Thinking about selling ASM-12s

80sMetalDude

Inspired
So I really 'Thought' I loved my ASM12 cabs until I started playing through my HS8 monitors... there is something I cannot put my ears around what that is.

There is something in the clarity when I play through the monitors that doesn't seem to come through the Friedmans.

Am I crazy?? Did my eyes just open up to the other opinions I've been hearing on them LoL!!

It's something in the mids I think... not sure yet.
 
You are not crazy, the Friedmans was never made to be an accurate representation of the sound that's coming out. They are made to make guitar modellers sound good which effectively means adding an EQ filter across the speakers, or designing the speaker in such a way that certain frequencies are accentuated and others cut. When rocking out with a Friedman BE model and a greenback cab ir, I think the ASM sounded awesome but for other stuff, not so much. I ended up selling mine, bought another CLR and couldn't be happier.
 
Thx. I spent time last night switching back and forth between the ASM12 and HS8 with my Mackie big knob and the best way I can describe it is the HS8 sound positioned right there in your face... the ASM12 felt 'removed'

Now I fully understand what folks meant that said they sounded like a blanket was over them because that's it in a nutshell really.

I feel bad for all the posts I made raving about the ASM12 now. They were made with no reference/experience witht other FRFR products so all I knew was how much I liked what I heard...

They are indeed nice cabs and sound great but apparently need a global EQ adjustment or something... will need to mess with that before being hasty. Also I'm making all my comments on casual jamming DB level.

Seems everyone loves their CLRs.
 
I upgraded my monitors to Adam A7x’s last year and I find that I rarely fire up my CLR anymore. I am not playing out and I just love the raw clarity of the A7’s. What I hear is exactly what I record. Previously, I would create patches on the CLR and then have to tweak them for recording. Conversely, patches that I create with the A7’s translate well to the CLR. I do love my CLR though....and the weekend is near!
 
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You are not crazy, the Friedmans was never made to be an accurate representation of the sound that's coming out. They are made to make guitar modellers sound good which effectively means adding an EQ filter across the speakers, or designing the speaker in such a way that certain frequencies are accentuated and others cut. When rocking out with a Friedman BE model and a greenback cab ir, I think the ASM sounded awesome but for other stuff, not so much. I ended up selling mine, bought another CLR and couldn't be happier.


I honestly don’t know if the ASM12 was really designed for guitar modelers even. There is a lower end B52 wedge shaped PA speaker already on the market, which has an identical cabinet shape and identical amp and inputs jacks to the ASM. I think they just took an existing product, added a new grill, different speaker, some nicer Tolex and marketed it as a new ground up design for guitar modelers.

Doesn’t make the ASM a bad product, but I feel like the marketing may not be 100% factual.
 
So I really 'Thought' I loved my ASM12 cabs until I started playing through my HS8 monitors... there is something I cannot put my ears around what that is.

There is something in the clarity when I play through the monitors that doesn't seem to come through the Friedmans.

Am I crazy?? Did my eyes just open up to the other opinions I've been hearing on them LoL!!

It's something in the mids I think... not sure yet.
Well you know my opinion... for the money the HS8’s are just lovely. I’m sure there are better but I love the Axe FX III through them....
 
Seems like a pretty common view of the ASM's...that they aren't very flat. A lot of people rave about them though?

Only thing I can say for sure is I can't recommend the CLRs enough!
 
I honestly don’t know if the ASM12 was really designed for guitar modelers even. There is a lower end B52 wedge shaped PA speaker already on the market, which has an identical cabinet shape and identical amp and inputs jacks to the ASM. I think they just took an existing product, added a new grill, different speaker, some nicer Tolex and marketed it as a new ground up design for guitar modelers.

Doesn’t make the ASM a bad product, but I feel like the marketing may not be 100% factual.

Bingo.
 
Seems like a pretty common view of the ASM's...that they aren't very flat. A lot of people rave about them though?

Only thing I can say for sure is I can't recommend the CLRs enough!

Flat doesn’t mean things sound better, just more accurate.

A speaker that has a bit too much bass and some rolled off highs might sound “good”, a bit more like a guitar cabinet. Makes anything played through it sound really big and full, not too much treble.

Problem comes when someone thinks that their tone actually sounds like that and plays through a different system and it’s thin and tinny on an accurate system.

I thought the ASM was pretty good, still don’t think it’s bad, but I put it next to a CLR and it was rather surprising how much more detail I was hearing, especially off axis, on things like delay reverbs, deep reverbs etc. Felt like the ASM had a pillow over it in comparison, but, the ASM did give a bit more “chug” effect on the low E palm mutes.

ASM can certainly get as loud as anything else.
 
Flat doesn’t mean things sound better, just more accurate.

A speaker that has a bit too much bass and some rolled off highs might sound “good”, a bit more like a guitar cabinet. Makes anything played through it sound really big and full, not too much treble.

Problem comes when someone thinks that their tone actually sounds like that and plays through a different system and it’s thin and tinny on an accurate system.

I thought the ASM was pretty good, still don’t think it’s bad, but I put it next to a CLR and it was rather surprising how much more detail I was hearing, especially off axis, on things like delay reverbs, deep reverbs etc. Felt like the ASM had a pillow over it in comparison, but, the ASM did give a bit more “chug” effect on the low E palm mutes.

ASM can certainly get as loud as anything else.

Yes, I agree. That is why I recommend the CLRs. I would rather hear exactly what the Axe is putting out and adjust from there.
 
Yes, I agree. That is why I recommend the CLRs. I would rather hear exactly what the Axe is putting out and adjust from there.
That's what I feel now after discovering how the HS8 sound.

So what I did not test yet was ripping the grills off and trying them... havent had time to play in several days. I'm not giving up yet. ;) Done too many knee jerk things with purchases going to really test this out and see if I can come up with whether global EQ will help. I do not gig so any translation to FOH won't matter to me.

My stage is my man-cave and whomever is over with beers in hand :) :)

Thanks for all the comments gang, much appreciated.

Kinda funny off topic FAS moment....
Friend comes over and is sitting next to me by my AXE III and sees it sitting there racked under my monitor and says "Is that some kind of EQ thing or something?"

Let's just say he was enlightened after his ears stopped ringing!
 
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