site - forget their website...
 
ethomas1013 said:
I went through periods of experimenting with FRFR, and then to a power amp and cab setup without cab IRs in the preset. And then I ultimately went back to FRFR using IR's.

I cannot comment on the Matrix FRFR cabinets/wedges since I have never played one. I just did a search on the FR10 and that looks interesting. I may have to try one of those since they are lighter weight.
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this is great info again. About the FR10s - I will report back as soon as I have them, promise! It is just that I won´t be able to comment on the difference to other monitors as the Matrix will be the first one I try.
 
I use CLR's live and Genelecs and Mackie HR824's at home... haven't used a tube amp in 6 years !

If you want a successful transition, the best way is to use the most accurate and flat speaker you can afford.... the Mackie HR824's are the closest thing to Genelecs that I've heard.... you can pick up a used pair around $400 for home use...

For Live QSC's have an over-hyped low end and high end that is somewhat brash. The EV ZLX12P's sound pretty good... low end not quite as hyped, and smoother top end and around $399 new, or $300 used... CLR would be the best option, but quite a bit more expensive...

Just opinion...
 
I use a k12, don't have overhyped bass or brash highs. There is a flat setting. Too much high's cab block high cut.. boom.

It's a dragon you will chase forever if you let it. Same with IR's.
 
I recently got a pair of the new Alto TS212. I have not being able to properly test them as I have a 19 month old in the house and I have not had the chance to crank them. I am currently practicing and dialing via headphones.
 
Orbm1 said:
I recently got a pair of the new Alto TS212. I have not being able to properly test them as I have a 19 month old in the house and I have not had the chance to crank them. I am currently practicing and dialing via headphones.
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I got a pair of them last weekend and I rocked them pretty darned loud. (With a sub even.) Very happy... at low "aren't going to piss the wife off" volumes, I might prefer my TS110As. But over all the TS212 is an improvement.

For at home playing I usually run through a pair of JBL LSR305 monitors. Tones translate great from there to the Altos and to my band's PA.
 
Hhuent said:
So far I am more than happy with my AX8. I posted already my thoughts (my little AX8 story) on using it with my tube amp (the AX8 going into the efx return, power amp and cabinet switched off in the global menu) and my Acus acoustic amp (ok, but the sound "pumping", because there seems to be some sort of compression in the Acus going on) for the lack of a decent FRFR monitor. Ordered a matrix FR10 but this will take maybe another month or so.
Yesterday I had the chance to jam with another band that had a JBL EON 210 mini PA (2 x 150 Watts) in their rehearsal room. I switched the poweramp sim and cab of my AX8 ON and went in the mixer of the PA, EQ flat. I went through several factory presets, had to knock down the drives, trebles quite a bit, mids a bit, bass a bit to my liking. I was underwhelmed compared to the sound I can achieve with my tube amp plus AX8. It just did not sound as "lively", dynamic and in your face..... I am a newbie on this FRFR stuff, so bear with me...
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Yep, I still have my Boogies, and they sit unused in the corner of my studio. I normally use a QSC k10 (or two), in other situations I have a Sennheiser wireless in-ear system in my guitar rack and just run a send to the main board.

It's a bit weird initially but really simplifies your life and allows you to take advantage of the wonderful models that the folks at Fractal have created. Works great. It may not "feel" exactly like what you're used to, but remember that the important thing is what it sounds like out front.

Good luck!
 
Hhuent said:
Aah, relief, thank you! - But an old AC30, really??
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Yep - probably not if it's firing on all cylinders, but if you're doing that, I can't help you - you probably can't hear anything, anyway. ;)

In the context of a live setting, with pretty standard stage volume for a tube amp, the Dxr10 is having no problems competing with his combos.
 
At this point, no. I'm realizing that I don't have the patience for this. I guess I was hoping that the evolution of modeling would have moved to a place where I could just plug in and go. Don't get me wrong, as I've said in another thread, this Fractal stuff is amazing...the detail is unbelievable. And I think that is where I don't have the discipline to get to a place and leave it alone. I fear I'll never enjoy playing guitar...because I'm always tweaking software. It doesn't help that our sound man pulled me aside without prompt last weekend and said "Do you know that you're maybe one of 3 guitarists in town that I'll never tell to turn down? Your rig always sounds great and fits in the mix. A lot of great players don't have that." At that moment I mentioned that I was experimenting with modeling...his response was "please don't." Truth told, I've been using this rig for several years now and between cab choice and power scaling, it can be pretty dang quiet on stage and still sound great...so I dunno. I guess I've got some thinking to do. It's not like I'm abandoning FAS...I really dig my FX8!
 
Right speaker makes all the difference. I now use CLR and am happy as a clam. Have been through many others. Atomic tube is not the answer unless it has a particular sound you want. All the advice about micing your amp, then listening to a well tweaked Axe through the same speakers is good advice. No, my Axe doesn't sound exactly like an open back Fender or Fenderish variant (Tone King, Carr, etc) which is what I'd otherwise be playing, but it sounds amazing. When I hear it in my CLR and know that's what I'm giving the PA, I'm delighted. Until recently I was playing with a guy who would use a killer Fender Tweed Deluxe or a Trainwreck amp worth well more than my car and I never felt like my tone was less than his.

Not everyone takes to FRFR, but using a mediocre JBL system to make the judgement is not giving the Axe a fair shot.
 
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